I've had bad experiences trying to recharge alkaline batteries. I bought an expensive charger specifically designed to do this. Main problem was leakage, a couple of weeks after recharging, when the batteries were hidden away back in whatever unfortunately device I'd put them in. Also, the advertisement did not mention that to obtain the 10x life extension, you couldn't recharge from flat, but you had to keep topping up after each use. Even then, with good quality batteries, they leaked.

I made a charger for alkaline batteries using a Raspberry Pi. One hour on at low current, one hour off. Takes a day to recharge them but they don't charge back to 100%. I only recharge them a few times and then toss them. Works great and reduces the expense of buying new batteries every time the remote stops working. Never had an issue with them leaking, but I only recharge them a max of 3-5 times before tossing them. There are methods to safely charge them if you toss them after a max of 5 recharges -- really does help lower your battery expenses for remotes, toys, etc. You don't get 100% back but you do get something like 75-80% but it falls quickly so after five charges, it isn't worth it.

@kenrichmond3946

2 жыл бұрын

This is what I remembered as a kid. Neighbors had an alkaline charger. It worked but the disposables could only be charged a few times before they either wouldn't hold a charge or leaked.

@mattgraham4340

Жыл бұрын

when you charge using this method, do you charge to a certain voltage? If so, what is the recommended peak voltage?

@irishsamurai9008

Жыл бұрын

Any chance you can make a how to video

recharging my alkalines for years in normal chargers, blew some up as a kid. Found a charger for alkalines in BART SMIT, a toy store.....(very long ago), good stuff

@danpete6623

4 жыл бұрын

I've been recharging non rechargeable batteries off and on for about 5 years never had one blow up

@truck-stop_abortionclinic

Жыл бұрын

@@danpete6623 I'd like to hear how you do it, if you don't mind sharing.

I created my own "charger" with a timer circuit using an Arduino. This allows me to "pulse" charge (I set up my own on/off cycles in code). For a power supply I use an adjustable power supply (one that lets you modify current and voltage) this way you can set a tiny trickle charge. Just using the Arduino to turn power on and off through a MOSFET is such a simple thing and you can monitor the cell voltage through an ADC pin and display it using a cheap OLED display.

@kusumboliya4517

5 жыл бұрын

Instead you could buy a timer switch.

@adrielchavez801

4 жыл бұрын

Please tell me how I can make my own. My email is adrielchavez420@gmail.com put subject as ATTN:DIY battery charger. Please, thank you in advance for the info.

@flowerpt

2 жыл бұрын

Did you post it on github?

@Chris-hw4mq

Жыл бұрын

Just buy more alkaline bateries its cheaper then a battery charger

@TOPROLLER7

4 ай бұрын

Everything is easier the hard way

@wheely132 No, it's not. Especially if you don't know what you're doing. Alkalines can be recharged once or twice (but nowhere near to full capacity), after that it's not worth talking about. Every charge will make them more prone to leakage, so put em in things you don't mind beeing destroyed (like an alarm clock ;) ). If you're tired of buying batteries, there's something called RECHARGEABLE batteries. Go for them. They ARE worth their money and without the dangers.

@michaelthomas3105

4 жыл бұрын

True, but the trouble with rechargeable batteries is that they are about 1.2 volts per cell, not 1.5 v nominal. That is OK for some items, but in others you could do with say, 5 cells for 6 volts, but there'll only be 4 holders. If space permits you could solder in another little battery holder if it was worth the hassle.

@allenh7835

2 жыл бұрын

@@michaelthomas3105 When i use rechargables, i feel lucky if the device even works. Most do not.

@michaelthomas3105

2 жыл бұрын

@@allenh7835 Yes rechargeable 1.2v is not 1.5 not really good enough these Nicads/ or NIMh

I remember a Canadian engineering professor had invented a device that can safely charge alkaline batteries in the 90's. It was sold in stores for a few months and I heard the battery companies bought the patent for millions and sacked the product. The patent should have run out by now and if you can find it, someone can start selling it again.

@Andy-im3kj

3 жыл бұрын

That's an amazing story, mind sharing the professor's name? I am not too surprised of the story of inventions being purchased and flat out scrapped afterwards.

