Alkaline Batt charging?
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I was wondering if anybody knew of a way to recharge regular Alkaline
batteries. I know that there once was that Buddy L Alkaline/Ni CAD
Battery Charger (Super Charger) but I don't think they make it
anymore and I was wondering if there was a way to build a charger
that can recharge AA, AAA, C, D,... batts for my Stamp projects which
can suck power. Also would be nice for my new digital camera which
really goes through batteries fast as well. heh. Thanks.
batteries. I know that there once was that Buddy L Alkaline/Ni CAD
Battery Charger (Super Charger) but I don't think they make it
anymore and I was wondering if there was a way to build a charger
that can recharge AA, AAA, C, D,... batts for my Stamp projects which
can suck power. Also would be nice for my new digital camera which
really goes through batteries fast as well. heh. Thanks.
Comments
years now, and still am charging some of the original batteries. They dont
cost a lot more intiially for the battery either. They claim 20 charges, but
I have gotten 50-100 charges out of my batteries in AAA and AA sizes that I use.
I did use them in my digital camera and did not have much luck. It seemed
like they could not put out a high enough amperage to charge my flash unit,
however my camera is flaky charging the flash anyhow.
Good luck
At 07:09 PM 12/12/2000 -0000, you wrote:
>I was wondering if anybody knew of a way to recharge regular Alkaline
>batteries. I know that there once was that Buddy L Alkaline/Ni CAD
>Battery Charger (Super Charger) but I don't think they make it
>anymore and I was wondering if there was a way to build a charger
>that can recharge AA, AAA, C, D,... batts for my Stamp projects which
>can suck power. Also would be nice for my new digital camera which
>really goes through batteries fast as well. heh. Thanks.
>
>
>
>
>
Sincerely
Kerry
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--So you think you need more memory... the LEM went to the moon on 16K,how
much do you REALLY need?
>I was wondering if anybody knew of a way to recharge regular Alkaline
>batteries. I know that there once was that Buddy L Alkaline/Ni CAD
>Battery Charger (Super Charger) but I don't think they make it
>anymore and I was wondering if there was a way to build a charger
>that can recharge AA, AAA, C, D,... batts for my Stamp projects which
>can suck power. Also would be nice for my new digital camera which
>really goes through batteries fast as well. heh. Thanks.
Hi,
I would recomend using the Sanyo AAA and AA NiMH. They are about $5 a
pair. You can get a charger that will charge them in 5 hours for $20.
Make sure the charger specifies it can charge NiMH.
I use the AAA for the motor power in a Radio Control car. I get 1.5 to
2 times the run time with the NiMH as I do with an alkaline. Also the
The NiMH can supply more power without dropping voltage. Even more than
a NiCad. When I use alkalines, the car is fast at first and gradually
slows as time goes on. With the NiMH, the car is fast almost the whole
time. Even after 90% of run time the car feels just as fast as the
beginning. Near the end you can detect some slowing then it just
dumps. Also note that Alkalines are 1.5V but NiMH are 1.25V. But under
higher power use, as in the RC car motor, the NiMH actually makes the
car run faster. The reason is that the alkalines drop their voltage
more under load where the NiMH hold it's voltage more constant. And it
holds it for almost the entire discharge duration. Also,
charge/discharge 'memory effects' are not a problem as in NiCads.
When it comes to getting the most out of rechargable batteries, you will
find the RC car racers to know the latest and greatest battery
technology. There are a lot of RC companies investing money trying to
find a racing advantage and batteries is one of the most important
aspects of RC car racing. There are significant differences even
between brands. Take a tip from the RCers and use what they use.
Hope this helps,
Bob
--
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| Robert Dexter, Manager | Diagnostic Tools and System Test |
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(_/
(panasonic makes good batteries too). I use NiMH in my digital camera and
get around 2 times the life out of them than Duracell/Energizer alkalines.
--Dan
> I would recomend using the Sanyo AAA and AA NiMH. They are about $5 a
> pair. You can get a charger that will charge them in 5 hours for $20.
> Make sure the charger specifies it can charge NiMH.
