TakeTheActive
Enlightened
Labeling Cells and Keeping Records
Even my ~40 Rayovac 1600mAh NiMH AAs weren't initially labelled. Why? Well, the new SMART Rayovac PS1 and PS3 chargers, while able to (usually) detect end-of-charge (via -DeltaV), still didn't tell me C)apacity. Oh how PISSED I'd get when a 'Fresh-Off-the-Charger' set of cells would die shortly after I started using the 'device'. And why were they now getting so HOT?
Then, I learned about the La Crosse BC-900 SMART Charger/ANALYZER. That was the ticket 'Newbies' - the ability to determine C)apacity! NOW you knew when one cell in a set turned to *CRAP*. You didn't have to play 'guessing games' (let's try THIS one). And so began the process of labeling cells and keeping records in Excel. Since each of the Rayovac cells had a 3 or 4-character 'Batch' code, I (crudely) chose to use that. So I have 1-4 for MTB, 1-4 for ENV-Y, 1-8 for ANL, etc... BIG MISTAKE - too detailed. (IIRC, I rejected numbering them sequentially because, at that point-in-time, they were all 'mixed up' and I had no idea when each particular 'Batch' was purchased. So, #1 wouldn't necessarily be the oldest and #40 wouldn't be the newest.)
Now I do almost exactly what Black Rose does except I moved my records out of Excel and into Notepad/Wordpad as TXT files (NiMH_Vibrant, NiMH_CRAP, NiMH_HIGH, NiMH_TRASH and NiCD).
For healthy, vibrant cells still in matched sets of 4, since I charge and use them as a set, I like to record their data as a set on ONE line. This also works well for me as they initially pass into the *CRAP* stage, but eventually (for cells that are 8, 10, 12+ years old), individual cells in the 'set' reach the HIGH or TRASH/RECYCLE stage leaving me with less than 4 to charge.
NiMH_Vibrant.Txt:
So, only recently, when a 'set' BREAKS, I revert back to the one-line-per-cell-per-event, newest on top. This allows me to easily 'Cut-n-Paste' a complete cell's history to a new position in the file, sorted by C)apacity. Now, when I need 2, 3 or 4 *CRAP* or HIGH cells for a thermometer, remote, etc... I pick both a C)apacity *AND* an Internal Resistance (based on C9000 Impedance Check Voltage which I also record).
NiMH_HIGH.Txt:
...could folks share their marking codes? For example do you simply use 1,2,3,4 etc or like malow use a series of dots?
I did not know better when I started out with my GE, then Saft and Millenium NiCDs so they were never labelled or matched. Back then, they only sold DUMB, timed chargers. I ran a device until it stopped, then charged the cells, and then got mad when their performance / runtime suddenly dropped.
- I just use a Sharpie to mark the number on the label and/or the negative end of the battery.
- All of the other information (capacity, last charge date, what device it's in) are kept in an Excel spreadsheet.
- When I number my cells, I reset the numbering sequence for each brand and cell type.
i.e. Cells 1 - 44 for Eneloop AA, Cells 1 -16 for Hybrid AA, etc.
Even my ~40 Rayovac 1600mAh NiMH AAs weren't initially labelled. Why? Well, the new SMART Rayovac PS1 and PS3 chargers, while able to (usually) detect end-of-charge (via -DeltaV), still didn't tell me C)apacity. Oh how PISSED I'd get when a 'Fresh-Off-the-Charger' set of cells would die shortly after I started using the 'device'. And why were they now getting so HOT?
Then, I learned about the La Crosse BC-900 SMART Charger/ANALYZER. That was the ticket 'Newbies' - the ability to determine C)apacity! NOW you knew when one cell in a set turned to *CRAP*. You didn't have to play 'guessing games' (let's try THIS one). And so began the process of labeling cells and keeping records in Excel. Since each of the Rayovac cells had a 3 or 4-character 'Batch' code, I (crudely) chose to use that. So I have 1-4 for MTB, 1-4 for ENV-Y, 1-8 for ANL, etc... BIG MISTAKE - too detailed. (IIRC, I rejected numbering them sequentially because, at that point-in-time, they were all 'mixed up' and I had no idea when each particular 'Batch' was purchased. So, #1 wouldn't necessarily be the oldest and #40 wouldn't be the newest.)
Now I do almost exactly what Black Rose does except I moved my records out of Excel and into Notepad/Wordpad as TXT files (NiMH_Vibrant, NiMH_CRAP, NiMH_HIGH, NiMH_TRASH and NiCD).
For healthy, vibrant cells still in matched sets of 4, since I charge and use them as a set, I like to record their data as a set on ONE line. This also works well for me as they initially pass into the *CRAP* stage, but eventually (for cells that are 8, 10, 12+ years old), individual cells in the 'set' reach the HIGH or TRASH/RECYCLE stage leaving me with less than 4 to charge.
