OT(sorta) rechargable Lith CR123

On Sun, 27 May 2007 09:53:42 -0500, "MJKolodziej" wrote in :

I'm going to pass on that question. I know my limits! ;o)

And there ARE some rocket scientists in this group. It's amazing how much technical information comes through here from time to time.

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If you use them in applications where regular alkaline AA cells are used, the voltage will be too high and could destroy the unit. You are right on the low voltage cut off problem as well. You can buy a lot of Alkaline AA cells for $19.95.

"Red Scholefield" wrote

It would seem like it would be smart to include a slug (for lack of a better term) so that a two cell alkaline device would use one cr123 battery and a slug, to pass the current through it, and that would get the voltage in the ball park.

It would also not be that big of a deal to offer a slug with a low voltage cut-off, and at the same time, a voltage regulator, since one IC chip could likely do both.

Why don't you market that, Red, and make a fortune!

What, and ruin my lifestyle. I would have to move to the country club and take up golf. No thanks. For the slug, just take a piece of 1/2 inch wood dowel the length of a AA cell and wrap aluminum foil such that both ends are covered and you are in business.. (Patent pending) .

"Red Scholefield" > wrote

Man, that must be some really special aluminum foil, considering it has a low voltage cut-off and voltage regulator built right into it!

How does it work for baking potatoes, though?

I did something similar for making an adapter for charging my glow igniter battery. I cut a piece of dowel rod the length of an AA battery, (minus a little) and fastened a wire on one end with a wood screw and a ring terminal for the positive, and on the other end used a wood screw, ring terminal and small fender washer for the negative, and ran the wires to an earphone jack with a wheel collar on it, so that my igniter prongs would hook onto it.

I now can lay a quick charge onto it with one of those cheap auto shut-off commercial AA or AAA size battery chargers with 4 slots controlled individually. Now I know when the thing is charged without overcharging it, (like a wall wart is liable to do) and get much better battery life.

I also rolled cardboard around some NiMH AA batteries to make them as large in diameter as a C sized battery. The length was close enough to work OK.

I did that because a few years back, the C batteries were not in the stores much, and I had a small TV that I wanted to make recharge capable.

I also made a holder to charge individual AA sized NiMH batteries for my radios and cameras and what-not, using my peak sensing fast field charger.

A piece of 1/2" CPVC water pipe will nicely fit AA batteries inside it. I cut a length that would work out to put 4 batteries end to end in it, with a maglight end (with the coil spring) on one end, and a small (about a 10-32) screw all of the way through the pipe to contact the positive battery end. Connect it to the charger with alligator clips or ring terminals, and plug the rig into the field charger, and away it goes. A little longer tube will work for 5 cells, or 8 cells ( plugged into the transmitter port) or more, if you have a charger that will charge a larger variety of cell counts.

I hope some of these ideas will be useful for someone. Feel free to pass them on, if there are any new ideas you want to spread about.

Hi Jim, Innovative and cheap Jim but I'' the lazy type. I opted for a dummy glow plug charger adapter from Dave at Radical RC and a battery holder from Radio Shack (also cheap) ;-)