# Xiaomi NiMH AA/AAA 4 slot USB charger (and batterybank)



## keithy (May 25, 2016)

A few months ago I noticed Xiaomi getting into the NiMH battery game with their Xiaomi ZI5 AA NiMH batteries. 

Currently Xiaomi make some good quality Lithium USB battery banks. I have both the 10000mAh and 16000mAh Xiaomi battery banks, and they are good. 

These new NiMH AAs are 1800mAh-1900mAh and claimed to be LSD and made in Japan. 







The batteries are made in Japan (so are they FDK???)

These can be found on the usual Chinese sellers like:
http://www.banggood.com/4PCS-Origin...800mAh-NI-MH-Recharger-Battery-p-1052672.html
http://www.gearbest.com/batteries/pp_363064.html
https://www.fasttech.com/product/4817600-authentic-xiaomi-zi5-aa-1-2v-1800mah-rechargeable

The prices weren't so great compared with Eneloops, or even the newly announced Ikea Ladda (FDK Japan) batteries, so I didn't think much about them. 

The thing I noticed yesterday is that they also released a 4 slot independent channel USB charger (with battery bank capability)






The charger can be seen at Banggood http://www.banggood.com/Original-Xi...-Battery-Charger-with-USB-Port-p-1052225.html

or Gearbest http://www.gearbest.com/chargers/pp_363063.html

It appears to be have 4 independent channels, and is a fast charger, so I am going to order one to test out with my USB solar panels. 

Thought you guys might be interested as well.


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## recDNA (May 25, 2016)

I've come to the conclusion that fast chargers produce more heat than I like.


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## keithy (May 25, 2016)

recDNA said:


> I've come to the conclusion that fast chargers produce more heat than I like.



That's true, but this Xiaomi charger at 550m for AA and 225mA for AAA is still less than 0.3C so shouldn't get too hot.


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## Evadinnn (May 26, 2016)

deleted


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## _nw (May 27, 2016)

Evadinnn said:


> I suspect it's the China Evolta (Eneloop) in disguise due to its similarities in the Evolta claims.



The image claims that they are made in Japan though. By "famous manufacturer".


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## fedcas (May 27, 2016)

very interesting, I also found this charger and I'm considering buying it.... by the way GB coupon for 9.99 USD here http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...rBest-New-Arrivals-(update-continually)/page4


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## TinderBox (UK) (May 27, 2016)

Well i ordered one and since the charger is already on sale the coupon does not work for sale items.

I have a thing for microusb chargers at the moment.

John.


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## TinderBox (UK) (May 27, 2016)

The charge time seems to depend on how many cells you are charging according to the blue quick charger graph, even though the specifications do not show this.



> (1.5V AA: 550mA x 4 ; 1.5V AA：225mA x 4)



http://www.gearbest.com/chargers/pp_363063.html?currency=GBP&gclid=CPq4wZSQ-8wCFQaNGwod4r8Pyw

John.


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## keithy (May 28, 2016)

TinderBox (UK) said:


> Well i ordered one and since the charger is already on sale the coupon does not work for sale items.



Keen to know when you get yours. I ordered mine on the 25th, and it's not shipped yet (coming to Australia). 

My current portable USB AA chargers:


* Portapow USB charger 4 slots (also seen this as a Fujicell SCH500 or 500F charger) - but can only charge 2 in slots 1&2 or 3&4 or 4 at a time. Also uses same USB socket for input and output and front button to switch, and needs USB male-male cable for charging and has USB output.
* Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus 4 slot charger - can only 4 AAs at a time, needs additional attachment for AAAs, uses USB mini socket for charging and has USB output.
* Sunjack AA/AAA charger 4 individual charging slots, 0.5A charge current for AAs, uses USB micro socket for charging.
* Liitokala Lii100 1 slot NiMH/Li-ion charger - only 1 AA/AAA at a time, Uses USB micro socket for charging, and has USB output


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## TinderBox (UK) (May 28, 2016)

Mine is still processing, I ordered it yesterday, I ordered a couple of those flexible usb lights, these new ones have a touch to turn off/on function and are cheap enough to order a couple.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/upda...omi-power-bank-for-Laptop-PC/32428948102.html

John.



keithy said:


> Keen to know when you get yours. I ordered mine on the 25th, and it's not shipped yet (coming to Australia).
> 
> My current portable USB AA chargers:
> 
> ...


