Rechargeable Batteries?

[Critterhunter]

You won't give as long of life out of quick charging batteries. 15 minutes is VERY hard on a cell even if it's designed to charge that fast. A fast charge should only be pushing 1C (about an hour), but most of the time a battery should be charged at a nice slow healthy rate that will take about 10 to 14 hours. Also, you'll find a cell gives longer run times when slow charged than if it's fast charged. It's like pouring water into a bucket fast versus slow. Some is spilled when doing it fast. Yes, the bucket is just as full when done but for some reason it really isn't holding as much water. Think of it as trapped air bubbles from disturbing the water in such a fast way. I've found in my tests with plane nimhs or nicads that a slow charged pack will give longer flight times for whatever reason.

 

[abephroeman]

You won't give as long of life out of quick charging batteries. 15 minutes is VERY hard on a cell even if it's designed to charge that fast. A fast charge should only be pushing 1C (about an hour), but most of the time a battery should be charged at a nice slow healthy rate that will take about 10 to 14 hours. Also, you'll find a cell gives longer run times when slow charged than if it's fast charged. It's like pouring water into a bucket fast versus slow. Some is spilled when doing it fast. Yes, the bucket is just as full when done but for some reason it really isn't holding as much water. Think of it as trapped air bubbles from disturbing the water in such a fast way. I've found in my tests with plane nimhs or nicads that a slow charged pack will give longer flight times for whatever reason.

Critterhunter is correct. The fast charge batteries are absolutely the wrong way to go . It all sounds very good, but they're not worth the money for the very reasons mentioned. Put your hard earned money on one of the top brands that we've discussed (I use the eneloop bats) and you simply can't go wrong. In the long run, you'll get the most bang for your buck - BY FAR!!

Good MDing To All,
Dom in Jersey

 

[Critterhunter]

Yea, I mean in a pinch you can blast charge a pack in say 20 or 30 minutes or less but that should be the rare occasion. A 1 hour or less charge rate is fine here and there too, but don't make it routine. At least keep a fan on the pack to keep it as cool as possible when charging. Some guys even lay them on top of one of those plastic coolor freeze packs while charging (make sure it isn't sweating causing a short!). A hot pack destroys it's life span.