Posted by: "John Hartog"
> I decided to try this after I tested a 3V power supply for a Sony MD
> and found it actually provides 5V. I don't know what the max the HiMD
> can take is, but the highest I have gone is 5.7V in both a RH10 and a
> NH700. I have not tried it yet with alkalines, and I am certainly
> nervous about destroying a recorder.
>
John-
Rechargable battery voltage is rated based on the voltage when 80%
discharged. A NIMH that's rated 1.2 volts will be higher when fully charged=
.
Just to make it more confusing, alkalines (and other non-rechargables)
are rated on their voltage when brand new and unused. By the time they
are 80% used their voltage is way lower than the NIMH rating. Their
voltage drops rapidly under use. In my experience somewhere around 20%
used is where alkalines voltage drops below the NIMH that's the same
amount used.
I figure with battery operated gear as long as you are feeding it no
more than the starting voltage of alkalines you are very safe. There's
still a voltage tolerance above that, but we don't know what it is. NIMH
may exceed the starting voltage of alkalines by a little.
Note also that in order to charge a battery you have to supply it a
little more voltage than you are charging to. If your equipment can be
run while recharging it's generally being exposed to that higher voltage
or it's got a voltage regulator in it.
Walt
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