How Does the Wii Remote Charging Dock Work?

Components

A Wii Remote charging dock is an aftermarket rechargeable battery system for the Nintendo Wii Remote. Charging docks are manufactured in kits comprised of a NiMH battery pack, a customized cover to secure the battery into place, the charging dock to deliver power to the Wii Remote and a power cord.

Installing the Battery Pack

The rechargeable battery pack fits snugly into the Wii Remote's original AA battery slot. Metal prongs on the battery pack make contact with the Wii Remote's two metal contact points, while two additional contact points on the battery pack's opposite side remain exposed through a small cutaway in the battery cover once it's locked into place.

Seating on the Dock

The Wii Remote is seated on the dock with buttons facing out, so the exposed contact points on the back side make contact with the dock's contact pass points and complete the electrical circuit from the power source to the battery pack. Charging stations may be manufactured to hold two or four Wii Remotes simultaneously, and draw power from either an AC wall adapter or a cable connected to the Wii console's USB slot.

Initial Charging

While the rechargeable battery pack contains a small charge from the manufacturer, it must be fully charged on the dock before using. As soon as the Wii Remote slides into place on the powered-up dock, charging begins. The Wii Remote's LEDs will not turn on, but most docks have their own lights indicating a charge in progress and a completed charge.

The initial charge time varies on the number of Wii Remotes being charged. The dock may take up to four hours to fully charge single a Wii Remote, and exponentially longer for more Wii remotes. After charging is complete and the Wii Remote is removed, the dock will still consume electricity until it is unplugged.

Playing and Recharging

Once the Wii Remote is fully charged, it must be re-synced with the Wii console prior to play. The new battery cover is removed to access the red sync button and held down while pressing the red sync button on the Wii console. All four LED lights on the Wii Remote will blink, indicating a full charge.

After play, recharging the NiMH battery varies depending on the life of the battery. A fully charged battery may provide approximately 25 hours of operation and two hours to recharge. Multiple Wii Remotes recharged simultaneously may take up to eight hours to recharge.