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Bring Dead Ni-Cad Batteries Back To Life

by Plasmana on November 26, 2008

Table of Contents

Bring Dead Ni-Cad Batteries Back To Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: Bring Dead Ni-Cad Batteries Back To Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: So, Why do Ni-Cad batteries die? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2: What you will need for battery zapping... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 3: Slaughter the camera! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 4: Remove and add switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 5: Add the battery holder an the switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 6: Insulate the high voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 7: Zap the hell out of the battery! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/
 Author:Plasmana
––––––––––––––––––––––––

My motto:
"Energy cannot be created nor destroyed!"

––––––––––––––––––––––––
I have a brain condition called Asperger syndrome, so I may be a bit strange to you... And I tend to take things a bit too literally.
––––––––––––––––––––––––
I love anything that can light up the skies and ending with an loud band, lighting, fireworks, and EXPLOSIVES! As long as no harm has been done, therefore
I absolutely hate wars, what is the point?

I was born and raised in New Orleans, USA, then my family finally decided to move to England after Hurricane Katrina gave us a push to do so. After we
moved, I developed great interest in electronics, then igh voltage electronics. I have archived many projects I wanted to do, but never succeeded at
constructing the ultimate project, the Tesla Coil...

But I am not that easily discouraged, I will continue working on until I succeed. There is a saying that my Gran always say, "The first you failed, try and try
again until you succeed!"

Now I go to College and study Electrics (not surprising!) to get my qualification, because all of this dang ultra strict Health and Safety laws!
––––––––––––––––––––––––

Intro: Bring Dead Ni-Cad Batteries Back To Life

Are you tired of having your Ni-Cad batteries that refused to charge and simply die?

So what do you do with them when they die?

Just throw them in the trash - which harms the environment?
Or just take them to a recycling facility for them to be recycled?

Well, here is the best solution, bring your dead batteries back to life that can save you a chunk of change - By zapping them!
Here is one great instructable, Revive Nicad Batteries by Zapping with a Welder . Of course, you will need a welder, and not many people has one... So I came up with
this idea that almost anyone can build!

UPDATED: This instructable has been featured in hackaday !

DISCLAIMER:
This instructable involves hacking a device that operates on 300 volts and can be dangerous if not handled correctly. So, I am NOT responsible whatever happens to you
using this information.

Step 1: So, Why do Ni-Cad batteries die?

Why do Ni-Cad batteries die?

They don't exactly 'die', it is the sulfur crystals that is causing the problem.
The crystals are formed and begin growing caused by:

Overcharging the cell

Leaving the cell in the discharge state for a long time
Memory effect
Being exposed in high temperature

After the crystals has begin growing inside the cell, it eventually touch both ends of the cell terminals. This shorts out the cell and preventing it to be recharged again...

But, the good thing is the sulfur crystals can be easily destroyed, by putting a hefty surge current through the cell... This vaporize the crystals and the battery should be
good as new again!
http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/
 Image Notes
1. Nicad batteries from solar garden lights.

Step 2: What you will need for battery zapping...

I recommend using capacitors as they give a powerful pulse discharge.
Other power source like car batteries and welders are not a good option. Because as they give out a continuous discharge, the wire can be accidentally get welded to the
battery terminal and cause them to over heat and possibly explode... You can use car batteries or welder, just be careful what you are doing.

The capacitor type you should use is somewhere about 100,000uF 60v. Unfortunately, that capacitor with an extreme ratings are just way too expensive...

So in this case to avoid paying a chunk of change for a big capacitor, I use disposable flash camera's capacitor instead for this project. Why? Because they are suitable
for pulse discharging, and best of all, they are FREE! But they are more dangerous...

So, what you will need for this project are...

A disposable flash camera

Dead Ni-Cad batteries
Wires
Battery holder for the dead Ni-Cads (You can use size AAA, AA, C, or D, depending what battery you want to zap. I am going to use an AA battery holder for this
instructable.)
Small switch (I used a slide switch)
High power switch (I used a push-button switch)

You can get free disposable flash cameras from photo developing places like Wal-Mart and such.

