How To Revive Dead/Deep-Discharged NiMH Batteries Easily

Ғылым және технология

Recently, my Roomba (iRobot) wasn't charging as it was kept for 2 years as it is.
I pulled out the battery pack and found that it's voltage was only 0.37v which means all the cells were deep discharged and probably dead. I put apart the battery pack and found 12 cells each 1.2v 3000mah capacity C type NiMH batteries. Then I measured voltages of all of all of them. Some measured 0.01V, some 0.04V and some 0.03V, which means all of them were dead. I tried charging them separately from my Nitecore Smart Charger but it showed an error.
I was going to dispose them off, but on doing some research I found out NiMH cells have good life and they don't die that easily. They can get deep discharged and can be revived easily unlike lithium cells. This means the cells aren't really dead? In most cases, yes.
So I found this great trick to revive dead NiMh batteries. To my surprise, it worked! You just need 1 cell that isn't dead (fully or partially charged) above 1.2V. Luckily I was somehow able to charge one cell from my charger directly. I don't know how that happended.
In this video, I am going to show you a simple trick which can revive your dead batteries in less than a minute. From 0.01v the voltage rised to 1.25v and then I could charge them normally with any compatible charger. Might not work in all cases. Make sure to charge the batteries within half and hour as they are not going to hold the increased voltage for long.
CAUTION: This trick only works for NiMH batteries which are 'rechargeable'. Don't try this with lithium/alkaline or any other type of batteries!
Even for NiMH batteries this MAY NOT work.
Perform this experiment at your own risk.
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Пікірлер: 82

  • @IntelliAli
    @IntelliAli Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much. I know great deal about batteries but this never occurred to me. I threw 2 x DEAD 1.2v 1300mah niCd batteries in the bin. after seeing your video, Both now charging and working fine now. Thank you for making this video.

  • @johndopedo3298
    @johndopedo32982 жыл бұрын

    You can also use a 4.2v Lithium battery. I've done it hundreds of times--but you should only let it touch it NOT for 10 seconds, but only for 1 second at a time, keep checking the voltage or til the charger will recognize it. I've done it with a 12 volt battery too, but the batteries were 1.2v and like 4000mAH. Again, only touching MOMENTARILY until the dead one "wakes up". If you don't see a little spark, you got a dead/high resistance/open/ bad battery.

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    2 жыл бұрын

    Oh, thanks for the tip! I just don't like to mess around with lithium batteries :')

  • @karimgeniokarim-genio5086

    @karimgeniokarim-genio5086

    3 ай бұрын

    ok let me get this straight (non english speaker) : if i use another NIMH 1.2v batterie to revive the "DEAD" i have to hold the wires for 10-15 seconds; if i use a 3.7v/4.2v lithium or 12V battery to revive a nimh i must hold for 1-2 seconds; is this correct ?????

  • @tkd128

    @tkd128

    2 ай бұрын

    I would not recommend using Lithium-Ion batteries for this, or using this method on them. The biggest disadvantage with Li-Ion batteries is that they can cause explosive fires easily that are hard to put down. If you remember certain Samsung Note phones, hoverboards not being allowed on airplanes, or saw some fires with EV car batteries, Those are lithium based batteries. They normally have protective mechanisms but less reputable ones might not. By doing this operation you cause a huge current (about 2A, there was a video where another person is showing this method and he got 6A) to go through (it's the biggest at initial connection then goes down) which can rapidly heat the battery and if you're unlucky trigger fire. Even without fire this will put huge stress on on Li-Ion which was not designed for high current so you might be saving one battery at the cost of another.

  • @sigataros

    @sigataros

    19 күн бұрын

    @@tkd128 its fine as long as you do it for a little bit, you can short any lithium ion cell but as long as it doesnt become too hot its fine

  • @stegususcley2655
    @stegususcley26552 жыл бұрын

    Havent tried it yet,but I got put all my old rechargables that I saved for some reason.ALL have said hhis works,and the same response from viewers on similar videos. I believe it will work and thank you ahead of time.You and others offering this technique across KZread are saving folks a lot of money. 2 thumbs up bud.👍👍

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks! I hope it works for you as well 😄

  • @praveenkumargupta3474
    @praveenkumargupta34743 жыл бұрын

    Great work brother, keep it up!!!

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks!

  • @thzzzt
    @thzzzt Жыл бұрын

    This worked for me. I have the PowerEx MH-C808M charger and had some dead (0v) NiMH D cells. The charger simply wouldn't recognize that I inserted them. I used a new alkaline D cell to "jump start" as shown, except I held the wires for 30 seconds rather than 10. Then the charger at least recognized the D cells. I ran the cells thru a "condition" cycle, a feature of the charger, which took a few days, and the batteries seem good now.