>
> I use the AAA for the motor power in a Radio Control car. I get 1.5 to
> 2 times the run time with the NiMH as I do with an alkaline. Also the
> The NiMH can supply more power without dropping voltage. Even more than
Rechargable Alkalines but does anybody know what it takes to recharge
regular alkalines? is there a difference between a regular one and a
Rayovac one?
Original Message
From: "Dan Gustafson" <dankgus@e...>
To: <basicstamps@egroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2000 11:58 AM
Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Alkaline Batt charging?
> I agree. Sanyo has always been a big name in rechargable batteries
> (panasonic makes good batteries too). I use NiMH in my digital camera and
> get around 2 times the life out of them than Duracell/Energizer alkalines.
>
> --Dan
>
> > I would recomend using the Sanyo AAA and AA NiMH. They are about $5 a
> > pair. You can get a charger that will charge them in 5 hours for $20.
> > Make sure the charger specifies it can charge NiMH.
> >
> > I use the AAA for the motor power in a Radio Control car. I get 1.5 to
> > 2 times the run time with the NiMH as I do with an alkaline. Also the
> > The NiMH can supply more power without dropping voltage. Even more than
>
>
>
>
>
concept.
1) Voltage: the claimed 1.5V occurs only with a new battery or after the first
few recharges.
2) Current: the internal resistance of the battery excludes high current.
3) Capacity: the capacity is lower than other types of batteries and goes still
lower
after a few recharges.
4) Lifetime: a lot shorter than NiCads and NiMhs.
The good choice is NiMh.
Li-Ion is the best if you can afford it and get a good loader.
Regards
ECO
Original Message
From: "Gliebe-Tronics" <gliebetronics@h...>
To: <basicstamps@egroups.com>
Sent: mercredi 13 d
alkaline in my Rayovac alkaline recharger and had indifferant success. Maybe
50% of the normal alkaline batteries took a charge. A couple overcharged or
leaked causing corrosion to my charger [noparse]:([/noparse] Rayvac claims there rechargable
alkalines have 20 times as much goop inside permitting more recharges. I
read that someplace.
I know the old original cheap chargers sold were simply a lightbulb to limit
voltage and a diode in the circuit to make DC. I do not know the MA they put
out.
My radio shlock Nicad cheapo charger is designed the same way, a diode and a
lightbulb.
The best is of course a quality RC style charger for NiCad or NiMH, that
measures peak voltage.
I use NiCads peak charged for my RC helicopter.
Despite claims to the contrary NiMH can be overcharged and burned out. My
Panasonic laptop had an internal NiMH. Leaving the laptop plugged in for
months at a time, the system overcharged the battery and ruined it [noparse]:([/noparse] I
guess they cant take a constant trickle charge despite MFG claims to the
contrary. This happend on two differant laptops. I would advise never
leaving NiMH or certainly not NiCad on continuous trickle chargers.
Good luck.
Sincerely
Kerry
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--So you think you need more memory... the LEM went to the moon on 16K,how
much do you REALLY need?
Rechargeable batteries are vented to allow gasses which build up during the
charging process, to escape into the atmosphere. Regular Alkaline batteries
are not vented in this way, and recharging them could produce a small
explosion, which would at the very least, ruin the battery. I would stick
to the rechargeable types.
Jon Enoch
PCB designer,
Northern Airborne Technology
Kelowna,BC
Canada
Original Message
From: Gliebe-Tronics [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=XionZEG99Y03n7HMVNGPOB1XQL9mHcNhoTdRPqLaTH_5scx4PVMk4EHzGcI7NoAWndutkJAa_OPDAbqkGPoCRF6j]gliebetronics@h...[/url
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2000 12:15 PM
To: basicstamps@egroups.com
Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Alkaline Batt charging?
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably go with the Sanyo's or Rayovac
Rechargable Alkalines but does anybody know what it takes to recharge
regular alkalines? is there a difference between a regular one and a
Rayovac one?
Original Message
From: "Dan Gustafson" <dankgus@e...>
To: <basicstamps@egroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2000 11:58 AM
Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Alkaline Batt charging?
