Bike Battery Break In?

[Thunder9]

I just bought the Night Rider Evolution and Light and Motion bike
lamps, both of which are NiMH.

I charged the batteries as per instructions before my first ride,
which was 40 minutes. Now what? Do I continue to use them until they
are discharged, or do I recharge them?

In one of the instructions, it says that the battery gets its maximum
charge time after about 5 or 6 complete charges and discharges.

This seems to suggest that I run them all the way down (or nearly all
the way down) before charging them again.

Thanks,
Thunder9

[Tom Williams]

NiMh is supposed to be (pretty much) fully discharged before you recharge
it.

You assumed right.

Tom

"Thunder9" > wrote in message
...
> I just bought the Night Rider Evolution and Light and Motion bike
> lamps, both of which are NiMH.
>
> I charged the batteries as per instructions before my first ride,
> which was 40 minutes. Now what? Do I continue to use them until they
> are discharged, or do I recharge them?
>
> In one of the instructions, it says that the battery gets its maximum
> charge time after about 5 or 6 complete charges and discharges.
>
> This seems to suggest that I run them all the way down (or nearly all
> the way down) before charging them again.
>
> Thanks,
> Thunder9
>

[Scott C]

It's sometimes a good idea to know the battery rating (500mah, 700mah...)and
then figure the discharge current, to understand how much current you took
out of the battery. A light will draw a lot of current, maybe 200mah or
more. If you have a 500mah battery, it would power the light for 2.5 hours
before the battery was dead. Typically chargers put back in 50mah, unless
fast charging, in which case they may charge in 1 hour (500mah) or less. A
40 min charge is not much, what is the rating of the charger? For instance,
if the charger is rated at 200mah, and your batteries are 500mah batteries,
it would take 500/200 = 2.5 hours to fully charge a dead battery. Batteries
rarely are dead, so maybe 2 hours charge if it was very low.

If I were you, after all the above, I'd run the light until it was very dim.
Then I'd charge, based on the battery capacity and the charger output
current, until fully charged. The battery may get warm, and this is the time
to stop charging for sure.

sc



"Thunder9" > wrote in message
...
> I just bought the Night Rider Evolution and Light and Motion bike
> lamps, both of which are NiMH.
>
> I charged the batteries as per instructions before my first ride,
> which was 40 minutes. Now what? Do I continue to use them until they
> are discharged, or do I recharge them?
>
> In one of the instructions, it says that the battery gets its maximum
> charge time after about 5 or 6 complete charges and discharges.
>
> This seems to suggest that I run them all the way down (or nearly all
> the way down) before charging them again.
>
> Thanks,
> Thunder9
>

[Ron Hardin]

If it's multiple cells, don't run them all the way dead. The weakest
cell will start taking a reverse charge from the surviving ones and
that ruins the weakest cell.

That's why you want to match cells, incidentally: so that they all die
pretty much at once and don't reverse-charge each other.
--
Ron Hardin


On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

[Scott C]

I just looked up this system on REI's web site.. if this is the right one..
here's what it says..


a.. Uses a 4.0Ah Nickel-Metal Hydride rechargeable battery that is
lightweight and compact, yet provides great burn time
b.. Multi-position helmet and CamLok quick-release mounts for versatile
mounting choices
c.. Multi-use battery pack can be mounted on bike frame for handlebar use
or placed in jersey pocket or in a hydration pack for helmet use
d.. Battery pack mounts easily to bike top-tube with hook-and-loop straps
e.. 10-watt system features 2 hr. 20 min. burn time, and features a 10
watt hi-efficiency halogen bulb
f.. Comes with an overnight charger

Important things to note.. it comes with a 4000mah (4AH) battery.. this is
quite a bit - which is good. A 2hr 20 min burn time.. this tells me
(figuring 2 hours) that the bulb takes out 2 amps every hour, 2 hours = 4
amps, and you have a battery that will supply 4 amps. To charge this in 12
hours (overnight), your charger must supply about 350mah, or every hour the
charger puts back in 350mah. If you run your light for 1 hours, you have
taken out about 2000mah (2 amps) - and you would ideally charge it to put
back in 2 amps. This would take 5.7 hours (given the above numbers).
Batteries discharge themselves slowly also.. so charging for 6-7 hours would
give you a fully charged battery (assuming it was fully charged when you
started).





