can you recharge non rechargeable batteries? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: ali6x944
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2016, 09:28:00 am
content: can you recharge non rechargeable alkaline 9v 6F22 type or AA batteries?

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2016, 09:42:16 am
content: No. Not with the classical term for recharging batteries anyway.Alexander.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2016, 10:00:31 am
content: Its more complex than that. If you append the word 'safely' to your question, Firewalker's answer is correct, as attempting to recharge an Alkaline can cause it to rupture, which at best spatters the surroundings with its caustic electrolyte, and may cause violent self-disassembly. Also, the battery capacity will be severely degraded with each charge/discharge cycle, and there is no easy way of telling if the battery has been left with internal overpressure which may cause it to leak in use.However there are commercial chargers that claim to be able to recharge ordinary Alkalines. e.g.https://www.ephotozine.com/article/elonex-revive-battery-charger-review-17287If you want to experiment with Alkaline recharging, I'd strongly advise adequate containment round the battery holder, e.g. a length of inner tube with the ends closed with bag clips.

author: rickselectricalprojects
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2016, 10:04:52 am
content: No.

author: ali6x944
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2016, 10:28:18 am
content: Quote from: firewalker on February 13, 2016, 09:42:16 ami know, what i meant is could those videos of people charging non rechargeable batteries with a constant current source is not true?because i tried it, and it doesn't seem to work for me...

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2016, 10:49:08 am
content: There are more videos of people apparently doing stupid and dangerous sh-t on Youtube than any other type of legal content. Sometimes the phtographer is really just that dumb, and sometimes its faked for the notoriety.If you find a blog or other article with a detailed explanation of <whatever> with detailed schematics, plans etc. and still photos showing details of construction and operation, complete with test results, its far more likely to be reproducible.I have partially recharged alkalines at low current that had been used till the device shut down, and they did operate the device for a moderate amount of time afterwards. However the recharged capacity was nowhere near that of a new battery, and with the safety concerns, the risk of leakage in use and the need for monitoring while charging, made it simply not worthwhile compared to buying dollar store replacements.

author: all_repair
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2016, 11:49:54 am
content: I used to have a charger that can charge one-time-use alkaline batteries. But electrolyte leakage was a problem. It maybe possible to charge at a much slower rate and minimise leakage problem for a particular alkaline. Biggest problem in investing time and resources in this work, is the one-time-used alkaline battery maker never promise anything on the recharging specification and may change whatever that may suit them as and when they like.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2016, 03:50:52 am
content: Sort of----Many years ago,the term "reactivation" was used for this.It was a real effect,--------AC/Battery Radios were made that would "recharge" the zinc-carbon "A" battery that supplied the heater ("filament")voltages in tube portable radios.(These went flat a lot quicker than the HT "B" batteries,so were the main expense)It didn't work as well with packaged "A" batteries,so it was mostly used in those radios which used a bunch of "D" Cells to supply the "filaments".Well,basically,"it went over like a wrought iron hang glider"---the improvement in battery life,though real,wasn't enough to justify the complexity.People used them as AC receivers & left the reactivation switch off.Their next portable radio was a "transistor set",with massively increased battery life.Some years back,there was a bit of muttering about recharging alkalines,but that seemed to go the same way.Alkalines dropped in price,so recharging became uneconomical.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2016, 04:31:13 am
content: Quote from: ali6x944 on February 13, 2016, 09:28:00 amQuote from: ali6x944 on February 13, 2016, 10:28:18 amOne of the main differences between rechargeable batteries and single use batteries is that with rechargeable batteries all their internal parts are designed to retain their mechanical integrity during a discharge/recharge cycle. When you recharge a battery such as NiMH or lithium ion the charged battery returns to almost exactly the same state it started out in.In contrast, the insides of single use batteries like alkaline batteries are not designed to do this. When an alkaline battery is discharged its internal parts change in irreversible ways--you could almost say they crumble and fall apart, loosely speaking. So even though the discharge process could in theory be reversed in a chemical sense, it cannot be reversed in a mechanical sense. Everything gets disarranged during the discharge so that it won't properly go back together again.That said, you can kinda, sorta, recharge an alkaline battery, if it is only partially discharged before you try to recharge it, and if you do itveryslowly, and if you expect that after attempting this it will very likely leak. Even then, you will not put back all the charge that came out of it.

author: ConKbot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2016, 04:54:12 am
content: For alkalines, if you keep the depth of discharge shallow, (I.e stop discharge with 50-70% remaining) they can be recharged a few times. Once you run them dead, they are truly dead. Definitely not suggested by the manufacturer, definitely not reliable or predictable. Play with it some if you feel like it, but count on the battery leaking, and be pleasantly surprised if it doesn't.Don't even consider thinking about charging a lithium primary of any kind. A company I worked with managed to change a LiMnO2 cell when bench powering an item with the battery in it. Ended up evacuating the building as a precaution after it vented.

author: skillz21
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2016, 06:05:47 am
content: Safely, No. They are not meant to be regarged

author: gautamdamodar
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2016, 07:58:55 pm
content: Quote from: skillz21 on February 14, 2016, 06:05:47 amI agree with skilz21. Sometimes I forget about safety  . I used to recharge dead 1.5v alkaline cells with 9v battery. Get .3/.4 v boost for some time.

author: ali6x944
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2016, 08:15:12 pm
content: any schematics or charging non rechargeable alkaline 9v 6F22 type or AA batteriesnot going to happen?

author: Audioguru
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2016, 09:07:16 pm
content: Alkaline batteries are cheap. When they are dead then simply replace them.I use Ni-MH rechargeable batteries for high current items and they are even used in cheap solar garden lights.

author: Teledog
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2016, 06:05:25 am
content: You "can" recharge alkaline batteries,.. or so they say...They will last a day or more..then theywillleak and destroy your device,.. the minute you turn your back.If you have disposable device, then by all means, go ahead.If you value the device, thenby no means,don't evertry to recharge a non-rechargeable (AKA: BS alkaline) battery and insert it!You've been warned...

author: crispy_tofu
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2016, 09:01:30 am
content: Sure, just don't do it anywhere close to me...

author: fantis1337
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2016, 10:13:39 am
content: I wouldn't do it on purpose, But I had two AAA batteries in the home wireless phone for I don't know how long but it must have gone through many "recharge" cycles.One day the phone stopped working and I opened the battery latch and discovered they head leaked, not much though. Put two new rechargeable AAA's in and it worked fine.

author: Loz1968
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 15, 2016, 10:57:40 am
content: In around 1998 I was in Germany and purchased a battery charger specifically for alkaline batteriesI did have some success with it at the time...