🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <21152@acorn.co.uk> agodwin@acorn.co.uk (Adrian Godwin) writes:
>
>How about a charger for Alkaline cells ? I've seen one in a UK hobby magazine
>using a system of periodic charge/discharge at 50Hz, but the charge time 
>figures they presented didn't make sense.
>So I built a version that I was happier with, but performance seems poor 
>(long charge time, recharged cells don't hold their charge well).

I would bet that the charger you saw was for standard carbon-zinc cells.
The carbon-zinc batteries can be recharged somewhat, but they won't work
terribly well afterward and you can only get one or two rechargings out
of them.  Rechargers for these batteries were quite popular back before
NiCds and alkaline cells came out.

If you charge an alkaline battery, your chances of rupturing it are
pretty good.  I've never seen one literally explode, but I have seen
them split down the side and spray causic goo around.  Don't do it.  It's
not worth it.
--scott