Handheld VHF new battery pack - to charge or not?

[janeh]

So Mega rubbish Marine finally delivered my Standard Horizon HX270E.

(Rest of order missing)

Ni metal hydride battery, so should be easy to look after, yet instructions state, charge a new / discharged battery for 10 hours.

Also states that charger can overcharge, which is bad.

So I take battery off charge and decide to test Voltage. It is 7.7V (given an error of +0.1V) = 7.6V true

Battery spec states: 6V=discharge, 7.2V = full charge.

So, do you gents and ladies think I should charge or not. My opinion is to just use the radio straight out of the box based on multimeter reading.
Tra La (enjoy the weather today)

 

[VicS]

Do what the the instructions say.

The battery is probably not as well charged as you think. They are I believe charged during manufacture but could well be nearly discharged by now.

It seem to take several charge discharge cycles to get NiMH working at full capacity.

 

[janeh]

Thanks, but when I read the bit about not overcharging (I do read the important bits of instructions first, by the way) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
it said be careful not to overcharge as will limit bat capacity,so I then tested Voltage, then I got to the bit where I realised there was a battery capacity indicator.
All things considered, I'm not going to charge it for 10 hours (also, trusting Mega Marine it could always be a returned item anyway and thus had a first charge already)
As soon as low battery indicator lights I'll give it a 10 hour charge, then run it until nearly flat and then an 11 hour charge.

Just figuring an overcooked battery is worse than using a half full one - but I don't know what's best really.
Unless anyone knows better.