Modify Dewalt DC011 radio/charger for lithium

[katou]

Anyone know anything about this charger? It's set up for NiCd, Nimh, but not lithium.

Could it be modified easily to charge lithium? Is it just a matter of changing the HVC of the charger to 4.2v?

Pretty cool to use it on the back of my bike as the take-along charger.

Katou

[amberwolf]

I don't know about that specific charger, but the other Nickel-specific chargers I've got here all determine end of charge cycle either by a change in temperature (suddenly getting a lot hotter) of the cells, or a change in their voltage (sudden *drop* from max voltage), or both. So they probably wouldn't terminate charge automatically, and you'd have to keep an eye on them to do that manually, if your BMS does not already do this.

Also, many of them will need a resistance placed from the thermistor sense pin to ground, or they won't try to charge, thinking that either there's no pack attached or that something is wrong with it.

[katou]

This does not sound encouraging. I hoped that it was just a matter of changing the HVC. Additionally, I have found out that the form factors are different. The Lithium physically will not fit into the NiCd charger.

But if I removed the board from a lithium charger and replaced the board in the radio....

Who am I kidding, that's way beyond my skill level. Oh well, good thing ideas don't cost anything.

Katou

[amberwolf]

I hoped that it was just a matter of changing the HVC.

It might be, but I doubt it.

Additionally, I have found out that the form factors are different. The Lithium physically will not fit into the NiCd charger.

Right--you'd need to run leads from the charger to whatever holder you're using (or build one).

Who am I kidding, that's way beyond my skill level. Oh well, good thing ideas don't cost anything.

Except time to think of them. And you can always level up your skills, although that also takes time. I didn't know how to do even half of the stuff I needed to build CrazyBike2 before I started, but I almost know it now well enough to do it a second time.