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## Evadinnn (May 28, 2016)

Looks like a perfect charger, though it uses USB.


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## keithy (May 28, 2016)

fedcas said:


> very interesting, I also found this charger and I'm considering buying it.... by the way GB coupon for 9.99 USD here


Ahhhhh... I did not see the coupon...



TinderBox (UK) said:


> I ordered a couple of those flexible usb lights, these new ones have a touch to turn off/on function and are cheap enough to order a couple.


Have you bought from that Aliexpress seller before? I have a couple of "touch" on/off ones, but the last time I ordered one from an eBay seller, they sent the normal one without on/off switches.



Evadinnn said:


> Looks like a perfect charger, though it uses USB.


For some of us, the USB charging input is exactly what we are after. For me it is both for use with my USB solar panels when hiking for extended periods, and also for a small travel charger that I can use with the USB power adapters I already carry.


Ever since the great Sanyo Eneloop NCMDU01 USB charger, (This was very difficult to find in Australia before they stopped making it), I have been searching for the perfect USB AA/AAA charger. The Eneloop NCMDU01 had an 850mA charge rate when using AAs, so was quite a quick charger, but it still only used a 500mA input. 


The replacement for the Sanyo NCMDU01 was the Panasonic BQ-CC14 that HKJ reviewed http://lygte-info.dk/review/Review Charger Panasonic BQ-CC14 UK.html but that is another hard to find charger. 

The Ikea Vinninge that HKJ just reviewed looked promising as a budget USB AA/AAA charger but is quite slow at 240mA. 


The Fujitsu FSC341EX-B "portable Smart charger" looks good as well, but is currently expensive to get in Australia (around AUD$60 - $99). 


My other USB AA/AAA chargers have various issues - the Sunjack is probably the best one at the moment with individual charging channels, but it stops charging when sun to the solar panel is obscured by cloud, then it appears to go on a trickle charge, rather than restarting the charging cycle again. 


Anyway, will update when I receive the Xiaomi Zi5 charger.


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## TinderBox (UK) (May 28, 2016)

I have around 30 orders from AlieExpress only 1 never showed up and i got a refund, I had a couple that were not the specs that i had ordered, and i got a refund on those as well as the sellers don't want negative feedback, I always compare the prices between Ali and eBay and amazingly Amazon can be the cheapest, but a lot of people do not know they are ordering from china/hong-kong and you have to give 10-30 days for delivery but you can get some amazing prices.

Unless you have really reliable sun, it`s best to charge an power bank and then use that to power your usb battery charger as a cloud can cause the charger to keep resetting if it`s directly connected to your solar panel.

If you have a small folding solar panel and you are looking for a battery charger to connect directly to it, get a usb charger with no display and as few led`s as possible as they all use power that could be charging your battery`s

If you have a small solar panel and only want to charge aa or aaa nihm battery`s you can get a dumb charger with virtually no electronics other than a voltage regulator and you have to stop the charging yourself, but the advantage is that the charger will run from very little power you get from a small solar panel like the dumb charger in the photo below.






John.


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## MidnightDistortions (May 28, 2016)

keithy said:


> That's true, but this Xiaomi charger at 550m for AA and 225mA for AAA is still less than 0.3C so shouldn't get too hot.



I'm a bit confused, 550mA AA / 225mA AAA is considered a quick charger? I know that they are faster than standard consumer chargers but it would take at least 3 hours to charge these cells.


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## MidnightDistortions (May 28, 2016)

Evadinnn said:


> Looks like a perfect charger, though it uses USB.



We actually need more smart USB AA/AAA chargers. Newer cars carry USB charging ports and being able to charge batteries without needing to use solar (which can be unreliable if you're in a cloudy area without sunshine) you can always use your car.


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## keithy (May 29, 2016)

MidnightDistortions said:


> I'm a bit confused, 550mA AA / 225mA AAA is considered a quick charger? I know that they are faster than standard consumer chargers but it would take at least 3 hours to charge these cells.



Quicker than most I guess it's better to say. 

