> There's no guarantee a standalone charger will provide any benefits over charging in the mod.
From what I've read / understand, electrically, I believe this is (sufficiently) correct.
However, I think a consistent problem with such statements is the definition of 'benefit'. And therefore any corresponding and opposite (lacking) definition of 'cost'. Neither of which are by necessity restricted to 'electrical characteristics'. So I don't think the statement is wrong (incorrect), but I also don't thing the statement is right (entirely correct).
TL;DR;
If I understand balanced charging, and assuming any amount of unbalance, it will consume more power to bring > 1 cells up to snuff, as 'full' power is applied to everything, and drained (bled off) prior to each (first?) up to snuff cell. (Which implies all cells before a lesser charged one get overcharged somewhat until that cell comes up to spec?) Versus individually (charger) charging cells where only enough power is applied to bring each up to snuff. (At the expense and aggravation of removal from mod, placement in charger, waiting and monitoring for charge, then returning cells to mod. Let alone any resting, or constant surveillance in case of problem.)
Yet, I don't 'want' the added cost of yet another doohickey to monitor (let alone my 'bench' is already full) - although I understand the necessity. I have enough aggravations and distractions in my life already. [I want a magic wand by which things just work as they intuitively should. I've been looking for such a wand for a very long time. In the mean time ... ]
I also want to know (vs assume), that each cell is OK, and their health (mAh capacity wise, for matching pairs) - and the only way to get there is by charger. Drat it all. i.e. Evaluating each cell individually. (I don't trust 'individual' battery icons, being too gross a measure, yet still want them. Better a false positive than no negative.) {Too often, in my 4 NiMh camera flash, only 1 battery is 'poor' and swapping only it out let's me get on with whatever I'm in the middle of - vs knee jerk automatically putting all 4 in the charger.}
In this day and age of recycling, mod charging may be equivalent, but charger charging is more efficient.
And there must be some merit to efficiency over expediency. For one's definition of 'cost', 'merit', 'efficient', and 'expedient'. e.g. Cost (to the world) of additional power (via coal power plant?) vs consumption of one's time in minding the charger.
Simultaneously, one must determine which cost they are willing to bear. For example, it appears worst case to things is shorter battery life - so buy batteries more frequently (?). < CDN$20 per battery vs cost of charger and one's time to mind it ...
Further, if I understand what I've read correctly, there is some merit to occasionally individually charging (in a charger) - say every 10 charges or so. Just as there is merit to occasionally rotating the batteries within the series mod, to improve battery lifespan.
I've also seen where one should keep a battery between 30% - 70% for maximum battery life - however no non-cumbersome means of effecting that is apparent to me. Even if I could set both mod and charger appropriately, it'd be a PITA to do ... and still involve more frequent batt changes - the point of what we're trying to not have to do, in mod charging.
It's not black and white, unfortunately. There are pros and cons to each, and each must judge for themselves which pros / cons and benefits / cost they are willing to seek / bear. And even that isn't B&W - circumstances often dictate different courses of action. e.g. Dead battery, no charger to hand - charge in mod, or don't vape. And, in pass thru mode, as the mod is charging the batteries (at least) between fire presses, one is consuming # of lifespan charging cycles (?) ...
Whither that magic wand ... <sigh>
So:
> There's no guarantee a standalone charger will provide any benefits over charging in the mod.
There may be no benefits, but it will be less efficient. Each will have to judge whether they are willing to bear any costs - however minimal, or not, they might be. e.g. Buying batteries more frequently, such as 1 more per year?, vs the cost and minding of a charger. Or the costs to multiple people of more frequent disposals / recycling - again, what, 1 more per year?
[Myself, I will probably buy an Xtar Dragon, grumbling all the way, suffering the costs and aggravation of such - being the more 'moral' / 'responsible' thing to do. And probably still charging in the mod not infrequently. Everyone has to live with their own definition of 'sufficient'. At a personal cost of X more batteries per year.]
