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[Terry]

I want to convert my dry cell transmitter to rechargeables. Have seen 2000 mAh eneloops at a very affordable price. My question is this: I am never going to completely discharge my transmitter during a few hours sailing, and these batteries have a low self discharge rate, so will it be Ok to give the batteries a full charge cycle before each trip to the lake, to be sure, or will this be detrimental to them.

[barriew]

My guess is that you will only need to re-charge these about once per season The normal rechargeable pack that Futaba used to supply was a 500MaHr NiCd and that lasted at least one session.  Eneloop are NiMh  technology as far as I know, and therefore do not suffer from the so called memory effect. This means that you do not have to discharge them completely before re-charging.

Barrie

[malcolmfrary]

Assuming that these are NiMH or NiCad batteries, then fast charging with a smart fast charger (i.e. one that senses a full charge and switches itself down) or a trickle charger (i.e. charging at the 24 hour rate), no harm will be done.

[CF-FZG]

If you get Eneloops, (excellent packs btw), just make sure you don't trickle charge them, they really don't like it and will refuse to play ball.

The best advice I can give with them is to use the Eneloop charger, and treat them the same as the originals in the Tx - i.e. keep an eye on the Tx voltage and recharge when they start getting low.


Mark.

[malcolmfrary]

Just had a look at the instructions (I know, a last resort for the desperate) at 

http://www.eneloop.info/fileadmin/EDITORS/ENELOOP/MANUALS/CHARGERS/MDR02_manual.pdf

They indicate that the charger expects to work with well discharged batteries, two at a time.  Ordinary AA cells can be charged with a normal low current wall charger overnight and be good for many hours operation in a TX.  Charging these a pair at a time will take plenty of time and show little advantage, apart from first use.

[CF-FZG]

You can get 4 and 8 cell chargers for them too

[tobyker]

You can get an excellent 8 cell NiMh charger from 7dayshop, and ir comes with a"discharge before recharge" button.

[nick_75au]

Hobby King sell a version called low self discharge Ni-Mh for about $1.29 each
I've had good results with them.

Nick