NiMH NiCd Battery Charger: Charge 168 AA and AAA Cells at Once, One Channel per Cell

Request a Quote for CMX168: send your AA / AAA cell list and we will return a configuration and a quote.

One-Sentence Value Proposition

Standard models charge 3.6/3.7 V Li-ion cylindrical cells (4.2 V cut-off) and 1.2 V Ni-MH/Ni-Cd. LiFePO4 (3.2 V / 3.65 V cut-off), LiPo pouch cells and other chemistries are available as custom-built versions — tell us your cell model and we configure the charging profile.

This page covers only the 1.2 V line. One CMX168 cabinet charges 168 AA and AAA cells at once, with one channel per cell — a 168-position cabinet with 168 charging positions, not a voltage of any kind. 48-bay and 168-position both count charging positions: 48-bay = 48 charging positions, not 48 volt, and 168-position = 168 charging positions.

The wording matters on this line. We write “168 cells at once” and “168-position”, and we do not describe this cabinet as a 4.2 V lithium machine or as a machine that also runs a 3.65 V LFP profile. The lithium line is a separate model, and the custom line is separate again. A nickel cell list belongs either here or to a custom build, never to the standard lithium cabinet. For the transactional comparison across all three lines, see cabinet selection guide for charging many cells.

Compatible Cells and Voltage

Chemistry

The CMX168 is built for two rechargeable nickel chemistries: Ni-MH (nickel-metal hydride) and Ni-Cd (nickel-cadmium), both at a nominal 1.2 V per cell. They are cylindrical rechargeable cells in AA, AAA and similar formats. Nothing on this page extends coverage to lithium chemistries: the 4.2 V Li-ion cut-off belongs to the CMX48 line, and the 3.65 V LiFePO4 cut-off belongs to a custom build. Cross-line questions are handled in Compare With Other Chemistries below.

An operator does not need to sort Ni-MH and Ni-Cd cells into separate cabinets for the chemistry alone, but the cabinet is configured for the 1.2 V nickel line as a whole. It is not a general-purpose charger for any cell that happens to be cylindrical, and it does not become a lithium cabinet because a lithium cell shares the same AA-sized or cylindrical shape. 168-position here is a count of 168 charging positions, not a voltage.

Sizes

AA and AAA are the formats buyers ask about most, and the line covers cylindrical rechargeable cells of that family. The table below uses size-family language rather than capacity promises; no capacity figures, internal resistance figures or cycle figures are quoted here.

One cabinet charges 168 cells at once across its positions, which covers a full shift changeover without splitting the pool into several runs. 168-position = 168 charging positions, not a voltage; 48-bay, when it appears on this site, is likewise 48 charging positions and not 48 volt. For Li-ion cylindrical sizes — a different model line — see cylindrical cell size chart for Li-ion cabinets.

Voltage and Cut-off

The CMX168 uses a 1.2 V Ni-MH / Ni-Cd charging configuration with a charge current below 500 mA and 110/220 V · 50 Hz input. This section deliberately does not introduce a lithium cut-off voltage, because doing so invites the misreading that the cabinet is a universal machine. If your question is about cut-off voltage differences between chemistries, see charging voltage differences explained.

The position count is separate again: 168-position counts 168 charging positions, and 48-bay counts 48 charging positions — a slot count, not 48 volt. Two numbers, two different quantities, and no overlap between them.

Keeping those two quantities apart is the simplest way to avoid a mismatched enquiry. An AA / AAA nickel cell list is evaluated on this page, a 18650 or 21700 Li-ion cylindrical cell list on the lithium line, and an LFP list on the custom line — three different configured machines, not three settings on one cabinet. 168-position = 168 charging positions, not a voltage; 48-bay = 48 charging positions, not 48 volt.

Slot Count and Independent Channels

Bay and Position Mean Slot Count

The clearest disambiguation on this page: 48-bay and 168-position are counts of charging positions, not voltages. 48-bay = 48 charging positions, not 48 volt; 168-position = 168 charging positions. The mains input of this line is 110/220 V · 50 Hz, which is a separate specification.

The search phrase “48 bay aa battery charger” refers to a 48-position AA cabinet, not to 48 AA cells being charged in one go — 48-bay there is a slot count, not 48 volt. Write the count as 48-bay, 48-position, 168-position and “168 cells at once”, and do not write a bare slot count. For the full terminology, see bay and position terminology clarified.

