Patent ID: 6954051

Claim:
A method for charging batteries comprising the steps of: providing a current source for providing current to a battery pack during a fast charge cycle, the current source having an amperage rating; after the fast charge cycle, commencing an equalization cycle comprising repeatedly pulsing the current source to provide a pulsed current to the battery pack, wherein a pulse of such pulsed current has an on-time having a first predetermined period of time and an off-time having a second predetermined period of time, the battery pack not being discharged between pulses of such pulsed current; wherein the first predetermined period of time is between about 5 milliseconds and 250 milliseconds, and the second predetermined period of time is determined by the following equation: t OFF =t ON ( I/I O )− t ON , where I O is the effective output current of the pulsed current t ON is the first predetermined period of time, t OFF is the second predetermined period of time, and I is the amperage rating of the current source.