Re: Recharable Batteries

[Charles Cater]

The need to get things ight about recharging times for rechargables are as follows.
Time for=
1500 mH = 8½ Hours at value of rechargeable at150mH
2.000 mH = 11½ Hours  -  Ditto .
2,350 mH = 13 Hours  -     Ditto.

I hope that this is helpful to you.

It pay to top up the night before you go detecting. You can buy timers from any good store these days. Dead easy to use.

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

Thanks for that Charles, sort of read my mind there. The whites handbook contradicts itself on this subject, and keeps referring to an overnight switch on my charger......It hasnt got one

[Charles Cater]

Why don't you either text or send an emal to them and ask them here does it exist. That will puzzle them?

[Jonola (Jon)]

The best I have at the moment are Uniross 2500 Mah
The worst I have are OSEL 800 Mah. I bought these before I undestood how underpowered they are.

With delivery at 1.95 for the duracell rechageable I may try the Duracell rechargeable. Get 8 and see what happens.

[Charles Cater]

You won't be disappointed, John.
You really want 16 in all so that you have a spare fully charged with you at all times. I have  learned through experience.Get the highest Mah you can, they last longer.

[Jonola (Jon)]

Cheers Charles. Yes I'll definitely order 16 then. I pay 5.99 for 4 non-rechargeable Duracell so it looks a really good deal.

[waltonbasinman]

Have 16 Duracell AA / HR6 / DC1500 NiMH / 1.2V / 1800 mAh  batteries. Charge up overnight the night before for 8 hours and 8 will last all day when detecting and half of the next day. Also have a battery from Minelab which charges via the 12 v power outlet on the Jeep or any vehicle. Usually takes a couple of hours charging to get a days detecting.  Bought them of the web from Argos for about half Price in a deal when I got my Quattro about two years ago. Saved a fortune in ordinary batteries cos when I first used the machine I bought 8 from the garage and I think they lasted about 4 Hours.

[Jonola (Jon)]

I use a UniRoss X-Press 700 Ni--Mh/Ni-CD battery charger. Is this any good? The UniRoss 2500 Mh rechargeable came with it.

Is it possible to overcharge them?

[waltonbasinman]

Most chargers that I have looked at have a 4/8 hour charge settings or a automatic cut off. I have a Uniross charger as well which charges my Gps and Camera batteries and works well. It should be fine Jon. The Vanson 8 battery charger came with my detector and the Other 8 battery charger (Vanson as well ) I use, I got on offer as I say from Argos £7.50 down from £20. Maplins currently offer a 8 x battery charger with settings for different time settings at £20 which gets good reviews. Hope this helps Jon.

[Jonola (Jon)]

Great information as always Paul. Thanks very much for that.

[detectordave]

Good post Charles but you have forgotton a couple of important points

1:You have to make sure that the rechargeables you buy will not develop a memory when doing a top up charge.

2:Rechargeable batteries will lose power when not in use quicker than normal batteries.

3:They do not charge fully ie 1.5 volt they only charge to 1.2.

4:Some rechargeables are not designed to power heavy use items ie digital camaras.

[Jonola (Jon)]

How and why would they develop a memory? I am a bit lost regarding this aspect.

[Gadget(Ian)]

nice one charles thanks for the info mate.

[Jonola (Jon)]

I have looked up this battery memory problem and found this:


Memory effect, also known as lazy battery effect or battery memory, is an effect observed in nickel cadmium rechargeable batteries that causes them to hold less charge. It describes one very specific situation in which certain NiCd batteries gradually lose their maximum energy capacity if they are repeatedly recharged after being only partially discharged. The battery appears to "remember" the smaller capacity. [1] The source of the effect is changes of the characteristics of the underused active materials of the cell.[citation needed] The term is commonly misapplied to almost any case in which a battery appears to hold less charge than was expected. These cases are more likely due to battery age and use, leading to irreversible changes in the cells due to internal short-circuits, loss of electrolyte, or reversal of cells.


The whole article can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_effect

[Charles Cater]

How and why would they develop a memory? I am a bit lost regarding this aspect.

The "moden" ones don't have a memory. If they are NMHydride you are OK. if they are Ni-cad type you are into the old regime.