NiMH discharge rate?

[Plane Hazza]

I understand that to charge a NiMH fast, it should be full discharged first. If the battery is 90% charged say, I should just trickle charge it at about 20mAh.

Question is, what is a good rate to discharge them? I'm using a pack consisting of 8 AA NiMH, 1.2V(per cell, 9.6V total) 1800mAh. I've set my charger to stop discharging at 8.4V, so thats just over 1V per cell, which is what a lot of sites recommend to discharge to before charging. I'm just confused what I should set my discharge mAh rate to?


Thanks!

[Plane Hazza]

Can any one help?

[Skiddz]

I discharge at around 1/10 C so 180ma for your 1800mah pack.

[Plane Hazza]

I discharge at around 1/10 C so 180ma for your 1800mah pack.

Why is that? I'm just curios, not doubting you.

Won't take 10 hours to discharge fully?

[Skiddz]

Oops.. I assumed this was for a Tx.. I forgot not everyone buys big packs for their radios and some people still run NiCd/NiMh for powering their models. I do the slow discharge to "balance" the pack 2-3 times a year followed by a slow charge.. Takes almost 24 hours on the 2700 mah pack in my Tx.

When I used ot race 10th scale buggies and all we had were NiCds, we'd discharge with an automobile taillight bulb. I don't remember what the draw was on 'em tho. We'd discharge until the filament didn't glow anymore and then recharge away..

Try discharging at 1.0A and monitor the pack.. It may get warm, but shouldn't get hot...

[Plane Hazza]

Oops.. I assumed this was for a Tx.. I forgot not everyone buys big packs for their radios and some people still run NiCd/NiMh for powering their models. I do the slow discharge to "balance" the pack 2-3 times a year followed by a slow charge.. Takes almost 24 hours on the 2700 mah pack in my Tx.

When I used ot race 10th scale buggies and all we had were NiCds, we'd discharge with an automobile taillight bulb. I don't remember what the draw was on 'em tho. We'd discharge until the filament didn't glow anymore and then recharge away..

Try discharging at 1.0A and monitor the pack.. It may get warm, but shouldn't get hot...

OK thanks! Max rate it will discharge at is 500mAh which is what I've been using.