Date:         Wed, 3 Apr 1996 18:27:06 -0500 
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         vwbus@TCPBBS.COM
Subject:      A neat trick (non-VW related)

  Hate to get way off subject here but I just did something that
always amazes me that is not really common knowledge and
might come in use to some of our "techie" types some day.
  The ole cordless phone uses a ni-cad battery pack
and if I forget to charge it for 7+ days it will run down and
refuse to accept a charge.  Now old ni-cads will develope this problem
in addition to their more common "memory effect" problem wherein
if you recharge them before fully discharging they don't fully recharge.
  But back to the can't charge at all problem, when ni-cads do this
they have developed an either an internal chemical open or short
condition
and there is an easy trick to getting them back.  Simply take a 1000uf
capacitor or so (big) charge to 25 VDC or so and discharge through
battery by just touching to terminals for an instant.  If said capacitor
is not available rigging up a way to touch the terminals for a split
second to a good 5-10 amp 12VDC battery charger will produce the
same effect.  You burn through the problem and can recharge normaly
saving you $15 for a new battery pack.  This is a common model airplane
trick.  So recovered the battery pack should be good a long long time.
You must only contact the power source for a split second (brush
the terminal for 1 good spark).  A car battery would be suitable as
well.

OF COURSE IF YOU ARE AN IDIOT DON'T DO THIS AS A PROLONGED
APPLICATION OF CURRENT WILL LIKELY BLOW THE BATTERY SKY
HIGH.

John
vwbus@tcpbbs.com