Can You Charge a Nimh Battery With a Nicad Charger

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Charging NIMH batteries with NiCad charger?

• Thread starter kidthorazine
• Start date April xi, 2012

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• #ane

I accept a dremel that uses nicad batteries but their pretty much dead. I can replace them with some NiMH rechargable batteries merely the only way to recharge them is past using the dremel nicad charger. Can I apply the dremel charger to recharge the NiMH batteries?

• #ii

Can I employ the dremel charger to recharge the NiMH batteries?

It is not perfect, but it will work reasonably well.
Just exist sure not to exit them on accuse for extended periods once the batteries are charged.

JimB

Concluding edited: Apr 11, 2012

• #3

a Ni-MH battery the same size and weight of an old Ni-cad battery has nearly 4 times the capacity and so it will take 4 times every bit long to chrge with the aforementioned charger.

A Ni-MH battery should never be "trickle charged" like Ni-Cad batteries were. Then a Ni-MH battery must have the charging turned off when it is fully charged which is usually done with a battery charger IC. How do you know when it is fully charged? When it is nonetheless charging and begins to get very hot.

• #iv

What about the fact that the current discharge power of Nimh is a fraction of NiCad, and that power tools are hi demand applications? You lot'll become drastically less torque due to the express current sourcing ability of NiMH over Nicad, and lifespan from the larger pack volition actually be lower overall because of it's internal resistance under load and the harm the heat in the jail cell will cause.

Why don't you just replace them with new NiCad's? Sanyo withal cells a full line of NiCad's from sites such as Digikey.

You lot'll find many power tools run from NiCad's and recently Lithium cells as protection/direction chips take get incidental in cost. Proficient luck finding a NiMH based ability tool! They're non used for a reason.

Concluding edited: Apr 11, 2012

• #5

I exercise not accept the battery expertise but I have done and heard a few things that I can share. I was once told that they would not fully charge because they demand more than kicking at the finish that Ni-Cad chargers practise not offering. They should reach nearly 90%.

What I have washed is to swap out the Ni-Cads for NiMh in my cordless telephone. I still get most two hours of chat fourth dimension which is pretty close to before. I have had them in the phone for about 6 years now with no noticeable degradation. I too use them in my wireless mouse and keyboard and they out last the alkalines I had in there merely I do charge them with a proper charger.

I say try it just lookout the oestrus that audioguru mentioned when you start try it. Worse case it doesn't work and you accept to get Ni-Cads and do the surgery again.

Mike D.

• #6

I was in one case told that they would not fully charge considering they need more kick at the terminate that Ni-Cad chargers exercise not offer. They should reach about 90%.

No.
Ni-MH cells accept more capacity so for a total accuse they should accuse at the aforementioned current as a Ni-Cad for iv times longer or charge for the same amount of time at a current that is 4 times higher. No "kick".

If your Ni-MH jail cell has a accuse that lasts for the same duration as a Ni-Cad jail cell then the charger is simply a timer that charges both types of cells with the same current.

A Ni-Cad prison cell really gets libation as it charges. A Ni-MH cell warms a footling as information technology charges. Examination their temperature by charging both at the same fourth dimension. Both go much hotter when over-charging.

Last edited: Apr 11, 2012

• #7

I got that tidbit from a co-worker that majored in batteries in his EE programme. I can non swear to anything but passing what I heard. I suppose we could inquire Eveready

• #8

What virtually the fact that the electric current discharge ability of Nimh is a fraction of NiCad, and that power tools are hi demand applications?

I don't think NI-MH are that bad.

Last edited: Apr xi, 2012

• #ix

Last edited: April 11, 2012

• #10

I got that tidbit from a co-worker that majored in batteries in his EE program. I can non swear to annihilation but passing what I heard. I suppose we could ask Eveready

Eveready is now called Energizer. They have a Ni-MH Battery Applications Manual on Energizer'due south website but information technology is xi years old. In those days a Ni-MH cell had a capacity that was merely 40% more than a Ni-Cad cell but recently their capacity is four times more.
They charge about the same except the higher capacity needs more fourth dimension or more current current for a full charge every bit I said.

