Waking up a battery
#1
12-03-03, 03:47 PM
Waking up a battery
I have a radio with a rechargable NiCAD and it wasnt used for a while. I plugged it in for 15 hours almost and it still will not power itself. The only way it works now is to used the AC adapter. Is there any such thing as starting a battery or waking it up, I know I heard it a way to do it before. Google shows nothing.
#3
12-03-03, 04:34 PM
NiCd batteries have another problem. They suffer from memory problems. When they are repeatedly only partially discharged and then charged again they remember the point of discharge and then refuse to work after that. For this reason it is best to allow NiCd batteries to fully discharge before charging them. Unfortunately this does not work well with pagers and other devices people want to use for an entire day.
Many of the better batter charges have a conditioning feature which may work to revive a dead NiCd battery. This will attempt to completely discharge the device and then fully charge it. It will also analyze the battery while it is being charged and discharged. This feature is not, unfortunately, buolt into the cheap charges that come with most NiCd battery devices.
A better choice is the new NiMH batteries. These batteries hold more power and can literally be recharged hundreds or even thousands of times. NiMH batteries and charges are inexpensive and make much more sense than using disposable batteries.
Many of the better batter charges have a conditioning feature which may work to revive a dead NiCd battery. This will attempt to completely discharge the device and then fully charge it. It will also analyze the battery while it is being charged and discharged. This feature is not, unfortunately, buolt into the cheap charges that come with most NiCd battery devices.
A better choice is the new NiMH batteries. These batteries hold more power and can literally be recharged hundreds or even thousands of times. NiMH batteries and charges are inexpensive and make much more sense than using disposable batteries.
#4
12-03-03, 05:07 PM
Its a handheld multiband scanner with a battery from Radioshack. It looks like 4 AA batteries put together to form a trapazoid shape and connected with a wire. I try to unplug it and then turn it on and it will not work at all. I had it plugged in to the charging/AC cable for 14 or so hours and it will not work on its own. The battery is $46 CAD and I dont want to spend it if I dont have too.
[size=1](JN: edited to remove unnecessary quoting of prior post.)[/size]
[size=1](JN: edited to remove unnecessary quoting of prior post.)[/size]
Last edited by John Nelson; 12-03-03 at 07:31 PM.
#5
12-03-03, 07:17 PM
The only suggestion I can make is for you to buy or borrow a good quality battery charger and try to condition the battery properly. A good quality charger can be had for less than $100.00. If you do much with rechargeable batteries it is a good investment, as it can save batteries that you would normally have to dispose of (properly of course).
In the future, pay close attention to NiCd 'rules' and suggestions.
In the future, pay close attention to NiCd 'rules' and suggestions.
#7
12-04-03, 04:41 AM
Some battery charger/conditioners come with clips to attach to battery packs, others have moveable posts, etc. it all depends on the particular unit. You will also have to figure out which of the prongs is the positive and which is the negative terminal.
