Re: All NiMH batteries are dishonestly marketed?


"Ron Hunter" <rphunter@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:9r6dnS3j-eCkYMnZnZ2dnUVZ_vGdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
David Arnstein wrote:
Before I started buying AA size NiMH cells, I got myself a LaCrosse
BC-900 battery charger. This helps me to evaluate the cells that I buy.
The charger can measure the capacity of cells (as measured in mAH) and
it can perform a "refresh cycle." This procedure repeatedly charges and
discharges the cells, measuring the capacity of the cells after each
repetition. As long as the capacity is increasing, the cycle continues.

This "refresh cycle" is very useful in testing new cells, since the
cells need a few discharge cycles before their best capacity is achieved.

Another feature of the LaCrosse BC-900 is that it can charge and
discharge
cells quite slowly: as slow as 200 mA charge and 100 mA discharge. In
my testing, I used this setting uniformly. I presume that this results
in the most optimistic results when testing my cells.

So I set to work testing some cells that I purchased.


So, is your BC-900 battery charger calibrated? Is there a tolerance of error
on its readings? Did you try your test with a variety of testers or just the
one? A $45 battery charger is nowhere near what you need for a true test of
battery capacity. All your test shows is how the different batteries tested
in one device. That's not enough data to formulate a conclusion.

I use my camera as my battery tester. It's not scientific but it does what I
need it to do.

-Smitty


.

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