Post by thread:[OT]: PIC controlled NiMH battery charger (driftin

I have an FT-470 and NC-29 charger. I think it does far more harm than good. The more I learn about charging NiCads, the more I am convinced this one was designed by a Yaesu battery salesman. When I decided to re-activate the radio, out of two packs (FNB-14, I think - 7.2V 1000mAH) I found seven of twelve cells dead shorted, no saving them. That's when I started ordering AA 1500mAH NiMH cells from Digi-Key... Hey, I'll take 50% more capacity at half the weight, no problem. Dale -- "Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly." - Arnold Edinborough On Mon, 15 Apr 2002, Jim wrote: {Quote hidden}> How old a Yaesu is that Dale? > > I've got an FT-727R (first dual-bander) with > a couple of chargers and OEM-style packs > that charge in an hour or so ... > > That fast charge-rate is good for clearing > shorts, too. The trickle-rate will bring > up non-shorted batts - but the FAST rate > will clear small shorts in batts that > went 'down first' before I catch the > fact that a 'pack' has been depleted (or > at least a cell or two has become depleted!). -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList spam_OUTpiclist-unsubscribe-requestTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu

I've got an FT-470 too, but it died some years back after it got a little wet - not soaked, but a little wet from rain. I can't reset it and get the micro to come back and remain sane. It will reset, but, will lock-up shortly and then freeze. I even tried removing the Lithium coin cell to 'clear' any values held somewhere for whatever purpose - no luck yet ... I always used the slow charger on that radio's batts - knowing what fast-chargers do to batts! Jim {Original Message removed}

Fast chargers are fine, as long as they terminate the charge properly by detecting max voltage, a voltage peak, or temperature rise. The one I have does none of the above, so if you drop in a fully charged pack it will happily cook it to death. When I finish with it it will be safe for NiMH and NiCad. I was going to sell it, but my son's making noinse again about getting his Tech license, so I've offered it to him as a carrot if he gets licensed. Dale -- "Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly." - Arnold Edinborough On Tue, 16 Apr 2002, Jim wrote: {Quote hidden}> I've got an FT-470 too, but it died some > years back after it got a little wet - not > soaked, but a little wet from rain. > > I can't reset it and get the micro to > come back and remain sane. It will reset, > but, will lock-up shortly and then freeze. > > I even tried removing the Lithium coin cell > to 'clear' any values held somewhere for > whatever purpose - no luck yet ... > > I always used the slow charger on that radio's > batts - knowing what fast-chargers do to batts! -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList .....piclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspam@spam@mitvma.mit.edu