WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? resurrect a nicad battery ???
1
Read the manufacturer's specifications for your NiCad batteries. Most NiCad batteries are intended for slow (trickle) to moderately fast charging. Some are specially designed to take a very quick charge (in as little as an hour). The recommended charging time will be listed as C(1), C(5) or some other number. The number tells you how long the battery needs in order to recharge properly. Most NiCad batteries have a range of C(5) to C(15) or so (five to 15 hours).
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Step 2
Select the right kind of battery charger for your NiCad batteries. Very slow chargers are less efficient and so more expensive to use. With some, only about 50 percent of the electricity ends up in the battery. A fast-charge system with a C(5) rating can be up to 83 percent efficient. That works out to 40 percent less electricity used to recharge a NiCad battery.
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Step 3
Avoid draining a NiCad battery completely. Completely discharging a NiCad battery shortens its useful life. It's even more important to avoid overcharging. If you do get an inexpensive charger, make sure it has a timer you can set to halt the charging. The best battery chargers use the "delta-V" technique. When a NiCad battery is fully charged, there is a tiny but detectable drop in voltage. A good delta-V charger has a sensor that detects this drop in voltage and turns the charger off. Ideally, the charger will have an LED readout of the charge on the battery. That's handy for checking to see if the charge is getting low so you don't deplete the battery completely.
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Step 4
Place the battery in the charger according to the instructions that come with the particular model. Don't forget to plug in the battery charger. Set the timer if there is one, and make sure the charger is placed in a secure spot where it won't be knocked over accidentally.
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Step 5
Allow the batteries to cool before returning them to the device they power. When charging properly, a NiCad battery will have a temperature of about 104 F (40 C). The battery will function better (and last longer) if you allow it to cool completely before reinstalling it.