  • @DayTradeJourney
    @DayTradeJourney Жыл бұрын

    Wow! It worked! I was able to revive a 20-year-old 6-cell ni-cad battery pack for my old RC car by doing your method. It's like jump starting a dead car battery!

  • @koppo5657

    @koppo5657

    Жыл бұрын

    Was it NiCD?

  • @OmarDelawar
    @OmarDelawar2 жыл бұрын

    Awesome tip Saiyam! Shukria! I am going to try reviving my old cells now.

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're most welcome :)

  • @isaisthere
    @isaisthere3 жыл бұрын

    You saved my life bro.. 3 sets of 5000 mah was about to be thrown away. They are charging now.. Thanks alot.

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    Good to know :)

  • @lakyljuk
    @lakyljuk2 жыл бұрын

    It worked! Dead battery had 0,120 V and charger marked is as faulty. I connected it to good battery and after 15 seconds or so, I put dead battery into charger and it started charging it, thank you so much.

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    2 жыл бұрын

    Great! :)

  • @mountris7can
    @mountris7can22 күн бұрын

    very nice video!!!Sure we would like the reassemble video of the battery pack. let me know ,did you use the same cell for reviving each one of the dead ones?or did also exist and another cell with enough voltage too which you used in addition?

  • @raimolewing8962
    @raimolewing89623 жыл бұрын

    Great presentation, Saiyam. I have two Roomba battery packs dead due to long use interruption. Before disassembling them, I would like to see how the cells are rebuilt after the charging. Could you do a short video of that too.

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! I will try my best to make a video of that. Although the cells are spot welded with nickel strips and I don't have a spot welder with me so I'll just try to solder them together (which is actually not recommended) and let's see if it works.

  • @pkundrat

    @pkundrat

    Жыл бұрын

    @@SaiyamAgrawal Would be interesting to see how you reassembled the pack back. I was opening the pack today too - but i realized as they were all in series, there is no need to separate them from nickel strips - went pretty smoothly charging one by one (nickel strips are nice to clip crocks on). Now i would be mostly interested how to restore the shrink wrapped cover (although it is mostly aesthetic issue only)

  • @en2oh
    @en2oh3 жыл бұрын

    isn't this just a voltage effect? Can't you apply 1.2v or so, from any source to revive these individual cells? The dead cell doesn't know anything about the chemistry of the donor cell :)

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    Ideally, it should work but I haven't tried :')

  • @alexherrera3918
    @alexherrera39183 жыл бұрын

    NIce video.. ihave a battery pack of two batteries..one seems to be death and the other not , do i neeed to remove plastic cover in order to try this? thanks

  • @DynastyGamingAndTech
    @DynastyGamingAndTech9 ай бұрын

    thank you, it works!

  • @Blarnix
    @Blarnix3 жыл бұрын

    Can you make a video on how to disassemble and reassemble the roomba battery? That’s the part I’m nervous about.

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    I have already disassembled the pack so can't make a video of that but for the reassembly, I'll surely try.

  • @ZenGadgets
    @ZenGadgets Жыл бұрын

    Nice.

  • @user-zf7jn7yr7r
    @user-zf7jn7yr7r Жыл бұрын

    good vid! how do tell the difference from + or + wire? And do make a reassembly video of the Roomba pack.

  • @tomikun8057

    @tomikun8057

    23 күн бұрын

    if you connect a wire to + then its a + wire it's not something unique to the wire

  • @vivekvasava8224
    @vivekvasava82243 жыл бұрын

    You are best

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much 🙏🏻

  • @kafakoparan
    @kafakoparan9 ай бұрын

    My varta NiMh AA batteries are able to be charged normally but not with quick charge mode. What is the problem of these batteries? They were quick charging before without a problem but they now only charge with normal charge mode.

  • @flyrobin2544
    @flyrobin2544 Жыл бұрын

    I used the same trick on my 3.7v lithium batteries, except I put them in a 18650 flashlight with a good battery. Same trick but a lot safer.

  • @enchodus
    @enchodus3 жыл бұрын

    great , thank you!! May I ask a question, I have a couple of dead AA NIMH batteries that I want to revive, my other working batteries are D cells of the same type, can I use a D cell to revive an AA cell?