Video starts off showing a burn mark on the man's workbench. Doesn't instill a lot a confidence in me.

@sysghost

4 жыл бұрын

It tells me a story about a guy who jumped through the hoops and loops learning from the mistakes.

@3GreeneBJ

3 жыл бұрын

I can see why you would want to pick that out. You're looking for integrity in any way you can find it. However, a busy person is going to show some wear & tear. They will be untidy. What's that cliche? "If you want a job done ask a busy man" I think its along those lines that you need to find integrity. You can work up to a knowledge of how and whether to do this by spending some time on research. After you have established that alkaline batteries can be recharged at all, try to establish who is grandstanding and who has something to say that is worth passing on. If you read my other comments above, you will see how its to be done and the realise that your biggest risk is probably leakage of the corrosive material within and the damage that can cause to your apparatus. Rgds BjG

@m1u2j1o9

3 жыл бұрын

you are wise lol

@BM-zt5bv

3 жыл бұрын

@@3GreeneBJ 0

@BM-zt5bv

3 жыл бұрын

@@3GreeneBJ f

Thank you I was wondering what the best intervals would be for this.

Low voltage mixed with pulsing is safe! Though it will take time

Fan cooling?

I was just thinking of recharging my depleted alkaline batts as well and buying them and throwing away is just so wasteful and expensive. So thank you for your video and will attempt to do the same. Thanks for the video and nice name for your youtube channel. Cheers - From Thailand

What is the total charge time and what power rating is the charger that you're using?

all these comments about exploding batteries in your face. even tho that is a very small chance you could prevent any injury by not having your face next to the charger while its on!! i mean seriously people the risk has to be lower than operating a kitchen stove right!??!

@dude...are-you-sure

2 жыл бұрын

The so called exploding battery puts an image of a grenade exploding to people's heads. But a AA exploding is not like a bomb going off. It's rather tame and the sound it makes is a pop and followed by hissing. The "pop" is when the seals get broken due to the max heat it can take. And the hissing is the battery acids/fluids leaking out onto your charger causing it to malfunction for future charges. So yes, blowing your face up is a very very small chance. Worst that might happen if you put your face right next to the charger, which I DO NOT Recommend you to try, when the battery explodes, is you might get some battery jizz on your face or in your eyes and that can be quite unpleasant and irritate your skin and ruin your day.

awesome little system for the fam man !

Nice viddy. Good advice on keeping the alkalines in the charger for only an hour.

I used to have a charger for these types of batteries (back in the 1990's), and after poor results I eventually had to get rid of it. Recharged "non-rechargeables" proved to be unreliable - The new charge usually didn't last very long, some leaked, and others wouldn't recharge at all. For the best results, buy "rechargeables" instead - No leaks, time between charges is more consistent, and no worries about whether the battery is too deeply discharged.

@allenh7835

2 жыл бұрын

I have problems with AAA recharables. All are 1.2 volts. Almost all devices are 1.5 volts. About a 40% chance if the device even works or works correctl. Seems to be a huge scam industry with all involved.

@redsnake9

Жыл бұрын

@@allenh7835 any low current device, like a clock or remote it is best to use 1.5v alkalines in. Good news is it will last a long time. Rechargeable like NIMH are good for high current devices, like a camera or Xbox controller, RC stuff. Because they are high current they have to tolerate the voltage drop anyway so should perform well at 1.2. The other issue with using NIMH in low drain devices is they may over discharge the cell before they stop working, greatly reducing its life.

What is the total charge time for the alkaline batteries? AA and AAA

yes....this helped greatly. ..thanks man

Thank you sooooo much! I will try this. I am on a small income, hate throwing things away as well. I appreciate your video!

does all alkaline rechargeable cause i have a alkaline but its japanese the color of it is gold and theres a little sign fujitsu

Hello I'm buylding one too can you tell me your sources and the votage that flows trough the batteries ? the current ? PWM ? Please Please Please And what method do you use to check if the batterie is Chaged ? How to mesure the Wh ?

