Re: ATM Battery Renewal

[mjc5 <mjc5@psu.edu>]

	A Gel-Cel is a modified (gooey gelled electrolyte) version of a
lead-acid battery, and as such won't respond to the treatmen given to
nicad batteries. Sounds like time for a new gel-cell 8^(

	Even the shorting biz for the nicads is overrated. It only needs done
if the battery is in pretty bad shape. Then you put some charge on it
and short it out (be very careful if you do try this folks, I don't
really recommend it. NiCads can put out quite a bit of current onder a
dead short, and you could burn yourself or overheat the battery. The
heat is what is supposed to do the trick.

	- Mike -

Jim and Sue Sapp wrote:
> 
> Hi Folks,
>      Are there any battery gurus out there? Maybe some of you amateur radio
> guys can answer this:
>      In the dim reaches of my fading memory, back when all things electrical
> were a hobby, instead of a narrow digital field a profession, I had a little
> electronics project book that had a circuit called a "zapper" that was
> intended to renew old NiCad batteries. If I remember the text correctly, as
> NiCads age they lose their ability to recharge due to some hairy stuff that
> grows inside them and shorts them out. This zapper circuit would supposedly
> apply a large voltage (or current?) to them and "zap" the hairy stuff away.
> Does this ring a bell to anyone? I'd like to/need to have that knowledge
> again. - Which brings me to my second question:
>      I have a 12v gel-cell that seems to have a couple of shorted cells. It
> won't take more than about 9 volts of charge anymore. This is one of the
> three portable power sources I use to feed my inefficient and power hungry
> telescopes in the feild, and would like to renew it somehow without coughing
> up the coin to buy a new battery. Do any of you guys know of a way to "zap"
> a gel-cell back to health?
> 
> - Jim