And for the tools, you will need:

Soldering iron (You might be able to get away with out doing any soldering by twisting wires in place.)
Wire cutters
Wire strippers
Flat head screwdriver
Pliers

Right, hopefully, you got everything, so lets get to work!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/
Step 3: Slaughter the camera!
Give a general description of the StepNow this is going to be a fairly dangerous part, open up the camera and get the circuit out safely without getting shocked by the
capacitor...

(The capacitor in the camera is a large black cylinder thing, it is used for making flashes for the camera.)

First, pry open the camera's case apart with a flat-head screwdriver or just use your hands if you like, but you are more likely to get shocked by the capacitor.
After you taken the camera's case off, discharge the capacitor with a insulated screw driver, and you may get a big loud spark, and after that, the capacitor is
discharged... (Use a screwdriver you hate so much, because a fully charged capacitor will leave a scar on the metal part of the screwdriver!)

Great! You had done the dangerous step on this instructable! (Some people say this is the fun part of the instructable because you get a loud spark from the capacitor.)

Image Notes
1. Put the bare part of the screwdriver here to discharge the capacitor...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/
 Image Notes
1. Camera's circuit removed from the camera's frame.

Step 4: Remove and add switch

After the camera's circuit is removed from the frame, we need to remove the surface-mounded charge switch and add an external switch. Doing so, you will have easier
control of the circuit and less likely to get

Remove the top bit of the charge switch. It will have some tape on the top, so it shouldn't be too hard to remove.

Then solder two pieces of wire on both exposed metal tabs. And solder a 'new' charge switch onto the other ends of the wires.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. You can remove those metal bits if you want... 1. The charge switch.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/
 Image Notes Image Notes
1. Peel this metal cap off. 1. Solder one wire here...
2. And one there.

Image Notes
1. Done!

Image Notes
1. New switch added.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/
Step 5: Add the battery holder an the switch
Then we need to solder the battery holder and the high power switch together with the black capacitor.

Solder the black wire of the battery holder to the lead of the capacitor that is the closest to the grey stripe.

Solder a piece of wire to the other lead of the capacitor.

Then solder the push-button switch to the red wire of the battery holder and the other wire.

Also, the battery holder you just added, that is where you put the dead Ni-Cad battery to zap them.

Image Notes
1. The grey stripe.

Step 6: Insulate the high voltage

Okay, you are almost done! All you need to do is somehow insulate all the high voltage parts...

You could put it in a nice project box... But I don't have a project box available, so I just put tape on all of the bare metal parts and taped the bottom of the camera's
circuit.

And you are done!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/
Step 7: Zap the hell out of the battery!
To zap a dead Ni-Cad battery back to life, put the Ni-Cad battery into the 'zapping' battery holder and a good alkaline battery into the battery holder on the camera's
circuit.

The turn on the charge switch and wait for the neon/LED to glow. When it starts glowing, push the push-button switch and you may hear a loud 'POP'. That is OK for it to
pop, it shows the battery has been zap an it is alive! But to be sure the sulfur crystals are really vaporized, zap the Ni-Cad battery one more time...

After zapping the Ni-Cad battery, charge it in its charger to really get it working again.

This works for me very well, I hope it works for you!

If you have any questions, or need help, or found an error, or anything, make a comment!
I like comments! :-)

Also, could you spare your few seconds on voting this instructable? Please ?

Image Notes
1. Neon bulb glowing - Ready to zap the Ni-Cad Battery...

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AND disposable Homemade Batteries - back on the itsthatsguy discharger for
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http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/
Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 372 comments

sasrf says: Mar 4, 2011. 5:44 AM REPLY

an idea !! would it be possible for electricals in a domestic fluorescent tube lamp to be modified to supply the high voltage ?? it's just an idea, I am not an
engineer, maybe someone can comment !!

Thank you .....

sasrf 04/03/11

zack247 says: Jan 6, 2011. 4:31 PM REPLY

i have the same question as pteranosaur,
Does this work with nimh batteries?
or is there a different chemical composition in nimh's that makes this not work?

