Discharging

[duker]

I have a few things I would like cleared up if any of you could help me:

Is discharging absolutely neccesary for a NiCAD battery?
Will not discharging my battery damage it and/or cause it to lose power faster?
Is leaving the battery in the gun not good for the battery?
Should I be discharging my NiCAD battery after each use (how long can a battery safely remain charged)?

And any other info would be much appreciated. Sorry if these questions have been answered, I just have had trouble finding good answers to these questions.

[Greylocks]

Is discharging absolutely neccesary for a NiCAD battery?

"Absolutely? No. Good idea? Yes."

Will not discharging my battery damage it and/or cause it to lose power faster?

"It may. Since batteries can cost over $60, do you really want to take the risk?"

Is leaving the battery in the gun not good for the battery?

"Like removing the magazine from a real gun, remove the power source after use."

Should I be discharging my NiCAD battery after each use (how long can a battery safely remain charged)?

"Charge before a game, go play, discharge when you get home."

And any other info would be much appreciated. Sorry if these questions have been answered, I just have had trouble finding good answers to these questions.

"Did you read the FAQ section?"

[Spiers]

Hey, I took a skim through the thorugh the faq and couldn't find anything on this...It's around time I discharge my battery for the first time and I was wondering if using a piece of conductive metal to connect the two terminals would be an acceptable way of doing so or if I need some funky piece of equipment? Thanks.

[-Rubix-]

Originally Posted by Spiers

Hey, I took a skim through the thorugh the faq and couldn't find anything on this...It's around time I discharge my battery for the first time and I was wondering if using a piece of conductive metal to connect the two terminals would be an acceptable way of doing so or if I need some funky piece of equipment? Thanks.

Neither- connecting the two terminals with wire would generate a lot of heat, and is most likely dangerous. You also don't need anything fancy- I use a PC fan, others use car headlights. You simply need something that will drain the battery without generating too much heat.

Edit- I suggest you drain your battery after games, and charge it prior to future games. This ensures you will have a full battery when the time comes, resulting in longer play and better ROF.

[nemattoad]

Originally Posted by -Rubix-

Neither- connecting the two terminals with wire would generate a lot of heat, and is most likely dangerous. You also don't need anything fancy- I use a PC fan, others use car headlights. You simply need something that will drain the battery without generating too much heat.

Edit- I suggest you drain your battery after games, and charge it prior to future games. This ensures you will have a full battery when the time comes, resulting in longer play and better ROF.

If your charger doesn't have a specific mode for discharging, the above mentioned ideas are good. Connecting the two terminals is a VERY bad idea, not only can it damage the batteries, it could start a fire. In the past, I have used a pc fan for discharging ni-cads. Although this method is fairly reliable, it can take a long time if your battery still had a fair amount of power and is high capacity. It really depends on the battery and fan so YMMV.

[Korneil]

I just want to be sure I understand this right. When coming back from a game I discharge the battery. When empty I recharge it right away so it is ready for he next time or wait and charge it a couple hours before a game.

Right?

Is leaving a battery empty for an extended period of time "harmful" to a battery?

[Greylocks]

Simple; a few hours before a game, you charge your batteries. After the game, you discharge your batteries.
Mine have never suffered from staying discharged for days, weeks or months before being used again.

Check the FAQ... how to treat batteries is mentioned.

[yanhchan]

I believe connecting the two wires together is called Short Circuiting. It has the similar effect of licking a 9V battery...

[Greylocks]

A wire between the two connectors will create a nice fire. Enjoy the show.

Use a discharger, or a charger with that feature, or a small computer fan, or a 12 volt car signal light.

[Mantelope]

www.batteryuniversity.com