Re: [NTLK] Moving away from MP2K internal charging

From: Joel M. Sciamma (joel_at_inventors-emporium.co.uk)
Date: Sun Oct 31 2004 - 11:49:56 PST


Jim,

> What happens electrically if you try to pump electricity into a
> regular cell?

Depending on the current, the cell will heat up and can burst with varying
degrees of entertainment.

I have no idea if the Newt would even attempt to charge a modded tray with
alkaline cells in it. Has someone tried this?

> Could you perhaps use a resistor (to detect and
> increased voltage caused by the cell refusing to accept electricity)
> and transistor or SCR to shut down the charge line (or the line that
> tells the Newt that a rechargable pack is there)?

I think this is going to be very tricky because you would have to
accommodate voltage sensing and switching circuitry either in the Newt or
the tray and there's not a lot of space in either. One would have to do some
experiments on the effects of introducing a semiconductor switching element
in series with the pack - it may affect voltage sensing.

Is it worth it? Better to have alkalines only in a standard battery tray and
only rechargeables in the modded one.

Joel.

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