I'm attempting to use a LTC1325 microprocessor-controlled battery
management system from Linear with a PIC.  It appears to be a versitile
chip and can be used to charge just about any type of battery you desire.
It requires several external components to drive the charging/discharging
of the battery, but the devices suggested are fairly common IRF devices.
It also has a "gas gauge" mode which measures the average voltage accross
a sense resistor to determine the average battery load current.  Or so
goes the advertisement.

Has anyone else used/attempted this controller?  How accurate is the "gas
gauge"?  Oh, it does a a 10 bit deep ADC to perform all of the various
measurements required during charging as measuring load current.

--
Garrick Kremesec
Beckman Institute - RA
http://www.cen.uiuc.edu/~gkremese
gkremese@uiuc.edu