AA/AAA battery charger either stand alone or compatable w/ 12v low EMF DC only system

JDark
JDark Registered Users Posts: 18
I am closer to going off grid w/ a 12v low EMF DC only system. I will be moving to an RV as soon as I find one and will have to run on this type of system, as I can not tolerate smart meters and other transmitting things. I use many AA/AAA batteries and love the life I get from my duracill recharables. I just use them up and plug in the charger and ready to go again. Any charger I have ever used is not going to work w/ a DC system. There's lot of solar chargers out there and the reviews are very mixed. Seems like it depends on the unit you get.

Anyone know the best option: I have shopped solar chargers, watched youtube videos of people making AAA chargers out of $1 lamps and tried to think of maybe another solution if that would be better.

I am not much of a "shop" person and can't do much do to health, but still want a good option.


Any ideas??

Comments

  • Brlux
    Brlux Solar Expert Posts: 73 ✭✭✭
    I really like my MAHA MH-C9000 it is the best charge I have ever used. It is nice to be able to see the amount of MAH that it takes to recharge your battery and you can do discharge capacity tests. It does use switching power supplies in it so it may not satisfy your interpretation of low EMF but it looks like it has gone through compliance testing for radiated emissions so it should be fairly low EMF. It runs off 12VDC and I have ran mine from a 12V solar set up for years.

    If you haven't tried them yet you really need to get your hands on some of the Sanyo Eneloop Batteries. They are hands down the best rechargeable AA/AAA you can get. I have over 100 AA in service around the house and some of them are going on 9 years old. I have never had to throw one away due to poor performance, and they hold their charge while sitting on the shelf for a very long time.
  • karrak
    karrak Solar Expert Posts: 326 ✭✭✭✭
    Brlux wrote: »
    I really like my MAHA MH-C9000 it is the best charge I have ever used.

    If you haven't tried them yet you really need to get your hands on some of the Sanyo Eneloop Batteries.

    I'll second that for both of these, run my MAHA charger from my 24 volt system via a small 24 to 12 volt converter. Haven't had a battery failure in over four years I have been using Eneloops even when left waterlogged and dead flat for months.

    Simon

    Off-Grid with LFP (LiFePO4) battery, battery Installed April 2013
    32x90Ah Winston cells 2p16s (48V), MPP Solar PIP5048MS 5kW Inverter/80A MPPT controller/60A charger, 1900W of Solar Panels
    modified BMS based on TI bq769x0 cell monitors.
    Homemade overall system monitoring and power management  https://github.com/simat/BatteryMonitor
     

  • zoneblue
    zoneblue Solar Expert Posts: 1,220 ✭✭✭✭
    +1 on the eneloops

    In the same class as the maha is the lacrosse bc9009. However i just checked mine and the power adapter is rated at 3V 4A.

    If you want the absolute best charge termination check out this open source project:
    http://www.ultrasmartcharger.com/

    Appears to run on 5V USB?
    1.8kWp CSUN, 10kWh AGM, Midnite Classic 150, Outback VFX3024E,
    http://zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=off-grid-solar


  • raymate
    raymate Registered Users Posts: 15
    + sanyo cells.

    I also have the lacrosse and the Maha chargers and do just that, run them from a 12v battery solar system. I'm also a AA / AAA heavy user been for years. From the old NiCD days until now. I actually have 2 Maha and 3 lacrosse chargers, thats how bad my AA charging habit is :)
  • zoneblue
    zoneblue Solar Expert Posts: 1,220 ✭✭✭✭
    I think sanyo sold eneloop to panasonic.
    1.8kWp CSUN, 10kWh AGM, Midnite Classic 150, Outback VFX3024E,
    http://zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=off-grid-solar


  • raymate
    raymate Registered Users Posts: 15
    zoneblue wrote: »
    I think sanyo sold eneloop to panasonic.

    they did and luckily they did not mess with the batteries, they are about as good as it gets for low discharge Nimms
  • zoneblue
    zoneblue Solar Expert Posts: 1,220 ✭✭✭✭
    Panasonic is now a big player in the battery world. They also make the lithium nickel mangenese cells for Tesla.
    1.8kWp CSUN, 10kWh AGM, Midnite Classic 150, Outback VFX3024E,
    http://zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=off-grid-solar


  • JDark
    JDark Registered Users Posts: 18
    Thanx for the input. I really wanted something that did not have the switching power supplies as they can be a problem. I ended up going with this:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QQASHXA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

    I had not seen this before w/ both the solar and usb. Both would work w/ 12v and not have any fields. It is very difficult planning solar for someone electrosensitive.

    I have tons of duracell rechargeables which I love, They hold the charge long and have not had them fail. I have only recently heard about the enloop and I am going to try if I need more batteries. They must be awesome!