I have lots of AAA and AA NiMh batteries which have been through quite
a lot of discharge/recharge cycles. I have a tester which tells me if
they're charged or not but I'd really like to check their actual
capacity. Some of the AAA ones at least have very little capacity now
but it's difficult to check.

I could rig up a simple resistor discharge with some sort of computer
monitoring via an AtoD interface but surely someone out there must
produce and sell such a thing for not very much.

Has anyone come across anything like this?

--
Chris Green
·

On Fri, 1 Apr 2016 17:00:27 +0100, wrote:

I have lots of AAA and AA NiMh batteries which have been through quite
a lot of discharge/recharge cycles. I have a tester which tells me if
they're charged or not but I'd really like to check their actual
capacity. Some of the AAA ones at least have very little capacity now
but it's difficult to check.

I could rig up a simple resistor discharge with some sort of computer
monitoring via an AtoD interface but surely someone out there must
produce and sell such a thing for not very much.

Has anyone come across anything like this?


Yes, I have exactly that in the form of a x4 x AA or AAA charger,
discharger and capacity tester.

As a rule, whenever I buy new (AA/AAA) rechargeables I run them though
the 'Test' routine and see how they fare against their rated capacity.

I think mine is a 'BC 700' although they may appear under different
names.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/La-Crosse-Te.../dp/B000RSOV50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tynI28X7M_Y

Cheers, T i m

T i m wrote:
On Fri, 1 Apr 2016 17:00:27 +0100, wrote:

I have lots of AAA and AA NiMh batteries which have been through quite
a lot of discharge/recharge cycles. I have a tester which tells me if
they're charged or not but I'd really like to check their actual
capacity. Some of the AAA ones at least have very little capacity now
but it's difficult to check.

I could rig up a simple resistor discharge with some sort of computer
monitoring via an AtoD interface but surely someone out there must
produce and sell such a thing for not very much.

Has anyone come across anything like this?


Yes, I have exactly that in the form of a x4 x AA or AAA charger,
discharger and capacity tester.

As a rule, whenever I buy new (AA/AAA) rechargeables I run them though
the 'Test' routine and see how they fare against their rated capacity.

I think mine is a 'BC 700' although they may appear under different
names.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/La-Crosse-Te.../dp/B000RSOV50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tynI28X7M_Y

I think 7DayShop have the Uniross which I believe is the same
hardware. It's much cheaper there, £18.99.

--
Chris Green
·

On Fri, 1 Apr 2016 18:56:43 +0100, wrote:

snip

I think mine is a 'BC 700' although they may appear under different
names.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/La-Crosse-Te.../dp/B000RSOV50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tynI28X7M_Y

I think 7DayShop have the Uniross which I believe is the same
hardware. It's much cheaper there, £18.99.

Yes, sorry, I didn't spot the price of that one till I looked again!
Yes, the Uniross seems to do the same sort of thing but goes to higher
currents.

This is the sort of thing I've got:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/hmkmmj3

But it too could be an 'uprated' version as I got mine a while ago
now.

I bought one for a good mate who was regularly 'cooking' his batteries
on a rapid charger and he uses his every day (but really just as a
good charger).

Cheers, T i m

On 03/04/2016 11:11, pamela wrote:
On 19:18 1 Apr 2016, T i m wrote:

On Fri, 1 Apr 2016 18:56:43 +0100, wrote:

snip

I think mine is a 'BC 700' although they may appear under
different names.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/La-Crosse-Technology-Battery-
Charger/dp/B000RSOV50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tynI28X7M_Y

I think 7DayShop have the Uniross which I believe is the same
hardware. It's much cheaper there, £18.99.

Yes, sorry, I didn't spot the price of that one till I looked
again! Yes, the Uniross seems to do the same sort of thing but
goes to higher currents.

This is the sort of thing I've got:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/hmkmmj3

But it too could be an 'uprated' version as I got mine a while
ago now.

I bought one for a good mate who was regularly 'cooking' his
batteries on a rapid charger and he uses his every day (but
really just as a good charger).

Cheers, T i m

That charger looks like a bargain at £20.

Would it be worth getting that unit if you already have the Lidl
Tronic charger?


Yes, I'd be interested to know - I've got the Tronic too.