Unit042 says: Feb 18, 2011. 10:00 AM REPLY

Yes, they are slightly different chemically, but they are still pretty close. Probably close enough for this to work. If you try it, be sure to post the results! :)

m1sterb0b says: Jun 15, 2010. 10:08 AM REPLY

Now, I've done some researc hof Ni-Cad batteries and some on NiMH batteries and I still have yet to figure something out. a NiCd battery is a dry cell
battery. Which means that the only "chemicals" involved here are Nickel and Cadmium. When the cell is fully charged the cathode is composed of Nickelic
Hydroxide, it will either get +3 or +4 (lose 3 or 4 electrons) and become either NiOOH (+3) or Ni(OH) (+4) and When one connects a load to the cell the
anode is oxidized and the cathode is reduced. Electrons leave the anode where the cadmium is oxidized and forms Cd(OH) , plus 2 free electrons. These
two electrons go to the cathode where they reduce the Nickelic Hydroxide to form nickelOUS hydroxide or Ni(OH) (where the nickel has a charge of +2). In
all the stuff I've studied show that theres no way for sulfur (S) to exist in a NiCd battery. The only chemicals I've noticed are nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd),
oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H). If I'm missing something if someone could shed some light on it for me, I'd appreciate it. but as far as I know, and have seen,
no sulfur exists in a NiCd battery! (to cite a source, one place i copied and pasted info from was:
http://www.wppltd.demon.co.uk/WPP/Batteries/Chemistry/chemistry.html)

Unit042 says: Nov 26, 2010. 2:26 PM REPLY

I think the author of this instructible confused the NiCd whiskers with sulfation in lead-acid batteries (a similar concept, old battery not taking a charge,
zap it, and it lasts a bit longer). The sulfur is not, to my knowledge, involved in NiCd batteries in any way.
A lot of electronics beginners on this website like to use disposable cameras without understanding what they are playing with. :(

jerry0 says: Feb 17, 2011. 4:29 PM REPLY

I've been zapping nicds for many many years and it works about 90% of the time.

Unit042 says: Feb 18, 2011. 9:57 AM REPLY

I was not doubting the results or workability of using a disposable camera to zap batteries to make them work again. What I meant was, NiCd
batteries don't have sulfur in them. Lead acid batteris do.
NiCd batteries do grow crystals, but they are not sulfur, because there is no sulfur in NiCd batteries.
Lead acid battery plates get covered by sulfur (sulfation), because their electrolyte is sulfuric acid.
Both are typically zapped one way or another to revive them, and it may or may not work, depending on your setup. Mine have often worked.
Similar concepts, incorrect wording in instructible.

A large number of people on this site who do not have the electronics knowledge needed to A: build a high voltage power supply, and B: keep
them safe from high voltage, oftenly use disposable cameras as a high voltage source. Not that their safety is my problem, but still....

Sorry for any misunderstandings or ambiguities.

Schober says: Mar 21, 2010. 6:16 AM REPLY

Can this be done with batteries larger than AA's? Say, something like a 7.2v or 8v r/c battery or would you need to increase the power?

Lee Wilkerson says: Sep 8, 2010. 10:14 AM REPLY

The problem with the higher voltage batteries is the fact that they are comprised of quantities of AAA, AA, C, or D NiCD batteries (A fully charged NiCD
cell is 1.2V. Ex: 6 x 1.2=7.2V). That in itself is not the problem - the problem is that those cells all deteriorate at different rates. This means you MUST
disassemble the battery packs or at least compromise the packaging to get access to each individual cell. Once you have done so, check each cell with a
voltmeter. You will likely find one or two cells in the pack which either have very low or reversed voltage. Those are the ones which you will need to
address.

~/Lee

zack247 says: Jan 6, 2011. 4:29 PM REPLY

hi, you seem to know what youre talking about...
will this work with nimh batteries? i have 12 of them and if i can do this to them then i can use them again.

so does it work on nimh's?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/
 Plasmana says: Mar 21, 2010. 9:17 AM REPLY
That will burn out the transistor...