NiMH_Vibrant.Txt:
Code:
Duracell 2000mAh AA LSD 8B27 [J] | #1 #2 #3 #4
---------------------------------+---------------------------
08/xx/09 C9000 Charge: 1500 |
08/xx/09 C9000 Impedance Check: |
08/xx/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 |
01/03/10 C9000 Charge: 2000 | ~500 ~500 ~500 ~500 mAh 25% Storage Charge
01/03/10 C9000 Discharge: 400 | 84 86 92 93 mAh
05/23/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.65 1.65 1.64 1.64 VDC
05/23/09 C9000 Cycle3: 2000/ 400| 1870 1880 1884 1879 mAh
05/xx/09 C9000 Cycle2: 2000/ 400| 1878 1886 1888 1889 mAh
05/xx/09 C9000 Cycle1: 2000/ 400| 1879 1893 1890 1888 mAh
05/22/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 | 2018 2017 2032 2018 mAh
05/21/09 C9000 Break-In: 2000 | 1927 1931 1938 1941 mAh#
05/18/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 | 1472 1480 1486 1479 mAh
05/17/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 VDC
[Bought: 11/xx/08;
06/27-09/09/09:HP215 Camera (~1.17VDC @ 150mA on RS Tester; HP Batt. Meter @ 50%)]
Duracell 2000mAh AA LSD 8D07 [C] | #1 #2
---------------------------------+---------------
09/xx/09 C9000 Impedance Check: |
09/xx/09 C9000 Cycle3: 2000/ 400|
09/xx/09 C9000 Cycle2: 2000/ 400|
09/xx/09 C9000 Cycle1: 2000/ 400|
09/xx/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 |
09/26/09 C9000 Break-In: 2000 | 1948 1959 mAh#
09/24/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.50 1.48 VDC
09/24/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 | 1417 1422 mAh
09/23/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.54 1.54 VDC
[Bought: 09/19/09 w/CEF20 - UNUSED]
Duracell 2000mAh AA LSD 7H20 [C] | #3 #4
---------------------------------+---------------
11/07/09 C9000 Break-In: 2000 | 1897 1920 mAh#
11/06/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.50 1.51 VDC
11/06/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 | 1426 1425 mAh
11/05/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.58 1.60 VDC
[Bought: 10/24/09 w/CEF23
01/04/10:#3,4-Weather Channel Therm Base]
Duracell 2000mAh AA LSD xxxx [C] | #5 #6
---------------------------------+---------------
11/xx/09 C9000 Break-In: 2000 |
11/xx/09 C9000 Impedance Check: |
11/xx/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 |
11/xx/09 C9000 Impedance Check: |
[Bought: 10/24/09 w/CEF23 - UNUSED]
Duracell 800mAh AAA LSD xxxx [J] | #1 #2 #3 #4
---------------------------------+---------------------------
[Bought: 09/03/09 - UNUSED]
Duracell 800mAh AAA LSD xxxx [J] | #5 #6 #7 #8
---------------------------------+---------------------------
[Bought: 09/19/09 - UNUSED]
Duracell 800mAh AAA LSD 7J22 [C] | #1 #2
---------------------------------+---------------
11/07/09 C9000 Break-In: 800 | 697 712 mAh#
11/06/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.66 1.64 VDC
11/06/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 | 485 475 mAh
11/05/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.64 1.64 VDC
[Bought: 10/24/09 w/CEF23 - UNUSED]
Duracell 800mAh AAA LSD xxxx [C] | #3 #4
---------------------------------+---------------
[Bought: 10/24/09 w/CEF23 - UNUSED]
Kodak 2000mAh AA LSD | #1 #2 #3 #4
---------------------------------+---------------------------
10/25/09 C9000 Cycle2: 1000/ 400| 1984 1996 1981 1993 mAh
10/24/09 C9000 Cycle1: 1000/ 400| 1975 2001 1988 1991 mAh
10/23/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 | 27 21 21 24 mAh
10/23/09 C9000 Discharge: 400 | 323 319 333 298 mAh
10/23/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.51 1.51 1.51 1.50 VDC
06/27/09 C9000 Charge: 1000 | 550 550 550 550 mAh (partial)
06/27/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.58 0.32 0.71 0.26 VDC
04/04/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.64 1.68 1.66 1.65 VDC
04/04/09 C9000 Cycle3: 2000/ 400| 1982 2001 2016 1995 mAh
04/xx/09 C9000 Cycle2: 2000/ 400| 1983 2004 2019 1997 mAh
04/xx/09 C9000 Cycle1: 2000/ 400| 1990 2013 2031 1987 mAh
04/02/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 | 2125 2125 2122 2124 mAh
04/01/09 C9000 Break-In: 2000 | 2032 2040 2052 2034 mAh#
03/30/09 C9000 Discharge: 400 | 1648 1615 1669 1615 mAh
03/30/09 C9000 Impedance Check: | 1.51 1.55 1.55 1.54 VDC
[Bought: 11/dd/08;
04/04-06/27/09:HP215 Camera - Camera OFF discharged *ALL* to 0VDC!!! NG!]
HP215: 9.2mA OFF; 520-640mA ON w/LCD.
