Rayovac PS3D Universal Battery Charger for AA, AAA, 9V, C and D Rechargeable

Rayovac PS3D Universal Battery Charger for AA, AAA, 9V, C and D Rechargeable Batteries

Product Details

Product Dimensions: 6 x 5 x 4 inches ; 1.1 pounds
Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
ASIN: B00004W4XM
UPC: 012800462049
Item model number: PS3R

By : Rayovac
List Price : ~~$33.37~~
Price : $23.36
You Save : $10.01 (30%)

Product Description

Rayovac PS3D Universal Battery Charger for AA, AAA, C and D Rechargeable Batteries

Product Features

Charges Any Size NiMH Battery including Rayovac 4.0 - up to (4) AA or AAA, (4) C or D, (2) 9V
Charges all NiMH batteries
Save $100's vs. Alkaline
Ideal for High Drain devices

Customer Reviews

Most of the positive reviews here apply to the PS3 charger, not to the PS20/PS3D. I bought the latter, which is being sold here, thinking I was getting the former. I accept that I am responsible for not being more careful. This charger differs from the Rayovac PS3 in almost every significant way:
1. It has two independent channels, not 4.
2. It will not charge one battery in one channel, only 2 batteries in each channel. Need to recharge one battery or three? Tough luck. Your choices are zero, two or four (except for 9V batteries). The two battery slots in each channel are apparently linked in series, not in parallel, so each battery in a given channel gets the same current at all times.
3. It is only intended for use with NiMH batteries, not NiCd or rechargeable alkaline batteries.
4. It is not remotely smart. It makes no effort to determine battery type or if batteries are fully charged. It puts out a constant current at 2.8V and never stops. (This voltage is specified on the back of the charged and is what makes me thing that the two batteries in each cell are linked in series.) It is up to you to guess when the pair of batteries is fully charged and pull them out then. Also, if you're putting a charged battery in with a discharged one in order to charge an odd number of discharged batteries, they both get the same treatment. The only thing that varies is that larger batteries get higher currents (D=560mA, C=440mA, AA=260mA, AAA=120mA, 9V=14mA).
5. It charges four AA or AAA batteries at a time, not eight.
6. The status indicator tells you nothing very helpful. It turns on when you have two batteries in a cell and never turns off.
Avoid this charger. The only advantage I can think of for it is that, like other completely dumb chargers, it will charge batteries that other chargers reject as dead. Sometimes such batteries are just completely discharged and work well after being charged by a dumb charger like this one.

The battery charger was packed well and received quickly.
The charger is great because it accommodates all the usual suspects (AAA/AA/C/D size batteries). Most chargers I've seen only charge the AAA/AA batteries.
The only thing I would change... it takes so long to charge a set of batteries... couldn't it be a little faster?
However, this is great to use on baby toys (as well as your big kid toys)... just buy an extra set of batteries so you can always have a set charging while the other is in the toy.
The only reason I mention that is because the batteries do run down kind of quickly, and take up to 8 hours to fully charge.
But I'm not complaining... while there is an initial investment, think of the money you'll save on buying new batteries all the time. And you'll be doing a small part for the environment by not throwing out batteries all the time.