Q: bq2000T application

Q1) Customer will use 8s NiMH cells, with a max cell voltage of 2V and a charge rate of C/4. What is min input voltage to support this? I am guessing its 16V plus a couple of volts overhead to allow for voltage drops. Is this enough or is there a more exact calculation?

A1)  Yes, 16V is a good voltage (would not go below 15V minimum).  It is normal for a range of charge current since the current can vary depending on the input voltage, output voltage and component tolerances.  I would suggest a charge between C/3 and C/2 because one gets a more reliable termination at C/3 and above and since the current can vary 20 to 30%.