Schober says: Mar 21, 2010. 11:41 AM REPLY

Is there another setup that would make it possible to zap a larger battery in a similar manner?

Plasmana says: Mar 21, 2010. 5:31 PM REPLY

This would probably help.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Revive-Nicad-Batteries-by-Zapping-with-a-Welder/

pteranosaur says: Jan 6, 2011. 1:00 PM REPLY

Still looking for an answer to whether or no this works with NiMh batteries...promt response appreciated !!!

drbill says: Sep 21, 2010. 3:18 AM REPLY

I did an 18v drill motor battery that was dead as they come with an auto transformer and a fully buffered bridge rectifier. I ran it up to 40vDC for 3 seconds
two times and the thing was like new !
We call it "Blowing Off The Wiskers".

backscan says: Apr 2, 2010. 11:10 PM REPLY

I have some battery marked Ni-Mh will this work on them? Also can I just use my mothers stun gun? It puts out 150k volts. If your not sure I'll just wait to a
better day and run a looooong set of wires to the battery outside : )

Lee Wilkerson says: Sep 8, 2010. 9:53 AM REPLY

No, you do no want to use a stun gun. They deliver at 20 to 150 KV. That's thousands of volts, and besides, it's AC.

~/Lee

zack247 says: Jul 16, 2010. 12:59 AM REPLY

why would your mom have a stun gun? and i dont think its a good idea, sounds kinda dangerous...

jerry0 says: Feb 17, 2011. 4:24 PM REPLY

Every woman should carry a stun gun!!!

backscan says: Jul 16, 2010. 2:50 PM REPLY

I try to make her carry it for defense I'm not sure what kind of a fight she could put up any more and nothing says leave me alone like 150,000 volts,
she had a small .25 automatic handgun but had to sell it because it was to hard to work the action.

Rs master says: Jan 6, 2011. 3:40 PM REPLY

you could use this

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_766315_-
1_757781_757781_757781_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

jerry0 says: Feb 17, 2011. 4:26 PM REPLY

Great Choice

smallshot says: Nov 28, 2008. 6:57 AM REPLY

Is there any reason you cannot remove the flash bulb, wire the battery holder to where the bulb was, and use the camera's flash charge button, and shutter
button to activate the flash? It would save you 2 switches and keep the dangerous electronics inside a nice case. I don't know electronics that well, but I
would have thought the capacitor is wired directly to the flash bulb and this would work the same. would it?

kricketone says: Jul 16, 2010. 8:18 AM REPLY

thats how I done mine works great too

liam01 says: Nov 28, 2008. 1:45 PM REPLY

i did it that way and it worked. but i had to put in a new switch because the shutter fell apart when i took the cover off. and it works well. fixed my first
battery a few minutes ago.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/
 cantcutmustard says: Aug 20, 2009. 6:50 PM REPLY
I used a polaroid fun shooter. I soldered my jumper wires to either end of the flash bulb leaving the bulb connected. I was actually able to put the
case back on. This almost completely eliminates the chances of getting jolted. I found that I don't even have to use the rewind machanism. just hold
the recharge button in until the light comes on and it's ready to fire. CAUTION it appears the it will somewhat recharge without holding the button. So
whe not in use I tape the lead ends.

0192 says: Jun 17, 2010. 6:17 PM REPLY

well wreten i just am afraid of the batery part. i have taken apart a digital camera and never got shocked but when shorting the capacitor scared me so much
i don't want to mess with it. do you think that a plasma lightning ball would work thay make like 60-1000v.

virushacker says: Dec 28, 2009. 6:57 PM REPLY

dont use this method on lithium -ion batterys its really dangerous.

Plasmana says: Mar 21, 2010. 9:19 AM REPLY

Yeah I know, lol

kill1234 says: May 21, 2010. 4:19 PM REPLY

Yes, this is a result :

www.metacafe.com/watch/788668/worlds_most_dangerous_battery/

kill1234 says: May 21, 2010. 4:10 PM REPLY

How can you bring BIG Ni-cad batteries back to life?

sanman9078 says: Apr 24, 2010. 9:38 PM REPLY

Do you connect positive to positive or positive to negative?

timmartha says: Jul 2, 2009. 7:55 AM REPLY

Back in 1992 when i first recived my ham radio ticket My instructor told my class that you can strike a rechargeable battery with a car battery charger 15
times and it would bring most of them back to life. I have sucsesfully done this many times. All have come back to life. I hope this helps.

