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About CamLight |
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) — Pack DischargersThis FAQ answers the following questions:
Why do some CamLight Systems dischargers have 2 stages? When discharging a NiCd or NiMH battery pack, the internal resistance of the cells causes a voltage drop that can fool a discharger or auto-cutoff switch into turning off early, thinking that the cutoff voltage has been reached. The higher the discharge current, the larger the voltage drop. This leaves your cells only partially discharged. You can get around this by using a lower discharge current level, but the discharge will take a very long time. Or, you can try discharging to a lower cutoff voltage but you're taking a chance with damaging one or more cells if you go too low. CamLight System's Pack Dischargers solve this problem by using 2 discharge stages. A higher-current Stage-1 discharge quickly removes most of the pack's charge. This is automatically followed by a lower-current Stage-2 discharge that minimizes the effect of the cells' internal resistance on the pack's voltage. This ensures a more complete discharge and better conditions your packs while reducing the time you have to wait for the discharge to finish. Go to top Can I discharge more than one pack at a time with a CamLight Systems Pack Discharger? We don't recommend discharging NiCd or NiMH packs in parallel (one or more cells can be damaged), but some users have had no problem discharging multiple packs this way. Discharging packs in series is OK as long as the number of cells doesn't exceed the discharger's rating (a maximum of 10, 20, or 30-cells, depending on the model). Go to top Can I discharge my 36V packs with a CamLight Systems Pack Discharger? Yes. We released our 15-30 cell Pack Discharger, the PD-36V, in early September. Go to top How often should I discharge my packs? If not being used for a couple of weeks or more, we recommend discharging the packs before storing them. If a pack is not being used, charge and discharge the pack 2-3 times every month or so to keep the pack conditioned. This allows you to return the pack to use immediately (without cycling the pack several times to recondition the cells) and extends the life of the cells. Go to top For more information on discharging NiCd/NiMH packs, see our
Why Discharge? and
Tech Tips pages
Home Page · Pack Dischargers · Auto-Cutoff Modules · Load Modules · Accessories & Parts · Custom ProductsCopyright © 2003-2008 John Muchow. All rights reserved. |