With my USB chargers, only my Liitokala Lii100 does up to 1000mA but it is only a single AA charger. 

The old Sanyo Eneloop USB charger and the replacement BQ-CC14 charger have a higher charge current of around 850mA, but like I said are hard to find. 

The others I have - the Portapow (Fujicell SCH500) charges 4 AAs in around 5-6 hours, the Goal Zero in 6-10 hours, the Sunjack ~5 hours. Even the Fujitsu FSC341EX-B takes around 6 hours for AAs. You guys in the US can get this charger cheaply (I've seen it for around USD$10-$15), but in Australia, it is priced between AUD$60-100.

So I'm hoping the Xiaomi will be quicker than these at least.


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## TinderBox (UK) (May 30, 2016)

My charger just shipped from GB today 

John.


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## MidnightDistortions (May 30, 2016)

keithy said:


> Quicker than most I guess it's better to say.
> 
> With my USB chargers, only my Liitokala Lii100 does up to 1000mA but it is only a single AA charger.
> 
> ...



It's probably what they meant but when i think of a quick charger i figure it would charge batteries under 2 hours which you would need 1 Amp or more depending on the battery, the C9000 is the only one i know of that does it safely (charges to about 90% then tops off for 2 hours if you can wait).


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## fedcas (May 31, 2016)

keithy said:


> For some of us, the USB charging input is exactly what we are after. For me it is both for use with my USB solar panels when hiking for extended periods, and also for a small travel charger that I can use with the USB power adapters I already carry.
> 
> 
> Ever since the great Sanyo Eneloop NCMDU01 USB charger, (This was very difficult to find in Australia before they stopped making it), I have been searching for the perfect USB AA/AAA charger. The Eneloop NCMDU01 had an 850mA charge rate when using AAs, so was quite a quick charger, but it still only used a 500mA input.
> ...



I quote every single word 
I was also looking forward to the review of the ikea vinninge, but unfortunately it's ruled out (total crap). I didn't know about the fujitsu though... I'll check, thank you


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## keithy (Jun 1, 2016)

MidnightDistortions said:


> It's probably what they meant but when i think of a quick charger i figure it would charge batteries under 2 hours which you would need 1 Amp or more depending on the battery, the C9000 is the only one i know of that does it safely (charges to about 90% then tops off for 2 hours if you can wait).



I don't know if there is any commercially available USB input AA/AAA charger than can charge > 1A. Even at 1A I could only find my LiitoKala Li100 is the only USB input one I have. 




fedcas said:


> I didn't know about the fujitsu though... I'll check, thank you





The Fujitsu is ok, but I think it is also only has a max charge current of 350mA. But is so expensive in Australia to find. Hopefully you can get it in Europe cheaper. Some guys are selling the charger separately in the US for around USD $10.


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## TinderBox (UK) (Jun 9, 2016)

Just got my charger today, It took 10 day`s to the UK not bad.

The charger is extremely light, feels fragile the cover just slides off and is seperate, it has 4 while led`s one for each channel.

It came with an Chinese manual and the writing on the charger is in Chinese as well so i will have to attempt to work out when the lights mean.

When charging the white light flashes slow, when charged the while light is on, I think fast flashing is error full battery, maybe reverse cell as well.

When being used as an usb power source (needs 4 cells) the white led seems to slowly flash on each channel one at a time, moving from channel to channel why it is doing this i don't know.

Anyway that`s all for now.

EDIT: I did a power bank capacity test, I charged 4 x Tronic Eco Energy 2300mah nimh cells in the charger then connected a usb charge monitor/meter to the usb output and then an 5watt led light.

OK, the led light is drawing 480ma from usb port, when the charger died my usb meter recorded *1584mah at 5v* so that is not enough to charge a modern smartphone if it can charge at all from the 500ma usb port power bank.

John.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jun 9, 2016)

MidnightDistortions said:


> We actually need more smart USB AA/AAA chargers. Newer cars carry USB charging ports and being able to charge batteries without needing to use solar (which can be unreliable if you're in a cloudy area without sunshine) you can always use your car.


I would rather a car have a 12v socket and use a 12v charger instead of a USB one myself as you can charge 3 batteries in them a lot faster than 1-2 on USB based AA/AAA chargers.


