NiMH battery charger with BQ2002FPN IC Controller Fastcharge (8-DIP)

[chromei386]

Hi,

I would like to make a reliable NiMH battery charger - using the BQ2002FPN IC Controller Fastcharge (8-DIP) - datasheet here: http://www.chipcatalog.com/TI/BQ2002FPN.htm

I was originally going to use a Maxim product but they decided they didn't find me important enough to send it to, whereas Texas Instruments sent me an alternative to me via International Priority Mail, arriving two days later from Malaysia.

Anyway, I digress.

I have this IC on my desk, but I don't know how to go about designing or using this as a charger. Do I just connect the outputs to the battery and give the IC power and that's it, it's done? Or is it more complicated? I have read the datasheet 3 times but unable to really process the information.

And as a bigger picture question, is this a good way to go about building a battery charger? And I can just build four stand alone circuits and have a nice battery charger bay? And is the temperature function a really important feature or is relying on delta V good enough?

[chromei386]

I realise I was being a lazy bum.

Here's something more specific I drew up. I think it will work!