In general, how long do rechargeable batteries take for a full charge?

Rich-Allen1976 · Post by **Rich-Allen1976** » 25 Feb 2024, 12:55

I bought a charger and some batteries from Ikea last Friday, I've had them on charge for a couple of hours between Friday afternoon and today, and there's still hardly any charge on them.

I know the batteries aren't dud because I bought proper NiMH ones rather than cheap ones from Poundland.

I've just put them back on charge after putting them in my camera.

Will they be fully charged by tea time?

I am aware of Google, and they sell rechargeable batteries in America.

Post by **Ojisama** » 25 Feb 2024, 23:28

It's been a while since I last used rechargeable batteries, but from what I can recall, their first full charge can take quite a while. It should tell you on the pack. Also, some chargers have slow and fast options, but I wouldn't use the fast option persistently. Also, you may need to fully discharge the batteries before charging as this will extend their life-span. Again, it should tell you on the pack.

Post by **Beerkeg** » 27 Feb 2024, 08:27

The AA and AAA battey chargers are rather slow since those batteries are not meant for fast charging. If you want to know roughly how long they will take to charge, check the labels. Find the capacity and the charger output. The formula is simple, just: Charge time = Battery Capacity / Charge Current.
As an example my NiMH batteries are 2000mAh and my charger does 180mA so 2000/180=11.1 hours
This is a rough estimate, but good enough to get an idea of how long it'll take. Since NiMH batteries have rather poor charging efficiency at around 70-85%, it'll likely take more like 13-14 hours to fully charge

Rich-Allen1976 · Post by **Rich-Allen1976** » 29 Feb 2024, 21:22

I discovered this morning that it's not that the batteries had no charge, it was a duff plug socket in the Kitchen in which the charger was plugged, I've reported it to SYHA but it's unlikely they'll even ring me to arrange to look at it till at least the middle of next week.

I wouldn't mind but I've been telling them for most of the last 17 years that I'm not around on Thursdays.

IsaBC24 · Post by **IsaBC24** » 05 Mar 2024, 20:13

It's not uncommon for new rechargeable batteries to have a lower initial charge. Charging time depends on the charger's output and the battery capacity. If the Ikea charger is slow, it might take a while. Charging overnight or until the indicator shows full charge is a good practice. However, charging time can vary. If you need them quickly, you might consider getting a faster charger. Remember, patience is key with rechargeables! If you have concerns, Ikea's customer service can provide specific information about the charger's performance.

Rich-Allen1976 · Post by **Rich-Allen1976** » 05 Mar 2024, 20:19

IsaBC24 wrote: ↑
05 Mar 2024, 20:13
It's not uncommon for new rechargeable batteries to have a lower initial charge. Charging time depends on the charger's output and the battery capacity. If the Ikea charger is slow, it might take a while. Charging overnight or until the indicator shows full charge is a good practice. However, charging time can vary. If you need them quickly, you might consider getting a faster charger. Remember, patience is key with rechargeables! If you have concerns, Ikea's customer service can provide specific information about the charger's performance.

I used to volunteer for the local Fire service and SYP, they always used to say that leaving stuff on charge overnight is a definite NO NO due to it being a Fire hazard.