Kodak 2000mAh AA LSD | #5 #6 #7 #8
---------------------------------+---------------------------
06/xx/09 C9000 Cycle1: 1000/ 400|
06/xx/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 |
06/xx/09 C9000 Break-In: 2000 |
06/xx/09 C9000 Discharge: 400 |
06/xx/09 C9000 Impedance Check: |
[Bought: 11/xx/08 - UNUSED]
...QUEUED...
Kodak 850mAh AAA LSD | #1 #2 #3 #4
---------------------------------+---------------------------
05/xx/09 C9000 Cycle1: 900/ 200|
05/xx/09 C9000 Discharge: 100 |
05/xx/09 C9000 Break-In: 900 |
05/xx/09 C9000 Discharge: 200 |
05/xx/09 C9000 Impedance Check: |
[Bought: 05/27/09 - UNUSED]
...QUEUED...
So, only recently, when a 'set' BREAKS, I revert back to the one-line-per-cell-per-event, newest on top. This allows me to easily 'Cut-n-Paste' a complete cell's history to a new position in the file, sorted by C)apacity. Now, when I need 2, 3 or 4 *CRAP* or HIGH cells for a thermometer, remote, etc... I pick both a C)apacity *AND* an Internal Resistance (based on C9000 Impedance Check Voltage which I also record).
NiMH_HIGH.Txt:
Code:
1: 01/08/10 - 2.67VDC (Impedance Check C9000) ONN-Y
1: 01/08/10 - 949mAh (RefreshN BC-900 500) ONN-Y
1: 01/07/10 - 'HIGH' (Impedance Check C9000) ONN-Y
1: 01/07/10 - 2.24VDC (Impedance Check C9000) ONN-Y
1: 01/07/10 - *WARM* (Charge BC-900 1800) ONN-Y
1: 01/04/10 - 2.78VDC (Impedance Check C9000) ONN-Y
1: 09/12/09 - 2mAh (Cycle10 C-9000 1000/ 100) ONN-Y
1: 09/xx/09 - 351mAh (Cycle9 C-9000 1000/ 100) ONN-Y
1: 09/xx/09 - 1mAh (Cycle8 C-9000 1000/ 100) ONN-Y
1: 09/xx/09 - 323mAh (Cycle7 C-9000 1000/ 100) ONN-Y
1: 09/xx/09 - 2mAh (Cycle6 C-9000 1000/ 100) ONN-Y
1: 09/xx/09 - 336mAh (Cycle5 C-9000 1000/ 100) ONN-Y
1: 09/xx/09 - 258mAh (Cycle4 C-9000 1000/ 100) ONN-Y
1: 09/xx/09 - 1mAh (Cycle3 C-9000 1000/ 100) ONN-Y
1: 09/xx/09 - 332mAh (Cycle2 C-9000 1000/ 100) ONN-Y
1: 09/xx/09 - 427mAh (Cycle1 C-9000 1000/ 100) ONN-Y
1: 04/10/09 - 'HIGH' (Impedance Check C9000) ONN-Y
1: 04/10/09 - 2.11VDC (Impedance Check C9000) ONN-Y 2.10VDC is C9000 Cut-Off
1: 04/10/09 - *WARM* (Charge PS-3 500) ONN-Y
1: 04/10/09 - 'HIGH' (Impedance Check C9000) ONN-Y
1: 04/10/09 - 2.39VDC (Impedance Check C9000) ONN-Y
1: 02/18/09 - 1102mAh (Refresh2 BC-900 200) ONN-Y
1: 02/xx/09 - 871mAh (Refresh1 BC-900 200) ONN-Y
1: 01/28/09 - 1171mAh (Refresh BC-900 500) ONN-Y
NiMh Rayovac AA 1600ma 1: 01/22/09 - 1088mAh (Refresh BC-900 700) ONN-Y
1: 01/07/10 - 1.99VDC (Impedance Check C9000) ONS-Y
1: 01/07/10 - *WARM* (Charge BC-900 1800) ONS-Y
1: 01/04/10 - 2.64VDC (Impedance Check C9000) ONS-Y
1: 04/17/09 - 2.29VDC (Impedance Check C9000) ONS-Y
1: 04/17/09 - 'HIGH' (Impedance Check C9000) ONS-Y ?TRASH?
1: 04/10/09 - 2.00VDC (Impedance Check C9000) ONS-Y
1: 04/10/09 - *WARM* (Charge PS-3 500) ONS-Y
1: 04/10/09 - 'HIGH' (Impedance Check C9000) ONS-Y
1: 02/15/09 - 1169mAh (Refresh4 BC-900 200) ONS-Y
1: 02/xx/09 - 1167mAh (Refresh3 BC-900 200) ONS-Y
1: 02/xx/09 - 1145mAh (Refresh2 BC-900 200) ONS-Y
1: 02/xx/09 - 872mAh (Refresh1 BC-900 200) ONS-Y
NiMh Rayovac AA 1600ma 1: 01/20/09 - 920mAh (Refresh BC-900 1000) ONS-Y
+1 :thumbsup:I just use the data in my large spreadsheet (18 tabs) to determine which cells get used in which devices.
From my Sig Line LINK:...Do you find it useful to mark them in matched sets? If so, do you get better runtimes out of your battery powered devices?
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