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DO NOT use normal NiCd or Nickle Metal Hydride Battery chargers
Some exotic cells in sizes of 14500 (AA), D and specialized 3.7 to 12v LiPO packs are cheap and easy to obtain but the battery CHARGERS are often difficult to find or VERY expensive. These types of packs and bundled cells are also VERY sensitive to charging rates, temp and current! OR they Explode.
PCB's and special chargers can be had or built from scratch. However free or cheap voltage converters available off the shelf, workbench power supplies are DANGEROUS!
This instruction will show rechargeable battery types, several sizes with codes and nomenclature along with their compatibility with conventional sizes.
Use these in Lights, small toys & Appliances and RC planes and Cars.
E
Some exotic cells in sizes of 14500 (AA), D and specialized 3.7 to 12v LiPO packs are cheap and easy to obtain but the battery CHARGERS are often difficult to find or VERY expensive. These types of packs and bundled cells are also VERY sensitive to charging rates, temp and current! OR they Explode.
PCB's and special chargers can be had or built from scratch. However free or cheap voltage converters available off the shelf, workbench power supplies are DANGEROUS!
This instruction will show rechargeable battery types, several sizes with codes and nomenclature along with their compatibility with conventional sizes.
Use these in Lights, small toys & Appliances and RC planes and Cars.
E
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Signing UpStep 1Exotics - Recharging
Recharging is dangerous take proper precautions:
STEPS:
-never recharge unattended batteries
-charge outside or on fireproof surface (marble/tile/cement)
-Use approve charges that monitor
*Temp
*current draw
*voltage
*time
-never use unrated or unknown batteries
-never use more or less cells than charger was designed for!
1) Test cells with Multimeter or rated battery tester, in a pinch use a small LED or lightbulb like a flashlight.
2) Dead cells with ZERO voltage are usually b ad and are to be discarded.
3) THREE or FOUR major battery types are in use
Alakline - these are 'Disposable' like Eveready voltage 1.5v
NiCD/NiMH - 'Re-chargables' reusables usually 1.2v
Zinc Air - One time use when exposed to air, 1.5 to 3v+
Lithium - Polymer packs as below or for 'high drain' devices
4) Specialized rechargers are required for Rechargeable Lithium Polymer packs, these monitor voltages, temp or charge rates. Do not use NiCD or NiMH chargers with lithium packs!
5) Specialized LiPO cells are available in 18650 and 14500 sizes. These can be used in some AA or C cell and larger devices with adaptors.
See my other instructables....
Final notes:
Test positive and negitive poles/tabs with a multimeter. Some "protected" cells have small PCB to control charge/discharge rates and have no "button" tops.
STEPS:
-never recharge unattended batteries
-charge outside or on fireproof surface (marble/tile/cement)
-Use approve charges that monitor
*Temp
*current draw
*voltage
*time
-never use unrated or unknown batteries
-never use more or less cells than charger was designed for!
1) Test cells with Multimeter or rated battery tester, in a pinch use a small LED or lightbulb like a flashlight.
2) Dead cells with ZERO voltage are usually b ad and are to be discarded.
3) THREE or FOUR major battery types are in use
Alakline - these are 'Disposable' like Eveready voltage 1.5v
NiCD/NiMH - 'Re-chargables' reusables usually 1.2v
Zinc Air - One time use when exposed to air, 1.5 to 3v+
Lithium - Polymer packs as below or for 'high drain' devices
4) Specialized rechargers are required for Rechargeable Lithium Polymer packs, these monitor voltages, temp or charge rates. Do not use NiCD or NiMH chargers with lithium packs!
5) Specialized LiPO cells are available in 18650 and 14500 sizes. These can be used in some AA or C cell and larger devices with adaptors.
See my other instructables....
Final notes:
Test positive and negitive poles/tabs with a multimeter. Some "protected" cells have small PCB to control charge/discharge rates and have no "button" tops.
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Anyone who came here looking for information about hand-charging lithium-ion batteries should check out powerstream's lithium page for the story. They explain the reason why NiCd and NiMH chargers (which terminate on voltage, and trickle charge afterward) will damage Lithium cells (where a trickle charge will plate out metallic lithium and make the cell explode).
To do it by hand, you need two meters and an adjustable power supply. Maybe I'll write up an instructable about that.
The HUGE liPo charger and text w/pic on Step 2 pic 3?
Jeez...
LiPo Charger
If that was in the steps somewhere, I must've missed it.
What's in your steps is roughly "buy a charger and follow its instructions", which doesn't strike me as a terribly useful instructable. That's like posting "how to bake cookies" where the steps are "buy a cookbook" and "follow the recipe". I thought the point if an instructable was to be the recipe, which is why I linked to the Powerstream page when I saw that the details of lithium charging had not been covered.
E