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Re: Batties

From: Mark Willis <>
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 22:44:50 -0700

On Ni-Cad batteries, they may use 2 connectors/wire to make sure of
continuity?  (Not certain, just know I've done that, paralleled
connector pins to improve a 99.9% reliability to an "almost usually
mostly always works" level <G>

  The T connectors are, most likely, thermistors on the battery packs;
used to detect how fast charging is raising the battery temperature
(reduce charging rate as the batteries get hotter, speed up the charging
as they cool, as heat damages Ni-Cads, and users want fast charging.)

  You could have 2 battery sets in that package, too, of course (2, 3
volt packs which charge separately & are wired in series when in use.) 
Then the thermistors would be two separate thermistors, referenced to
ground on each pack.   (Ohms between + terminals will tell, after first
testing for volts between them of course!)
  Charging slowly eliminates the need for thermistors, but you can't
safely get as quick of a charge.  (Might get longer battery life, I'm
not a Ni-Cad expert, but there's a Ni-Cad Battery page that mentions
overcharging, at http://www.ingenuityinc.com/ttsnicad.htm, with links to
other pages (The Ni-Cad Batteries FAQ I had a link to is, sadly, moved
or defunct.  Curse the nomadic nature of URLs, somedays!)

Moophus wrote:
> 
> Hi everybody.  As 'master' of the aparrently uninteresting battey list,
> I was doing some research while waiting in the electronics section of
> Wal-mart.  I was looking at NiCd or NiMH mini-camcorder batteries, and
> was wondering if anyone has used these.  Ive got two questions:
>         First, do these have a substantial life?
>         {personally, i was thinking of stringing 4 6v bateries to power         the
> $99 timeline computer, until a good hack comes about)*
> 
>         Second, many of the batteries have a multitude of connectors.   The
> batteries I was looking at have 2x plus connectors, 2x  negative
> connectors, and 2x "T"(??) connectors. What do ido with         these? connect
> them in a series, parallel, or not at all? And  what are you supposed to
> do with the T connectors?
> 
> Thanks
> --Moophus
> 
> * could someone please document one of these "hack parties"?

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