Thinking about different cheap AA Ni-MH 1.2v battery chargers. two look identical. both have 120v AC input. different brands yet both have label reads "200mA x 4". I measure current mA by opening the circuit with a piece of paper between charger and battery then close the circuit with meter probes adjacent to each side of the paper, but each outputs different mA to each battery depending on 1,2,3,4 batteries charging at same time. #A 120mA 90mA 72mA 60mA, #B 60mA 60mA 60mA 60mA.
what is "200mA x 4" supposed to mean?
A third charger is called "smarter". will charge 1,2,3 or 4 batteries at same time. I do not get a mA output as whichever individual channel I am in series to measure mA causes "error" on the charger display for that channel. the other batteries continue charging. why is the meter measuring mA in series with a battery causing "error"?