> I agree. Sanyo has always been a big name in rechargable batteries
> (panasonic makes good batteries too). I use NiMH in my digital camera and
> get around 2 times the life out of them than Duracell/Energizer alkalines.
>
> --Dan
>
> > I would recomend using the Sanyo AAA and AA NiMH. They are about $5 a
> > pair. You can get a charger that will charge them in 5 hours for $20.
> > Make sure the charger specifies it can charge NiMH.
> >
> > I use the AAA for the motor power in a Radio Control car. I get 1.5 to
> > 2 times the run time with the NiMH as I do with an alkaline. Also the
> > The NiMH can supply more power without dropping voltage. Even more than
>
>
>
>
>
battery in a hot oven for a few minutes can also create the illusion that
the battery has been recharged. He felt that the rechargers that claim to
charge regular alkaline batteries were just exploiting the effect of heating
the batteries up to gain some more run time. He was not talking about the
more modern "rechargeable alkalines" that are being sold now, but rather the
standard alkaline batteries. I can't say if it is true, but I always
accepted everything he told me as fact because he showed so much knowledge
of everything electrical.
--Dan
Original Message
From: "Kerry Barlow" <admin@m...>
To: <basicstamps@egroups.com>
Sent: December 14, 2000 9:00 AM
Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Alkaline Batt charging?
> The NiMH are certainly best for your situation. I tried recharging regular
> alkaline in my Rayovac alkaline recharger and had indifferant success.
Maybe
> 50% of the normal alkaline batteries took a charge. A couple overcharged
or
> leaked causing corrosion to my charger [noparse]:([/noparse] Rayvac claims there rechargable
> alkalines have 20 times as much goop inside permitting more recharges. I
> read that someplace.
battery has been charged, but only until the catalytic effect of the heat on
the chemical (electrolyte) reaction in the battery has cooled down. When I
was a kid I would place the old carbon zinc types (well before there was any
other kind of battery) in front of the fire place which used to give them a
boost for a short time. Heating the battery does not produce the chemical
reaction necessary for the migration of electrolyte atoms to their original
(charged) state. For that to occur, you need to pass a current through the
cell.
Jon Enoch
PCB designer,
Northern Airborne Technology
Kelowna,BC
Canada
Original Message
From: Dan Gustafson [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=vzUMj-idl9tNodvE8Ml1vU6QzPJjNoJvbrN5a7YcGYmvz-YnLKwTHRNI7lQP-1w9_xKE9MTI29Dd6sE-aQ]dankgus@e...[/url
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 9:30 AM
To: basicstamps@egroups.com
Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Alkaline Batt charging?
My electronics instructor told me that by simply putting a used alkaline
battery in a hot oven for a few minutes can also create the illusion that
the battery has been recharged. He felt that the rechargers that claim to
charge regular alkaline batteries were just exploiting the effect of heating
the batteries up to gain some more run time. He was not talking about the
more modern "rechargeable alkalines" that are being sold now, but rather the
standard alkaline batteries. I can't say if it is true, but I always
accepted everything he told me as fact because he showed so much knowledge
of everything electrical.
--Dan
Original Message
From: "Kerry Barlow" <admin@m...>
To: <basicstamps@egroups.com>
Sent: December 14, 2000 9:00 AM
Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Alkaline Batt charging?
> The NiMH are certainly best for your situation. I tried recharging regular
> alkaline in my Rayovac alkaline recharger and had indifferant success.
Maybe
> 50% of the normal alkaline batteries took a charge. A couple overcharged
or
> leaked causing corrosion to my charger [noparse]:([/noparse] Rayvac claims there rechargable
> alkalines have 20 times as much goop inside permitting more recharges. I
> read that someplace.
irreversible. Once the reaction completes, the battery is out of power and
useless. It cannot be recharged. Rechargeable alkalines use a different
process that is revesible by applying a charge although they are only
rechargeable about 1000 times. Other rechargeables such as Lion and NiH work
for more cycles but do not have the charge retention period of rechargeable
alkalines--there is not free lunch. You have to diecide what is more
important: cost, rechargeability, shelflife when charged.