Energizer too has (had?) a Ni-Cad Applications Transmission on their website.

• #11

Eveready is now called Energizer. They have a Ni-MH Battery Applications Manual on Energizer'south website but it is xi years erstwhile. In those days a Ni-MH cell had a capacity that was only 40% more than a Ni-Cad cell only recently their capacity is 4 times more.

I idea it was less: I know the AA NI-MH are in the 2000 - 2500 mA-Hr range and I know there are AA NI-Cads at to the lowest degree 1200 mA-hr because I got some of those a number of years back. I know NI-MH is meliorate only I didn't think it was 4X (?)

• #12

I have been wondering near the same matter of replacing the Ni Cads cells in my cordless drills with NiMH cells.

I am enlightened of the lesser C rates but the fashion I figured it if my Ni Cads were 1800 ma/hr 10C rated and the new NiMH cells are 6000 Ma/hr rated 3C the cease amp capacity is nevertheless 18 amps each.

Equally far equally charging goes I figured I would but be supervene upon the charge control IC in the stock chargers with ones designed for multi jail cell chemical science instead.

Just my theory at this point.

Concluding edited: Apr 12, 2012

• #thirteen

I have some quondam Energizer and Dynacharge Ni-Cad AA cells in a bag in my garage waiting for disposal in the Hazzardous Waste pile at the dump. I also have many Ni-Cad AA cells from Chinese solar garden lights. They have a chapters from 350mAh to 600mAh.
I have many older Energizer Ni-MH AA cells rated at 2500mAh (the kind that agree a charge only for a few weeks.
I besides take some new Energizer Ni-MH AA cells rated at 2000mAh that hold a accuse for 6 months.

Here is from Energizer'south datasheets:

• #xiv

I have some onetime Energizer and Dynacharge Ni-Cad AA cells in a bag in my garage waiting for disposal in the Hazzardous Waste pile at the dump. I besides have many Ni-Cad AA cells from Chinese solar garden lights. They take a capacity from 350mAh to 600mAh.
I have many older Energizer Ni-MH AA cells rated at 2500mAh (the kind that hold a charge but for a few weeks.
I also have some new Energizer Ni-MH AA cells rated at 2000mAh that hold a charge for vi months.

Hither is from Energizer's datasheets:

But the better NI-CAD AA cells are rated about 1100 mA-hr and practice a bit more than that. I have a set I used in my handheld Television set device.

https://www.amazon.com/1-2V-1100MA-NiCd-Sanyo-Panasonic/dp/B000E8HKJM

Terminal edited: Apr 12, 2012

• #15

tcmtech, that's where things become a bit sketchy, considering much of the change in modern NiMh's has come from drastic changes in internal structure and the materials it's fabricated out of every bit they've gotten better over the years, the cell chemical science itself isn't much changed only how it's put together physically.

It's like a marine lead acrid vs a starter battery lead acid, the chemistry is the aforementioned (more than or less) the biggest change is in the plate shape and layout where marine batteries go for thicker plates with depression surface area for durability and starter batteries maximize current draw my using meshed plates to provide a lot more surface area.

I'd skip NiMh altogether and leap right on the Lithium bombardment bandwagon if yous can.

• #xvi

I would rather stay with the NiMH concept being they are verbal physical drop in for the sub C size NiCads.
Lithium don't come in sub C cell size, does not work well in common cold temps and needs a monitoring circuit considering tin can not be ran flat expressionless without impairment where as NiMH can.

By and large I am but getting tired of these high priced name brand cordless drill battery packs that cant go vi months without dieing. I take some old 18 volt craftsman cordless drills that had the original packs run for about 10 years of abusive treatment earlier they started acting like the new ones do after half dozen months of regular use.

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