If you want to charge a bunch of batteries simultaneously, buy a bunch of chargers. You can plug in six batteries to this contraption, and it will charge them one at a time. It will automatically charge the next one in line, so it's not completely useless.
I like it because it will condition any of the original ONE+ nicad (or are they NIMH? Not certain) in addition to charging the new lithium jobs, but be aware of the limitation.
Also, I got mine on the shelf at Home Depot for $80, so don't buy this one from Amazon. Ryobi ONE 18V Lithium Ion 6-Port Battery SuperCharger with IntelliPort Charging System P125 Charger
I bought this knowing it only charged one at a time, and that was fine with me. I'm the guy who puts batteries in a charger and forgets them, so this looked like a solution. I had purchased some ryobi product that came with 2 lithium batteries, and plugged them in. It doesn't give a full charge. I don't know if it is the charger or the batteries, but the batteries are band new, and there are 2 of them. I can put them in the charger and check the led light, and I have only seen them go green once. Sometimes they get to yellow, but most often, they stick to red. Now my old ryobi non-lithium batteries charge fine and work great. They work better than the lithium....and that's not right. I seem to be the only one saying this, so maybe it is just me, but check it out.
Had the single charger, returned it and bought this one. Have not looked back since.
It has given new life to some of my old NiCad cells.
You can get this cheaper @ HD ( $79.00 )
FEATURES
* Power On-Demand, Up to six charged - 18V ONE+(tm) batteries available on-demand.
* Maximizes Battery Life - Charges stored batteries only as needed, which protects the batteries' cells and maximizes life.
* Conserves Energy - EnergyStar® qualified system enters Energy Save Mode to conserve energy when not charging or maintaining batteries.
* Indicator lights show battery and port status as batteries are charged and maintained or when status button is pressed during Energy Save Mode.
* 6 Port Supercharger (tm) reduces workspace clutter.
* Quick-release wall mount bracket (included) securely mounts to wall, organizing and maximizing work space.
* Batteries lock securely into place for easy transport.
* 1 HR CHARGE - Charges each 18V ONE+ battery, one at a time, in one hour or less.
* Maintenance Mode - Batteries stored on charger are conditioned for peak performance.
* Energy Save Mode - EnergyStar® qualified system saves energy, protects battery cells, and maximizes
So much better than using several chargers (and outlets). Less expensive than buying extra chargers. LOADS better than juggling 3 or more batteries on a single charger. Works like you'd expect otherwise.
One note: Currently, the seller on Amazon is selling this for waaaay over retail price ($79 at Home Depot - 11/13/09).
Let's just cut to the nitty-gritty that you probably already know: it charges six eighteen volt batteries in sequential order, and is pretty fast.
But once they're charged, they just sit there. The description says it'll "condition" your batteries -- specifically, "Batteries stored on charger are conditioned for peak performance", but once they're charged, they'll just sit there and decay through self-discharge. I pull plenty of depleted NiCads off mine after they've sat for a week or more. This isn't such a bad thing if I'm plugging a bunch of batteries in at the end of the day and getting back to them the following morning, but if they sit a few days the NiCads aren't fully charged when I click 'em in to my driver or (especially) a saw -- more a knock against whatever brand of battery cells Ryobi uses in their packs. The LiIons fare better due to their lower self discharge rate, but look here Ryobi...
The term "Conditioning" says to me that this charger will keep the batteries topped off through "bump charging" so they're at 100% whenever I grab for them. Alas, that's not the case. In fact, "conditioning" used to mean a lot of things, including the ability to charge, then drain down, then re-charge the battery and finish it at a trickle rate to bring all the individual cells up to 100%. I'm not saying it doesn't do this, but in my daily use over the past two years I've seen no evidence of any of this, just a fast charge top-off and move on to the next cell.
However, my work-around is to install this into an outlet timer that cycles the power early in the day, so my batteries charge up first thing in the morning and are ready for me when I arrive. The charger's circuirty won't overcharge these batteries, so it's even OK to do this days in a row without use. This charger has also established the superiority of Ryobi's Lithium Ion batteries, which have a much improved self-discharge rate compared to the NiCad packs, so they can sit for longer after being topped off without losing capacity. Though I continue to hang on to some NiCad packs because they perform better in the high discharge tools such as the recip and circular saws.
This charger is great in portability, in that it comes with a quick disconnect mounting bracket that allows me to effortlessly snap it off the wall, unplug it, and tote 6 batteries up into the attic using the built-in rubber handle. And I certainly appreciate the reduced need for spare wall outlets or popping batteries in/out of the solo chargers.
I love the fact that it clears up space in the garage and not take up valuable counter space in the garage because it hangs easily on the wall.
It works with the original Ryobi +One batteries as well as the lithium batteries. Because the charger stops "charging" when the battery is fully charged, batteries can stay in the charger when not in use. This allows for ease of storage. - 18v Battery - Ryobi - Battery Packs - Lithium-ion'
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