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## keithy (Jun 10, 2016)

TinderBox (UK) said:


> Just got my charger today, It took 10 day`s to the UK not bad.



Thanks for the update John. Dang it, just my luck. I ordered before you and I still haven't got mine yet. 

And then I see old4570 also from Melbourne has received one from Gearbest, where I ordered mine as well..

Hopefully it arrives in the mail on Tuesday (since Monday is a public holiday here). 

At least it sounds from old4570's review that it is indeed a fast(er) charger than my current USB AA/AAA chargers.


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## TinderBox (UK) (Jun 10, 2016)

My Xiaomi ZI5 seems to be drawing approx 280ma according to my usb power monitor even when all 4 charging lights are on (full charged) this is supposedly bad for LSD cells, So i started pulling out the cells one by one and the current being drawn dropped every time until the charger was empty and it was only drawing 20ma
, I am no expert so i cannot be certain about this, Hopefully HJK will get an Xiaomi ZI5 and do a review.


John.


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## fedcas (Jun 10, 2016)

TinderBox (UK) said:


> ...Hopefully HJK will get an Xiaomi ZI5 and do a review.




:naughty:


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## keithy (Jun 24, 2016)

Finally received my Xiaomi Zi5 from Gearbest!

It came from China to Australia via Germany, and got waylaid on the way. 

It is now my smallest and lightest 4 slot AA/AAA USB smart charger with individual channel charging, and it seems to be a fairly fast charger - only charged 2 AAs in there so far. I've not timed it yet or tested properly, but it does appear to be my fastest 4 slot AA/AAA USB charger. 

Here are some pics comparing the size of the Xiaomi Zi5 with my other AA/AAA USB chargers - Goal Zero Guide 10+, Fujicell SCH500/Portapow, Sunjack. I've put some rubber strips around the button on the Fujicell because it has a habit of being easily pushed down when in a backpack - and this stops the charging process and reverses the single USB socket from input to output.

I have a few single slot USB input chargers but haven't included them in this comparision.

















Weight comparisons:

Xiaomi Zi5: 58.1g (2oz)
GoalZero Guide 10+: 59.1g (2.1oz) - without AAA holder & without silicone cover
FujiCell SCH500/Portapow: 79.5g (2.8oz)
Sunjack Charger: 85.2g (3oz)

I'll take this as my default AA/AAA travel USB charger in place of the others now. My handheld GPS, torch, and Steripen all use AA batteries, so I'll have to try it out with my solar panels and see how it goes directly charging, but being winter in Australia now we have crappy weather in Melbourne, so it might be a while before I can test it in optimum conditions with solar.

Also HKJ has also got a review of this charger ready to go in a few weeks!


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## TinderBox (UK) (Jun 24, 2016)

Strange, I just received my Nitecore F1 li-ion charger, and it is pulling 1.060A from my usb 3.0 port on my notebook when charging, But my ZI5 only pulls approx 500ma from the same port and the charging fails after up to an hour because the ZI5 must needs around 1000ma to charge correctly 4AA cells, (i assume), so why is it not pulling 1000ma when my Nitecore F1 seems to be doing so fine.

USB 2.0 at least 500ma
USB 3.0 at least 900ma

I have read that some usb ports can supply up to 1500ma

So if your ZI5 can charge from your usb 3.0 port may depend on the motherboard you have, it does not seem to like mine.

John.


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## davidt1 (Jun 24, 2016)

John,

Thanks for the info on the F1. One more reason for me to get it. Did you test the powerbank function?


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## TinderBox (UK) (Jun 25, 2016)

It`s more of an emergency function as it`s only 500ma and 4 AA NiMh cells don't contain a lot of energy, when 20% of that maybe lost in heat when boosted to 5v the Nitecore F1 is supposed to have an 90% efficiency and it works really well.

My cats like the ZI5 they took it off my desk, 2AA are missing in action and they where chasing the plastic cover around the floor (they like the sound it makes) when i got up, Cat`s are great are they not.

But for a power bank you need an 10000ma+ version at a minimum if you want anything more than a boost and i prefer the 18650 diy power banks as it`s easy to replace the cells when they die.

