Ni CD charger and Ni MH batteries?

[darkmark1967]

HI all, I'm making a battery pack for my PI PRO so I can use rechargables. I've got a 10 cell pack to give me 12 volts, thats 10 X 1.2 volts, and can only find Ni-MH batteries at local stores ( am in UK), but wanted to use the charger from my minelab sovereign which is meant to charge Ni-CD's. Are there any compatibility problems, and if there is can someone explain the difference?
Thanks to all for your time, Happy hunting,
Mark

 

[EZrider]

Try here for batts

http://thomasdistributing.com/

 

[GraveDiggerMax-VaBch-Va]

http://www.findmall.com/read.php?21,1116497,1116497#msg-1116497

 

[grumpyolman]

The short answer is the charger will work the same. It doesn't care if it's a NiCad or NiMh. The good thing about the NiMh is they don't retain a memory of when last charged which many times will reduce the capability of giving you the full capacity of the pack. The long answer is find a really good charger, and that doesn't mean really expensive necessarily, and use it for all your batteries. I use one charger for everything and it analyzes, charges, discharges safely when requested, and reads out the voltage and the mah it's put in or taken out of the pack. After fully charged it will give the batteries a little boost when they get down a little. That's not a simple trickle charge. Spend a little time researching what makes a good charger and pick one out, on your side of the pond, that'll do the job.
All Nimhs are not created equal. Most tend to lose their charge just sitting on the shelf, while some of the newer technology batteries that are not significant;y more expensive will retain 80% of their charge for a year. Sanyo Eneloop is one and there are others too. Good luck! Jim

 

[John(Tx)]

I saw your post on the excal forum, you are refering to the Delta V Charger? Where can I get one? Thanks, HH

 

[Critterhunter]

I covered a lot of info on this stuff in the Sovereign forum. Nicads these days do not suffer the same memory problem they used to, but it's still a good idea to excercise them by draining dead once in a while and the same for nimhs. It helps the pack flex it's muscles and hold more capacity. On a new pack I'll slowly drain dead/recharge slowly about 3 to 5 times to increase it's capacity as well. Details in the Sovereign thread.

 

[grumpyolman]

John...The one I got is a MAHA MH-C777Pus-II. Usually those are found on HAM radio distribution sites BUT...look at some of the other sites that people have mentioned and read about their chargers. I think I saw one on All Battery that had Delta V and a lot of other sophisticated features and the price was a lot less than the one I bought and probably just as good if not better. The only advantage, or maybe disadvantage, to mine is it has hot posts that stick up out of the body of the unit that are adjustable to allow you to attach almost any battery to it. Sometimes you have to make a battery pack, like with AAs, you just get a cheapy $2.00 holder from Radio Shack, and solder small alligator clips onto it and then you can charge an entire pack at a time. You could do that with 9V, D Cells, whatever you need as long as you make the battery holder. The disadvantage is there are not nice little trays for the battery to sit in while being charged. If all you do is AAs then you are probably better off getting one that is more than a slow rater charger, and use that. Jim

 

[John(Tx)]

n/t

 

[darkmark1967]

Thanks for all your help guy's, and those on the excal forum. answered all my questions,
Happy Hunting,
Mark