fmgst@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Filip Gieszczykiewicz) (08/16/90)
Greetings. I'm sure all of you have heard that a way of "fixing" dead NiCad's (that have grown crystals inside and shorted out) was to "blow" them with a large capacitor. Here's what they don't tell you: The batteries are usually well made, however the (+) cap is connected to the battery (insides) with a small, thin, "shoddy", steel band. When you discharge the capacitor through a battery that has that metal band corroded - IT BLOWS LIKE A FUSE. ******* Just thought I mention that. I killed 8 AA batteries that way last night. I took a .8 Farad (yup!) 10V cap and charged it well and blow the batteries to battery-hell! Out of 19 batteries, 8 are dead, 2 are not working because they are dry inside, and the rest are doing great! By the way, if you are cheap, like me :-), you can still use the blown batteries. I took the (+) cap off, soldered a wire to the remainder of the metal band, and covered the top of the battery with epoxy - to keep it from drying out - the work just fine. (There is no relief "valve" now so if I short them, they explode like granades ;-) Take care. -- _______________________________________________________________________________ "The Force will be with you, always." It _is_ with me and has been for 10 years Filip Gieszczykiewicz "A man without a dream is like a fish without water." FMGST@PITTVMS or fmgst@unix.cis.pitt.edu "My ideas. ALL MINE!!"