John.



davidt1 said:


> John,
> 
> Thanks for the info on the F1. One more reason for me to get it. Did you test the powerbank function?


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## SemiMan (Jun 27, 2016)

TinderBox (UK) said:


> Strange, I just received my Nitecore F1 li-ion charger, and it is pulling 1.060A from my usb 3.0 port on my notebook when charging, But my ZI5 only pulls approx 500ma from the same port and the charging fails after up to an hour because the ZI5 must needs around 1000ma to charge correctly 4AA cells, (i assume), so why is it not pulling 1000ma when my Nitecore F1 seems to be doing so fine.
> 
> USB 2.0 at least 500ma
> USB 3.0 at least 900ma
> ...



Could be handshaking with the laptop not being proper and hence not supplying any more power. Have you tried it with a USB charger to see how much it can pull?


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## TinderBox (UK) (Jun 27, 2016)

I found the reason (thanks to you) my ZI5 was only pulling 500ma from my USB 3.0 port on my notebook, my usb power meter, has different modes, it was in connect mode meaning it passes all data signals from the ZI5 to my notebook, this seem to limit the charging to 500ma, so i changed my usb power meter to disconnect mode which stops all data transfer and now the ZI5 is charging at 1amp.

So you might need a charging only cable (no data wires) if you want to charge at 1000ma from an usb 3.0 port, depending if your usb 3.0 port can supply 1amp as the spec is 900ma (do not know if this is enough for a successfully charge)

I need to charge some empty AA cells to be sure a full charge is completed as i have seen the charge fail after over an hour at 500ma

The ZI5 pulls just over 1amp when charging 4x nimh 2000ma cells from an usb charger which is what the specifications say.

John.



SemiMan said:


> Could be handshaking with the laptop not being proper and hence not supplying any more power. Have you tried it with a USB charger to see how much it can pull?


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## davidt1 (Jun 27, 2016)

So, is this charger a good replacement for the Panasonic 17 something smart charger?


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## keithy (Jun 27, 2016)

John - I also just tested mine out on a USB 3 port on laptop. It pulled 1A with 4 x 2000mAh NiMH batteries in the charger.

I haven't read the manual yet so don't know the actual sequence of LED blinks. When charging it is a slow blink, and when finished it is a fast blink. I would have preferred maybe the LED stays lit when full instead. 

I've had the fast blink so far on an empty NiMH put in to charge. The cell was <0.6V, so that might mean it is too low to charge. Even after "jumpstarting" the flat battery, it still fast blinked in the slot. So maybe that might mean a battery that doesn't charge. Hence the potential confusion for not knowing if cells are fully charged or not.

When using 4 x AAs, I have found that trying to extract one battery without removing the others a bit difficult. Had to use a flat tool to pry just the one cell out. 

You are right about the flimsy battery case cover too. Mine generally stays on, but it isn't hard to slide it all the way off unintentionally.


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## keithy (Jun 28, 2016)

Ok - I pulled out the manual. 

The translated LED status is :

*Charging*
Normal Charging - the LED Blinks slowly
Full - the LED does not flash? 
Abnormal Charging (Error) - the LED flashes

*Discharging (when used as battery bank)*
Normal - 4 lights flashing alternately
Error - the LEDs are off

So I'm not sure why it blinks when charging is complete. or if the manual is wrong (or my translating skills are wrong).

I plugged it into one of my 2.4A capable USB power bricks and it pulls 1.35A-1.66A from there when charging 4 x 2000mAh AAs.


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## TinderBox (UK) (Jun 28, 2016)

Led`s stay lit when charging is complete.

I have seen 600ma from the usb charging when my phone was connected, though the output voltage drops to 4.85v or less (usb spec is high 5.25v low 4.75v) though i have read that many device will charge as low as 4.50v or less.

John



keithy said:


> Ok - I pulled out the manual.
> 
> The translated LED status is :
> 
> ...


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## keithy (Jun 28, 2016)

TinderBox (UK) said:


> Led`s stay lit when charging is complete.



Thanks I just noticed that. I put a set of Eneloops in and on completion, all four LEDs stayed lit. So the manual is correct. It doesn't blink when finished charging. 