It shouldn't take 5 hours for such a battery to cool.

i recharged a generic homelife alkaline batteries AA with success used 2 hr intervals im planning on getting a extension cord, a Paragon 8045-00 or 8045-20 refrigeration time clock so i can get 1 to 2 hr charge intervals as i have to wire the clock when the clock trips into defrost will energize the plug end of the cord connected to the battery charger as you can charge them 60, 90 minutes. as you can get the paragon 8045-00 clocks on ebay an 8145-00 will work but has a defrost termination solenoid thats not used. when i get the clock ill set it up for 4 defrost/charge intervals per day and 60 minutes. it should work.

I actually did this a long time ago with button batteries for a small toy I had. I'd charge then till they got warm then let them cool and do it again.

So what if I charge them for an hour then put them in the freezer

i have a charger i bought almost new from a good will it had the box and all but it charges alkaline as well as ni-cd and ni-mh but it seems to work alright i think its called rezap

Saw the bench pad I said "bet he builds drones or planes" looked in your playlist boom...

What about larger cells? My Enercell (Radio Shack) charger will charge the alkaline AAA, AA and 9V but won't bring the D's back to life (I don't know about C's because I don't have any).

It's not just about current ampage is it ? I thought the secret to re-charging Alkalines was the pulsed frequency of the current as applied to the battery, or am i just whistling dixie ? Nice Vid !

Actually you can shorten the recharge cycle by taking the battery after one hour charging, put it in a "ziplock" bag and into the freezer for 15 minutes, then for another one hour recharge (5 hours for "AA") (2.5 hours "AAA")

Would a thermal sensor work? Have it shut off if it gets to a certain temperature and then start it back up when it cools down again below a certain temp?

@The_Gallowglass

8 жыл бұрын

+Skyler F Why not charge them in the freezer ;D

@nunobrito500

Жыл бұрын

@@The_Gallowglass that might actually be a good idea. Just the casual concern that they do start exploding inside the freezer thought.

You said some batteries take less time than other but didn't specify. It would help if you mentioned the length of time different types take on the average to fully charge.

Cool! Thanks!

@Fearlessthinker Thanks!

Cant you just use a dimmer switch to lower the volts?

@username-jb6zy

2 жыл бұрын

Pretty sure you could.

Thank you! Can you show a before and after multimeter test on the alkaline batteries, to prove that their charge came back?

@dillonweaver2307

Жыл бұрын

You do realize how old this is right? Just pointing it out I replied to things that like that before also. At least maybe it will help future viewers but my chance at certain responses is about dip.

@rodiona8781

Жыл бұрын

​@@dillonweaver2307 Good thing you are here. Do you know if I can use a motorcycle trickle charger to trickle the battery charge?

@dillonweaver2307

Жыл бұрын

@@rodiona8781 I don’t know about that voltage is prolly high as compared to these chargers. I wouldn’t even do what he is doing at the slow rate he’s doing it even. That’s why he lets them cool every hour. That’s not smart at all. I’m an electrician by trade but I also fix appliances, and a lot of electronics so giving what I know never recharge these batteries if you wanna recharge batteries buy rechargeable of some type depending upon use and a good smart charger that can do single cells.

@dillonweaver2307

Жыл бұрын

@@rodiona8781 no reason to recharge alkalines when you didn’t have to buy alkaline

Might sound silly, but could you put the charging unit in a refrigerator?

@3a.m.284

3 жыл бұрын

No. A fridge and freezer is only made to keep cold things cold, the compressor is not able to keep up with something inside generating its own heat, you’ll damage your fridge

@SeanDIY

3 жыл бұрын

@@3a.m.284 I was thinking you keep the batteries cold in there which could be good for them?

I charged some 9V and AAA and as far as i've tried, pulse charging is the only one that works, else it kind of saturates and stops absorbing charge. My home made CC charger does 33% 3s cycles. And slow seems to be the norm, if i give them too much, like 100mArms they'll leak even if they dont get hot, or leak after a few days after charging.

