GPZ Battery...SOS

[Ken Walls]

I would challenge this if I may and stand to be corrected if I have misinterpreted the sentence.

 

Lithium batteries do not by themselves limit overcharging. This function must be managed by the charger as lithium batteries turn into incendiary devices when over charged.

There is a saying in the RC modelling world "don't charge a lithium battery inside anything you cant afford to loose" They mean your RC plane, car, shed or house, all of these have been burnt down by over charged lithium batteries.

 

 

 

  I agree, the charger is what prevents overcharging, not the battery. I used to make batteries and the Lithium batteries were very sensitive to overcharging compared to other types. Most other types would just seem to leak or split, Lithium can do the same, but they also catch fire more easily when over heated. They have built in safeguards for Lithium batteries, different housing material. 

The chargers are also smarter to help prevent accidents.

[flakmagnet]

Fred, 

 

I am looking forward to hearing about your exploits once you get your new detector.

Kind of interesting that they want you to send the whole package in.

Sort of like getting a new car if the battery won't charge? Probably a bad comparison but funny.

 

Anyway best wishes and kudos for patience.

[DDancer]

Thanks,

Fair enough in what I said may overstate the safeguards built into lithium batteries.  Depends on the manufacture.  I've made LI power supplies for my SD and GP as well as other stuff I play with.  The charger is the primary safe guard that prevents over charging however I have used LI battery packs that will cut out after a certain threshold is hit during charging.  Most have a cut out built into the batteries if they are drained to far or to fast as well.  Generally fuses though many are chipped.

 

Largely they are manufactured with simple cut outs for rapid drainage as that is the most hazardous problem when cells short or a short circuit occurs to the power supply output.  A similar problem occurs when the batteries are drained past a certain point as this can cause the battery to short out as well.  Overcharging does the same thing as the cells short out due to excess's in energy storage and rapidly discharge problem here though is that the charger is still pumping energy into the battery if its a dumb charger.

Most LI chargers nowadays are smart chargers.  The early one's I worked with and the cheap stuff now are problematic to work with.

I doubt ML skimped on the charger but like any piece of electronics glitches and hitches will occur.

[fredmason]

well, back to my little problem...Nadia, at Minelab, has been very helpful and polite-even friendly. She assures me that they will ship my new toy today...as i shipped theirs yesterday. Tracking is a wonderful thing for convenience.

 

Hopefully I will have the detector by Monday or Tuesday....

 

fred

[strick]

Fred- sorry to hear about your problems with the detector battery. Wishing you a speedy electronic recovery so you can hit the fields ASAP.

 

strick

[vanursepaul]

Good to just get another unit Fred.

Yeah the charger will take care of the batteries.... Unless it isn't a smart charger....

I sold my electric mt bike to a guy and told him of the hazards of overcharging li ions..... He didn't pay attn and about burnt his gas station down.... 16 li ion cells ...7.4v each went up like a rocket while he watched....

The problem there was two weak cells... And they are a different set up than the ML batts..... I bet the ML batts are the same as the cordless drill batts...

But that is off topic.... And I just woke up after 3 long 12 hr shifts.lol

[Steve Herschbach]

My question to Minelab -

"Is there ever any concern about leaving the GPZ battery or WM12 module on the charger for days on end? I assume they are regulated but can't find anything saying so."

The answer -

"Leaving on charge, after batteries are fully charged, will not damage the batteries. (but not recommended to leave batteries permanently on charge when not detecting)."

With my CTX and GPZ also so far I just put batteries/module on charge evening before and they are good to go next morning. I have no plans to change that.

[fredmason]

My detector will be here today...

Steve, thanks for the Q & A...I like to charge my batteries at night and sometimes forget to go take them off the charger...it is good to know that is not a problem.

 

fred

[klunker]

Steve- Thanks for checking from the proper source. Someday I'll return the favor-----so be ware.

[DDancer]

Hate to sound like a doink but leaving any battery on a charger for days (7 or better) and months on end is a bad recipe for anyone.

A few days ok but extended time frames lead to battery memory *not so true for LI systems but just as bad if they fail* or just plain bad broken equipment.  Follow the recommended procedures by the manufacture. Period.  All batteries will degrade over time but constant charging is just a knife to the throat for any of them.  Storing batteries is similar... try not to store them for more than a couple of months at full charge.... discharge to 50 percent if your not going to use them for more than 3 months.  Of course no on will listen or do it but hey the darn things last years and years if you just pay attention.  My thoughts.