It's based on the Ansmann Energy 8 Plus.


Didn't know that!

http://www.ansmann.de/en/products/ch...plies/battery-
chargers/energy-8-plus


Is the battery capacity readout of Tim's useful/accurate?

--
Cheers, Rob

On Sun, 3 Apr 2016 11:22:46 +0100, RJH wrote:

On 03/04/2016 11:11, pamela wrote:
On 19:18 1 Apr 2016, T i m wrote:

On Fri, 1 Apr 2016 18:56:43 +0100, wrote:

snip

I think mine is a 'BC 700' although they may appear under
different names.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/La-Crosse-Technology-Battery-
Charger/dp/B000RSOV50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tynI28X7M_Y

I think 7DayShop have the Uniross which I believe is the same
hardware. It's much cheaper there, £18.99.

Yes, sorry, I didn't spot the price of that one till I looked
again! Yes, the Uniross seems to do the same sort of thing but
goes to higher currents.

This is the sort of thing I've got:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/hmkmmj3

But it too could be an 'uprated' version as I got mine a while
ago now.

I bought one for a good mate who was regularly 'cooking' his
batteries on a rapid charger and he uses his every day (but
really just as a good charger).

Cheers, T i m

That charger looks like a bargain at £20.

Would it be worth getting that unit if you already have the Lidl
Tronic charger?


Yes, I'd be interested to know - I've got the Tronic too.

It's based on the Ansmann Energy 8 Plus.


Didn't know that!

http://www.ansmann.de/en/products/ch...plies/battery-
chargers/energy-8-plus


Is the battery capacity readout of Tim's useful/accurate?


I also have the Ansmann Energy * and 16 models and think they are
great chargers. They will also do C and D cells of course.

As for accuracy on the BC 700 type units, I would have to say 'yes',
they do seem to be pretty accurate.

By that I mean if I put a batch of 4 x AAA's that are marked as say
900mAh, if they are on spec the charger will typically report
capacities around that value (+_ maybe 2% on good quality cells).

As I tend to do the full/ refresh test it can keep cycling the cells
until it stops seeing an increase in capacity, it can take a while (a
day / days), especially if you set the rates low so as to keep the
temperatures as low as possible.

When testing both AA and AAAs I try to mark the tested capacities on
the cells themselves with a fine Sharpie, that way I can use
combinations (or the same make and model) that have similar tested
capacities.

The tester can be very revealing ... both informing you of any cells
that are being 'oversold' but also the condition of any sets of cells
you are using as one 'battery'. I have been able to discard a few duff
cells that I wouldn't otherwise have been able to isolate, giving the
remaining cells a better life.

The BC 700 I gave to my (non technical) mate was to try to get him to
understand that just taking any combination of (typically) different
(marked) capacity cells and using them together wasn't a good idea.
The idea was for him to test all his cells, mark them and then use
them in matched sets (2's and 4's typically). I think he may have
tested a couple but judging by the mix of cells I often see in the
charger, I'm guessing he isn't using them as I suggested. At least he
isn't cooking the cells like he was before in a rapid charger (as seen
by the number of cells with split or crinkled skins). ;-(

Cheers, T i m

pamela wrote:

That charger looks like a bargain at �20.
Would it be worth getting that unit if you already have the Lidl
Tronic charger?

It's based on the Ansmann Energy 8 Plus.

Looks more like it's based on the Ansmann Powerline 4 Pro or Powerline 4
Lite.

pamela wrote:
On 19:18 1 Apr 2016, T i m wrote:

On Fri, 1 Apr 2016 18:56:43 +0100, wrote:

snip

I think mine is a 'BC 700' although they may appear under
different names.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/La-Crosse-Te...ery-Charger/dp
/B000RSOV50 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tynI28X7M_Y

I think 7DayShop have the Uniross which I believe is the same
hardware. It's much cheaper there, £18.99.

Yes, sorry, I didn't spot the price of that one till I looked
again! Yes, the Uniross seems to do the same sort of thing but
goes to higher currents.

This is the sort of thing I've got:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/hmkmmj3

But it too could be an 'uprated' version as I got mine a while
ago now.

I bought one for a good mate who was regularly 'cooking' his
batteries on a rapid charger and he uses his every day (but
really just as a good charger).

