By Ron Eggers

March 4, 2005 — NiMH battery chargers are available in a number of different configurations. The overnight variety, for example, takes 8 hours or more to recharge a battery. Quick chargers generally take between 3 and 7 hours, while rapid chargers require 2 hours or less. At 20 minutes or less, the new Promaster XtraPower Express Charger is ultra fast.

Photographic Research Organization, Inc. (PRO) recently introduced the new Promaster XtraPower Express Charger. Designed for NiMH batteries, which make up more than 90 percent of the consumer battery market, the new charger takes 20 minutes or less to charge NiMH AA/AAA batteries.

Unlike other high speed chargers which use non-standard IC-3 technology (with special cells) or only charge standard NiMH batteries to 80 percent of capacity, the Promaster XtraPower Express Charger accepts standard NiMH AA/AAA cells.

Unlike other high-speed chargers, the new Promaster does not generate the high temperatures that cause batteries to deteriorate. It includes dual cooling fans, which lower charging temperatures while extending battery life.

Also unlike similar chargers, the Promaster charges batteries to 95 percent of their total capacity, instead of 80 percent. It also gives users the option of charging 1, 2, 3 or 4 cells at a time instead of requiring batteries to be charged in pairs or four at a time. The Promaster XtraPower Express ships with four high capacity 2400mAH AA NiMH batteries and is available from Promaster dealers.

(Contact Ron Eggers at Newswatch@earthlink.net)