The previous charge with the PC's USB 3 socket I charged some older Varta cells, and noticed that my USB meter showed 0A current, but the four slots were blinking fast. So potentially those cells are on their way out? I'll run them through a refresh cycle on my Maha and see how they hold up.


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## TinderBox (UK) (Jun 28, 2016)

Looks like there is an 2hr trickle charge after the led stay lit (charging complete) that`s were the 240ma drain is going when charging 4xAA once the trickle charge is complete the charger is only pulling 41ma

John.


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## brighterthanthesun (Jun 29, 2016)

What is the name of the "dumb" charger pictured in your post on 5/28?


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## fedcas (Jun 30, 2016)

TinderBox (UK) said:


> Looks like there is an 2hr trickle charge after the led stay lit (charging complete) that`s were the 240ma drain is going when charging 4xAA once the trickle charge is complete the charger is only pulling 41ma
> 
> John.



yeah, about 150 mA per cell with 4 cells inserted:. it's more a top-off charge than a trickle charge though. How do I know? 

http://lygte-info.dk/review/Review Charger Xiaomi ZI5 PB400 UK.html


It sounds really nice, just bought one


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## TinderBox (UK) (Jun 30, 2016)

It`s so light, I woke up to find my cats chasing it around the floor (they love the plastic lid), it took me all day to find the four AA cells that were inside.

John.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jul 8, 2016)

I was mildly interested in this charger till I found out it isn't much better than my old Duracell mobile charger it does 4 cells at 500ma and has a 500ma USB output (power bank with batteries inserted). The one advantage is the duracell requires a car adapter it doesn't have USB power input capability but I got a 12v car cord for it. I think for the most part 4AAs in a power bank is not a "go to" thing in the long run just not enough power and too many cells to do it vs 18650 stand alone power banks that do 1A or more with built in chargers that have similar capacity. I think Xiaomi needs to make a 2 cell charger that does 1A/AA charging both cells with a 1A input at 5v as to be honest the extra 2 slots on this charger are wasted except for power bank you can't really charge more batteries in the same time.


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## TinderBox (UK) (Jul 8, 2016)

The ZI5 usb port maxes out at at around 600ma but the voltage drops below 5v when doing this, For a good power-bank, I prefer the 18650 diy type as i can easily replace the cells when they eventually die.

A power-bank with an usb output of less than 1amp is a waste of time with the massive battery`s in today`s phones and tablets.

John.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jul 8, 2016)

TinderBox (UK) said:


> The ZI5 usb port maxes out at at around 600ma but the voltage drops below 5v when doing this, For a good power-bank, I prefer the 18650 diy type as i can easily replace the cells when they eventually die.
> 
> A power-bank with an usb output of less than 1amp is a waste of time with the massive battery`s in today`s phones and tablets.
> 
> John.


I agree for the most part power banks that are rated at 500ma output are pretty much too weak and too slow for charging with but you can use them to power things like lights and fans and such but the fact is these lower drain devices don't require larger power banks a single 18650 cell power bank will do fine. I have a AA based power bank that takes 4AAs but only needs 2 to operate the power bank (1x2 or 2x2 operation) and it will run a dimming LED module at the lowest setting for weeks without recharging off 2 batteries.


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## TinderBox (UK) (Jul 8, 2016)

A lot of newer power banks, turn themselves off when the current draw drops below a certain level, I tried an adjustable led light on my new Nitecore F1, but the F1 turns off, when i reduce the led brightness. :shakehead

John.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jul 8, 2016)

TinderBox (UK) said:


> A lot of newer power banks, turn themselves off when the current draw drops below a certain level, I tried an adjustable led light on my new Nitecore F1, but the F1 turns off, when i reduce the led brightness. :shakehead
> 
> John.


Yes, I've had that problem with most of my ebay power banks and even when I get ones that do work on dimming led lights they change the circuit board design on them and then the next one I buy doesn't work. The only ones I've seen on ebay that seem to always work for me is the round metal cylinder types in about 8-10 colors these always work (so far) and I've ordered 11 of them from different dealers over time. I've bought a few in stores for dirt cheap on clearance and only one type of one brand so far has worked with dimmable lights on the lowest setting that is the single cell pocket juice ones from walmart here for $4.88. 
I have one Xiaomi 4x18650 clone that works and 2 newer ones that don't, one from the same dealer I got the working one from.


