Overview

For the average consumer, the Maha MH-C204W Smart Battery charger appears to be a very basic fast charger with a discharge function.

The hidden added value of this charger lies in its 4 state charging system and its temperature control.

We have tested several fast chargers, and temperature can be a serious issue.

Price

We found this unit selling for just under $30 US. The is a very good value. The completeness of charger and temperature control makes this unit very reliable.

We also noted that is did an excellent job of charging the batteries to full capacity.

Adding Batteries to this set would make it an excellent value an an unbeatable offer.

Battery Charge Capacity Tests

During the review, we tested Powerex and our reference batteries after being charged in our Reference Chagrer #1 and in the Maha C204W Smart Battery charger. As you can see, the Maha C204W a better job of charging Powerex brand batteries. Although the difference is minimal, it was charged in less than two hours. Results for Battery#2 and #3 will be updated soon

( tested results in % of rated capacity, i.e.. for a 2000mAh battery 99% = 1980mAh )

Battery Charging Temperature Tests

The Maha C204W Smart Battery charger charges the batteries quickly and we did not notice any excessive heat. By excessive heat, we mean that you can pick up the battery or keep your finger on the battery while charging without getting burnt.

The human body operates at 37.5C and our skin temperature is a little lower than that.

Take a battery that has been charging and put it in your hands. Close your hands around it. If you can hold it, it hasn't overheated.

updated:

The Maha MH-C204W does an excellent job of charging and topping up batteries while keeping the batteries cool.

The Maha Powerex 2500mAh AA NiMH rechargeable battery and the Powerex 900mAh AA NiMH rechargeable battery were conditioned and then recharged while monitoring the charging and temperature charatersistics in the Powerex MH-C204W.

See the charging and temperature tests for more information on the Maha MH-C204 battery charger temperature and charging characteristics.

Feature Tests

The Maha C204W Smart Battery charger charges batteries in groups of two. The discharge function allows you to drain the battery before charging. If you already have two batteries in the unit, you can still add or swap out two batteries in the other bank. If you hit the discharge button, only the recently added batteries start to discharge.

The batteries we charged were all 2500 mAh or higher. That means that charging does take more than 1 hour. At the rate, we can approximate that 1.5 X 2500 mAh (see NiMH Rechargeable Battery FAQs) is the required charging current ( which is 3750mA ). So this means that a 2500 mAh battery ( 3750 / 2000mAh x 60min per hour ) takes 112 minutes to charge.

This is what we noticed in terms of performance.

Overall Conclusion

This charger has a very simple, and many times difficult to deliver, offering. It charges your batteries quickly without overheating them. It also offers a discharge function to keep your batteries properly cycled.

As previously mentioned, the hidden value in this charger is it's four state charging technology. Temperature control and completeness of charge is delivered in about two hours.

If your looking for a compact fast charging charger that won't overheat your batteries, this could be the unit your looking for. A supplied set of Powerex batteries would make this unit an unbeatable offer.

For results on Maha Powerex's AA and AAA battery results, go to our AA and AAA Test Results pages. Maha Powerex's AA and AAA batteries are among the top batteries available on the market.

A more compact version of this charger with a flip up AC power interface ( without a powercord ) would be the perfecf fast compact travel charging product.

Original Review Date Jul, 2006

Updated Oct 26, 2006

Updated Dec, 2006

Compact and Light Weight: Charger Unit weighs only 4 oz

The MH-C204W does not need an external power adapter. It has a universal power adapter built into it. It does require an AC adapter cable.

Worldwide Operation

The MH-C204W has an integrated 100-240V 50/60Hz international power supply. Take the charger anywhere in the world and never worry about voltage.

Ultra Fast Recharging Time

Recharge 2 AA or 2 AAA batteries right around 1 hour. Recharge 4 AA / AAA batteries in about two hours.

Intelligent Charger Improvements

When the light turns green, the batteries will be nearly 98% charged so you can get the most of the high capacity batteries. The MH-C204W has a 5th generation PowerEx microprocessor that features an unique four stage charging process:

• Ramp-up
  
• Rapid Charging
  
• Top-off charging
  
• Maintenance Charging

The Ramp-up jolts the batteries if needed to revive old batteries. This jolting feature is a series of carefully timed high current pulses that can activate both new and inactive batteries.

The MH-C204W is designed with an intermediate, medium current, top-off charge so that the battery will retain most of its charge.

The Maintenance Charging feature is an extremely low current pulse charging that gives the batteries a brief pulse charge periodically to ensure the batteries are charged but not overcharged.

Battery Conditioning Feature

Batteries also need to be conditioned from time to time so that it can produce maximum performance. Batteries that were ready for the recycle bin may possibly be brought back to life using the conditioning feature. The conditioning feature is also a useful tool at reviving poorly performing batteries. 50mA

MH-C204W Specifications :

• Charge Current: 2000mA (AA), 700mA (AAA)
• Trickle Charge Current: 50mA
• Charging Cell Configuration: 2 or 4 AA / AAA NiMH rechargeables
• Microprocessor: Negative Delta V, Zero Delta V, Temperature and Timer
• Built-in Power Supply Voltage: AC 100-240VAC, 50/60hZ, 150mA
  

Optional Accessories

• MHS-PC3207U UK Powercord
• MHS-PC3207A Australia / New Zealand Powercord
• MHS-PC3207E European Powercord