Build Instructions

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  Step 1

  Greetings fellow Enthusiasts

  Let me introduce myself. I'm Bones MacGyver. I like to make sparks.

  I'm going to do my best to help out the community with their battery woes.

  By no means am I a battery expert. But I have used and abused MANY Ni-Cd cells (and other types) to see what works best.

  Interested? Read on...

  I will try to make it as beginner friendly as possible without getting boring for the more advanced.

  For the types of circuits discussed on this site, miniature battery size is a must. The most important thing in my opinion is dependable batteries. (C'mon now, what good is a shot G*n with shells that are duds!!)

  I know a lot of you must have issues with batteries failing. Most of you probably use re-chargeable Ni-Cd batteries. I know I DID use a lot myself.

  Ni-Cd's are great for high drain devices that get used frequently. Ex: Cordless Drill

  The MAH rating or Milliamp hour rating defines how long your battery can supply voltage to a load at a determined number of Amps

  Most Problems arise due to under-use or over charging.

  Let me Explain:

  You should charge a 9.6v 350Mah Ni-Cd battery pack (8 series connected 1.2v cells) At the recommended current ( for the battery in this example we would charge it at max 0.03A or 30Ma for 14 hours)

  It's best to charge Ni-Cd batteries at minimum current for a longer time period. This is because of the chemical reactions taking place in the battery. After all, batteries are just containers that house a chemical reaction. We know this method works well because Ni-Cd Technology is antique Literally.

  If you store the Battery pack for too long without using it, the cells in the battery undergo a reverse charging process and they can be damaged irreversibly

  What happens is if you don't use the (Ni-Cd) batteries often, they develop what are called “whiskers” by battery enthusiasts. These whiskers are really just a crystalline chemical deposit on the Anode of the cell. The anode is marked with the + (positive) on the outside of the battery. The other half of the cell is called the Cathode. The Cathode is marked – (negative). The anode and cathode are basically just two dissimilar metals. There is also an electrolyte. The electrolyte is the medium that helps the chemical magic take place (electricity).

  One way you can store them safely is by using the “trickle charging” method. This would be a good idea. Trickle charging involves constantly charging the cells at an extremely low rate. Small solar panels are a good option. Im not going in to details here. Think solar garden lights..

  Some Ni-|Cd chargers are no good to say the least. They have no way to determine if your cells are working correctly. The cheap ones are simply a rectified transformer that you plug in the wall. In my opinion they are unsafe. If you must use this type of charger PLEASE use a plug-in Lamp type Timer to limit the time the charger is turned on.

  Most of you don't care about all the science behind how the battery works. If you are interested in battery chemistry there are tons of sites online specifically dedicated to the subject.

  I always liked Ni-Cd batteries. They are high power and lightweight

  But in my head something kept saying to me “There must be something better”

  With all the modern developments in battery technology like Lithium polymer, Lithium Ion, Lithium Iron phosphate I knew one would “fit the bill” per say.

  I thought to myself: “ What do the big boy's use”

  You all know who I mean. The big fancy 5 letter word.

  Ok one more hint: Your local LEO's and military probably have these devices to torture detainee's and put your grandmother in her place when she “steps out of line”.

  Wire and darts ring a bell?

  Well the solution they have is simple and effective.

  They power they're toys with nonrechargeable3V 123A Lithium Camera cells

  2 cells are enough to power they're torture/grandma killin devices...

  Primary (non rechargeable) lithium 123 cells" have a voltage of 3.0-3.1V typically when they're fresh.

  Theses cells are very dependable. They are lightweight and have a very high capacity to size ratio.

  They can be stored for up to 10 years and still have 80% capacity

  Some cells have a capacity of 2000 Milliamp hours(or more). That means you could draw 2000 milliamps (2 amps) for one hour OR 1 Milliamp for 2000 hours. That equals a lot of valuable run time in a miniature package.

  They are so tiny and powerful! They are the perfect batteries.

  You can get small single battery holders online that work nicely

  For testing purposes,I recommend getting some Rechargeable 123A cells

  Never run them completely flat until the device stops working!!!

  In fact, you should NEVER do this with ANY type of rechargeable batteries.

  You can get cheap chargers that work great.

  Only ever use a charger specifically for these batteries.

  The chemistry is different so you must charge them accordingly. These types of rechargeable batteries are finicky. They must be “smart charged” with special requirements. It's worth the extra trouble for testing purposes.

  So if you want to store some batteries in your circuit so you can demonstrate electrical discharges at a moments notice.....

  123A Lithium camera cells. Not the rechargeable ones. They are even stable in a wide variety of temperature extremes!!

  Look at what the modern high powered L.E.D. flashlights use. The military uses them in their flashlight's as well as other devices because of their dependable nature and extreme awesomeness.

  Paper written by: Bones MacGyver

  April 2014

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