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    I am not sure if that will work. However, dead cells have high internal resistance so you can go ahead and try it as there won't be much of a risk. Just make sure you don't connect them for more than 10-12 seconds. If it doesn't work after 10-12 seconds then it's not going to work. For more safety you can use a diode to avoid reverse flow of current.

  • @enchodus

    @enchodus

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@SaiyamAgrawal thanks a lot!

  • @jashchilani9828
    @jashchilani98283 жыл бұрын

    Awesome video. Keep making such helpful videos🙏.

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much! 🙏🏻

  • @malayaka3945
    @malayaka39458 ай бұрын

    Is it still OK if I buy AA nimh with production date Oct 2020? Thank you

  • @hunbrian6138
    @hunbrian6138 Жыл бұрын

    Could anyone give me description about the science of it? Why does it work? Thank you for your video!

  • @bohanyang2624
    @bohanyang262410 ай бұрын

    thanks for saving my antique phone battery the phone charges but cant hold the charge so thanks

  • @randykuipers4743
    @randykuipers47433 жыл бұрын

    Nice video! I have the same problem with my roomba! I would like to see the resemble of the battery

  • @randykuipers4743

    @randykuipers4743

    3 жыл бұрын

    And isn't it possible to revive them without tearing apart the whole battery pack?

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    Sure, I will try to post that video

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@randykuipers4743 not sure about that. I don't think that is possible.

  • @raimolewing8962

    @raimolewing8962

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@SaiyamAgrawal , waiting eagerly for the reassembly presentation.

  • @raimolewing8962

    @raimolewing8962

    3 жыл бұрын

    I was hoping that maybe it is possible to just connect to each inter-cell busbar in turn, without breaking the connections. The cells are all in series, right? But how much "stripping" is needed for that?

  • @asummoner82
    @asummoner822 жыл бұрын

    Awesome it worked!!!

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    2 жыл бұрын

    Glad to know that :)

  • @ivayloivanov3010

    @ivayloivanov3010

    2 жыл бұрын

    pfhahaahahaha

  • @9bstar
    @9bstar2 жыл бұрын

    I don't have dead batteries but for some reason when I charge them they drop back down too 1.25-1.27 volt. I have 20 GP D cell 1.2v 9000mah batteries

  • @dougmoore224
    @dougmoore2243 жыл бұрын

    Hmmmm...good job ! It worked on 5 year dead batteries....

  • @kaganarisut
    @kaganarisut Жыл бұрын

    hello . nice video. how can we deal with memory effect of these dead cells? after reviving and allowing them charging regularly , they still have memory effect and dont go up to their highest capacity. Is there a trick for this? I sometimes do a discharge and charge cycles but didnt get success

  • @TheCleaner6969

    @TheCleaner6969

    Жыл бұрын

    I just reconditioned 2 RC 6 cell battery packs after the charger read error. After cycling them for 3 days I got them from 250mAh to 1400mAh but they will not hold a charge over night. Complete waste of time.

  • @TheCleaner6969

    @TheCleaner6969

    Жыл бұрын

    The packs are 15 years old.

  • @anmolkapoor1068
    @anmolkapoor10683 жыл бұрын

    Arre mast! Mere TV remote ke cell bhi charge karde bhai 😂😜

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    😂

  • @drksahil
    @drksahil3 жыл бұрын

    Can I revive my NiMH batteries with Zn Carbon battery or do I have to do it via charged NiMh one

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    Do not connect different types of batteries. Do it only with charged NiMH one.

  • @josephcroft4268
    @josephcroft4268 Жыл бұрын

    my 9v PP3 rechargeable batteries charge up fine but lose half their power after about 12 hours , they have never been used and just put in a drawer for a few years

  • @JonJon-dk3nh
    @JonJon-dk3nh2 жыл бұрын

    Can I use a normal D cell to revive my Maglite rechargeable battery pack ?

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    2 жыл бұрын

    If both of them are rechargeable and of the same type/size (D type as you said), you're good to go.

  • @JonJon-dk3nh

    @JonJon-dk3nh

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@SaiyamAgrawal Maglite said I need a new battery. I used a normal D cell & it revived my Maglite battery! It wasn't working for years, now it's perfect. Really happy. Thanks.

  • @dmitrysysoletin9967
    @dmitrysysoletin99673 жыл бұрын

    And what capacity do they have after that procedure?

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    Depends on how old the batteries are and how many charge cycles they had already completed before being revived. Obviously after this process they won't work as if they are brand new.

