Update White's battery

[galaxy51]

I recently bought a used XLT that came with a rechargeable battery. It tested at 6 volts and my efforts to recharge it have only attained about 8 1/2 or maybe 9 volts. I am assuming this nicad battery is close to the end of its useful life as it should reach a somewhat higher voltage than that? Could it still be useful at that voltage?
A friend of mine suggested taking it to a local business that deals only in batteries used in portable devices. Maybe they can rebuild the battery pack. The question I have is this. Would it be wise to have the rebuilder use NIMH or lithium cells rather than the older NICADs that are presently in the case? I didn't get a charger with the XLT so I would need to purchase a charger anyway. (I used the 12 volt 300 mA DC power supply borrowed from a wall clock for the initial charging attempt)

 

[khouse]

Buy 8 nimh AA batteries and charger. Take the batteries out to charge them.

 

[Rick(ND)]

Sounds like you have some bad cells in that pack and they will not work anymore, so it is best to replace them with a new pack, or take it to Interstate battery or Battery Plus and have them replaced all 8 with Nickle hydrides(cost me $30 for a freind of mine). Next would be get a charger made for this pack as the one you are using probably will not work as I believe the charger should be putting out 13 or 14 volts for it to charge if I remember right when I had mine.
The other option is like khouse says is to get 8 rechargeable battery's and a charger that will charge them all and put in the alkaline pack after they are charged.

 

[Jeff In North Georgia]

Here is a link on how to change a Whites AA alkaline pack to a rechargeable pack. Use AA rechargeable with 2500 mAh or more and it will last a lot longer than the factory pack.

http://www.hdwt.net/batterypack.html

Good luck!
Jeff

 

[Dan-Pa.]

First and foremost did the charging unit you used do the job, nope won't work as they go out betweem 8 and 9 volts.
1.Buy 8 NiMh batteries and a charger for same and use the alkaline pack, bit of a problems switching them over from charger to alkaline pack but works well.
2. Do the mod as aforementioned.
3...Buy the standard rechargeable pack from a whites dealer..