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Beginners Guide: How long do I charge my Airsoft NiMh battery for?

Beginners Guide: How long do I charge my Airsoft NiMH battery for?

NiMH Batteries - How long do I charge my Airsoft NiMH battery for?

A good question! Many of the more affordable Airsoft AEGs come with a cheap NiMH battery and charger included, and we always advise that these are immediately binned and replaced with a 7.4V LiPo and LiPo balance charger to get the most out of your AEG by using a modern power source.

LiPo batteries are lighter in weight, smaller in size and can be charged quickly and safely using a balance charger, which is what makes them so great for Airsoft use. That said, the design of most Airsoft AEGs predates LiPo technology, and most battery compartments are designed for NiMH batteries and will comfortably fit even these larger, heftier batteries. 

Whether you are using the charger and battery that came with your Airsoft gun, or if you bought a NiMH battery to more effectively fill your battery compartment to ensure your AEG runs all day long, the following equation will be of use!

You will find the battery capacity indicated in mAh on the outer packaging of your battery, as shown below.

image

The charge rate of your charger can usually be found on a sticker either on the front, side or rear of your charger.

image

In our example, the battery is a 1100mAh battery, and our charger's output/charge rate is 300mA.

Putting this into our equation, we end up with [1100/300] x 1.5 which gives us 5.5, meaning we need to charge the battery for 5 hours and 30 minutes to be at full capacity. 

Please note that this equation only works for NiMH batteries and does not apply to NiCAD or any other battery type. If you are using a LiPo battery you will need to use an appropriate LiPo balance charger which will cut off when your battery is at full capacity. Never attempt to charge a LiPo using a NiMH charger as this can result in a fire, which I'm sure none of you wants!

So, that's that! Now you know how long you'll need to charge your NiMH battery to full capacity. Regardless of your timekeeping skills, we always advise that you never leave a battery on charge whilst unattended, make sure to always charge in a fire-safe area, and use a battery charging bag at all times. 

If you would rather not leave things to chance, and want your NiMH batteries to be charged safely efficiently and at break-neck speed, check out our selection of Airsoft smart chargers and never have to do maths again!