charging niMH batteries for dummies

[vaskidmark]

OK, so most of my rechargable batteries do well in the charger I've got.  But I've got a couple of AAs that are rated for 2500 mAh and 2700 mAh and the charger only goes up to 1000mAh charging rate.

Am I boned, or can I actually get these batteries charged up to/close to rated capacity in the charger I have: this one http://www.mahaenergy.com/store/viewitem.asp?idproduct=423 .

Thank you for not laughing too loudly at the battery dummy.

stay safe.

[lee n. field]

Should be able to.  It'll just take longer than an hour.

The charging rate isn't the same thing as the max charge. 

[erictank]

Should be able to.  It'll just take longer than an hour.

The charging rate isn't the same thing as the max charge. 

This.

Your batteries should take you about 2.5 and 2.7 hours to charge, respectively, at the rate you list.  Easy-peasy.  And most decent chargbers these days are "smart" enough to charge the batteries fully, then either maintain a trickle charge to hold it at full, or at least open the charging circuit to prevent overcharging and damaging battery and charger (reset by removing the battery and put the next one in, no sweat - my cheapest charger does this, the other, slightly-more-expensive one will trickle-charge).

I've got an el-cheapo 18V NiMH-batt drill, intended to run a costume minigun, which has the dumbest of dumb chargers - won't shut off when the battery's full, and will damage itself and the battery if you leave it on overnight. Think it was $10 at Harbor Freight, and it'll do the job I need, so it's okay.  I just didn't think anyone sold chargers that dumb anymore.

[GigaBuist]

Like the others said a charge rate of 1000mAh will charge a 2500mAh battery in 2.5 hours.  No biggie, but the charger you linked to has a max recharge rate of 2000mAh.  Max DISCHARGE rate is 1000mAh though.

[vaskidmark]

It worked!

My wallet and my heart thank you, as well as my ego for not taking an easy shot at the dummy.  I scare myself sometimes thinking of the things I do based on "monkey see - monkey do" as opposed to actually knowing how/why something works.

stay safe.

[zahc]

I actually have a fancy Hobbico charger that has a 'safety feature' where it aborts the charge if it takes longer than an hour. The trouble is, it only goes up to 2 amps. I think it was made in the era of 900mAh NiCads, because given the 2500mAh cells available now, it times out before the batteries even get charged.