Battery Charger with 8 batteries free AR at CompUSA

[Flair]

CompUSA Link

Out of stock on website, but it says there is inventory at my local store.
Also says it includesncludes 4 AA and 4 AAA Rechargeable Batteries. The quality looks sketchy, but worth a try free AR. Anybody tried this charger?

 

[StageLeft]

In stock here...I wonder if it's worth picking up...

 

[Wiseguy69]

Doesn't say what type of battery. It could be NiMH or not. I'm banking on not, and if that's the case --- not hot. Anybody know for sure?

 

[gibster]

These are NiCads, picked it up last time they had it on sale. AA are 800mAh, AAA are 300mAh. Disappointing to say the least. Charger is also slow, but at least it can charge both NiCads and NiMH (has a switch).

 

[J1600B]

A free charger is a good charger. How much hotter does it have to be???

 

[Ionizer86]

Eh, well it's free. This is the 3rd time with this promo, and since I got 2 already from the last I'll pass. I think the 1st time it was $10 - $10 tho...dunno y it's $13 - $13 now.

 

[frankqfrank]

Originally posted by: Wiseguy69
Doesn't say what type of battery. It could be NiMH or not. I'm banking on not, and if that's the case --- not hot. Anybody know for sure?

IT'S FREE!! Don't you people have remote controls, Caller ID, or other low drain stuff?

 

[cyberia]

Just picked up one: The AA batteries are only 500 mAh and the AAA are 300 mAh. Both are NiCa. They should be good for low drain devices as frankqfrank pointed out. Or as backup batteries for an MP3 player or a camera for a 2-3 day trip with no access to an electric outlet.

If you do not consider this use for them as a backup set worth $13 before the rebate, you shouldn't probably bother with them. Personally, I can use them for caller IDs and a wireless mouse/keyboard.

 

[uvgurer]

Are all the Columbia rebates (charger, stylus, case, etc.) on the same rebate offer number?

 

[Flair]

I need these for a digital camera so I bought the Panasonic charger with 4 NiMH AA batteries at Big Lots in Durham, NC. There is a thread out here for it.

 

[Fabius101]

What's so good about this CompUSA charger?
The batteries are weak 500mAh NiCads and the rebate goes to whereismyrebate.com
The Big Lots Panasonic charger is better.
The batteries are 1950mAh NiMH and no rebate to deal with.

 

[TheBigCheese]

Originally posted by: frankqfrank

Originally posted by: Wiseguy69 Doesn't say what type of battery. It could be NiMH or not. I'm banking on not, and if that's the case --- not hot. Anybody know for sure?

IT'S FREE!! Don't you people have remote controls, Caller ID, or other low drain stuff?

They're no good for cameras because the AA's are only 500ma and no good for remote controls and callerid etc. because NiCads lose their charge in a few weeks of non-use.

But, they are free so I got one!

 

[cogan]

For what it is worth, the picture in the ad at Big Lots makes it look like both the Big Lots deal and the CompUSA deal are for the same *charger*. The included *batteries* of course are different (NiCad vs. NiMH, etc.). But the similarity in the charger form-factor was striking and, given that there seem to only be a few different charger models which the different companies then put their own stickers on, I wouldn't be surprised at all to find out that they are in fact the same charger.

Don't know how important this observation is, but I wasn't expecting both to look/be the same.

 

[craneo]

They're no good for cameras because the AA's are only 500ma and no good for remote controls and callerid etc. because NiCads lose their charge in a few weeks of non-use.

But, they are free so I got one!

Not quite true. According to NiCd Battery FAQ V1.00 section 2.18 and 2.19 Nicad loose (self-discharge) at a rate about 1% a day (or less). NiMh at 3 to 10% a day.

Or according to another source: ."Issues and information on NiMH batteries

"The NICAD loses about 10% of its capacity within the first 24 hours, after which the self-discharge settles to about 10% per month. The self-discharge of the NiMH is one-and-a-half to two times higher than that of the NICAD"

But, with that being said, I like good only fashion alkyes for remotes since they will keep their charge for quite some period of time and remotes are generally considered to be low power devices, thus not needing the capacity of either NiCads or NiMHs.

 

[TheBigCheese]

The discharge rate quoted for NiCads (1%/day) has not been my experience. I find them unusable after a month.

I wonder why anyone would put rechargable batteries in a device where the life of replacable batteries is a year or more (remote, wireless mouse, etc.).

 

[sak]

hey i have this battary charger and i think that the Big Lot Panasonic charger with 4 1950mAH battries is a prob a better deal if u gonna be paying for the battries initially..

but it works..but man the rebate takes a long time to come it..i still havent gotten mine yet..

 

[cyberia]

When did you send out for your rebate?

 

[gibster]

Originally posted by: Fabius101
What's so good about this CompUSA charger?
The batteries are weak 500mAh NiCads and the rebate goes to whereismyrebate.com
The Big Lots Panasonic charger is better.
The batteries are 1950mAh NiMH and no rebate to deal with.

Just a couple of weeks ago, they had the same kit with a *silver* charger, now the charger is *black*. The batteries were 800mAh, now they are 500mAh (I checked). That is a big difference, not that the 800s are all that great anyway. Free is free, but don't expect too much...

 

[random]

ni cads work fine. I'd take free batteries, especially rechargables, but they were out in the SF store.