How to Resurrect a Dead NiCd Battery

It is known that an NiCd battery will drain very quickly or will not hold a charge for very long after it has been charged. NiCd (which stands for Nickel Cadmium) batteries are usually used in cell phones, small radios and other hand-help electronic devices. Since batteries can be quite expensive, it is important to know how batteries work and how you can make them last longer. It is also good for the environment to use less battery material, as discarding them can cause damage.

Batteries can "die" either from the battery being overcharged until it shorts out or from not allowing the battery to be used or drain fully before it is placed back into the charger. It is very important to pay attention to how much you are charging and using your battery, as it will create a "charging" memory where it will not charge fully in the future.

Step 1: Check the Current Charge

To make sure that there is a charge after you revive the battery, you must first check to see if there is any charge on the unit. Stick the battery into the electronic device it is suppose to power and read the battery meter. This will give you an idea of how much more of a charge the battery will need.

With some NiCd batteries, you will need to make sure the battery is fully drained. If this is the case, allow the device to stay on until the battery runs out.

Once you have found out the current charge of the battery, you are ready to see if you can add any extra charge. You will be able to use the current charge data to compare with the after effects of the charge.

Step 2: Spark the Battery

Turn on your welder and allow it to get warm. Once it is it hot, carefully tap the positive end of the welder to the positive end of the battery. Do not tap to hard as you can damage the battery. You should see sparks as you tap the battery. Tap the battery for about a minute before allowing the battery to cool.

Continue on to your next battery. Once you have tapped the ends of all of your batteries, make sure that you turn off your welder.

Step 3: Test the Battery

Once the battery has completely cooled down, stick it back into your electronic device to test your battery. If the process worked, that you should see a bigger charge on the device's battery meter.

You should get results immediately, and your device should be fully charged. However, if you still experience battery problems, you may need to repeat the process a few times. If the battery does not become revived, it could have other problems that prevent it from working and it will need to be replaced.

By trying to spark your battery yourself, you may be able to save on the cost of new and expensive batteries. It is important that you are careful to not damage the battery or injure yourself in the process.