So I bought one of those cool chinese battery chargers that can charge any type of battery and in a lot of sizes. By default it charges it at 500 mA but i can be set up to 2000 mA. Is it safe to discharge-refresh AA and AAA batteries to 2000 mA to speed up the process?
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2\$\begingroup\$ At the current the manufacturer specifies in the datasheet. \$\endgroup\$– PlasmaHHJan 31, 2017 at 21:41
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\$\begingroup\$ Where can I find the datasheet? \$\endgroup\$– thelolcatJan 31, 2017 at 21:45
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\$\begingroup\$ the manufacturer should provide it \$\endgroup\$– PlasmaHHJan 31, 2017 at 21:54
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1 Answer
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As PlasmaHH commented, for optimal life and full battery capacity the charger must follow manufacturer's specifications.
Rechargeable cells can be different, normal charge, rapid charging, fast discharge, etc. In case when detailed specifications (like this one) cannot be found, the rule of thumb is to charge NiMH batteries at 0.1C (C=rated capacity). Therefore, for a typical AAA rechargable 1.2V battery with typical capacity of 800 mAh, the charge current should not exceed 80 mA, so the 500mA is a clear overkill, literally. For AA with 2500mA typical capacity the charge should be done at 250mA, but 500mA could be fine (0.2C rate). Unless the battery cell is designated as "rapid charge", when the charge current can be at 1C or more. So, the answer is "it depends", and the mileage can vary.
answered Jan 31, 2017 at 21:57