Chargers: Difference between revisions
→NiMH Battery Chargers
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==NiMH Battery Chargers== | ==NiMH Battery Chargers== | ||
When shopping for nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) chargers it is important to find a charger that will do three things: 1. Charge the cells independently instead of in pairs (this is important in case one battery is bad, which happens frequently), 2. Charge at an appropriate rate --taking at least 1-2 hours (no 15-minute fast chargers!), and 3. Correctly stop charging when the battery is full (rather than charge for some number of hours | When shopping for nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) chargers it is important to find a charger that will do three things: 1. Charge the cells independently instead of in pairs (this is important in case one battery is bad, which happens frequently), 2. Charge at an appropriate rate --taking at least 1-2 hours (no 15-minute fast chargers!), and 3. Correctly stop charging when the battery is full (rather than charge for some number of hours regar.dless of the charge currently in the battery). Very few chargers you see in stores will do all of these. Note that some of the lithium chargers listed later will also charge NiMH cells correctly. | ||
NiMH cells will last more cycles if they are charged at an appropriate rate. The ideal charging rate is 0.5C, where C is the capacity of the battery in mah. For example, a 2700 mah cell (C=2700) should be charged at about 1350 mA (there is some debate about whether lower rates or a rate up to 1.0C is better). Therefore chargers with a charge rate that can be selected by the user are preferred. For capacity testing, the discharge rate is usually 0.20 to 0.25C. | NiMH cells will last more cycles if they are charged at an appropriate rate. The ideal charging rate is 0.5C, where C is the capacity of the battery in mah. For example, a 2700 mah cell (C=2700) should be charged at about 1350 mA (there is some debate about whether lower rates or a rate up to 1.0C is better). Therefore chargers with a charge rate that can be selected by the user are preferred. For capacity testing, the discharge rate is usually 0.20 to 0.25C. | ||