I have no idea why or if anyone else did here in the comments - but i BURST INTO LAUGHTER when you SIGHED at the start of the video because you know how ridiculous the scam of a battery industry is and the only thing closely following is the printer cartridge epidemic hahahahahaha

Yes, nimh are 1.2 volts. All types of rechargeables have good and bad qualities. Here are some for nimh. nimh good: steady longer plateau - abrupt drop off many recharges can be charged very fast safely. (about 30 min) nimh bad: doesn't have the "punch" like a new alkaline or fully charged nicad may not fit in device properly (slightly larger dimensions) loses .3 volts per week while not in use if all voltage is lost battery appears non rechargeable - it must be hit with high current to fix.

At the end with the electricity you have consuming to recharge them and ect... it's worth the trouble???

@dude...are-you-sure

2 жыл бұрын

I don't think you use many batteries on the daily do you? If you dont want to keep paying $1 each (on average) alkaline battery and you use them all the time, then YES most definitely.

i didn't think it was possible to do that thanks.

Ya i have a charger that claims that it can recharge alkaline batteries and it does. I checked to see the current but dont remember how much it was but any ways i tested the capacity of a bunch of batteries and tested after the recharge i think i was getting back like 60% to 80% each time to I was not seeing them being real useful after like 5 charges

What about lithium batteries?

I tried this with an old NiCad charger I had and two almost dead batteries. I plugged it into as timer set for 30 minutes every 6 hours. One battery still leaked and one was 'recharged'. With practically no investment I believe this will save money on batteries for the long term.

@ChadDidNothingWrong

9 ай бұрын

Just get stepped down lithium or use 1 lithium and 1 dummy cell for each pair in your devices

I tried 8 cells. One did pop.

the trick is to only recharge batteries that have about at least 50 percent power in them, they seem to work just fine in a nice charger, the dead battery will not work or will start getting hot and that's how they leak and could (unlikely) explode!

have you ever tried to recharge a 9 volt battery ?

Thanks

Use a weaker transformer?

Tried what idea?

Hello, how safe is this method? I found many comments on internet these kind of batteries can cause fire when you try to recharge. Should I be afraid?

@ometec

11 ай бұрын

Of course you should be afraid, you don't have a clue what you are doing.

@veghbela

11 ай бұрын

@@ometec thank, so can you explain how or you just wanted to tell me i'm an idiot?

I tried forcing 1000 milliamps through the akaline battery but I heard a hissing sound so I stopped it.

thanks

Ok, I have to try this. Firstly because I have a shed load of these 'non' rechargeables hanging around. And secondly, I have just purchased "Electronics for Dummies"! So I qualify twice. X¬D

Nicd and nimh only charge to 1.2 v. Current is important but voltage is too.. alk goes to 1.5+ v

so ideally, one could build a charger that senses the temperature of the batteries and when it goes too high it turns off and waits till they cool down a lot then turns back on. what v?

@ometec

11 ай бұрын

Before it goes too high, not after. Pulse charging is a better method.

I put 4 duracells on for maybe 30-45 minutes a day and they leaked and partially exploded. :( They are well designed to not be rechargeable...

@H3wastooshort

4 жыл бұрын

Put the charger on a timer with a 30/15min on off interval.

I little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and people following you are going to end up with leaking batteries. A correct alkaline charger will charge for a while, and then give a small discharge. During discharge, any gasses produced will be re-absorbed. I think the ratio is about 10 charge units to 1 discharge, so the net effect charges your battery. If you use a NiCAD or NiMH recharger, that re-absorption won't occur, and leakage is likely.

@DNMEBOY

4 жыл бұрын

andycivil He did say at the beginning they aren’t designed to be recharged and will leak.

@H3wastooshort

4 жыл бұрын

or put a timer with 30/15min intervals on the charger

@3GreeneBJ

3 жыл бұрын

Pulse charging. Mark-space ratio - No discharge, just rests to allow gas to escape or die down. The material doesn't convert until an appreciable charge current flows and therefore a steady trickle charger will not work. I have also read, and to some extent my own experience backs this up, that you will do better if you don't allow the battery to discharge too far before you bring it back up. I have also found that some makes seem to do better than others and I don't know why that is. Perhaps the precise formula of the chemistry differs?? Its a good idea to recharge if you can for all the obvious reasons and one or two more: Higher terminal voltage that Ni-Cads & Ni-Me-Hy Larger capacity than many of them too. I use them in clocks to great saving BUT you must be certain that you haven't blown the seal and they are leaking as the stuff is highly corrosive to the metal terminals. BjG

@mattgarrett5900

2 жыл бұрын

If you watch the whole video, he accounts for the heating and venting with a timer. A little attention is also a dangerous thing.

