Batteries and charging

[cyberi4n]

Guys, I need some advice about battery charging. I'm a seasoned airsofter, and have always used a cheap Delta Peak trickle charger supplied from the shop that sells components.

Recently, I've switched to Systema, and now have two 9.6v 2200MaH batteries. However, compared to other Systema owners who use the same battery mine seem to not be charging properly, not holding their charge as long etc. They've always been trickle-charged over long periods of time, however I've just noticed that the setting on my charger has been set to 7-cell, which may have been causing a problem with undercharging. So i've set it to 8-cell, and charging at 300Mah (the dial starts at 300MaH and goes up to 600MaH) Are these settings going to be ok for the battery? Should I charge the battery until the green light comes on, or should I just charge it for a set period of time regardless of the red/green charge indicator. These are new batteries, having had around 8 full charge cycles each (admittedly on the 7-cell setting by mistake).

I've also got a PRO-Peak Varipulse fast charger, but I have NO idea how it works - I've never trusted it since it fried one of my G&P Crane Stock batteries a while back.

So, if I was to use the ProPeak what charge setting should I turn the dial on the front to for a 9.6V 2200Mah 8-cell battery? The options are 0.5, 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 5.5A. Should I fast-charge batteries or stick to longer charging times?

Any advice guys? Cheers

[jfox61]

Re: Batteries and charging

Discharge the battery completely. Either use the discharge facility on the charger if you have one or put it in the gun and run till flat. Then do a full charge.

Run the charge till you get the audible alarm go off which indicates a full charge. If it doesn't have that then charge till whatever indication your charger gives for a full charge.

If the light goes on after a full charge then thats what you wait for. If it goes off indicating a full charge then do that. But always wait till the charger indicates a full charge. Never take it off earlier than required.

If the battery is a 2200Mah then charge at 2A if 3300 3A and so on. Never charge at a higher ampage than the battery allows as this will damage/kill it.

[Fizzy]

Re: Batteries and charging

I was always told it wasn't advisable to run a Ni-Mh pack completely flat

[jfox61]

Re: Batteries and charging

My bad should have worded the description better. Run down nicads to no less than .85v per cell and NiMh to 1.0V per cell