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| Thread ID: 111856 | 2010-08-14 10:19:00 | How Do You Know When Rechargeable Batteries Are Stuffed? | Winston001 (3612) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1127726 | 2010-08-15 12:36:00 | Thanks for the input everyone, you at least have confirmed I'm not the only person to be disappointed by rechargeables. There is nothing on the battery packets or in any manufacturers advertising which says - Must discharge monthly, these batteries won't hold a charge for any useful period etc etc... :D The Enloops are new to me so I appreciate the update. They sound far better. |
Winston001 (3612) | ||
| 1127727 | 2010-08-15 15:35:00 | ...or regularly (Every month) COMPLETLY flatten and recharge them SLOWLY...Note that this approach, while valid for single NiMh or NiCd cells, depends very much on the battery chemistry. Try that with a LiIon and you'll kill it. Also, don't *ever* completely flatten a multi-cell battery, of any chemistry. Unless it has some rather complex per-cell protection circuitry integrated into the battery, completely draining it will drive some of the cells in reverse, and can often render the entire battery useless. |
Erayd (23) | ||
| 1127728 | 2010-08-15 19:24:00 | Um, very weirdly. I'm in a senior position on a $6m project, do not yet know if its good or bad, or if it has the prospect of being long term, so much is going on within the company its a bit of a worry. Things could change drastically in an instant, in fact I have seen the career of the most senior member of the team get crushed in a single meeting. IT or construction? Hmm, sounds nerve-wracking......... |
pctek (84) | ||
| 1127729 | 2010-08-15 20:50:00 | I have 10 year old NiMH's that still work OK. Only one or two have gone dead and those are about 6 years old. Completely regularly? Probably just a typo. Written at 7.30 AM and probably was not awake yet. OTOH, it could be sloppy English. |
Strommer (42) | ||
| 1127730 | 2010-08-15 20:53:00 | Thanks for the input everyone, you at least have confirmed I'm not the only person to be disappointed by rechargeables. There is nothing on the battery packets or in any manufacturers advertising which says - Must discharge monthly, these batteries won't hold a charge for any useful period etc etc... :D The Enloops are new to me so I appreciate the update. They sound far better. A voyage of discovery indeed,they don't tell us about the best way with laptop batteries either, what a world that doen't put us right on these things.! |
Cicero (40) | ||
| 1127731 | 2010-08-15 22:43:00 | Eneloops do not require a monthly discharge (any more than your car requires re-shoeing or it's teeth filing on a regular basis) nor do newer Ni-Cads or Lithium cells. What they all bar the Lithium do require is that the first charge be slow and prolonged to "form" the electrode chemistry. Ni-MH batteries will not reach their best achievable capacity until they have completed several charge - discharge cycles, preferably at a lower than full rate. It is best to do the first charge for 12 to 16 hours with a simple charger that just adds a low current charge until the supply is interrupted, like the cheap overnight chargers. Smart chargers are not good for this initial charge as they falsely detect a full charge and shut down early leaving the cells incompletely formed, which ensures the battery will never achieve it's potential (sorry) performance. Lithium batteries require a dedicated charger to match their more complex charging rules. Using any other type of charger requires close observation and a good knowledge of the requirements to avoid accidents, which can be impressively violent. |
R2x1 (4628) | ||
| 1127732 | 2010-08-15 23:04:00 | Eneloops do not require a monthly discharge (any more than your car requires re-shoeing or it's teeth filing on a regular basis) nor do newer Ni-Cads or Lithium cells. What they all bar the Lithium do require is that the first charge be slow and prolonged to "form" the electrode chemistry. Ni-MH batteries will not reach their best achievable capacity until they have completed several charge - discharge cycles, preferably at a lower than full rate. It is best to do the first charge for 12 to 16 hours with a simple charger that just adds a low current charge until the supply is interrupted, like the cheap overnight chargers. Smart chargers are not good for this initial charge as they falsely detect a full charge and shut down early leaving the cells incompletely formed, which ensures the battery will never achieve it's potential (sorry) performance. Lithium batteries require a dedicated charger to match their more complex charging rules. Using any other type of charger requires close observation and a good knowledge of the requirements to avoid accidents, which can be impressively violent. Thank goodness you are from your hols,we were at a loss what to do....! |
Cicero (40) | ||
| 1127733 | 2010-08-15 23:30:00 | Good luck with the job Metla. sarel:thumbs: |
sarel (2490) | ||
| 1127734 | 2010-08-15 23:52:00 | Good luck with the job Metla. sarel:thumbs: No luck required,just be the best,it works all the time. |
Cicero (40) | ||
| 1127735 | 2010-08-16 01:11:00 | We have a small battery powered vacuum cleaner, purchased in Sydney about 25 years ago. It is used regularly, sits on float charge in the cupboard and is only on it's third set of Nicad batteries. Current batteries are sanyo "C" cells from Jaycar, as were the last lot, and they have years left in them yet. Luck of the game really, I bought a load of hi-tech AA batteries, special charger & all, that died faster than a rat in room full of fox terriers. I do hear good reports on Eneloops though. Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
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