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want to find or design a battery charger / battery saver

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Why, you may say? Its my understanding that fully discharging NiCD's makes them last even longer, and reduces the memory effect. Or so I am told.
I would only do this to a battery that has made a memory. Doing this on a routine basis will shorten the battery life. The chargers in the RC hobby have a discharge switch to remove the memory. Andy
 
Mr.Al-
after reading your post, I think I can pretty much do what I need with timers.

1. for high-current items like drills, I'll get the "manual" 24 hour timer, and every time its used: 1) turn the power switch to on; 2) turn the dial so it runs for 24 hr, but then only comes on 1 hr a day after that. Note; this ignores setting the timer to the actual time.

2. for a laptop, I'll get a digital timer and set it to come on every couple of hours long enough to keep the laptop charged, then turn off overnight. That way it keeps the laptop charged during the day when it is used a lot, but is only being actively charged for maybe 6 hr or so total per day. (Despite what a previous post said, I have read and experienced that leaving a laptop plugged in all the time does indeed lead to short battery life)

thanks again,

Pete
 
Note: a laptop will count the charge cycles, more cycles is only going to make it worse. No matter how you treat them they'll only last about two years.

Item already exists.
**broken link removed**
 
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Sorry what looks good?

I mistakenly thought that particular timer was somewhat unique. Silly me.

Unless someone is aware of a timer that does more than the hundreds available at every possible type of store, I think this thread has reached its logical conclusion.

Thanks everyone for participating, its a great forum.
 
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