Rechargeable Batteries Charging Time
 

Hi,

(A) I have used 6 AA (total 7.2 V) batteries in a kid’s toy (Contest F1 Racing Car; 1/10th Scale, No.: 6643 ). Pls find battery details below:

1. Sony rechargeable batteries / Cycle Energy Multi-Use Premium Rechargeable Battery (Ni-MH AA, Pre-charged 2500 mAh; Model no.: NH-AA-B2GN).

2. All 6 batteries are connected by Kyosho / Tamiya Connectors.

I would like to know:-

1. How long I will have to charge all these 6 batteries with:

(a) The charger / adapter provided with that toy (Model: YX-3515A8, Input: AC 220V 50/60 Hz, Output: DC 7.2V 250 mA). Batteries (6) provided with this charger (L J BATTERY RA07d AA 500mAh 7.2V; these 6 cells are not so good quality).

(b) The charger / adapter I made with the help of a technician for the better performance / result (Model: DJ-E060500, Input: AC 230V 50/60 Hz, Output: DC 6V 500 mA).


(B) I have used 4 AA (total 4.8 V) batteries in a kid’s toy (Jeep, Military Corps Special, Cross Country, 1:16 Scale, No.: 360A). Pls find battery details below:

1. Sony rechargeable batteries / Cycle Energy Multi-Use Premium Rechargeable Battery (Ni-MH AA, Pre-charged 2100 mAh; Model no.: NH-AA-B2KN).

2. All 4 batteries are connected by 2 pin JST Connectors or Male Connector w / Wire for 1 / 18 Battery C22630 (may be / I am confused); pls find attachment for the pic of that 2 pin Connector in Adapter side or pls check this link http://www.integy.com/st_prod.html?p...6#.U6Ya2bEmETg .

I would like to know:-

1. How long I had to / will have to charge all these 4 batteries with:

(a) The charger / adapter provided with that toy (Model: XD-048250, Input: AC 220-240V 50/60 Hz, Output: DC 4.8V 250 mA). Batteries (4) provided with this charger (Model unknown; these 4 cells are not so good quality and already out of order).

(b) The charger / adapter I made with the help of a technician for the better performance / result (Model: PH-0450500 UP, Input: AC 220V 50 Hz, Output: DC 4.5V 500 mA).

(C) What is the charging time for rechargeable AA batteries (separate 02 / 03 pcs) when it is used several times earlier not the first time.

(D) What about AAA / 9V batteries in the above cases!

(E) Does pre-charged Sony Ni-MH AA batteries need to charge before use!

Thanks

"What is the charging time for rechargeable AA batteries (separate 02 / 03 pcs) when it is used several times earlier not the first time."

The time depends on how deeply the batteries were discharged.
Discharging batteries too deeply, and/or charging them improperly will at the least shorten life.
Worst case, is that the batteries fail.

I'm afraid that it will take a decent charger to maximize use of the NMIH batteries.
There are many "4 button" chargers on the market that are not too expensive, and a big improvement
over what you are now trying to use.

Pre-charged batteries in general are usable out of the box. Just don't expect them out of the box to have a full charge.

My name is John and I am from Model Rectifier Corp. (MRC). I have been involved in batteries and battery chargers for well over a decade. Here are my general guidelines for handling batteries.

The charge time also depends on the mAh capacity of the cell. For example; charging a 3,000 mAh battery at 1 amp will take you 3 hours. The mathematical formula works like this... Capacity (mAh) ÷ Charge Amp rate = Hours. Remember that every 1 amp equals 1,000 mAh's. If the mAh capacity is lower than your charging amps you will then have a decimal number for your result. Take that decimal number and multiply it by 60, and you will have your answer in hours. Example; 3000 ÷ 4500 = 0.6666666666666667 * 60 = 40 minutes.

If you are unsure of the mAh capacity for your AA cells I would suggest using a lower amp rate. Physically smaller cells cannot always withstand the higher charge currents that a Sub-C or D cell are able to. My suggestion is stick with either 0.5 or 1.0 amps, unless you know the mAh capacity. If you know the capacity then I would suggest a 1C (or 1 * capacity) setting. Example; 1.5 amps for a 1,500 mAh battery.

Chuckk2 is correct about over discharging the cells. Try to avoid that as much as possible. As for the status of brand new batteries... they typically come with about 50% charge in them. This charge may diminish over time as they sit on the retailers shelf. It is a good idea to always charge your new batteries before using them in your device of choice. You may also notice that the cells may not reach their full mAh capacity on their first charge, which is not uncommon at all. This is due to the time they sit around not being used before you buy them and the nature of the NiMH cell that just needs some cycling before they're ready to achieve their full capacity.

You can follow the examples above for slow charging, since that is the best way to get the job done. If the charger you own has a discharge mode then you're all set. Use the discharge mode to slowly drain the battery and then slowly refill the battery. This isn't an exact science, because each battery is different, so I cannot say how many cycles this will take. I've had some reach full capacity in 2 cycles and others in 10 to 12 and everywhere in between.

At the link below you may check out the battery chargers that we have available for sale that will handle the NiMH cells for you without an issue. You will, however, need to purchase a tray to hold the cells.
http://www.modelrectifier.com/rc-pro...y-chargers.asp

Feel free to ask me about any of the chargers we have available.

John@MRC
[email protected]