[Elecraft] NiMH batteries How do I test?

[Jim GM]

What I ment to say I got BAT ERROR when I tried to re charge for another 4
hours. I had to trun the KX3 off and turn it back on to clear the error. So
I used it and ran the battery voltage down to 11 Volts and now still on
charge the BT voltage is at 11.8 and still charging.  So whats with this?
Charger may be smarter than you think.

Jim K9TF


On Sun, Aug 24, 2014 at 3:14 PM, Ray Sills <raysills3 at verizon.net> wrote:

> HI Jim:
>
> No... there is no real test.  Just a rough guesstimate.  NiMH cells are
> very rugged, and can withstand recharging -many- times (in the thousands of
> cycles, usually).  With the KX3 the charger outputs a mere 200 mA... which
> the cells can tolerate -indefinitely-...  so the charging process is not
> critical at all.
>
> You could -always- set the KX3 charger for 16 hours... although if you had
> only operated for a few hours, the cells might only be depleted by about
> 50% or so.  If you know that, you would just charge for 8 hours.... or 12
> hours.. whatever fits your schedule.
>
> 73 de Ray
> K2ULR
> KX3 #211
>
>
>
> On Aug 24, 2014, at 4:08 PM, Jim GM wrote:
>
>  TNX FOR ALL YOUR INPUT ON THIS.
>>
>> I found that by running the radio until the 8.5V limit is hit on the KX3
>> and it shuts down I took out the batteries and tested them on a Radio
>> shack
>> battery tester that I had,  I let the thing load the battery and watch for
>> the reading drop.  All cells held their voltage and found one bad cell
>> that
>> the voltage was lower than the rest and fell like a rock under the load of
>> the tester. Key thing here is leave the meter test the battery for around
>> 10 seconds or so.
>>
>> Now replaced bad AA cell re charged, For 16 hours. Battery voltage came up
>> to 11.4V. Tried to recharge for another 4 hours and the KX3 shut down.
>> Why
>> did it do that?  I thought 12 volts is where Max charge.  Is the some sort
>> of algorithm it goes thought to determine if the cells are fully charged??
>>
>> --
>> Jim K9TF
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>
>


-- 
Jim K9TF