Streamlight STINGER in Storage ?

I have a brand new Streamlight Stinger in storage (in a temp controlled closet) since 2001.

I have another Stinger that I use on a regular basis, so I have had no need to use this other Stinger.

Question: What would be the expected working condition of the Rechargable Battery of the new, stored since 2001 Stinger (the battery has never been used or charged)?

In other words, would the Stinger's rechargeable battery degrade from time in storage alone; the amount of times it was recharged; or a combo of both factors?

I plan on giving my stored Stinger flashlight as a gift to a LEO friend, so I don't want to include the original circa 2001 battery if it is likely to be in a condition that won't properly hold a charge.

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Thanks.

SLow charge the battery, use the light until dim, and slow charge it, again.

A few usage cycles should bring that battery stick upto par. You should get a solid hour of string light, with very slight dimming towards the end of the hour.

Quit using the stick if you see any discharge from the positive side, or the stick gets abnormally hot.

-dan

Dan -- thanks for your reply.

Is what you are suggesting a "special" battery charging procedure since this BRAND NEW Stinger has been in storage since 2001, or it that what you would do with any brand new rechargeable Stinger battery when first using it?

Thanks.

Just don't use the fast charger that some stingers come with. The regular charger should be just fine.

Personally, I think that after 4 years in storage, those batteries are going to suck. Reliability is a must for LEOs and for a few bucks, you can get a much better aftermarket battery for it with double the runtime. You can get 2 for $24 + shipping here.

Jeff

Hello David,

Battery storage is a much debated topic.

Dan's advice is good for all new packs. Stored batteries should be treated as new batteries in that it will take a few cycles to bring them up to full capacity.

Jeff's advice about reliability should also be observed. It takes time to cycle a pack, and with the cost of packs being very reasonable, is it worth your time to fiddle with the old pack?

However, if you have the time and want to play... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif You may find the old pack will recover quite well. The trick is if the voltage has dropped to 0, a smart charger may not recognize it and will refuse to charge. I think the Stinger slow charger should work fine, but if it doesn't, you may have to "jump start" the pack to get enough voltage in it for a charger to recognize it as a battery pack.

Dan has pointed out things to look for, and I will add high self discharge rates. If the battery will not hold a charge for a reasonable time, it is breaking down inside.

If you decided not to bother with it, let me know. I would like to check it out.

Tom

Silverfox will zap it back to life!

Streamlight uses some good quality Nicd cells in the battery sticks. I wouldn't be surprised if it comes back 100%.

-dan