"Scott C" > wrote in message
news:DTSSa.100984$GL4.26694@rwcrnsc53...
> It's sometimes a good idea to know the battery rating (500mah,
700mah...)and
> then figure the discharge current, to understand how much current you took
> out of the battery. A light will draw a lot of current, maybe 200mah or
> more. If you have a 500mah battery, it would power the light for 2.5 hours
> before the battery was dead. Typically chargers put back in 50mah, unless
> fast charging, in which case they may charge in 1 hour (500mah) or less. A
> 40 min charge is not much, what is the rating of the charger? For
instance,
> if the charger is rated at 200mah, and your batteries are 500mah
batteries,
> it would take 500/200 = 2.5 hours to fully charge a dead battery.
Batteries
> rarely are dead, so maybe 2 hours charge if it was very low.
>
> If I were you, after all the above, I'd run the light until it was very
dim.
> Then I'd charge, based on the battery capacity and the charger output
> current, until fully charged. The battery may get warm, and this is the
time
> to stop charging for sure.
>
> sc
>
>
>
> "Thunder9" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I just bought the Night Rider Evolution and Light and Motion bike
> > lamps, both of which are NiMH.
> >
> > I charged the batteries as per instructions before my first ride,
> > which was 40 minutes. Now what? Do I continue to use them until they
> > are discharged, or do I recharge them?
> >
> > In one of the instructions, it says that the battery gets its maximum
> > charge time after about 5 or 6 complete charges and discharges.
> >
> > This seems to suggest that I run them all the way down (or nearly all
> > the way down) before charging them again.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Thunder9
> >
>
>

[Jim, N2VX]

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 04:39:35 GMT, (Thunder9)
wrote:

>I just bought the Night Rider Evolution and Light and Motion bike
>lamps, both of which are NiMH.
>
>I charged the batteries as per instructions before my first ride,
>which was 40 minutes. Now what? Do I continue to use them until they
>are discharged, or do I recharge them?
>
>In one of the instructions, it says that the battery gets its maximum
>charge time after about 5 or 6 complete charges and discharges.
>
>This seems to suggest that I run them all the way down (or nearly all
>the way down) before charging them again.
>
>Thanks,
>Thunder9

Most people agree that it takes a few cycles to get full capacity.
After that it gets interesting.

If your setup has a smart charger that shuts off at 100% charge, don't
bother running the batteries down. You run the risk of running them
down too far and reverse charging one or more cells.

If it's not a smart charger the most common result is overcharging the
pack. This reduces battery life. Do yourself and the pack a favor
and get a smart charger.

Some of the ones made for RC cars/airplanes can be used for packs with
any number of cells. I use a Maha 777+, works with NiCad, NiMh and
lithium batteries.

Jim

[Thunder9]

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 11:09:39 +0100, "Tom Williams"
> wrote:

>NiMh is supposed to be (pretty much) fully discharged before you recharge
>it.
>
>You assumed right.
>

Upon further research, I found that I assumed wrong. This discharge
requirement is a myth.

That is, NiMh is not supposed to be dischareged before recharging it.
It won't hurt it (unless you discharge it too much), but its not
particularly necessary either.

http://www.zbattery.com/zbattery/memoryeffect.html
http://www.night-sun.com/htmldocs/faq.html
http://www.batterieswholesale.com/faq_nicad.htm#8
http://www.dansdata.com/gz011.htm

Regards,
Thunder9

[Thunder9]

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 22:56:56 GMT, "Jim, N2VX"
> wrote:

