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Do you always do a conditioning full charge of your batteries before an assignement?

Otto Haring

New member
Do you always do a conditioning full charge of your AA batteries fro your flashes before an assignment?

I usually simply recharge my batteries in the "Soft Charge Mode". Do you recondition your batteries?

I use a maha mh 800s charger and Eneloop batteries.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Otto,

I refresh my batteries before use, but only use the ones for Canon or Ricoh cameras.

Asher
 
Do you always do a conditioning full charge of your AA batteries fro your flashes before an assignment?

I usually simply recharge my batteries in the "Soft Charge Mode". Do you recondition your batteries?

Hi Otto,

As Jerome said, when using a good charger, modern AA batteries (often NiMh) do not exhibit a 'memory' like NiCd batteries do. Only after al long time of use there may be a small benefit for the total charge capacity to recondition.

More important is that you assemble sets of similar performance per flash unit. I usually buy them in sets of 8 or 12, and bundle the ones with similar discharge capacity. When one battery can hold significantly less charge than the others (which a charge-discharge-charge cycle will tell you), it will determine the number of flashes you get from the set, and when pushed to its limits you could damage the battery by deep discharging it.

Cheers,
Bart
 

Otto Haring

New member
Hi Otto,

As Jerome said, when using a good charger, modern AA batteries (often NiMh) do not exhibit a 'memory' like NiCd batteries do. Only after al long time of use there may be a small benefit for the total charge capacity to recondition.

More important is that you assemble sets of similar performance per flash unit. I usually buy them in sets of 8 or 12, and bundle the ones with similar discharge capacity. When one battery can hold significantly less charge than the others (which a charge-discharge-charge cycle will tell you), it will determine the number of flashes you get from the set, and when pushed to its limits you could damage the battery by deep discharging it.

Cheers,
Bart

Wow! I didn't think about this? Do you mark the batteries in the same set? I have 20 eneloops and I didn't mark them at all....! :(
How can I tell which batteries are similar regarding discharge capacity?
 
Wow! I didn't think about this? Do you mark the batteries in the same set? I have 20 eneloops and I didn't mark them at all....! :(
How can I tell which batteries are similar regarding discharge capacity?

Hi Otto,

The chargers that I use all have a numerical display that shows various details. The most important indicator to me is the mA extracted during a 'total' discharge after being fully charged (it's one of the preprogrammed cycles I can choose). That shows the total discharge capacity that can be used, and I match the best set (4 for my flash) from the bunch, then the second best set, etc.

I keep them in battery boxes where I can keep them together in the order of discharge capacity (+ up means charged and ready for use, + down means used and charging required). Sometimes the batteries come with sleeves for 4 batteries. After some time of use I just run the batteries through a charge-discharge-charge cycle, and sort them again in order of highest to lowest discharge capacity. That should also eliminate any memory effect, however slight it might be, and cells that deteriorate faster than normal will automatically end up at the rear of the bunch together with similar performers.

Cheers,
Bart
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
A little tip that I decided on several years ago - when I started collecting quite a few sets of NiMh batteries that were of the same brand and rating, but may have been purchased at different times or sets of 4 that I wanted to charge and use together - - - was to use my wife's Nail Polish to put markings on each set of four.

The nail polish is very durable and glossy and comes in different colours, making it very easy to keep separate sets out, when I get back from a job where I have thrown all of the dispensed batteries together in my camera bag.


BTW - I have never done any preconditioning of my batteries - just charge them until the charging light changes colour.



Rob
 

Otto Haring

New member
Hi Otto,

The chargers that I use all have a numerical display that shows various details. The most important indicator to me is the mA extracted during a 'total' discharge after being fully charged (it's one of the preprogrammed cycles I can choose). That shows the total discharge capacity that can be used, and I match the best set (4 for my flash) from the bunch, then the second best set, etc.

I keep them in battery boxes where I can keep them together in the order of discharge capacity (+ up means charged and ready for use, + down means used and charging required). Sometimes the batteries come with sleeves for 4 batteries. After some time of use I just run the batteries through a charge-discharge-charge cycle, and sort them again in order of highest to lowest discharge capacity. That should also eliminate any memory effect, however slight it might be, and cells that deteriorate faster than normal will automatically end up at the rear of the bunch together with similar performers.

Cheers,
Bart

Bart,

Can you tell me what kind of chargers do you use? Or maybe a link where I can buy them?
 

Otto Haring

New member
A little tip that I decided on several years ago - when I started collecting quite a few sets of NiMh batteries that were of the same brand and rating, but may have been purchased at different times or sets of 4 that I wanted to charge and use together - - - was to use my wife's Nail Polish to put markings on each set of four.

The nail polish is very durable and glossy and comes in different colours, making it very easy to keep separate sets out, when I get back from a job where I have thrown all of the dispensed batteries together in my camera bag.


BTW - I have never done any preconditioning of my batteries - just charge them until the charging light changes colour.



Rob

I will consult my wife about this! :) GREAT IDEA! :)
 
Bart,

Can you tell me what kind of chargers do you use? Or maybe a link where I can buy them?

I have several from what I think is a local brand (Voltcraft), and one of them is also sold under the LaCrosse BC-700 brand/model name. There is also a more powerful version, but the rapid charging it allows will reduce the battery life time. It was discussed here on OPF earlier (you were considering getting one back then), although under a different brand name/type.

Cheers,
Bart
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
I will consult my wife about this! :) GREAT IDEA! :)


Actually a great way to Colour Code your keys too! My mother always used to do that - so must be an oldtime method for organizing - - - I just decided to adapt it to my battery sets, and it works great.


-----

EDIT : I just had to do a Google Search after this response got me wondering - - - used "color code keys nail polish"- and there is tons about it on the web. Hilarious.


Rob
 
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