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View Full Version : Recharge That Dead Alkaline Battery.



Spindulik
04-14-2003, 11:57 PM
I finally found out how to recharge a disposable alkaline battery. I knew it could be done!
Get almost 95% usage, again from the same old dead battery.

Warning: Adult supervision recommended!!!!!!

A friend of mine, who passed away recently, was a genius with electronics. A ham radio expert and a Veitnam war veteran. He was going to show me some day on how to revive those old alkaline batteries. Unfortunately that day never happened.

After some research, I actually have re-used alkaline batteries. Manufacturers say NEVER RECHARGE THIS BATTERY. IT IS DANGEROUS. Well, they are right. But they never say it can't be done. It can be done quickly with 110/120 volts, but that is extremely dangerous, so I'll tell you how to do it safely with low voltage.

First, it may help by explaining what is happening when a battery dies. Every time you use an alkaline battery, the chemicals inside become more and more exhausted, and crystalize. When the crystalization becomes too much, the battery starts to short itself, rendering it useless.

What we want to do is, "un-crystalize" the battery. Practice with a recently dead AA alkaline battery. Use a hammer or hard surface, to tap the flat end of the battery. You don't want to dammage the battery, or disfugure it. Do the same for the opposite end. Your goal is to disturb and loosen the crystals. Get some pliers and slightly squeeze the outer casing of the battery evenly, but don't disfigure it. A few more taps and the battery should be ready.

Next, you need a DC power source (train transformer works well). Apply about 3 volts, and no more than 1 amp. Make sure that you apply the POS and NEG on the correct ends of the battery.

This process will heat the battery and help dissolve the crystals. This is very dangerous, so wear safety glasses. While the battery is heating up, it is also charging. About 3 minutes is good enough, or until the battery is very warm, but not very hot! Which ever comes first! (I have exploded a few batteries, even when they are just warm).

If the battery gets very hot in less than a minute, then you need to reduce the voltage and or amps. If too hot, you MUST LET IT COOL DOWN for no less than a half hour.

This next step is extremely important. Let the battery cool down. A very warm battery can explode, even minutes after the first time it is heated up (or charged) and disconnected from the power supply. About one half hour cool down time is needed. Even if the battery "feels cool", it needs to chemically cool and balance itself. A chemical reaction is going on. Kind of like epoxy. Two chemicals need to balance. Natural heat is involved.

After cooling down, give the battery another 3-4 minute charge. And another half hour cool down time. Do this a few more times. Larger batteries will need more recharge sessions than smaller ones. You'll need to experiment.

After the FINAL charge of the battery, let it settle for a few hours (over night, if possible). Then the battery is ready for use. Like brand new!

NOTE: Do not waste your time recharging this battery again, when it dies again. You'll probably get 10% usage out of it. Also, your chances of it exploding during a second revival increases dramatically.

AGAIN, use caution when trying this dangerous proceedure!! Doing this is at your own risk. Never recharge a battery in this manner unless you do it under adult supervision or have an experienced person with you. Never recharge batteries unless you are too cheap to buy new ones, or if you own a digital camera manufactured before 2000.

Got_brains?
04-15-2003, 12:50 AM
cool.

Bender
04-15-2003, 01:35 AM
AGAIN, use caution when trying this dangerous proceedure!! Doing this is at your own risk. Never recharge a battery in this manner unless you do it under adult supervision or have an experienced person with you. Never recharge batteries unless you are too cheap to buy new ones, or if you own a digital camera manufactured before 2000.

You're telling people to do dangerous things here Spindulik, despite your disclaimer.
there are only a few recharchable batteries, and they have their price: I'm talking about Nickel Cadmium (NiCad), Nickel Metal Hydrate (Nimh) and the common Lead Acid ones (the ones we see in cars).

I'm talking here with my expierience of over 14 years of flying electric model airplanes and believe me, freaks like us are constantly looking for the best power/weight/cheapest-to refill-ratio; we've tried it all/read about it all, and the best we got was NiCad or Nimh.

What I want to say is this: Alkalines are not meant to rechargre; they most probably explode in your face!
I don't want to pick on you Spindulik, but next time check your sources better; this is just a hoax.

Darth Sushi
04-15-2003, 02:00 AM
OOPS see daisy!
http://www.radshelters4u.com/nuke-bomb1.jpg

Spindulik
04-15-2003, 02:31 AM
Originally posted by Bender@15 April 2003 - 02:35
...this is just a hoax.
This is not a hoax. I have recharged alkaline batteries many times. I have a small FM radio that takes 4 AA batteries, that lasts about a week, at 8 hours a day. When I do the recharge method, I get another week out of them.

Here's another for you. Those NiCad batteries are better than Alkalines when they finally die. You can revive them too. Search Google or Yahoo with the key words "revive battery".


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While we are on the topic.... I have an old 486 laptop that was given to me. Of course the battery was totally dead. Non-revivable.

Now the replacement battery pack still can be purchased, for the price of $160.00. No way. The laptop is not worth the battery. So here is what I did. I carefully cut open the laptop battery pack with a sharp razor. I was careful not to dammage the casing, because it was actually part of the exterior finish of the latop.

I assumed that there were several 1.2volt nicad batteries in there. I was right. There was 12 AA sized batteries in there. Actually they were slightly larger than AA. You can buys those special sizes in the NEC catalog still (I believe).

So, I drew a diagram of the existing battery arrangement, and wiring too. Here's why, those batteries in the pack communicate with the laptop. Lets the laptop know the percentage of life left. Laptops differ, but If I remember correctly, Mine had a diode, and few other components. Basically, just remember how the setup is.

Next, I went to Radio Shack's Clearance section. Low and behold! Over 50% off on select AA Nickel Metal Hydrate (Nimh) batteries. Okay, they didn't have high amp/hours that I wanted, but for $15.00 I got close to what I wanted.

Okay, so I soldered the new batteries according to my diagram. Replaced them into the battery pack shell. Used a little tape to hold the shell together. Snapped the pack back into the laptop. Gave it a good over night charge. Like new!!!!

So the laptop cost me $15.00. Not to shabby eh?

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14 years. That is good. I have been doing electronics since I was in the 7th grade. I am 38 years old and do electronic instrumentation for a living. I build transmitters and radios as a hobby. I create my own circuit boards and do acid etching. I think I have some credible background to share the information about the alkaline batteries. Yes it is dangerous, but if you are careful, you can safely charge them.

KinkoStinky
04-15-2003, 02:38 AM
Did you know that at least 3 British people die each year by licking 9v batterys?

Spindulik
04-15-2003, 02:49 AM
Originally posted by KingYoshi@15 April 2003 - 03:38
Did you know that at least 3 British people die each year by licking 9v batterys?
Hmm, no I didn't know that about the British.



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