Discharge my MagCharger?
- Thread starter Metro
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AshA4
Banned
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-33.htm
Read that page and the entire site when you have the time. Mucho useful information in there! Good luck!
Read that page and the entire site when you have the time. Mucho useful information in there! Good luck!
turbodog
Flashaholic
Short answer:
1. NO
2. YES
Quit using it when it start to turn yellow.
Charge it as often as you like, just don't overcharge it.
1. NO
2. YES
Quit using it when it start to turn yellow.
Charge it as often as you like, just don't overcharge it.
Metro said:
Timson
Enlightened
If the magcharger stick is NiCd (and I think it is), then its good to discharge it fully.
Nicads have a 'memory' effect....ie - if you only ever use half its capacity, then it'll get used to only giving out and taking on this amount of power.
A full discharge followed by a full charge is referred to as a 'cycle'. In my experience it's good to cycle cells 2 or 3 times from time to time to wipe out the memory effect created in the cells from the intermittent use of the flashlight - on and off the charge cradle kind of use.
NiMh cells do not have the same 'memory' effect problems.
Tim.
Nicads have a 'memory' effect....ie - if you only ever use half its capacity, then it'll get used to only giving out and taking on this amount of power.
A full discharge followed by a full charge is referred to as a 'cycle'. In my experience it's good to cycle cells 2 or 3 times from time to time to wipe out the memory effect created in the cells from the intermittent use of the flashlight - on and off the charge cradle kind of use.
NiMh cells do not have the same 'memory' effect problems.
Tim.
dano
Flashlight Enthusiast
No...no...no...Nicd's "Memory Effect" is a myth, and deep discharging/cycling (esp. if not done properly) will ruin a Nicd battery stick.
Just recharge when you think it needs it...
-dan
Just recharge when you think it needs it...
-dan
CLHC
Flashaholic
Yes indeed. As soon as I start to notice that my Maglite Rechargeable starts to lean toward "yellow," I'll set it on the charger and leave it overnight. For me I don't want to leave it on there for more than 24 hours. . .
powernoodle
Flashlight Enthusiast
Batteryuniversity.com states that NiCads should be "exercised" (i.e., discharged to 1v per cell) once per month. "Nickel-cadmium also loses capacity due to lack of exercise because of memory. . . Allow a nickel-cadmium battery to fully discharge once every 30 cycles or so." Given the curricum vitae of the author, I tend to believe him.
I don't know what is right, and my attempts to find answers always result in ambiguous responses - evidenced by the conflicting opinions in this thread.
I do know that the nicad batteries for my drill, which live in a charger and never get exercised, will become useless after a few years.
Think its time for me to exercise my X10 nicad. :nana:
Edited to add: the Streamlight literature recommends leaving their nicads in the charger 24/7.
My conclusion: no one has any idea of what they are talking about. :nana: :thinking: I think that batterystation came closest to the best answer when it said that batteries are like people and respond differently to the same inputs. That is to say, feed all of us fruit and veggies, and some of us will live a long time, and some of us won't.
best regards
I don't know what is right, and my attempts to find answers always result in ambiguous responses - evidenced by the conflicting opinions in this thread.
I do know that the nicad batteries for my drill, which live in a charger and never get exercised, will become useless after a few years.
Think its time for me to exercise my X10 nicad. :nana:
Edited to add: the Streamlight literature recommends leaving their nicads in the charger 24/7.
My conclusion: no one has any idea of what they are talking about. :nana: :thinking: I think that batterystation came closest to the best answer when it said that batteries are like people and respond differently to the same inputs. That is to say, feed all of us fruit and veggies, and some of us will live a long time, and some of us won't.
best regards
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