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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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#1
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JoeBhoy wrote:
I have an old Compaq presarion laptop battery which is still in the packaging. I was wondering - is there a time limit to how long these things can keep - this ones about 5 years old. Mint condition though. They don't take very kindly to going as flat as this one's likely to be: there's a possibility that one (or more) of the cells will no longer hold charge, having become reverse-polarised. Unlikely to blow up when you put it on charge, though, so suck-it-and-see (assuming you still have the relevant charger!) is fair enough. For future reference, it's better to put unused 'spare' rechargeable packs on charge a couple of times a year than to leave them in their Original Packaging... |
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On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 18:00:08 GMT, "JoeBhoy"
wrote: sorry - I know it's OT but you guys seem to know all sorts of sh*t (-; I have an old Compaq presarion laptop battery which is still in the packaging. Could it be 'Presario' ? I was wondering - is there a time limit to how long these things can keep - this ones about 5 years old. Mint condition though. Had it been charged now and again it *could* still be useable. If it hasn't (and if it's still in it's packaging the chances are it hasn't) then it could be shot. ;-( The only real test is to charge it up (it might say 'charged' very quickly) then run it flat (would be just a few mins). Charge it back up again and see it it takes longer (then discharge it again) and so on. It *could* pick up at last long enough to put it on eBay as 'working' ;-) All the best .. T i m |
#3
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OT : Laptop battery
sorry - I know it's OT but you guys seem to know all sorts of sh*t (-;
I have an old Compaq presarion laptop battery which is still in the packaging. I was wondering - is there a time limit to how long these things can keep - this ones about 5 years old. Mint condition though. cheers Joe. |
#4
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Stefek Zaba wrote:
JoeBhoy wrote: I have an old Compaq presarion laptop battery which is still in the packaging. I was wondering - is there a time limit to how long these things can keep - this ones about 5 years old. Mint condition though. They don't take very kindly to going as flat as this one's likely to be: there's a possibility that one (or more) of the cells will no longer hold charge, having become reverse-polarised. Not saying you're wrong, but how would it get reverse polarised if it hadn't been on load? (I'm aware that the first cells to discharge in a battery on load will get reverse-charged by the other cells until the whole battery reaches equilibrium.) AIUI NiCds are quite happy about being in a disharged state for extende periods, unlike Lead acid which sulphate up. |
#5
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John Stumbles wrote:
Not saying you're wrong, but how would it get reverse polarised if it hadn't been on load? err, mumble, little conductive green elves linking arms between + and - terminals, maybe? umm, maybe, mumble, when first plugged into the charger? um, mumble, creeps away... I still wouldn't be surprised to find an unloved, discharged, multicell battery to have lost most of its capacity when left at the back of a cupboard for several years, rather'n having been tickled into holding charge a few times in that period. But I'd welcome correction from anyone with more knowledge; hmm, maybe that new-fangled Berners-Lee InterWeb thingumy has something to say? Lessee... there's a semi-authoritative-seeming NiCd FAQ at http://www.verinet.com/~dlc/battery.htm which suggests NiCds are optimally stored long-term discharged, cold, and shorted - but the NASA-quoted proceedcakes there require access to each individual *cell*, not just shorting the whole battery! Panasonic's guidelines at http://www.panasonic.com/industrial/...recautions.pdf say (on p.2) that batteries should be charged once or twice a year when being stored long-term, but other manufacturers - according to a collection of quotes at http://www.powerstream.com/Storage.htm - are less paranoid, though all agree that several charge/discharge cycles are likely to be needed after long-term storage to restore something like the initial capacity. Isn't the infosuperhypenetwebway just wunnerful? ;-) Stefek |
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"Stefek Zaba" wrote in message ... JoeBhoy wrote: I have an old Compaq presarion laptop battery which is still in the packaging. I was wondering - is there a time limit to how long these things can keep - this ones about 5 years old. Mint condition though. They don't take very kindly to going as flat as this one's likely to be: I like to read your sensible postings, but I have to ask... As it has never been charged, how can it go flat? The OP does say that it is in its original packaging, so... AIUI a NiCad pack that has never been charged just requires conditioning and it will be happy to work for another 1000 (?) charges, or 2 years tops, of use. HTH Dave |
#7
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Dave wrote:
I like to read your sensible postings, - which, as you point out, are a strict subset of all my postings ;-) Thus: As it has never been charged, how can it go flat? blushyes, I guess keeping it in its original, as-shipped condition is about the kindest way you could store it, ass-U-ming it wasn't 'test charged' before shipping or some such/blush AIUI a NiCad pack that has never been charged just requires conditioning and it will be happy to work for another 1000 (?) charges, or 2 years tops, of use. More like than not! Thanks for the gentle use of cluestick... |
#8
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That was my plan - stick it on Ebay - I just don't have a presario....
don't want to do it though if they are goosed! cheers Joe. "T i m" wrote in message ... On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 18:00:08 GMT, "JoeBhoy" wrote: sorry - I know it's OT but you guys seem to know all sorts of sh*t (-; I have an old Compaq presarion laptop battery which is still in the packaging. Could it be 'Presario' ? I was wondering - is there a time limit to how long these things can keep - this ones about 5 years old. Mint condition though. Had it been charged now and again it *could* still be useable. If it hasn't (and if it's still in it's packaging the chances are it hasn't) then it could be shot. ;-( The only real test is to charge it up (it might say 'charged' very quickly) then run it flat (would be just a few mins). Charge it back up again and see it it takes longer (then discharge it again) and so on. It *could* pick up at last long enough to put it on eBay as 'working' ;-) All the best .. T i m |
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