  • @john2510
    @john25103 жыл бұрын

    What's the theory behind why the chargers won't charge them initially? It seems like they've set them up that way intentionally. Is there a reason? Based on the flashing lights, the charger certainly recognizes that there's a battery there, but just doesn't want to charge it. I would wonder (in my ignorance) whether they think it's a safety concern, or whether they think the battery won't be any good in the long term (e.g., it may take, but will no longer hold, a charge)

  • @slippyshadow2972

    @slippyshadow2972

    3 жыл бұрын

    It's because the chargers cannot recognize the battery and do not know whether it some random object which is holding very little charge or whether it's just a dead battery. I think it's for safety purposes.

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    There is a certain voltage for each kind of batteries below which they can be declared dead. So it recognizes the cell, if finds its voltage to be too low and thus shows an error. Might be a safety concern.

  • @matthewtymaja3760

    @matthewtymaja3760

    3 жыл бұрын

    An extreme example would be if you had a lithium cell at 0.1 volts and it tried to charge it as if it was a NiMH; such a lithium cell would be a fire hazard. If it detects 1.0 volts it can assume NiMH or NiCd and start charging; using ‘hobby chargers’ it is possible to charge anything; for example an 8.4 volt 6-cell electric vehicle pack that was at 0.01v for the whole pack!...

  • @haxemeback9304

    @haxemeback9304

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@SaiyamAgrawal hey I need your help I recharged 150 mah aaa 1.2v rechargeable with 2.5 v and 2A is it dangerous the battery was 0v it holding it change for about 2 days and now its need recharged I had not used it voltage is 1V

  • @haxemeback9304

    @haxemeback9304

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@SaiyamAgrawal it took 1min to change it I used 14C so I guess it has less recharge cycles now?

  • @mandarmandavkar9678
    @mandarmandavkar96783 жыл бұрын

    But in 5min there voltage is Dicricse why what is the reason behind

  • @SaiyamAgrawal

    @SaiyamAgrawal

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yes, voltage will decrease if you don't charge them just after reviving. The process of reviving is only enough for increasing the voltage of a dead cell so that it can be charged normally.

  • @vivekvasava8224
    @vivekvasava82243 жыл бұрын

    Ek saal baad video bhai video banana start rakh

  • @technocrat7971
    @technocrat79713 жыл бұрын

    Ok this video shows how to charge a flat Nimh. Like anyone really needs showing that ! & nothing about reviving dead cells.

  • @ivayloivanov3010
    @ivayloivanov30102 жыл бұрын

    B.S.

  • @ronfial3250

    @ronfial3250

    5 ай бұрын

    For NiMH cells, a cell-voltage reading below 0.98 volts to 1.0 volts is a sensitive electro-chemical zone where excess current can permanently damage the cell, even shorting it out permanently. The typical manufacture requirement for very low charge cells (between zero and 1 volt, when the cell is at room temperature) is to trickle charge them slowly to above 1.0 to 1.1 volts, then do a normal charge at 1/10 the mAh capacity. In other words, normal charge rates for NiMH for a 700 mAh cell would be one-tenth, or 70 ma. It the cell is hot from recent use, charge or discharge you need to wait till it is at room temperature to measure it, or the cell voltage will not indicate state-of-charge. if you just discharged it at high current so the cell is hot, wait until it is cool so your charger can make good decisions. Shorting the dead cell to a charged cell is a desperation procedure -- if you force charge into the cell this way, you will reduce the number of future charge cycles available from that cell. And you might kill a cell that would be recoverable with the trickle-charge procedure. If someone uses a fully-charged cell they might cause enough gassing in the dead cell to blow it up an injure themselves. The NiMH cell is typically not damaged by sitting around and self-discharging to a very low voltage, as long as you slowly bring it up to the safe normal charge voltage for about 1.0 to1.2 volts a room temperature. This trickle-charge start-up process is built into quality commercial and industrial NiMH chargers, and ones I have designed for electronics products all work that way. A reliable circuit uses a magnetic-latching relay to disconnect and lock out the cell from the device when the per-cell volts falls below 1.0 volts. When power is restored, the charging circuit charges the cell or cell-pack slowly until each cell is above 1.0 volts, before switching to regular charge until about 1.2 volts per cell. Then the latching relay is un-latched to connect and power up the device. This logic can be performed with a cheap 70-cent microprocessor that spends over 99% of its time sleeping. Why don't OPUS snd Nitexxxx implement this trickle charge for NiMH? I don't know, but it may not be compatible with the requirement to automatically recognize the chemistry-type of cell in the charger (NiCad, NiMH LiFePO, Lithium-ion, etc.).

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