How long can rechargable batteries sit...
- Thread starter Thed
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PhotonBoy
Flashlight Enthusiast
I'd throw them out. Once they get exhausted and cycled through heat and cold, the chemicals tend to degrade and the metal can may corrode and leak. Not worth the hassle IMHO.
eluminator
Flashlight Enthusiast
If they were lead-acid, they were dead a long time ago. NiMH might work. They will need some rejuvenation.
SilverFox
Flashaholic
Hello Thed,
Welcome to CPF.
We need more information. What voltage do the cells measure in at? Are they individual or in a pack? Are the NiCd or NiMh? What is their capacity? What do you want to use them in (high or low current draws)?
I will also add to this Do you have a good charger?
Battery capacities have gone up quite a bit in the last 5 years. You can probably revive those cells, but they may give you poor performance in moderate to high current draw applications.
I would probably pick up a La Crosse BC-900 charger from Jon Burly's and put them in the "refresh" mode.
Tom
Welcome to CPF.
We need more information. What voltage do the cells measure in at? Are they individual or in a pack? Are the NiCd or NiMh? What is their capacity? What do you want to use them in (high or low current draws)?
I will also add to this Do you have a good charger?
Battery capacities have gone up quite a bit in the last 5 years. You can probably revive those cells, but they may give you poor performance in moderate to high current draw applications.
I would probably pick up a La Crosse BC-900 charger from Jon Burly's and put them in the "refresh" mode.
Tom
Hi, thanks.
They're AA's so 1.2 volts?
They're all the same brand... but didn't come in a pack.
I think they are NiMh but I'm not sure, could be NiCd.
Don't recall the capacity. Haven't seen them in about 5 years. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I was going to use them in my new Gerber 3.0.
All I have is a couple of solar chargers that didn't work very well for me 5 years ago.
You make a good point concerning capacity having changed.
Probably not worth fooling around with but I think I have ten of them up there, so I thought maybe I'd get a charger if they would still function.
They're AA's so 1.2 volts?
They're all the same brand... but didn't come in a pack.
I think they are NiMh but I'm not sure, could be NiCd.
Don't recall the capacity. Haven't seen them in about 5 years. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I was going to use them in my new Gerber 3.0.
All I have is a couple of solar chargers that didn't work very well for me 5 years ago.
You make a good point concerning capacity having changed.
Probably not worth fooling around with but I think I have ten of them up there, so I thought maybe I'd get a charger if they would still function.
If they are Nicad, they should be fine. Anything else is probably no good, but you could try NiMH after a slow charge. The Lacrosse charger that Silverfox recommended would be the best one to try and revive these with. But if you don't want to spend that much money the only cheap 'dumb' charger I recommend is the Maha 2A4, about $7 at thomas dristributing last I checked.
