Battery reconditioning

cduda · Post by **cduda** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 2:05 pm

We have a Motorola battery conditioner in which we condition our batteries appx every 6 months. When I was cycling through the batteries this week, I have 2 batteries which say battery fault and cannot get them to condition. Any ideas how to fix it? They still hold a charge but will not cycle?

Als0---When the conditioning is complete, it tells you the MaH and volts that are left. When is it time that the battery be replaced on the MaH?

Thank you

rrfd43 · Post by **rrfd43** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 2:56 pm

I replace them at 80% of rated capcity. Anything lower than this I start noticing poor batter proformance. For the cost of batteries used in a critical situation (fire/police) it's not worth keeping them any longer.

For example:
1200 mAh I replace at about 950 tested mAh.

RKG · Post by **RKG** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:29 pm

Usually, a reported battery "fault" is a failed cell. Depending on the mode of failure, you either have a battery of lower than design voltage (by 1.5 volt) (failed short) or less (failed open). While the battery may appear to have some function under a light load, it will not rise to the voltage, or accept the current, that the conditioner expects to see. Discard and replace.

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 10:38 pm

RKG wrote:
. Discard and replace.

What??? We should ALL recycle our old wornout batteries.

WB6NVH · Post by **WB6NVH** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 11:23 pm

What about those clowns who think "recycling" means to sell your DOA batteries on eBay with a statement like "Came from a working environment, but sold as-is" ?

RKG · Post by **RKG** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:20 am

Will wrote:
RKG wrote:
. Discard and replace.

What??? We should ALL recycle our old wornout batteries.

Sorry; I meant "discard" in an operational sense, i.e., quit trying to use it. I was not intending to dictate a method of disposal.

Post by **escomm** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:31 am

Will wrote:
RKG wrote:
. Discard and replace.

What??? We should ALL recycle our old wornout batteries.

Hooray for the blue trashcans!

j/k

Post by **wavetar** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:40 am

For warranty purposes, we follow the 80% guidline which most manufacturers follow. For maintenance agreement customers & batteries which are out of warranty, we go with 70%. Once you get below that mark, the chances of sudden or extremely quick battery failure start to increase dramatically.

Todd

kj7xe · Post by **kj7xe** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:34 am

wavetar wrote:For warranty purposes, we follow the 80% guidline which most manufacturers follow. For maintenance agreement customers & batteries which are out of warranty, we go with 70%. Once you get below that mark, the chances of sudden or extremely quick battery failure start to increase dramatically.

Todd

This is basically how we do it here and it works out for the most part. I love it when somebody comes in complaining that their battery 'won't hold a charge' or 'my radio doesn't work' and the date on the side says "10/97"...

On a side note, we recycle our batteries (less alkaline) via call2recycle.org, they mail us empty boxes with ziplock bags and when they get full they we mail them back with their prepaid shipping labels. Not a bad deal at all...