Cheers, T i m

Is this Uniross on Amazon the same charger as the La Cross BC 700?
It has the same sort of look but is promoted as a "one hour"
charger.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00T157CB0/

The back of the packet says it charges at 200, 500, 700, 1000 mA.

I've just got mine (Uniross that is) from 7dayshop. Yes, it does
charge at those currents and (in spite of the writing on the outside)
does charge all four cells independently.

I'm just running the first batch of cells through it, seems to do what
it's supposed to do. :-)

--
Chris Green
·

On Sat, 09 Apr 2016 18:08:39 +0100, pamela wrote:

snip

Is this Uniross on Amazon the same charger as the La Cross BC 700?
It has the same sort of look but is promoted as a "one hour"
charger.

I think that is because if you set it to 1000mA (or possibly more if
you are only charging 2 cells) and have 1000mA cells it should charge
them in one hour. However, set the charge rate at 200 and it will
charge them in 5 hours (all 'ish' etc).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00T157CB0/

The back of the packet says it charges at 200, 500, 700, 1000 mA.

I don't think it's 'the same' as the BC 700 only goes to 700mA but it
could well be the same technically (apart from that g).

This suggests that some of the variants are as thought:
http://www.batterylogic.co.uk/techno...0-or-BC900.asp

For me 'the point' for such chargers is the slow charge / cycling /
testing and I feel that is best done at less than 'maximum' charge
rate. That's not to say that that isn't a test / use in itself, just
not one I need (or have other chargers for).

Cheers, T i m

On Sun, 10 Apr 2016 12:23:45 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 22:58 9 Apr 2016, T i m wrote:

On Sat, 09 Apr 2016 18:08:39 +0100, pamela
wrote:

snip

Is this Uniross on Amazon the same charger as the La Cross BC
700? It has the same sort of look but is promoted as a "one
hour" charger.

I think that is because if you set it to 1000mA (or possibly
more if you are only charging 2 cells) and have 1000mA cells it
should charge them in one hour. However, set the charge rate at
200 and it will charge them in 5 hours (all 'ish' etc).


http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00T157CB0/

The back of the packet says it charges at 200, 500, 700, 1000
mA.


I don't think it's 'the same' as the BC 700 only goes to 700mA
but it could well be the same technically (apart from that g).

This suggests that some of the variants are as thought:
http://www.batterylogic.co.uk/techno...line-BL700-or-
BC900.asp

For me 'the point' for such chargers is the slow charge /
cycling / testing and I feel that is best done at less than
'maximum' charge rate. That's not to say that that isn't a
test / use in itself, just not one I need (or have other
chargers for).

Cheers, T i m

I particularly like the capacity measurement with that charger.
It helps eliminate failing cells.


And that was one of the main reasons for buying one for me as there
are plenty of basic chargers out there. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Its called a torch bulb I think...
There are two issues with rechargeable. Self discharge over time and
capacity. To stop one from affecting the other you need a big drain that
takes a known time on whatever battery type it is. Of course this takes no
count of internal resistance which may make the actual current limit quite
low when you use it in series with others.
Finding the duff one in a set is quite hard, and there usually is one that
dies first causing reverse charging by the others through the load and
making it worse.
In the end when I could see, I rigged up an open battery holder for four of
the type I used, ni cads in those days, and put a plug on the other end that
could run say, a cassette player via its adaptor socket. I'd then use thin
probes to measure the voltage of each cell as they went down, chucking out
the ones that went down first.


Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
wrote in message ...
I have lots of AAA and AA NiMh batteries which have been through quite
a lot of discharge/recharge cycles. I have a tester which tells me if
they're charged or not but I'd really like to check their actual
capacity. Some of the AAA ones at least have very little capacity now
but it's difficult to check.

I could rig up a simple resistor discharge with some sort of computer
monitoring via an AtoD interface but surely someone out there must
produce and sell such a thing for not very much.

Has anyone come across anything like this?

--
Chris Green
·

On 01/04/2016 17:00, wrote:
I have lots of AAA and AA NiMh batteries which have been through quite
a lot of discharge/recharge cycles. I have a tester which tells me if
they're charged or not but I'd really like to check their actual
capacity. Some of the AAA ones at least have very little capacity now
but it's difficult to check.

