ninjette.org - View Single Post

kkim · June 19th, 2010, 08:45 PM

try at your own risk...

Cordless Power Tool Batteries that contain Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) Cell can be Re-Conditioned to perform as well as new or close to new. There is a slight loss of capacity due to this process but proper maintenance after the procedure will insure year of usable life.
The First and most common procedure for Re-Conditioning a NiCd cell is by using a Technique called “Voltage Surging”. Over time the crystals within a NiCd cell begin to combine and get larger. This causes them to lose capacitance and also break through the inner seals of the cell. Surging the NiCd Cell using a higher voltage causes the crystals within the NiCd cell to shatter and become smaller. These smaller crystals have a greater surface area and therefore contain a greater capacitance for energy. Crystals primarily grow larger during “OVER CHARGING”. Over Charging is the enemy of a NiCd Cells so remember to leave your batteries on the charger for only the minimum charging time OR LESS! This is usually an hour or less for Rapid Chargers or 2 to 4 hrs for standard chargers. It is also best to only charge your batteries immediately before you use them. Storing your batteries with a full charge encourages crystal growth. Storing your batteries on a low charge is best. Follow these maintenance techniques to insure years of dependable use.

The “VOLTAGE SURGING” Technique below maybe repeated until the battery holds a dependable charge but wait at least 15 minutes between “SURGING” to allow for the vapors within the cell to cool. Surging the battery without waiting will result in the cell EXPLODING! Most batteries will only require one or two “VOLTAGE SURGES”.

For batteries up to 9.6 volts you will want to run two wires from a good 12 volt battery, such as a car battery or two 6 volt lantern batteries run in series. Clamp the ground wire from the car battery to the negative side of the tool battery. Small alligator clamps work good for this application. The positive terminal on the tool batt3ery is usually golden in color and the negative is usually silver in color. Use a voltage meter to be sure. One end of the positive wire should be rigidly attached to the car battery and the other end of the positive wire should be stripped at the end. Then simply tap the stripped end of the positive wire against the positive terminal on the tool battery for about 10 seconds tapping at a rate of 2 to 3 times per second. See charts below for exact recommended “SURGE TIME” for your battery pack size and your specific power source voltage. Check the voltage of the tool battery with a voltage tester and if it does not give a voltage equal to or slightly higher than the tool batteries rated voltage, then repeat these steps for a few more seconds until it does (waiting 15 minutes between surges). See Fig. A For batteries of 9.7 volts to 19.9 volts you will need at least 24 volts. Four 6 volt lantern batteries run in series also works. It is also possible to use other tool batteries wired together in series as a power source, but if you are using two 18 volt tool batteries in series you will generate 36 volts and 10 seconds will be too long. Shorten re-conditioning process to 6 or 7 seconds. You can also use 2-18 volt tool batteries in series for re-conditioning 24 volt tool batteries. Using other DC power sources such as welders con also be used for the “VOLTAGE SURGING”. Refer to Fig. B. Use lamp cord thickness wire or larger and always use safety goggles!

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1.) Using a voltage tester to determine polarity (pos. & neg.)

2.) Use Tables E, F & G to determine the “Surge Time “ for your particular battery size and power source.
3.) Surge battery for suggested time and allow to cool for 15 min.
4.) Use voltage tester after 15min. and if voltage drops below normal voltage them repeat steps 4 & 4.
5.) Charge battery as normal. If battery fails to charge, repeat steps 3 & 4. This process can be repeated up to 25 times.

The previous Re-Conditioning method will work 90% of the time but occasionally a battery will still not retain its rated voltage. For those of you who are mechanically inclined, there is another option. Remove the battery cell cluster as shown in Fig. C. Test each individual cell for voltage with a voltage tester. If an individual cell fails to register at least one volt, that particular cell will need to be Re-Conditioned. There may be a fibrous insulator on top and/or bottom of the cells that will need to be drilled to reach the individual cells, but do not drill into the battery cells themselves! NOTE: Each cell will have to be tested for Polarity (+ or -), the sell are rotated so the positive end of the cell on some will be facing up and others will be facing down. Once you locate the bad cell(s) use a 12 volt car battery to Re-Condition the individual cell by holding the Negative wire to the Negative side of the cell and then hold the Positive wire to the Positive side of the cell for 2 to 3 seconds, but no longer. Repeat this process for each cell that doesn’t register at least one volt. This process will work on 18v and 24v batteries as well as lower voltages because the individual cells are the same.

VersaPak Batteries
VersaPak batteries have three 1.2 volt cells inside of them so they should register 2.6 volts. If they are bad they will typically register 0, 1.2 or 2.4 volts. The VersaPak batteries are very simple to Re-Condition. Simply hold the negative wire from the battery to the outside housing of the battery which is its ground. Then hold the Positive wire to the inside of the battery for 3 seconds but no more. Repeat after 15 minutes if necessary. Its that Easy!

