Lets play spin the battery

[budynabuick]

This is anecdotal at this point untill i do some controlled tests.
On a whim I recently started spinning my batts (180) at about half way through the charge/discharge and am getting higher numbers both ways. Could there be something to this? I have no idea my self but i am getting higher charging as well as higher discharging numbers. What say ye?

Keith

 

[Gregozedobe]

How much higher ? If more than 25% on the charging cycle then I'd say the connection is being disrupted and the charger is on a timer and is simply starting all over again on a new cycle.

Another explanation for a lesser difference is that you are getting a poor connection between the battery and your charger terminals (possibly due to metal corrosion/oxidisation, which isn't always visible). If you have some deoxit you could try cleaning the terminals on both (with deoxit D100) and then treating with deoxit gold. That will ensure a very good connection so that the twisting shouldn't make any difference

 

[budynabuick]

How much higher ? If more than 25% on the charging cycle then I'd say the connection is being disrupted and the charger is on a timer and is simply starting all over again on a new cycle.

Another explanation for a lesser difference is that you are getting a poor connection between the battery and your charger terminals (possibly due to metal corrosion/oxidisation, which isn't always visible). If you have some deoxit you could try cleaning the terminals on both (with deoxit D100) and then treating with deoxit gold. That will ensure a very good connection so that the twisting shouldn't make any difference

Good points all but since this is a 6 week old MH-9000 with new eneloops, I don't think that is what is happening. Besides, if it was indeed a poor connection when i spin the batts would/should it not reset the charger? Also i have used electricle cleaner on charger and batts. I have not recorded any numbers yet so can not give anything precise at this point. As i understand these nimh have some liquid inside and that after 3 hrs or so, said liquid could settle due 2 gravity at play? Just a thought (but i am seeing higher numbers)but i will do some more precise testing?

Keith

Keith

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Keith,

You are supposed to spin the battery after inserting it into the charger to establish a good connection. Spinning in the middle of the charge should have no influence on the charge if there is no corrosion or scale build up.

There is no "liquid" per say inside a NiMh battery. The best way to think if this is if you take a towel and pull it out of the dryer just before it is totally dry. Yes there is moisture in there, but it will not "pool" in a couple of hours. The closed container keeps the moisture from drying out. This is known as starved electrolyte. In addition, the chemical process of charging redistributes the "moisture" within the electrodes of the cell.

Spinning the cell has nothing to do with what is inside the cell, and everything to do with the electrical contact made with the charger.

It will be interesting to see the results of your tests.

Tom

 

[jayflash]

Might the new Eneloops be the reason? For example, if you compared the capacity for the first charge given to the cells and, subsequently, rotated them during the 2nd or 3rd charges, the capacity may have gone up because they were more fully formed.

If this increase occurs with "mature" cells it's a mystery to me ... unless the thermistor contact on the bottom half has some influence. I thought, however, that temperature wasn't the primary signal to end charging.

 

[budynabuick]

Might the new Eneloops be the reason? For example, if you compared the capacity for the first charge given to the cells and, subsequently, rotated them during the 2nd or 3rd charges, the capacity may have gone up because they were more fully formed.

If this increase occurs with "mature" cells it's a mystery to me ... unless the thermistor contact on the bottom half has some influence. I thought, however, that temperature wasn't the primary signal to end charging.

Thanks jayflash but since these particular batts have been through breakin as well as over 10 cycles i don't think that is what i am seeing.

Keith

 

[127.0.0.1]

spinning removes a few molecules of oxides on the contacts making a better connection by reducing resistance.

so yeah, spinning = better results. as said above, spin them right when you put them in the charger to 'seat' them correctly

 

[45/70]

If you load 4 discharged cells into a C9000 and note the cell voltage while charging (not the "check voltage", but the actual voltage of the cell as it begins charging), then spin the cells, you will nearly always notice an increase in the voltage of one or more cells. As Tom mentioned, you're actually supposed to spin the cells when inserting them into the charger, to assure proper contact.

