Solar recharger and pre-charged NiMH batteries.

[eugene]

I am draining the rechargeable batteries by using them in my radio. Thing is that my recharger requires to have 4 battery slots filled and my radio only uses 3. Is it a good idea to try and recharge all four (with three being drained and the fourth full) like this?

No, you should charge each individually, get rid of that charger and get a decent one.

[eugene]

Funny you mention rayovac, I just pulled another leaky one out of a kid toy today. I've had several of their alkaline as well as their renewal leak and not to mention their poor chargers were part of the reason i stopped using rechargeables for a couple years. I won't buy rayovac products anymore.

Don't know what else to say other than I have never had a problem out of them when I have used them.

What is a conditioning charge?

Solar may very well be a poor charger, but in the PAW or SHTF it is still better than nothing.

I used to buy rayovac a lot and ended up with a few leaks over the years, then their poor charger and finally selling their lsd at walmart only was the last straw.

The big maha chargers can do a refresh/conditioning cycle which is where it discharges and recharges a few times. The battery experts at CFP say its a good idea to do with any new batteries. Then is has another longer cycle, takes 40 houres and its rescued most of the batteries my rayovac charger messed up, the only ones it couldn't fix were the low quality ones made by rayovac and radio shack.

If you are going to do solar then get a separate solar panel and 12v input charger, that way your assured of having a decent charger.

[Coldhaven]

Yup, but then I would have to have some electronical knowledge to know how to do all that. Besides, as it was pointed out eariler (maybe in another thread) that most of these new generation rechargeables don't have the memory effect.

The solar charger I have (and already bought) does a very good job of recharging off the sun's rays, but you have to charge 4 at a time, not 3, or 2 or 1. Thanks for your input though.

So far that I can tell, charging 4 AAs in 3 hours is pretty frichen efficient. My charger for my radios won't even do that off of a wall socket one. The guide that came with the radios said they take 14 hours to fully charge from empty.

[eugene]

yes modern batteries don't have any memory effect but using them in certain ways can cause "wear" on them which if why some recommend the maintenance charges. You don't need any electrical knowledge, just buy a solar panel with a 12v jack and a charger that plugs into 12v and plug them in.
Charging them 2 or 4 at a time you will find that after a few charges they won't hold their charge as well as originally because they are not getting fully and properly charged. I know that when the power goes out I want to be able to trust my gear will work, I don't want my radio/light/whatever dieing early.