Plasmana says: Oct 4, 2009. 11:45 AM REPLY

You mean short out the battery 15 times with a car battery?

timmartha says: Oct 4, 2009. 5:21 PM REPLY

Yes. Put the pos from the car bat to the rechargeable battery pos, (using jumper cables) then strike the neg 15 times. Do not hold it to the battery just
strike it. If you hold it to long it can explode.

Plasmana says: Oct 5, 2009. 11:18 AM REPLY

Ahh okay, I have been told that is it very dangerous to even strike an ni-cad battery with an car battey, I guess they are wrong :P

timmartha says: Oct 5, 2009. 2:40 PM REPLY

What happens over time is the polarity in the batterys revers and this will realign them. After you strick them put them in a charger for the
length of time it would take to charge them. Glad that i could help.

Plasmana says: Oct 6, 2009. 5:15 AM REPLY

Thanks for your advice, I will try that when i get more dead batteries :-)

matstermind says: Apr 4, 2010. 1:08 PM REPLY

do you know if that would work with electric scooter batteries?

timmartha says: Apr 6, 2010. 2:56 PM REPLY

As far as i know it will only work on any 1.5 or 1.2 volt batteries. It may work up to 6v small ones but not sure.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/
 matstermind says: Apr 6, 2010. 7:21 PM REPLY
ok, thanks

MrLWJ says: Nov 1, 2009. 7:52 PM REPLY

could this be used to give laptop batts a second life?
those suckers are pricey.

matstermind says: Apr 4, 2010. 1:05 PM REPLY

late reply, but you could try freezing the batteries for 12-14 hours then cool down recharge then discharge several times. it worked for me with one
battery, but not with the second, look around the internet for more information

beehard44 says: Feb 27, 2010. 1:46 AM REPLY

i woudnt risk it!
li-ion or li-po batteries are very dangerous! but you can rebuild them!
just open it up then order the same type of "cells" that look like batteies, then just replace!
it is somewhere on the net....

maxpower49 says: Apr 13, 2010. 3:04 PM REPLY

what if the laptop battries are AA sized and you know they are Ni-Cad

hansonsux says: Mar 29, 2010. 8:26 PM REPLY

Doing this will blast away dendrite formation. Problem is: there is now a hole in the sparator where the dendrite poked through. Now you have a battery with
increrased self-discharge (due to current leaking through the hole), and the dendrite will reform once the battery is left discharged for even a short time.

Hubiewan says: Mar 12, 2010. 8:00 PM REPLY

Thanks, man! Although, can I just remove the flash bulb and wire in a battery holder, using the intact camera as is? Just a thought. Hubiewan

killerbanjo says: Mar 13, 2010. 5:00 PM REPLY

Yes you could :D

Tommyhzy says: Feb 15, 2010. 11:51 AM REPLY

I already built a disposable camera Taser a while back...
Which means less work for me! (:

charlessenf-gm says: Jan 2, 2010. 12:45 PM REPLY

Great Instructable. I have a couple of these cameras dismantled and this is the best use seen for them yet.

You can use a Wall Wart to power it - but the output needs to be DC Volts and likely < 2.0VDC at that. I would also suspect that the output would need to be
filtered abit to be safe.

You can use additional battery holders - to fit C and D cells, for instance - wired in parallel to allow "Zapping" different size cells.

Many Battery-powered Tools that use ni-cad battery packs are actually six or so 1.5vdc "C"-sized cells that can be removed and "Zapped" individually.

I would suggest that your slide switch might be replaced with a Momentary Contact switch so the charging cycle can be better controlled and the battery life
extended somewhat.

Nice job.

view all 372 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bring-Dead-Ni-Cad-Batteries-Back-To-Life/