Tips To Buy Battery Charger
October 25, 2007
A battery charger makes use of electricity to charge the rechargeable battery. A battery charger has a compartment which is used to place the battery while charging. Other-wise you can just directly plug the battery into the device that houses the rechargeable battery through a connector.
Simple Battery Charger: A charger which connects the battery to a constant power source DC is a simple battery charger. This battery charger is less expensive and takes a long time to charge a battery. Is will not alter you of its output based on charge duration or battery charge.
Timer-based Charger is intended only for batteries that has duration for charging. To terminate the charger, this type of battery charger relies on specific pre-determined time. Timer based charge cannot be used to charge battery having lower or higher capacity. It is because these timer battery chargers can under or overcharge the battery.
Intelligent charger can track the output current of battery depending on its requirements. This type of battery charger monitors the temperature, voltage and charge of battery which determines battery’s optimum charge current. When the battery is fully charged, the intelligent battery charger can automatically stop charging the battery.
Fast battery charger enables the charger to charge the battery faster with the help of a control circuitry without any damage to the battery. Fast battery chargers make use of a fan which can control the temperature of the cell elements.
USB -based charger: It provides power supply of five-volts with the support of Universal Serial Bus. For devices with built-in USB plugs and circuitry, this charger is used.
When you go to purchase a battery charger make sure of its battery compatibility. It is also best to prefer for OEM battery charger, as wrong selection of battery charger can potentially damage your battery.
Amperage charger: It will be better to buy a charger which charges slowly than rapidly. So it is better to look for a battery charger which has the charging capacity current of 15% to 25% of the battery in ampere-hours.
• If you don’t have battery chargers then hurry up now and buy a charger to help you in charging your rechargeable batteries. This will save you money on extra expenses.
SIX MISCONCENCEPTIONS ABOUT BATTERY
October 19, 2007
Misconceptions are common. Mostly 95% of the misconceptions about product are formed by manufacturers or retailers for their business profit. But it is our part to know the actual fact about the myth. This article reveals 6 misconceptions about batteries which will be helpful for you to know about the battery facts. Read further to know them.
MYTH-1
A popular myth about battery is that rechargeable batteries have come with lower capacities than disposable alkaline batteries and the statement is not true. The battery capacity has to be compared only by the rating. Believe it or not, it is highly sophisticated task to determine the “actual capacity” and “actual usage” of a battery. This statement will not work out in case of high drain electronic devices. For example when you use rechargeable batteries for digital camera, it will surely work longer than disposable alkaline batteries.
MYTH-2
Usage of vague terms like heavy duty, quick charger, high capacity etc by battery producers are used as a marketing trick as there is no defined standard. Sometimes low power batteries are also advertised as ‘heavy duty’ batteries. Chargers labelled with ‘high speed charging’ may take 5 to 7 hours for charging batteries.
MYTH-3
Unwanted usage of battery capacity ratings are the other common myth that exists. These capacity rating becomes worthless at the time of comparing distinct kind of batteries or comparing the actual battery capacities to power various type of products. You cannot judge the running time of your device, just by seeing your battery’s capacity rating. Suppose you have 2 different devices in which one functions with the help of AA alkaline battery and another functions with NiMH batteries. Usually NiMH batteries have rated with the charging capacity as 1200 to 1900 milliamperes whereas AA alkaline batteries come with the charging rating over 2500 milliamperes. Practically if you check both NiMH batteries will run longer than AA alkaline batteries.
MYTH-4
Keeping batteries inside the refrigerator or freezer will prolong the life of batteries. This is a foolish misconception. Refrigerating alkaline batteries may help you to maintain the charge to a little extent. This may be worthwhile when you use alkaline batteries in hot location. But never forget to bring it back to the room temperature before you put the batteries in your device.
MYTH-5
People believe that recharging batteries gradually will enhance the life cycle of batteries. This is a humbug. There is no connection between the battery life and slow charging.
MYTH-6
A new misconception about battery is that batteries can deliver more electricity than their capacity. This statement will not be true in all type of batteries. Most of the NiMH batteries offer power that is very close to its capacity while you power high drain devices.
