Dumb charge them to death Enloop test

[VidPro]

like this run-em-flat enloop test (not reverse charge)
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=129512

i have now loosly and consumerish completed the Dumb charge them to death test.
i put them on a 250ma 1/10th pulse charger for about a month and a half. that is 25ma per hour averaged.

then i pulled them off an ran them on the exact same test that i used to test them originally
lacross 900 test mode at 500ma (250ma discharge)

and low-n-behold they actually had MORE capacity displayed, not less.
about 50-125ma on a set of 4. i didnt test more than 4 because i was expecting the OPPOSITE, i can potentially test more than 4, if nessisary.

but the test was just to test for MYSELF if they would be DAMAGED from extensive slow topping off type trickle charge, exactally like what i would do in the items i have here.

as usual this has nothing to do with your situation, or applies to anything else, its just my test for me, and i am relaying my results in case you care.

the dumb topping was done with a 10bay cheap china charger, the testing with the lacross 900 cheap charger tester thing.

 

[Phaetos]

So you just left them sitting in the charger, plugged in for 1 month? Is that right?

 

[VidPro]

about a month and a half, but its a very slow type of charger already, not like some that trickle at 100ma.

 

[NiOOH]

Trickle charging at such a a low rate is unlikely to do a notable damage in month and a half. To me, a more interesting test woul be to leave them for several days at 0.1C charging. Some manufacturers state that their cells can sustain continious charging at 0.1C without venting. There is nothing said about the damage done due to overcharging. I'd expect at least severe voltage depression, that may or may not be reversible by couple of cycles at higher charging currents with proper termination.

 

[VidPro]

nothing i have (at present) would function in that manner. i wasnt planning on ruining a bunch of cells
unless

the lacross 900 thing goes into some sort of trickle type charge
and (if i remember right) its relative to the charge current you set 1/10th?

soo if charging at 1000ma with the 900 has it do a 100ma average trickle, then i could set that up here. even if i dont use 1000 setting ever with AAs

what is the topping or trickle charge rate with the 900? and for how long , or does it ever stop? and is it a pulsed 10% of the original charge rate, or a lowered actual current?

that would only be some 1/20th, but if it isnt normal to do that (for me) then i dont really need to test something i wont ever do even by accident.

 

[clintb]

I have an Ace Hobby DDVC that can dial up anywhere from 5 mA to 500 mA, has two channels, and supports up to 10 cells on each channel. I also have an Integy (R/C car stuff) Booster 3 that can take AA and AAA's down to 0 V without reversal (diode protected).

Anyone want some tests?

 

[UnknownVT]

the lacross 900 thing goes into some sort of trickle type charge
and (if i remember right) its relative to the charge current you set 1/10th?

According to the LaCrosse BC-900 pdf Manual - page 3 -

"The trickle charging current is around 5% of the selected charging current to keep the rechargeable batteries full."