Charging Rechargeable D Batteries

jeff88 · 02-19-14, 07:27 PM

My garbage can is one of those hand motion lid opener kinds and needs 4 batteries to operate.

I used one set of batteries when we first got it, but I don't want to keep replacing them. I want to get some rechargeable batteries, probably Duracell because my other rechargeable's are. The problem is finding a charger that can support the amount of charge a D cell can hold. From what I have read in reviews, even if it "fits" a D cell, that doesn't mean it will fully charge it to capacity (meaning I have to charge more often).

So I'm looking for (and thought of a few) options to charge the batteries as necessary. Here's a few I thought of:

1) Use a power supply/wall wart and cut the end off, strip the casing and attach the positive/negative to a case which will hold the D cells. Never doing this before, I don't know how best to do it. One D cell is 1.5 volts. If I charge them in series, that is 6 volts. Should I get a 6 volt power supply and charge them in series or get a 1.5 volt power supply and charge them in parellel? Or maybe charge a pair in series and another pair in series? Or maybe a pair in parallel and another pair in parallel? In either case, should I get the exact voltage (6 or 1.5) or should I bump it up a little (say, 7-8 or 2-3)?

2) Another option and one I would really like, is a small solar panel. The issue I seem to find is how long it would take to charge the cells. I can find a panel that will output the right voltage, but the mA of output would take daaaaays to charge them up fully. I would need a second set and I don't really want to do that. If I could figure that issue out, the same question applies here as well, how best to charge them (in volts, 1.5, 3, 6, series, parallel)?

Anybody have any ideas or a thread link that I missed?

02-19-14, 07:27 PM	#1
jeff88 Lots of questions Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 73 Thanks: 27 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Charging Rechargeable D Batteries My garbage can is one of those hand motion lid opener kinds and needs 4 batteries to operate. I used one set of batteries when we first got it, but I don't want to keep replacing them. I want to get some rechargeable batteries, probably Duracell because my other rechargeable's are. The problem is finding a charger that can support the amount of charge a D cell can hold. From what I have read in reviews, even if it "fits" a D cell, that doesn't mean it will fully charge it to capacity (meaning I have to charge more often). So I'm looking for (and thought of a few) options to charge the batteries as necessary. Here's a few I thought of: 1) Use a power supply/wall wart and cut the end off, strip the casing and attach the positive/negative to a case which will hold the D cells. Never doing this before, I don't know how best to do it. One D cell is 1.5 volts. If I charge them in series, that is 6 volts. Should I get a 6 volt power supply and charge them in series or get a 1.5 volt power supply and charge them in parellel? Or maybe charge a pair in series and another pair in series? Or maybe a pair in parallel and another pair in parallel? In either case, should I get the exact voltage (6 or 1.5) or should I bump it up a little (say, 7-8 or 2-3)? 2) Another option and one I would really like, is a small solar panel. The issue I seem to find is how long it would take to charge the cells. I can find a panel that will output the right voltage, but the mA of output would take daaaaays to charge them up fully. I would need a second set and I don't really want to do that. If I could figure that issue out, the same question applies here as well, how best to charge them (in volts, 1.5, 3, 6, series, parallel)? Anybody have any ideas or a thread link that I missed?