Also, I put the whole charger and batteries in a tin cookie box just in case they leak or burst into flames while I'm not there to oversee.

you say don't let them get hot but what about cooling them down while charging? have you tried some kind of cooling method?

@Andy-im3kj

3 жыл бұрын

I was thinking why doesn't he just charge them from an outdoor outlet in the fall/winter months to have an "active cooling" sort of effect.

Recharging traditional alkaline batteries is a waste of time unless you enjoy it as a hobby and can do it safely. The charging current must be set too low for it to be effective and since the capacity is much larger than similar nicad and nimh batteries the wait is way too long. Obviously this guy loves tinkering and has a lot of batteries. The timer will prevent an overheating type of disaster but that amount current for one hour will cause it to crystalize and die too fast for the effort.

what about improving the seal?

@The_Gallowglass

8 жыл бұрын

+ValiantVision Yeah, but if we do that then the walruses will want some too.

@TheScabbage

6 жыл бұрын

Those seals are DESIGNED to leak, so they don't explode from a buildup of pressure.

@charlesleap2631

6 жыл бұрын

Just like the "Safety Value" on Home Water Heaters, They have a (Weak Link) by design to release the pressure when the unit is over heated or it could explode or even take off like a rocket through the roof. -Mythbusters tv program

I went to settings on this video and increased the speed to 1 1/2 times faster. Now it's watchable.

So... Add up the cost of chargers, timers and higher electric bills (from all the charging) and you could buy a room FULL of AA's & AAA's.

For people who need the full 1.5 volts per cell... there *are* Rechargeable Alkalines out there. You can find them periodically on Woot. I got some there and they work fine.

some batteries get weaker and will not take that some battery charger current like alkline batteries which are very dangerous

That’s a soldering iron burn isn’t it?

I have a question: What is the cost of the electricity needed to recharge the batteries, and does the savings outweigh the cost of buying the batteries? In other words, how much are you really saving? Remember, your time and cost to do all this is part of the overall equation too... just curious.

@bmwnasher

9 жыл бұрын

Exactly my point, if they leak it causes damage, it`s just not worth it.

@lazar2175

7 жыл бұрын

Bill McFadden Electricity stored in batteries is over 100 times more expensive than outlet one. So its worth it...

@junkname9983

2 жыл бұрын

compare 30 cents per kilowatt-hr from the wall to new batteries that costs about $1 a piece to get about 1Wh? no comparison... recharging is much cheaper.

I USE A BUDDY L CHARGER 🔌 TO CHARGE ALKALINE BATTERIES 🔋 AND RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES 🔋 IT WILL TELL YOU WHEN IT IS READY OR NOT A GOOD BATTERIES OR PUT IN BACKWARDS BUT IT WILL NOT DO 9VOLT BATTERIES 🔋

Can you test them with a multimeter and see what voltage you are charging them to? I bought a cheap charger and it is only raising them to 1.3 which isn't very useful.

@RickSanchez-fx3lt

2 жыл бұрын

I know this comment is old, but 1.3 is good for AA and AAA.

You *can* just throw them on a regular charger. But you shouldn't because they might explode.

Why bother when you can buy like a pack of 48 AA alkaline batteries from costco for like $13?

@831lance

8 жыл бұрын

+Greekanadian 48? LoL I bet the battery lasts 2 days at most

@The_Gallowglass

8 жыл бұрын

+Greekanadian cause they run out eventually

@831lance

8 жыл бұрын

Ó Slatraigh cheap ass batteries

@djmips

5 жыл бұрын

those batteries leak when you look at the sideways.

I have to say I tried your idea and ended up with exploding batteries. I used Duracell which are the best batteries you can buy in UK.