I could rig up a simple resistor discharge with some sort of computer
monitoring via an AtoD interface but surely someone out there must
produce and sell such a thing for not very much.

Has anyone come across anything like this?

How I wish someone would come up with a charger that had extendible
bays. By which I mean you could add on any number of very simple cell
holders. The charger would look at the first set of cells, do whatever
and go on to the next set.

That would allow you to have all your rechargeable cells nicely stored
and kept at whatever charge level, discharge cycling rate, etc. you
might want. Might need some way of indicating which cells are being
processed right now, etc., but surely nothing particularly clever.

Sure it would still only charge up to four at a time - but that is
enough for many of us!

--
Rod

On Sun, 3 Apr 2016 11:18:14 +0100, polygonum
wrote:

On 01/04/2016 17:00, wrote:
I have lots of AAA and AA NiMh batteries which have been through quite
a lot of discharge/recharge cycles. I have a tester which tells me if
they're charged or not but I'd really like to check their actual
capacity. Some of the AAA ones at least have very little capacity now
but it's difficult to check.

I could rig up a simple resistor discharge with some sort of computer
monitoring via an AtoD interface but surely someone out there must
produce and sell such a thing for not very much.

Has anyone come across anything like this?

How I wish someone would come up with a charger that had extendible
bays. By which I mean you could add on any number of very simple cell
holders. The charger would look at the first set of cells, do whatever
and go on to the next set.

It would have to have connections to each of the cells (as the better
fixed bay chargers generally do) and I'm not sure if that would then
bring in it's own issues (voltage drops over the leads affecting
accurate voltage detection)?

That would allow you to have all your rechargeable cells nicely stored
and kept at whatever charge level, discharge cycling rate, etc. you
might want. Might need some way of indicating which cells are being
processed right now, etc., but surely nothing particularly clever.

There is no reason you couldn't 'cycle' a basic / lower rate charger
over various sets of cell-packs, as long as they were all the same
type etc (chemicals and capacity).

Sure it would still only charge up to four at a time - but that is
enough for many of us!

I love my Ansmann Energy 16 because not only does it handle up to 16
cells / batteries at once (12 x AA/AAA (or 6 x C/D) + 4 x PP3) it
charges them slowly and individually. There is nothing more rewarding
than buying a set of 12 new AA's, putting them in the charger and
seeing them all indicate 'charged' at similar times. Take an old batch
of 12 that are supposed to be the same and you would be surprised how
much difference there can be in the finished times.

Put the quickest cells in the BC 700 and that generally confirms
under (marked) capacity.

On the subject of charging multiple targets, I built a 12V charger /
switcher designed to maintain up to 4 x 12V Lead acid batteries as
typically found on 4 motorcycles. Some of these intelligent chargers
(line the Opitmate series) ...

http://accumate.co.uk/optimate%206.htm

.... can be quite expensive and so it would be quite costly to have 4
off to cover 4 bikes. So this solution switches the charger around as
many of the 4 outlets have batteries on the end (so you don't waste a
'slot' when a bike is disconnected) and you can set what period it
stays on each (6 - 48 hours or so).

Cheers, T i m

polygonum wrote:
On 01/04/2016 17:00, wrote:
I have lots of AAA and AA NiMh batteries which have been through quite
a lot of discharge/recharge cycles. I have a tester which tells me if
they're charged or not but I'd really like to check their actual
capacity. Some of the AAA ones at least have very little capacity now
but it's difficult to check.

I could rig up a simple resistor discharge with some sort of computer
monitoring via an AtoD interface but surely someone out there must
produce and sell such a thing for not very much.

Has anyone come across anything like this?

How I wish someone would come up with a charger that had extendible
bays. By which I mean you could add on any number of very simple cell
holders. The charger would look at the first set of cells, do whatever
and go on to the next set.

That would allow you to have all your rechargeable cells nicely stored
and kept at whatever charge level, discharge cycling rate, etc. you
might want. Might need some way of indicating which cells are being
processed right now, etc., but surely nothing particularly clever.

Sure it would still only charge up to four at a time - but that is
enough for many of us!

There are 10 bay chargers around which don't cost all that much.

--
Chris Green
·