One Independent Channel per Cell

The CMX168 is laid out as 6 columns × 28 rows with 42 smart modules, one module serving a group of four positions. Each position is its own independent charging channel, and the remaining cabinet data is listed in the specification table below. 168-position = 168 charging positions, not a voltage.

An independent channel per cell is what allows a cabinet to accept cells of different ages, different capacities and different states of charge in the same cycle without making them behave as one cell. That is a prerequisite for loading 168 cells at once, not a separate product claim. For the reasoning in Q&A form, see independent channel charger for mixed capacity cells. For the longer explanation of why one cabinet can be loaded this way, see blog guide to charging many cells in one cabinet.

Shift Changeover and Battery Pool Rotation

A shift changeover is the natural use case for 168 positions. The outgoing shift returns its cells as a set, the cabinet charges 168 cells at once, and the incoming shift takes a charged set out. The battery pool is managed centrally in one enclosure instead of across a row of individual chargers, which is the same operational idea as a tool crib or a radio issue desk. 168-position = 168 charging positions, not a voltage; 48-bay, on the lithium line, is 48 charging positions and not 48 volt.

What goes into the cabinet is bare cylindrical cells, not branded tool battery packs and not finished devices. That distinction matters when a workshop asks for a charger for cordless equipment: those are pack-level products, while this cabinet is cell-level. For the workshop changeover setup, see workshop shift changeover charging setup; for the warehouse fleet rotation, see warehouse fleet battery rotation cabinet.

Specification Table

Table note: 48-bay and 168-position count charging positions, not volts. This cabinet is the 1.2 V nickel line; the 4.2 V lithium line and the 3.65 V LFP custom line are separate machines.

Compare With Other Chemistries

The multi battery charging station overview on the category hub is the place to start if you are still deciding which line you need. This section is the boundary map.

Standard models charge 3.6/3.7 V Li-ion cylindrical cells (4.2 V cut-off) and 1.2 V Ni-MH/Ni-Cd. LiFePO4 (3.2 V / 3.65 V cut-off), LiPo pouch cells and other chemistries are available as custom-built versions — tell us your cell model and we configure the charging profile.

The boundary is absolute: this page is the 1.2 V Ni-MH / Ni-Cd line, the 4.2 V lithium cabinet is a different machine, and LFP needs a 3.65 V custom build that cannot use the standard 4.2 V profile. A single 3.7 V LiPo pouch cell needs a clamp holder and a custom configuration as well. Cylindrical Li-ion size options belong to the selection page, not to this nickel line. 48-bay and 168-position are position counts, not 48 volt.

FAQ

Is 48-bay the same as 48 volt? No. 48-bay = 48 charging positions, not 48 volt; 168-position = 168 charging positions. The search phrase “48 bay aa battery charger” describes a 48-position AA cabinet, not 48 AA cells at once. The category hub glossary defines bay, slot, channel and position.

Can the CMX168 charge 18650 Li-ion cells? No. It is the 1.2 V Ni-MH / Ni-Cd line. The 4.2 V lithium line is a separate cabinet. The voltage FAQ explains the 4.2 V versus 3.65 V split; the independent-channel FAQ explains mixing cells of different conditions within one line.

Can I mix old and new AA cells in one cabinet? Yes — each position has its own channel, so cells of different ages and capacities follow their own condition. The independent-channel FAQ covers the reasoning. 168-position is a count of 168 charging positions, not a voltage.

Which certifications does it carry? CE / FCC / RoHS. No fire-safety or safety-cabinet certification is claimed.

Related Products and Inquiry

Related Products

The 4.2 V 48-position Li-ion cabinet is the lithium line; this CMX168 is the 1.2 V Ni-MH / Ni-Cd line. They are separate machines with separate charging configurations, and a cell list belongs to one or the other (or to a custom build). 48-bay is 48 charging positions, not 48 volt; 168-position is 168 charging positions.

For a custom configuration of the nickel line, see custom charging cabinet for Ni-MH and Ni-Cd cells. To enquire, send the RFQ fields: cell model, chemistry, voltage, position count and certification scope. We will return a configuration for your AA / AAA cell list.

Request a Quote for CMX168: send your AA / AAA cell list and we will return a configuration and a quote.