>On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 04:39:35 GMT, (Thunder9)
>wrote:
>
>>I just bought the Night Rider Evolution and Light and Motion bike
>>lamps, both of which are NiMH.
>>
>>I charged the batteries as per instructions before my first ride,
>>which was 40 minutes. Now what? Do I continue to use them until they
>>are discharged, or do I recharge them?
>>
>>In one of the instructions, it says that the battery gets its maximum
>>charge time after about 5 or 6 complete charges and discharges.
>>
>>This seems to suggest that I run them all the way down (or nearly all
>>the way down) before charging them again.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Thunder9
>
>Most people agree that it takes a few cycles to get full capacity.
>After that it gets interesting.
>
>If your setup has a smart charger that shuts off at 100% charge, don't
>bother running the batteries down. You run the risk of running them
>down too far and reverse charging one or more cells.
>
>If it's not a smart charger the most common result is overcharging the
>pack. This reduces battery life. Do yourself and the pack a favor
>and get a smart charger.
>
>Some of the ones made for RC cars/airplanes can be used for packs with
>any number of cells. I use a Maha 777+, works with NiCad, NiMh and
>lithium batteries.
>
>Jim


Thanks,

This looks like a kick-ass charger
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2002_reviews/maha_c777.html

But what is this all about:
http://runryder.com/helicopter/t37728p1/

Also, is there any special things you have to do to get it hooked up
to the batteries that have those leads in the recessed plug?

Thanks,
Thunder9

[Jim, N2VX]

On Tue, 22 Jul 2003 06:08:18 GMT, (Thunder9)
wrote:

>On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 22:56:56 GMT, "Jim, N2VX"
> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 04:39:35 GMT, (Thunder9)
>>wrote:
>>
>>>I just bought the Night Rider Evolution and Light and Motion bike
>>>lamps, both of which are NiMH.
>>>
>>>I charged the batteries as per instructions before my first ride,
>>>which was 40 minutes. Now what? Do I continue to use them until they
>>>are discharged, or do I recharge them?
>>>
>>>In one of the instructions, it says that the battery gets its maximum
>>>charge time after about 5 or 6 complete charges and discharges.
>>>
>>>This seems to suggest that I run them all the way down (or nearly all
>>>the way down) before charging them again.
>>>
>>>Thanks,
>>>Thunder9
>>
>>Most people agree that it takes a few cycles to get full capacity.
>>After that it gets interesting.
>>
>>If your setup has a smart charger that shuts off at 100% charge, don't
>>bother running the batteries down. You run the risk of running them
>>down too far and reverse charging one or more cells.
>>
>>If it's not a smart charger the most common result is overcharging the
>>pack. This reduces battery life. Do yourself and the pack a favor
>>and get a smart charger.
>>
>>Some of the ones made for RC cars/airplanes can be used for packs with
>>any number of cells. I use a Maha 777+, works with NiCad, NiMh and
>>lithium batteries.
>>
>>Jim
>
>
>Thanks,
>
>This looks like a kick-ass charger
>http://www.steves-digicams.com/2002_reviews/maha_c777.html

It is, I have one and it's great. You can also use it to measure
battery pack capacity.
>
>But what is this all about:
>http://runryder.com/helicopter/t37728p1/

Looks like the firmware is messed up for Li cells. I just use it for
NiCad/NiMh.

>
>Also, is there any special things you have to do to get it hooked up
>to the batteries that have those leads in the recessed plug?

Are you talking about the garden variety coax DC plugs found on 99% of
all wall-wart chargers? The 777+ has a RC car-style connector on the
side. I made an adapter from the RC connector to a coax DC power plug
of the right size. Radio Shack has the parts you need. Don't worry
too much about polarity, the 777+ has a polarity switch.

If you don't know how to solder or aren't sure find someone to assist.

>
>Thanks,
>Thunder9

Good luck and enjoy,
Jim

[Precious Pup]

Ron Hardin wrote:
>
> If it's multiple cells, don't run them all the way dead. The weakest
> cell will start taking a reverse charge from the surviving ones and
> that ruins the weakest cell.
>
> That's why you want to match cells, incidentally: so that they all die
> pretty much at once and don't reverse-charge each other.


For NiMh? This sounds more like a NiCad issue.