6 Jan
2002
6 Jan
'02
10:19 p.m.
On Mon, 7 Jan 2002, M H Stein wrote:
I recharge primary alkalines all the time; roughly
doubles their life,
although useful time before they need recharging drops substantially.
Can't let them run down too far though, gotta recharge 'em while
there's still life left, sort of the opposite of NiCads..
It's possible to recharge these quite a few times, but the voltage and
current have to be just right. Ambient temperature also plays a role.
62-74dF would probably be the ideal range. It is true that the more
discharged an alkaline cell is, the less it will recover. A properly
functioning NiCad charger will provide a charging voltage around 1.2 to
1.3 volts, depending on the type of charger. One of the rechargeable
"renewable/green" alkaline chargers should be closer to the proper
charging voltage of 1.5v for standard alkaline cells. I still wouldn't
recommend anyone not familiar with battery technology and safety attempt
to recharge standard alkaline cells, since overcharge could lead to the
battery leaking or exploding.
-Toth