How to Charge NiMH Batteries in an RC Car
NiMH (Nickel-Metal-Hydride) batteries can be commonly found in RC cars used by RC enthusiasts. Unlike other RC batteries, NiMH batteries can always be charged to maximum capacity, giving you peak long-lasting performance every time. Care must be taken when charging your NiMH batteries though, as failure to follow the proper charging procedures can lead to battery damage, ruining an entire battery pack if just a single cell is overcharged or if you use too high of an amperage.
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Things You'll Need
- RC car
- Wood block
- NiMH RC car battery pack
- NiMH peak-detection battery charger
Instructions
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1
Discharge the battery pack by running the batteries out using your car. Drive the car around until it runs out of charge and stops, or place the car on a mount with the wheels raised and run the batteries out by pressing the throttle until the wheels stop rotating.
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2
Remove the battery pack from your RC car by unplugging the battery cable from the car's electric system and then unstrapping it from the car body.
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3
Attach the battery pack to a NiMH peak-detection battery charger. Connect the battery pack so that the positive and negative sides of the pack are mated with the positive and negative sides of the charger.
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4
Set the charger to 3.5 Amps for a moderate charge rate to prevent too high an amperage from damaging your batteries.
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5
Turn on the charger to begin charging the battery pack. As the batteries charge, the peak detection charger will monitor the present state of the charge and automatically cut off when the battery has reached capacity, preventing damaging overcharges.
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Disconnect the battery pack from the charger and return it to your vehicle. Do not plug the pack into the electrical system of your RC car until you are ready to use the car.
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Tips & Warnings
Cycle the battery through a charge, discharge state once a week at minimum.
Peak detectors can fail, touch the battery pack occasionally and if the pack becomes hot to the touch, remove it from the charger.