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## davidt1 (Jul 8, 2016)

I have one on the way. Needed a super compact Eneloop charger. Previously had the Sanyo/Panasonic smart charger. Can't remember why I got rid of it. Maybe because it took too long to charge. The Xiaomi is compact but a USB charger and a cable are needed to use it. The larger Sanyo/Panasonic charger, on the other hand, has a built-in wall plug. Thus nothing else is needed. It's a trade-off. I figured since I already have a USB charger and a cable for my phone, the Xiaomi charger would make sense.


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## davidt1 (Jul 19, 2016)

Received one yesterday. Love the small size. I have looked at the pictures and measurements, but nothing like holding it in your hand. Charging 1 and 2 AA batteries from USB 3 port works fine. One battery took 1.5hr until the indicator light becomes solid. Two batteries took something 2.5hr. Happy with the speed. Happy with the charger. All around happy.

I agree that they should make a two-bay version without the power bank function, which I find almost useless. Since I only charge one or two batteries at a time, a dedicated two-bay version of this charger would be awesome to have.


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## Cekid (Oct 2, 2016)

this charger looks fast only on paper...according to HJK review it needs 2.5 hour for charging 4xAA + 2 hours to fill up batteries completely...almost 5 hours to charge 4xAA doesn't look so fast...


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## keithy (Oct 3, 2016)

Cekid said:


> this charger looks fast only on paper...according to HJK review it needs 2.5 hour for charging 4xAA + 2 hours to fill up batteries completely...almost 5 hours to charge 4xAA doesn't look so fast...


Sure. If you compare it against normal AC input chargers there are faster 4xAA chargers for sure but when compared against USB input chargers it is relatively quick. 

For example i posted earlier in comparing with my other USB input chargers. The others I have - the Portapow (Fujicell SCH500) charges 4 AAs in around 5-6 hours, the Goal Zero in 6-10 hours, the Sunjack ~5 hours. Even the Fujitsu FSC341EX-B takes around 6 hours for AAs. You guys in the US can get this charger cheaply (I've seen it for around USD$10-$15), but in Australia, it is priced between AUD$60-100.

even the well regarded Sanyo NC-MDU01 two slot charger takes around 5hrs 30mins to charge 2 AA. The Xiaomi is quicker for charging 1-2 cells. As HKJ pointed out in his review, when you have 4 cells the top up charge time is longer. 

I am traveling now and the Xiaomi ZI5 is in my charging kit bag as my AA charger.


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## keithy (Oct 3, 2016)

TinderBox (UK) said:


> A lot of newer power banks, turn themselves off when the current draw drops below a certain level, I tried an adjustable led light on my new Nitecore F1, but the F1 turns off, when i reduce the led brightness.


I am finding this a bit annoying now when traveling with my two powerbanks (xiaomi and Targus). I am trying to charge a Bluetooth headphone and my fitness band. Both have a very low current draw so the powerbanks automatically turn off instead of charging these small devices. I end up having to find an actual wall power outlet to charge from.


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## Cekid (Oct 3, 2016)

keithy said:


> You guys in the US can get this charger cheaply (I've seen it for around USD$10-$15), but in Australia, it is priced between AUD$60-100.



ouch! why don't you go online, for example gearbest or aliexpress, you can get it for 10-15USD there as well? they are for sure ship to australia?


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## Lynx_Arc (Oct 3, 2016)

keithy said:


> I am finding this a bit annoying now when traveling with my two powerbanks (xiaomi and Targus). I am trying to charge a Bluetooth headphone and my fitness band. Both have a very low current draw so the powerbanks automatically turn off instead of charging these small devices. I end up having to find an actual wall power outlet to charge from.


I've searched for power banks that will power dimmable usb lights and have found the same problem with them most shut off below 50ma current and many shut off even 100ma current levels and when I find one that does stay on they change the circuit design and the new design doesn't stay on. I've found two cheap Chinese (ebay) single cell power banks that will stay on at currents below 1ma. I have a couple of multiple cell ones that do prior to them changing board designs. 

