Timers for battery charging stations...

Jim O'Dell

Member
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2,783
Location
Between Aledo and Fort Worth, TX
For those of you with charging stations for your rechargable batteries, do you have timers on them, or do you just leave them on until you are there and they have quit charging?? I've got enough outlets wired in to my all purpose work bench area to have several plugged in at a time, and still have outlets for other power tools, but I don't like to leave chargers "on" except when they are doing their jobs. The Ridgid fast chargers have a fan running when plugged in, and I can't see leaving them on all the time. I'm thinking a separate timer for each charger would be best. What have you used? Price and availability info would be great! TIA!! Jim.
 
Jim,

Did you consider checking out a charger like the Triton 2? These chargers will charge NiCad, NiMH, Lead Acid, and even Lithiums. The only draw back is that they run off of 12-15VDC. I know a few people that run them off of a car battery and then just trickle charge the battery every so often to keep it topped off. These chargers will automatically stop charging the battery once it has been completely charged so it is safe to leave it hooked up for extended periods of time.

They are typically found on RC websites but they are truely awesome. I have about six of them here that I use non-stop each and every day. Of course the battery didn't work out well for me I use a 12V 55A power supply to run them.
 
Alligator Clips. See pic below.

triton.jpg
 
Mine are all just plugged in to one of those 6-multi plug thingies.:huh:

I try to turn it off every night.


Jason. GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE :thumb:
 
Chargers designed for NiMH batteries have a "charge termination" feature that shuts off the charge current once the battery has reached full charge. Chargers made for NiCd batteries generally do not have this function as those cells can be safely float charged beyond when they reach full charge. That's why you never want to charge a NiMH battery on a NiCd charger, as a NiMH will overheat from overcharging. However, there are chargers that will handle both, but only because they use termination circuits.

Cheers,

Kevin
 
I was hoping to find a source of a plug in timer that you turn a knob and set the number of minutes it stays on. I have one such unit, from a long time ago. the knob acutal broke about 15 years ago or so. Put a GM radio knob on it (D-shaft) from a 2 shaft stereo. But that is only one. I may look further into the type that mounts in a switch box. I can split one electrical outlet to be contolled by 2 timers. Would only need 4 at the most, could probably get by with 2. Jim.
 
the whole house fan timers are good for 15 min to a couple of hours, fit in a single gang box and are good for 15 amps 110......tod
 
Thanks Jason and Tod. I've seen several different models, so far none with the range I'm looking for-30 minutes to 3 hrs would be perfect. 1 to 60 minutes would work. I'll look for the fan timers, hadn't thought of them. Ji8m.
 
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