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(NiCD bat device) - What TM Resistor? Polarities?

JoeyElectronicsGuy

Feb 5, 2016
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Feb 5, 2016
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Hi all,

I'm trying to build this NiCd device to fix my batteries:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/nicad-battery-reconditioning-machine-zmaz86mjzgoe.aspx

But I have a couple questions (b/c the diagram is hard to see):


What is the size of the TM (TradeMark) resister, 47K. 2000k, 5000K 0r what size is it 1/4 or 1 or 2 Watt resister. Need to know. If the resister is to small or to large the NiCd Battery Reconditioning Device will not work and could burnout the resister.

Also, looking at the diagram to build the NiCad fixing Device I can not determine the polarity for the capacitors in the wiring example. The instructions stress getting the polarity correct. Could someone please let me know the correct wiring polarity?

Also the K value for the TM Resistors is not provided. Do you have a guess at what this info is?

And what K value and wattage for the TM resister do I need? Could you provide a link for this resistor as was done for the 47 K resistor?

Thank you so much. Any advice you can provide would be very helpful. If you have any specific TM or 47 resistors you recommend that'd be helpful too.

-Joey

099-044-01i1.jpg
 

Bluejets

Oct 5, 2014
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There appears to be more to this in a particular publication from 1986.

In any case it appears to be directly connected to mains supply so best to avoid as it would be a dangerous arrangement.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Jan 21, 2010
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The principle of the device is fairly sound. In NiCad batteries small metal dendrites form, and if they reach the other electrode the cell is shorted. Passing a brief high current pulse vaporizes them, restoring useful life to the battery.

If you had access to an old disposable camera with a flash, this works well. You use it to charge the capacitor up to about 50V and then connect the capacitor across the battery. It's all powered from a single AA cell.

Even this is potentially dangerous. The capacitor can hold enough charge to give you a very nasty surprise, and is on the border of what is theoretically lethal.

It pays to know what you're doing. A flash capacitor charged to 30V from a power supply is probably less dangerous and probably just as effective.
 

JimTheSoundman

Mar 29, 2016
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Mar 29, 2016
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I am also trying to build this and am running into the same issues as you, Joey. There isn't much to go on with the blurry diagram. But I will give you three hints, Joey. First, change your username as it doesn't suit you very well. JoeyBeginnerGuy would be more appropriate.
Second, you need to do a google search for those Radio Shack parts numbers, they will tell you all you need to know. It's not a TM resistor, it's 1 MegaOhm (1M). And it's spelled resistor, not resister. You can always use a larger wattage resistor in place of a smaller one, so if you have any doubts, you can get a fatter one and it will work, although it will be more expensive.
Third, think of the capacitors as an extremely short-throw high-power battery. Puts out a lot of electricity for a super short amount of time. If you think of it that way, then you should be able to wire them up correctly. If you don't know what you are doing, have someone else do this. You could hurt yourself.
 
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