[RESOLVED] Electricity question

[jonny b]

I have a brand new Coleman lantern that I got from a friend. It has a rechargable battery in it that is dead now. He said he lost the power supply charger for it. It t akes an output of 13.5V and 300ma adapter to charge it. I have collected many power units over the years and have many that I can fit into this slot on the bottom of the lantern. They are many different configurations. What is the range of voltages and ma can I use to charge this lantern without burning down the house?

Can I get a voltage range and a ma range. I have some that are close like 12V and 300ma and various others. What is more important the V or the ma(milliamps)?

[DanceMan]

Don't use a 12V (actual measured 12V) power brick. If the lantern battery is 12V, it will take something like 14V peak to charge it.
Put a multimeter on the bricks you have and measure the actual output. One marked 12V may put out a higher voltage, enough to charge.

But if that lantern battery is a lead acid, chuck it. A nicad or lithium ion can sit discharged, but a lead acid, whether your car battery or a gel cel, can't.

[jonny b]

It is a 6Vm 2.36Ah Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) Battery. I think I can get a different type. So if it was a nicad or lithium then still you say I need to use a power adapter higher than 12V? What about milliamps does that matter? I guess I don't understand electricity that much.

[SpywareDr]

http://www.diychatroom.com/f18/recha...estion-157129/

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0CJ-0001-00002

?

[DanceMan]

If it's 6V it will take something a little higher voltage to charge it. Not being an expert and just guessing, maybe 7V. The amperage rating will determine the charge rate and I won't claim to know that. But it would seem you have a lead acid gel cell. As I said, a rechargeable nicad, NiMh, or lithium ion can sit discharged, but a lead acid cannot. It will be toast, you'll need a new one, and you'll have to keep it charged. Same thing for the lead acid gel cell in a UPS, by the way. If you were in Vancouver you could go to Polar Battery, the best place for any kind of batteries (as a couple of us at work were talking about today.)

[Joje]

7-8 V, I think

[glussier]

Go to SpywaredDr link and get the proper power supply. You don't even know if your power adapter is wire with the same polarity as your lantern.

As a note, a lithium battery should never be stored at below 40% charge.

[jonny b]

Thanks. I did throw it away though. But still good information for others to use and myself. Glad someone knows what they are talking about. Thanks again.