Battery Charger

[toggleswitch2]

I have a Duracell brand battery charger to recharge "AA" size batteries. [Yes, my batteries are Duracell brand as well].

What does it mean when the little red indicator light by each battery slot (on the charger)flashes? These batteries do not seem to take a charge.

Just read today that the tip of the batteries should be rubbed with an ordinary pencil eraser ("rubber", in UK)to ensure good contact and clean terminals; that does not help.

HELP!

Are these batteries simply burnt-out (already)?

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[veg-o-matic]

Have you tried this?

veg

http://pggillette.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/pggillette.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php?p_sid=4bT1QP8j&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MSZwX3Byb2RzPTMzMyZwX2NhdHM9MTIzJnBfcHY9MS4zMzMmcF9jdj0xLjEyMyZwX3BhZ2U9MSZ

 

[petek]

Now who are you trying to kid, you use D cells dear LOL

 

[toggleswitch2]

*LOL*

BLSUH!

 

[iheartmaytag]

Your Problem might not be the battery, but the charger. Do you know anyone that has another charger you can try them on? Next suggestion, take them to a Radio Shack. They used to have testers that could test every type of battery and charger. (Of course this was many years ago when I was still playing with transister radios, still don't have an ipod) I am old. CRAAAP!!!

 

[sudsmaster]

Dear Toggle,

You mean you didn't save the owner's manual for the charger, in addition to the original packaging??? ;-)

My guess is that the blinkin lite is a sign that the battery is defunct. The lack of a charge would seem to corroborate that guess.

Are these alkaline, nicad, or NiMH batteries?

I have a large array of rechargeable NiMH batteries in all sizes. After a while, esp if I use them in the LED garden lights, they seem to go bad. Sometimes though it's the garden light solar panel/charging system that is bad.

I have two chargers for these batteries - one is a Rayovac, the other is an Everready Energizer. Both can handle either Nicad or NiMH batteries, but not rechargeable alkaline. Neither has lights that blink. The little red lights glow steadily during charging, and then go out when the charge is complete. Mostly I would use the AA NiMH batteries in my old Olympus digital camera. The 2700 amp hour batteries worked best, of course. But for other stuff (LED flashlights, for example) I've gone back to using dispo alkaline batteries. Less hassle, overall. Although I have a pepper mill that takes six AAA batteries and it goes through them fairly rapidly. It's a good candidate for some NiMH replacements ;-).

 

[7080swashertalk]

My Rayovac battery charger doesn't blink. If the batteries no longer charge the light simply doesn't go out.

They lasted for about 4 years. Now all I have left is 2 NiMH batteries for my camera from 2002. They are still taking a charge.

I have heard that some batteries, powertool batteries in particular (B&D) have a microchip inside that monitors how charged a battery is and only when the battery is drawn out does it charge the fullest. In other words, you can top off a partially expired battery.

"I'm not an doctor, though I play one on..." You-tube.

Too bad you aren't closer Steve you could test your battery in my .... charger. Perhaps give you the zap you need.
(ok, that was too easy, unlike me.)

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[7080swashertalk]

correction

"In other words, you can top off a partially expired battery."

should say

"In other words, you can NOT
top off a partially expired battery."

 

[phillygrl]

My Rayovac charger blinks red when the battery is not inserted correctly. When I take the battery out and reinsert it, then the light goes to green, and the battery charges. Perhaps your charger is similar.

 

[jeffg]

When a battery gets deleted to near zero volts, when you go to recharge it it may pull the current in backwards. The charger senses this problem and shuts off the cycle.

This can usually be fixed by reinserting the battery several times, until it starts recharging properly. If it doesn't, it should be replaced.

 

[jeffg]

Oops I meant "depleted".

 

[toggleswitch2]

They are: AA/HR6/DC1500 NiMh /1.2v /2500 mAh

~Have you tried this?
No Veg. That would be too easy and logical. This venue produces a lot more interesting resposnses.

~You use D cells.
Only in an "emergency", 6-volt lantern batteries are more fun!

~Your problem might not be the battery, but the charger.
The charger at the office (we use lotsa digital cameras; no I don't produce adult-themed entertainment)does the same thing.

~In other words, you can NOT top off a partially expired battery."
FEH! Topping-off prohibited.I do tend to top-off the batteries and leave them in the charger for long periods.

~This can usually be fixed by reinserting the battery several times.
Will try, though what is the use of a battery if I have to do that much work manually?

Thanks all for the input.

I recently learned that I was recharging my cell/mobile phone for FAR too long and one should not top-off some types as well. According to the local emporium and store proprietor, a 4-hour charge is max. The system is not as self-limiting(size constraints in the phone) as it could be and thereby kills the battery.

I met a less-bionic who went from batteries to a cord. Perhaps she was giong through batteries rapidly, anyhoo...After use, she then proceded to unplug the device in question to turn it off, only to trip over the [flex] cord (eel downdue to weak knees at that moment) and broke an arm and fractured a leg. Back to bateries she went.

Thanks for the advice all.

 

[toggleswitch2]

eel downdue to weak .

Should read: fell down due to weak.........

 

[jeffg]

> Will try, though what is the use of a battery if I have to do that much work manually?

You shouldn't need to. If the same problem happens every time with a given battery, discard/replace it.

 

[gizmo]

I have a pretty fancy recharger and a large selection of NiCad and NiMH cells in D and AA. The recharger is microcomputer controlled and refuses to charge batteries it decides are faulty. It shows the word "bad" on the screen.
I have found it to be way too fussy and it often declares a false "bad". The way I trick it into charging is to put a known good cell into the charger first, then put the "bad" cell in with it - into the SAME slot in the charger. As the charger can take D cells, the contacts are large enough to stack two AA cells in one slot. The good cell keeps the charger's computer chip happy, and the so-called bad cell takes a bit of the charge. After a few seconds together, I can remove the bad cell and put it in by itself, and it will charge up OK.
If your charger can't take two cells in one compartment, you can also achieve the same by connecting a fully charged good cell to the dud cell, connect positive to positive and negative to negative. I do it the cheats method, I put a flat blade knife on the bench, sit the two cells on it negative terminal down, then place another knife across the top to join the two positive terminals. This arrangement allows a little charge to flow from the good cell to the suspect one. When the cell has a little charge in it,(15 seconds together) it will show up as OK in the charger. When it is absolutely dead flat it is more likely to give problems getting started.

Some chargers are designed for Nickel Cadmium cells (NiCads) others are made for Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH). The NiCads should be really flattened before recharging from time to time - it doesn't have to be done every time. This extends the life of the cell and prevents it developing a memory effect. Memory Effect strikes NiCads when you regularly part-flatten them and recharge them - after a while they seem to "forget" they can go lower, so they lose capacity. It isn't really a memory, in fact it is crystals called "dendrites" forming inside the cell. You can sometimes save a failed NiCad by putting a short fast overcharge into it, such as connecting a failed 1.2v NiCad to a 12 volt battery for a quick half-second zap.(no more) This can burn away the dendrites inside and restore the cell, but it is a last resort and may not work.
NiMH are newer technology and are not subject to memory effect, so they CAN be topped up when still part charged and it will not cause any problem. They also are better because they generally have a higher capacity cell for the same size - my older NiCad AAs are 1200 mAH, the NiMH AAs are 2200mAH.

Chris