@raulduke1528

5 жыл бұрын

No one cares.....

@sauce8277

3 жыл бұрын

@@raulduke1528you answered back a 7 year old comment. Gutsy. Guess I can say “imagine answering back a year old one too” ha

@raulduke1528

3 жыл бұрын

@@sauce8277 Imagjne answering a 7 hour old one!? Cheese

just had one explade on me! i wasnt even trying to recharge it! all i did was put about 5 rechargables in the same radio controller with one (near dead) alkaline. scared the piss outa me!

@TheHaratashi

4 жыл бұрын

I hate it when things "explade"!

@Andy-im3kj

3 жыл бұрын

Thus why manufacturers don't recommend to mix batteries.

They WILL start to leak after a couple of charges.

Well, this is all a bit iffy, doubtful, debatable, questionable, problematic and dubious, I suppose ;-) A different approach would be to use ALL the load, that the batteries contain by using a simple step up converter as I show it in my Video 30. It sucks them out. Batteries considered as empty just have to low a voltage to let devices work properly though they still contain half of their total charging.

I have a USB Li-ion battery power will that work for AA batteries and aaa batteries I use it for my vape mod batteries

theres a battery charger that you can recharge throw away battery's like 100 cycles i saw it on diy network about 50 bucks but it works great

@allenh7835

2 жыл бұрын

LOL Its called a battery charger.

Just use the RayOVac Rechargable Alkaline Charger WITH a piece of aluminum foil and an alkaline battery... Works AWESOME.

i do something like this with a sm. solar panel

and quadruple A. as in (AAAA) batterys. 5mm * 3.5mm.

2018

WARNING. My akaline charger works fine, but charge em too many times and they leak, the damage this causes it`s just not worth it. nearly ruined my Maglite and my Black & and Decker screwdriver, Kodak.Panasonic and Sony are all good from the pound shops. also i have my doubts on some Duracell and Energiser batteries from ebay.

@Reyworld360

9 жыл бұрын

How many times did you charge them?

@bmwnasher

9 жыл бұрын

Reyworld360 The charger instructions said up to ten times, I probably went up to that figure, but batteries ive charged three or four time also leaked, I personally will not recharge them now, pound shop Kodak Sony Panasonic are all fine in my experience.

that intro sigh.

so, just put them in a battery charger... Like a rechargeable battery...

I would suggest a cup of coffee!

I just used one of them battery chargers you get for $10 at Walmart it does come with rechargeable batteries. I charged a Panasonic battery and it didn't heat up or leek the engerzier batteries don't charge very good

*INHALE INTENSIFIES*

Because of you my house burned down 😭😭😭

Storing Alkaline battery after charging will result to a drainage in a short period of time.

some battery chargers are junk lets get it straight

I guess we all hate to throw these batteries out. Unfortunately, even the rechargeable ones don't last that long. Funny thing, I made a similar video today but hesitated to put it up because of the shaky camera work.

Seems the risks might outweigh the possible gain in doing this. I can see the batteries exploding all over someone's face.

@HostileHST

10 жыл бұрын

Method I did was much more extreme, 15 min. ON, 15 min. OFF at 250mah per battery and never blew one, BUT, I only got one use after charging cause they will leak with the much mah and not letting them cool, even though I never felt one get warm let alone hot.

I doubt it that he recharged those Alkalines. If you notice, the small charger has 2 lights blinking. When you connect a non rechargeable battery in a Nikel Cadmium or Metal Hydride battery, the charger senses a non recharger battery, and caused it to stop the charging cycle after several seconds. You will know when your batt charger start blinking its lights

WELL THAT'S TIME I'LL NEVER GET BACK ! WHEN YOU COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER THEN POST IT !

an hour per day ? ..wont it be cool in only one hour also or really 40 min or less...you can do 15 minutes on 15 off 15 on 15 off for 2 hours instead..chur

find Arduino Battery Charger ABC on manciobox, search it on google

most deviced are made for half dead batteries but they stay mutch longer at 1.2 volt and go down short before they are empty so there is no problem with them

why dont just use ur easy rechargable batteries instead of alkaline batteries?-.-