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Hohm Tech HOHM BASE the world's first oscillating charger review

Heartsdelight

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Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
@mjag I have a question on the Hohmtech charger. Do you let it automatically charge your 18650 at .5 amp or do you select 1 amp or 2 amp?

Also when charging it tells you the mah rating after it's done charging is that the mah your battery has?
 

mjag

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Slower charging is said to improve battery life so I always run it at .5 amp. A couple of times I was in a hurry though and have charged at 2amp, it doesn't damage the battery but shortens it's life a little bit, you just don't want to do it all the time but every once in awhile is not going to make a huge difference IMO.

If just regular charging (no battery doctor or mah detector) then the mah shown is what it added, not the overall mah of the battery.
 

jazzman

"I'm Old, Fat and Ugly with a crappy attitude!
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Thanks for the review of the charger. I have one on order since Monday from IMR Batteries. Looking forward to getting my old batteries back in shape.
 

gakudzu

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Member For 3 Years
Member For 2 Years
I also have a question for anyone using the Base:
Does the display ever turn off on yours? I got the impression from the manual that it is supposed to go dark after 2 mins of inactivity, but mine only dims.
 

mjag

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I also have a question for anyone using the Base:
Does the display ever turn off on yours? I got the impression from the manual that it is supposed to go dark after 2 mins of inactivity, but mine only dims.
Both of mine only dims as well, never off.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk
 

Heartsdelight

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Member For 5 Years
Slower charging is said to improve battery life so I always run it at .5 amp. A couple of times I was in a hurry though and have charged at 2amp, it doesn't damage the battery but shortens it's life a little bit, you just don't want to do it all the time but every once in awhile is not going to make a huge difference IMO.

If just regular charging (no battery doctor or mah detector) then the mah shown is what it added, not the overall mah of the battery.
:hug: Thanks! That's what I thought but wanted to be sure :blowkiss:
 

mjag

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Well one ended up being 2750 and the other was 2743... not bad for 2 years old.
Have the next batch of 4 in.

Not bad at all, I just redid my 18 month old LG browns that had the BD done 6 months ago and got 2831 and 2825. I have started not just putting the date I last ran the battery doctor but the mah I got as well so I can compare to the next time I run it in 6 months.
 

Carmmond

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Well had one bad LG HG4.... one charged to 2340 and the other only 1932!
May run the bad one one more time if it charges the same it looks like it's days are numbered.
 

mjag

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Well had one bad LG HG4.... one charged to 2340 and the other only 1932!
May run the bad one one more time if it charges the same it looks like it's days are numbered.
Is that a married pair?

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk
 

f1vefour

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I'm in the market for a new charger, do you still recommend the hohm base @mjag after having it for two years?
 

mjag

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I'm in the market for a new charger, do you still recommend the hohm base @mjag after having it for two years?

My original is still going strong and bought a second when they dropped to about $30 to have as a backup. My main gripe is trying to charge 2X700 batteries, you have to lift the positive side until it makes contact. It is also not the easiest charger to get you batteries out of but it is not too bad.

I got an Xtar Dragon charger recently, always wanted one and it went on sale for $40. Aside from taking 2X700 batteries better, the Dragon does not let you choose different functions for different bays. Defaults to 1 amp charging, have to hit the current button to change to 0.5 amp charging. Not an intuitive charger to use, have to refer to the owners manual for certain functions. The Dragon only shows mah that has been put into the battery, does not show the volts. All of these things the Hohm Base does and is way more intuitive to use, I never have to refer to the owners manual.

I still have not tried the mah capacity feature of the Dragon, I misplaced the manual and could not figure it out. A friend also got the Dragon and thought he ran the mah capacity feature and thought he had a counterfeit battery as the mah was way off, he later said duh, he didn't do it right and he HAS the owners manual.

I do still put stickers on my batteries with the date Battery Doctor was run and the mah at that time and try to run it again every 6 months or so. That way I can see which batteries need to be retired and if 1 battery is going bad in a married set to be safe. Much easier to do with the Hohm Base over the Xtar Dragon.

I definitely still recommend the Hohm Base unless all your doing is charging 2X700 batteries, then it can be a pain. Shop around too, have seen them in the $30 range which is a bargain for sure.

@hellcatrydr thank you bud!
 

f1vefour

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Thanks mate, I will be charging 21700 also so I may have to rethink getting one. But the doctor function I could really use.

I'm still using an old Efest Bio V2 currently, man that thing has been bullet proof for about 4 years or so.
 

mjag

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Thanks mate, I will be charging 21700 also so I may have to rethink getting one. But the doctor function I could really use.

I'm still using an old Efest Bio V2 currently, man that thing has been bullet proof for about 4 years or so.

Yeah, 2X700 can be done but it is annoying at times. I wish I had tested the mah detector function on the Dragon already to let you know, had plans to test it vs the battery doctor but just haven't had the free time.

One thing I should mention on the Dragon is the Samsung 30Q with it's recessed positive side won't charge on it. Every other battery I have does though, just the 30Q won't connect.

They should redesign the Hohm Base, came out before 2X700 bats were popular. Make it work with all batteries with zero hassle and make it easier to remove 18650 and smaller batteries.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 

f1vefour

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Yeah, 2X700 can be done but it is annoying at times. I wish I had tested the mah detector function on the Dragon already to let you know, had plans to test it vs the battery doctor but just haven't had the free time.

One thing I should mention on the Dragon is the Samsung 30Q with it's recessed positive side won't charge on it. Every other battery I have does though, just the 30Q won't connect.

They should redesign the Hohm Base, came out before 2X700 bats were popular. Make it work with all batteries with zero hassle and make it easier to remove 18650 and smaller batteries.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
I had been eyeing the Dragon also but if it can't charge my good ole pinks it's definitely out, the 30Q is my favorite 18650 and I have several sets. What a weird flaw.

Does the hohm base measure internal resistance?
 

Rickwhoo

Member For 4 Years
These chargers were on sale for $3.50 on a clearance a week or so ago. Great buy!

Looking into how to use it now.

It's Ginormous too!!
 

mjag

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
These chargers were on sale for $3.50 on a clearance a week or so ago. Great buy!

Looking into how to use it now.

It's Ginormous too!!
Yeah, I picked up a few more myself although not sure why, my V1 and V2 are still going strong. A friend of mine always wanted one so he got it finally. He has the Dragon as do I but it is not as intuitive as the Hohm Base.


Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 

Rickwhoo

Member For 4 Years
Trying it on some very old Panasonic CGR18650CH 18650's from 2013 now... Can't wait to see how they work!

Bought 4 of these batteries in June 2013
 

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