Charger

The integrated MAX712 is used to load nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride batteries from a DC source. It allows you to load batteries in series from a minimum of one battery to a maximum of 16 with the possibility of fast charging at a rate higher than 4C or with a current of 4 times the capacity of the batteries. To determine the maximum charge it uses a voltage detection across the series of batteries (detects the slope of the voltage over time) and also uses a temperature control.

The MAX712 provides a minimum current of 5uA even when the batteries are charged, in such a way that they remain always charged, thus compensating for self-discharge. It allows to have a load connected to the batteries even during their charge.