Refreshing old AA/AAA batteries

[beegdaddy]

Hi

I recently got a new charger (BC-1000) and have been trying to get my old batts (which might have been laying around for a while) back in business.

Some of my old 2000+mah batts (esp the Energizer ones) were REFRESHed and now reach capacities ranging from 1800 to 1950+ mah.

However, they can't seem to hold their voltage properly anymore (see pics below) and even go below 1V when discharging.

Should I just "dump" them or do a few more REFRESH cycles so that their voltage can increase?

Would appreciate your kind advice, thanks!

Alwin

 

[budynabuick]

Hi

I recently got a new charger (BC-1000) and have been trying to get my old batts (which might have been laying around for a while) back in business.

Some of my old 2000+mah batts (esp the Energizer ones) were REFRESHed and now reach capacities ranging from 1800 to 1950+ mah.

However, they can't seem to hold their voltage properly anymore (see pics below) and even go below 1V when discharging.

Should I just "dump" them or do a few more REFRESH cycles so that their voltage can increase?

Would appreciate your kind advice, thanks!

Alwin

Hey beegdaddy. I had some old (7 yrs) harbor freight batts and when i got my new 9000 i wanted 2 play around and see what they would do as i discovered the 2000 mah batts were holding about 2-500 mah. I kept playing with them and low and behold they (most) came up 2 around 17/1800 mah. I won't be using them as i now have about 40 new lsd batts but it was fun bringing them back from the dead. Keep workin em. BTW, i did not even use the break in mode.

Keith

 

[varmint]

what brand charger is that?

 

[Shadowww]

what brand charger is that?

It's LaCrosse BC-1000.

 

[45/70]

Hi beeg and welcome to CPF!:thumbsup:

Just a warning, If NiMh cells have been sitting unused for a really long time, often it is not possible to restore them. You can usually bring them back to some degree, but after a while they often resort to their old habits, won't hold charge for long, or hold voltage under load well, etc.

More so than NiCd cells, NiMh cells are a "use them, or lose them" proposition. As with NiCd cells, it's best to keep them in use, rather than just let them sit for long periods. This of course does not apply as much to LSD NiMh cells, but even they hold up better if used occasionally.

Chargers such as the La Crosse and Maha C9000 are best for keeping cells in good condition, rather than restoring them. That's not saying you can't restore cells, but if the cells have been idle for a long enough period, the results can be disappointing.

Dave

 

[jayflash]

45/70 is correct and the Energizers were especially bad cells. Many of us had them go bad in a few months. Chuck em'.

 

[vali]

BC-1000 ? I did not know it exists.

Does it have a "break-in" program like the Maha C9000 ?

 

[chewy78]

[QUOTE

Does it have a "break-in" program like the Maha C9000 ?[/QUOTE]

no

 

[beegdaddy]

45/70 is correct and the Energizers were especially bad cells. Many of us had them go bad in a few months. Chuck em'.

Thanks for the headsup! As you can see from the pic below, I charged the last batch of Energizers and most of them only seem to hold abt 1V. I'm using them on my LED flashlights (1xAA each) and they do seem to power up well.

Maybe I'm not so willing to chuck them as they're the first batch of NiMHs that I bought (sometime in 2006) with the quick charger (the Energizer one) to run my boy's toy trains when he was about 6 months old. :)

 

[budynabuick]

Thanks for the headsup! As you can see from the pic below, I charged the last batch of Energizers and most of them only seem to hold abt 1V. I'm using them on my LED flashlights (1xAA each) and they do seem to power up well.

Maybe I'm not so willing to chuck them as they're the first batch of NiMHs that I bought (sometime in 2006) with the quick charger (the Energizer one) to run my boy's toy trains when he was about 6 months old. :)

That"s funny. that is why i still hold on to the old harbor freights. Went to throw mine in the garbage and realized I am attached with the weak little guys. I know, its sad.

Keith

 

[DrVette]

Back in 99 or so, I had a "Negative Pulse" NiMH/Ni-Cad charger.

Does this technology even work the way it was claimed ?
Does it help in the restoration of abandoned cells any more than std chargers.

thx

 

[budynabuick]

Back in 99 or so, I had a "Negative Pulse" NiMH/Ni-Cad charger.

Does this technology even work the way it was claimed ?
Does it help in the restoration of abandoned cells any more than std chargers.

thx

Can't answer definitively but the MH 401fs with "neg flex pulse" sure seems to do wonders for old and new cells. Took two packs of XX's and discharged them both, put one pack through break in and they came back at avg 2460. the other pack i by passed the break in and gave them their first charge on the 401fs which were then dis charged and charged with return numbers at avg around 2600. After 5 cycles the XX"s that had the break in are holding around 2530 with the other XX"s (no break in) showing avg over 2600! A couple went to 2690. The 401fs is a great little charger ($39.00 Life time warr as well). No over heating at all on fast charge. YMMV. The c9000 and 401fs make a great team.

Keith