Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Other Stuff => Electronic Projects => Topic started by: Ritchie200 on March 15, 2012, 02:06:19 pm

Title: UltraFire batteries - memory?
Post by: Ritchie200 on March 15, 2012, 02:06:19 pm

Hey Doug,

Have you noticed the UltraFire batteries developing a memory?  I usually run them down quite a bit before recharging.  What used to take sometimes 6-8 hours, now takes maybe an hour and I'm not getting the life that I used to.

Hmm, may have answered my own question!  I just pulled the batteries out of the pack (which the charger indicated the pack was good) and put them individually in the charger.  Now we are cookin'!  I know the "spring" contacts on the holder are not that great.  A good jolt and the batteries are loose.  Maybe I'll stick a little wedge of foam weather stripping behind them to make sure I have contact.  It sure looked like they were all making contact...  How is the holder wired?  Two sets parallel?  Maybe I was only charging one set?  One thing I did notice was if I pulled each battery back away from its contact, only one battery would kill the light.  It still functioned when I pulled the others back, hmm, sounds like two sets parallel!

Jim

Title: Re: UltraFire batteries - memory?
Post by: EL34 on March 15, 2012, 05:45:36 pm

I don't like battery holders
Too many ways to loose contact with the batteries.

And that's why I don't make battery holders anymore
I only did it for a while because people wanted them.

I solder all my battery packs these days and have for a while

The batteries are all in parallel, so your pack is 3.6 volts
You can remove and charge each battery in your holder to make sure they are all charged up properly

Clean all the contacts and see if that helps.

Li-On's don't have a memory problem like other batteries
That's what's great about them besides their super light weight and high storage capacity.

Title: Re: UltraFire batteries - memory?
Post by: Ritchie200 on March 15, 2012, 05:56:52 pm

Gotcha, thanks Doug!  Now I've got one battery that makes the charger go nuts with the lights flickering...  Only happens when I put both in.  It shows green by itself (not sure if I believe that it's charged), but put another battery in and it starts flashing both red and green.  I wonder if that is what's screwing things up?

Jim

Title: Re: UltraFire batteries - memory?
Post by: EL34 on March 30, 2012, 06:41:28 pm

I have seen that when one battery is fully charged or the battery does not need much of a charge

Just charge each one up until the light is green.

If you discharge both batteries enough, the charger will be just fine charging two at a time.