June 19th, 2010, 08:45 PM	#3
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	try at your own risk... Cordless Power Tool Batteries that contain Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) Cell can be Re-Conditioned to perform as well as new or close to new. There is a slight loss of capacity due to this process but proper maintenance after the procedure will insure year of usable life. The First and most common procedure for Re-Conditioning a NiCd cell is by using a Technique called “Voltage Surging”. Over time the crystals within a NiCd cell begin to combine and get larger. This causes them to lose capacitance and also break through the inner seals of the cell. Surging the NiCd Cell using a higher voltage causes the crystals within the NiCd cell to shatter and become smaller. These smaller crystals have a greater surface area and therefore contain a greater capacitance for energy. Crystals primarily grow larger during “OVER CHARGING”. Over Charging is the enemy of a NiCd Cells so remember to leave your batteries on the charger for only the minimum charging time OR LESS! This is usually an hour or less for Rapid Chargers or 2 to 4 hrs for standard chargers. It is also best to only charge your batteries immediately before you use them. Storing your batteries with a full charge encourages crystal growth. Storing your batteries on a low charge is best. Follow these maintenance techniques to insure years of dependable use. The “VOLTAGE SURGING” Technique below maybe repeated until the battery holds a dependable charge but wait at least 15 minutes between “SURGING” to allow for the vapors within the cell to cool. Surging the battery without waiting will result in the cell EXPLODING! Most batteries will only require one or two “VOLTAGE SURGES”. For batteries up to 9.6 volts you will want to run two wires from a good 12 volt battery, such as a car battery or two 6 volt lantern batteries run in series. Clamp the ground wire from the car battery to the negative side of the tool battery. Small alligator clamps work good for this application. The positive terminal on the tool batt3ery is usually golden in color and the negative is usually silver in color. Use a voltage meter to be sure. One end of the positive wire should be rigidly attached to the car battery and the other end of the positive wire should be stripped at the end. Then simply tap the stripped end of the positive wire against the positive terminal on the tool battery for about 10 seconds tapping at a rate of 2 to 3 times per second. See charts below for exact recommended “SURGE TIME” for your battery pack size and your specific power source voltage. Check the voltage of the tool battery with a voltage tester and if it does not give a voltage equal to or slightly higher than the tool batteries rated voltage, then repeat these steps for a few more seconds until it does (waiting 15 minutes between surges). See Fig. A For batteries of 9.7 volts to 19.9 volts you will need at least 24 volts. Four 6 volt lantern batteries run in series also works. It is also possible to use other tool batteries wired together in series as a power source, but if you are using two 18 volt tool batteries in series you will generate 36 volts and 10 seconds will be too long. Shorten re-conditioning process to 6 or 7 seconds. You can also use 2-18 volt tool batteries in series for re-conditioning 24 volt tool batteries. Using other DC power sources such as welders con also be used for the “VOLTAGE SURGING”. Refer to Fig. B. Use lamp cord thickness wire or larger and always use safety goggles! STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS 1.) Using a voltage tester to determine polarity (pos. & neg.) 2.) Use Tables E, F & G to determine the “Surge Time “ for your particular battery size and power source. 3.) Surge battery for suggested time and allow to cool for 15 min. 4.) Use voltage tester after 15min. and if voltage drops below normal voltage them repeat steps 4 & 4. 5.) Charge battery as normal. If battery fails to charge, repeat steps 3 & 4. This process can be repeated up to 25 times. The previous Re-Conditioning method will work 90% of the time but occasionally a battery will still not retain its rated voltage. For those of you who are mechanically inclined, there is another option. Remove the battery cell cluster as shown in Fig. C. Test each individual cell for voltage with a voltage tester. If an individual cell fails to register at least one volt, that particular cell will need to be Re-Conditioned. There may be a fibrous insulator on top and/or bottom of the cells that will need to be drilled to reach the individual cells, but do not drill into the battery cells themselves! NOTE: Each cell will have to be tested for Polarity (+ or -), the sell are rotated so the positive end of the cell on some will be facing up and others will be facing down. Once you locate the bad cell(s) use a 12 volt car battery to Re-Condition the individual cell by holding the Negative wire to the Negative side of the cell and then hold the Positive wire to the Positive side of the cell for 2 to 3 seconds, but no longer. Repeat this process for each cell that doesn’t register at least one volt. This process will work on 18v and 24v batteries as well as lower voltages because the individual cells are the same. VersaPak Batteries VersaPak batteries have three 1.2 volt cells inside of them so they should register 2.6 volts. If they are bad they will typically register 0, 1.2 or 2.4 volts. The VersaPak batteries are very simple to Re-Condition. Simply hold the negative wire from the battery to the outside housing of the battery which is its ground. Then hold the Positive wire to the inside of the battery for 3 seconds but no more. Repeat after 15 minutes if necessary. Its that Easy!