Original Message
From: Gliebe-Tronics [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=urTpz8kAdPjxZORnV2NgU4Ibz9dxx1gy-BnawtesFHIYkw0ykCHqfr0f6FWasSO1gPoQA5a36UEejgX9Zsa2wFJCZg]gliebetronics@h...[/url
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2000 12:15 PM
To: basicstamps@egroups.com
Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Alkaline Batt charging?
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably go with the Sanyo's or Rayovac
Rechargable Alkalines but does anybody know what it takes to recharge
regular alkalines? is there a difference between a regular one and a
Rayovac one?
Original Message
From: "Dan Gustafson" <dankgus@e...>
To: <basicstamps@egroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2000 11:58 AM
Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Alkaline Batt charging?
> I agree. Sanyo has always been a big name in rechargable batteries
> (panasonic makes good batteries too). I use NiMH in my digital camera and
> get around 2 times the life out of them than Duracell/Energizer alkalines.
>
> --Dan
>
> > I would recomend using the Sanyo AAA and AA NiMH. They are about $5 a
> > pair. You can get a charger that will charge them in 5 hours for $20.
> > Make sure the charger specifies it can charge NiMH.
> >
> > I use the AAA for the motor power in a Radio Control car. I get 1.5 to
> > 2 times the run time with the NiMH as I do with an alkaline. Also the
> > The NiMH can supply more power without dropping voltage. Even more than
>
>
>
>
>
>The chemical reaction that provides power in regular alkaline batteries is
>irreversible. Once the reaction completes, the battery is out of power and
>useless. It cannot be recharged. Rechargeable alkalines use a different
>process that is revesible by applying a charge although they are only
I actually built a small Pulse Width Modulation circuit that charged regular
Alkalines - I could do it five or six times usually. I found that Duracel
batteries could actually hold MORE charge when recharged than before!
The charger worked from a standard 50Hz AC power supply (Australian) dropped to
6v using a transformer, and charged the battery for 60% of the cycle then
discharged it for 40% of the cycle.
Worked well, but if you build one up don't make it look too nice or go to too
much trouble making it neat. Occasionally the batteries do leak.
Regs,
Dave
factory-quality irreversible: hence the leaking and five or six times
maximum recharge. Sure MAYBE it works a few times but the leakage damage
which can occur after you charge them and have put them in your device can
cost you a lot of money--way more than the cost of rechargeable alkalines,
LIons, Nicads, and NiMh batteries. It is simply: unreliable and potentially
damaging and so irreversable--you cannot cannot restore a alkaline battery
to: 1) reliable, 2) leakfree, and 3) economical performance by using it for
something it was not designed to do. Rechargables are designed for this
purpose and are usually the cheapest item in you design--why risk your
expensive design over a cheap part?
Original Message
From: David Greenland [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=x8uiaG1OT3X65ScO9CNOnhb21tN5d-Njdk6eYEwJBmEyDGrhEygUUeRDS_0NXT-PORM9Kxq_GAmVnYd6]greenie@z...[/url
Sent: Friday, February 02, 2001 7:32 AM
To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
Cc: dano@brightfire
Subject: RE: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Alkaline Batt charging?
At 10:34 AM -0800 15/12/00, dano@brightfire wrote:
>The chemical reaction that provides power in regular alkaline batteries is
>irreversible. Once the reaction completes, the battery is out of power and
>useless. It cannot be recharged. Rechargeable alkalines use a different
>process that is revesible by applying a charge although they are only
I actually built a small Pulse Width Modulation circuit that charged regular
Alkalines - I could do it five or six times usually. I found that Duracel
batteries could actually hold MORE charge when recharged than before!
The charger worked from a standard 50Hz AC power supply (Australian) dropped
to 6v using a transformer, and charged the battery for 60% of the cycle then
discharged it for 40% of the cycle.
Worked well, but if you build one up don't make it look too nice or go to
too much trouble making it neat. Occasionally the batteries do leak.
Regs,
Dave