Currently only these two here stay on at low currents for me.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121980236103?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&var=420972840020&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5V-USB-Portable-Power-Bank-Case-Kit-18650-Battery-Charger-DIY-Box-For-Cell-Phone-/262515007929?var=&hash=item3d1f1d21b9:m:mEyUZxvh7M9FmDcSbP4A03A
The advantage of these power banks is you can swap in 18650 batteries, even use them as a charger if needed as both come apart without the need of tools the plastic one comes apart easily and the metal one you have to screw off the bottom. Both are cheap to find online.


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## StandardBattery (Oct 3, 2016)

Lynx_Arc said:


> ....
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/5V-USB-Port...hash=item3d1f1d21b9:m:mEyUZxvh7M9FmDcSbP4A03A
> The advantage of these power banks is you can swap in 18650 batteries, even use them as a charger if needed as both come apart without the need of tools the plastic one comes apart easily and the metal one you have to screw off the bottom. Both are cheap to find online.



Those colored ones look the same as some new RAVpower ones. http://www.ravpower.com/3350mah-external-battery-charger-black.html


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## Lynx_Arc (Oct 3, 2016)

StandardBattery said:


> Those colored ones look the same as some new RAVpower ones. http://www.ravpower.com/3350mah-external-battery-charger-black.html



They aren't the same as the ravpower has 3 LEDs for power these have a blue one for power and a red one for charging the circuitry is different entirely. If you have a walmart their super cheap 4.88 power banks (pink and black) do work with low power loads very well but so far no other power banks I've got premade work on small loads but that particular model of that brand. I have 2 other models of that brand that don't work and 3 other brands of single cell power banks that also don't work either.
I would say the chances of the ravpower working on a low ma load is low.


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## StandardBattery (Oct 4, 2016)

Thanks i didn't really mean they were the same, in this case i just found it courious that the new RavPower 'looked' the same from astetics (although reversed the color contrasting options). They had metal ones before, but maybe these are reduced weight. I need one of my banks to recharge headphones, so i'll try a few of them and maybe try with the Nitcore TIP. Not sure what other low drain USB devices i have. I'd like to have one with a easily replaceable battery so i'll probably get one of those cheap ebay ones. I have too many regular ones now trying the diffrent ones from Anker and Ravpower who have been busy on the update cycle recently.


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## Lynx_Arc (Oct 4, 2016)

StandardBattery said:


> Thanks i didn't really mean they were the same, in this case i just found it courious that the new RavPower 'looked' the same from astetics (although reversed the color contrasting options). They had metal ones before, but maybe these are reduced weight. I need one of my banks to recharge headphones, so i'll try a few of them and maybe try with the Nitcore TIP. Not sure what other low drain USB devices i have. I'd like to have one with a easily replaceable battery so i'll probably get one of those cheap ebay ones. I have too many regular ones now trying the diffrent ones from Anker and Ravpower who have been busy on the update cycle recently.


If you already have extra batteries the ebay ones work as well as the $4.88 walmart ones. The plastic ones I recommend for rough use while the metal ones are pretty they aren't anodized I think and can be scratched and dented and it does take a little care to get the bottom cap off and the battery in and out but can be swapped in a few minutes while the plastic one you could swap a battery in less than a minute, just snap.. pull the battery out, put battery in and snap.. done.


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## Cekid (Nov 2, 2016)

i can't resist the actual action price on gearbest and ordered one for 6.46$ with free shipping! i think it's a bargain of the year  it came couple of days ago and i am very satisfied so far...small and compact...i really don't need one, but hey, for this price i think it's a no-brainer...


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## Cekid (Nov 3, 2016)

i have some problems with this charger, but it looks to me the main problem was ikea koppla with 3 USB ports charger...it can't finish the charging, batteries were hot, there were some errors flashing leds, etc...at the end, i took apple ipad original charger and now xiaomi zi5 works as advertised? i don't know what seems to be a problem, because i have charged many tablets, mobile phones and even xiaomi power bank without problems with ikea koppla charger...

it is obvious that xiaomi zi5 has some compatibility problems with multi USB ports chargers...i don't know is it ikea koppla related or zi5 can't work properly with any multi usb ports charger so take this into account...


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