Dave

 

[budynabuick]

I As Tom mentioned, you're actually supposed to spin the cells when inserting them into the charger, to assure proper contact.
Dave

Yes, i practice this method as well. But what i am then doing is half way through charge, i spin the batts thereby putting the top of batt on the bottom (on a whim just to see if per chance gravity is coming into play). I love to play with my batts and charger:sick2:. just about as much as my lights. I even purchased a 401fs as well (don't tell the wife) so i could play even more:drool: which is why i love this site as i now have others to share my sickness with since no one else understands this great illness.

Keith

 

[budynabuick]

Hello Keith,

You are supposed to spin the battery after inserting it into the charger to establish a good connection. Spinning in the middle of the charge should have no influence on the charge if there is no corrosion or scale build up.

There is no "liquid" per say inside a NiMh battery. The best way to think if this is if you take a towel and pull it out of the dryer just before it is totally dry. Yes there is moisture in there, but it will not "pool" in a couple of hours. The closed container keeps the moisture from drying out. This is known as starved electrolyte. In addition, the chemical process of charging redistributes the "moisture" within the electrodes of the cell.

Spinning the cell has nothing to do with what is inside the cell, and everything to do with the electrical contact made with the charger.
It will be interesting to see the results of your tests.
Tom

Hey Tom. Thanks for expressing interest in this noobs test findings LOL. Here is what i will do . I will take 4 eneloops and deep discharge (say 500 ma) them and charge at 700 and half way through i will then rotate 2 of the batts 180 and record everything and repeat this 4 times to see if there is indeed a pattern. I will even rotate slots to try and eliminate as many variables as possible. I appreciate all that took me serious in this semmingly silly postulate as i thought i may be laughed off the forum. But i sure did see different numbers from doing this spinning 180 method. And yes, I do follow what you all are saying and i am certainly not arguing that there is something to this as i have no idea. Just something fun to do on these cold michigan (USA) days/nights.
Keith, Who may wear his batts out playing with them

 

[jayflash]

My experience shows that cleaning and treating charger contacts usually eliminates the need to spin. I'll sometimes do it just to make sure of a good connection, but good chargers have better and tighter contacts where the wiping action of inserting cells is usually sufficient.

Spinning alkalines is quite often necessary to prevent tossing out still usable cells. After only a couple months a non conductive film interferes with alkaline powered appliances.

 

[unattended]

I will take 4 eneloops and deep discharge (say 500 ma) them and charge at 700 and half way through i will then rotate 2 of the batts 180 and record everything and repeat this 4 times to see if there is indeed a pattern.

you should rotate all 4 batteries - 2 of them 180°, 2 of them 360° this way all of them get the "better contact from rotating" and the remaining difference will be from the 180° turn

 

[127.0.0.1]

Hey Tom. Thanks for expressing interest in this noobs test findings LOL. Here is what i will do . I will take 4 eneloops and deep discharge (say 500 ma) them and charge at 700 and half way through i will then rotate 2 of the batts 180 and record everything and repeat this 4 times to see if there is indeed a pattern. I will even rotate slots to try and eliminate as many variables as possible. I appreciate all that took me serious in this semmingly silly postulate as i thought i may be laughed off the forum. But i sure did see different numbers from doing this spinning 180 method. And yes, I do follow what you all are saying and i am certainly not arguing that there is something to this as i have no idea. Just something fun to do on these cold michigan (USA) days/nights.
Keith, Who may wear his batts out playing with them

jeeze I thought it was a terrible sickness with lights and stuffs...but dang I am completely normal
compared to...I dunno... compared to this anyway :D

 

[SilverFox]

Hello 127.0.0.1,

I am sorry to be the one to break this to you... but

No one on this forum is "normal." We are all taken in by bright and shinny things... :)

Tom

 

[Wrend]

(Yeah, what Tom said.)

I guess normal would be typical.

Sorry to break it to you, but just reading this thread disqualifies you...

That's right. :naughty: