Maha MH-C9000 WizardOne Charge Time: Variable Charge Current: Variable Discharge Current: Variable Battery Acceptance: AA or AAA Dimensions: 4.25" (W) x 1.5" (H) x 6.5" (D) Weight: 305g (~11oz) (excluding AC adapter) Warranty: Three-Year Limited Warranty MSRP: $69.95 | Click For Best Price Recommended Merchant: Thomas Distributing
The Maha MH-C9000 WizardOne is receiving a little bit of negative commentary from a rather small minority of users, but I would like to give my opinion on the matter regardless. I have received a few emails regarding some specifics on the alleged problems with the MH-C9000, and so I'd like to respond here for others to view. Also, there are a few rules or advice if you will, which I have found keep any potential charging problems to a minimum. I have personally experienced no problems with the MH-C9000.
For BEST RESULTS, don't use batteries older than a few years
In my experience, it is best to throw out all batteries within a few years of use, regardless of how many times you charged them. They simply lose charging capabilities, and over time, become a liability to not only your charger, but your electronic equipment as well. The cost of rechargeable batteries is rather low, especially for the popular AA batteries, so it's a wise investment to upgrade to new batteries every few years. Higher battery capacities are announced every year, so why not take advantage of the new technology and having a fresh pack of batteries? Why use your older 1300mAh batteries when you can have over TWICE that capacity today? Electronics are getting more and more demanding, and having batteries which are relatively new, is a good way to keep a balance of power and power demands from your electronics.
Your charger is not going to bring back batteries from the dead
While DigitalDingus has commented in the past about bringing back to life your old batteries, please be aware chargers cannot bring back batteries to life which are inherently dead and/or have such a little amount of capacity left. The charger simply cannot function and any charger will not be able to put a sufficient charge in it.
ONLY use the specified battery type as stated by the charging manufacturer
Please observe the manufacturer's advice. There is a reason why they print that little obnoxious thing called a User's Manual. We're not talking about reading a piece of paper on how to properly use a straw when drinking soda. This is a little more important. Don't use alkaline batteries in the charger. Period.
Batteries actually ARE EASY to remove from the MH-C9000
Some comments were emailed to me about how the MH-C9000 would hold the batteries with too much force, and it was difficult removing them from the charger. I didn't experience such issues. However, I did notice there is a proper way to remove the batteries by pushing down on the positive end (the end of the battery with a "nipple"), and at the same time, lifting the battery from the negative end (i.e., the "flat" end). Conversely, you can also pull down on the battery (so your physical force is moving in the direction of the flat end of the battery), and pull up on the nipple-end of the battery. In either case, I experienced no problems removing my batteries. The MH-C9000 is made to grasp the batteries and keep them in a stable charging position. So, expect a little resistance when removing the batteries. This is normal.
Use caution when NOT using the MH-C9000's default charging/discharging settings
The MH-C9000 is a great tool for advanced and experienced users to give their batteries a quicker charging and discharging routine when necessary. However, like any product which gives the user more control, this additional control can turn out to be problematic if not used correctly. If you do not have any experience with charging batteries and understanding the concept, I highly suggest reading about it. The MH-C9000 is a unique charger, meant for those who want to have more control over their charging routines while still understanding the concepts of battery charging.
Does The MH-C9000 Have Problems Sensing lower mAh rated batteries?
I've been contacted from a few DigitalDingus viewers, and one particular viewer experienced a situation where 1200mAh batteries were used in the "Cycle" mode and the charger implemented a 9500mAh charge. In this rare situation (and my opinion may change as this is preliminary), we have a few possibilities:
There is/was a batch of defective chargers which people are using and they are improperly sensing mAh on some batteries
Overall, the MH-C9000 does not properly recognize low mAh batteries
Which is it. Well, unfortunately, we just don't know at this point due to the extremely low amount of users reporting the problem. However, I will say since we have only a few people who have reported this problem, I am tending to lean towards a small number of chargers being defective, which is common with any product being released. In other words, the MH-C9000 does work as advertised, but there are some defective units which do not accurately read the mAh capacity of a battery. At the same time, I would give a word of caution to those who are using lower mAh rated batteries. Now, please note I am NOT saying the MH-C9000 is perfect and has no problems. All I'm saying is, at this point, DigitalDingus is waiting to hear from Maha regarding the issue.
Has DigitalDingus Experienced Problems With The MH-C9000?
Nope. In fact, DigitalDingus has managed to scrape up some old 1600mAh NiMH batteries to use on the MH-C9000. Two 1600mAh were used (I couldn't find any older batteries as I throw them out). One was terminated by the MH-C9000 with the familiar and user manual explained "HIGH" indication (I tried conducting a "Break-In" routine, but the only routine which would work, was discharge, which showed 22mAh, 23min, 1.24V--in other words, the battery was dead). The other AA 1600mAh was left with a "273mAh, 18min, 1.38V" rating after completing a discharge routine. In "Break-In" mode, the battery finished the complete cycle in about 36hrs.
Should I Still Purchase The MH-C9000?
Yes. I currently have TWO MH-C9000 chargers and both have acted just fine. So, my advice is, don't attempt to charge batteries which are more than a few years old. Second, pay attention to the charging routines of the charger. If the batteries get extremely hot and melt the plastic wrapping on the outside of the battery, contact DigitalDingus as well as Maha. Both of us want to hear your experiences.
