Re: NiCad batteries and the memory effect

[Peter Schoch <pschoch@NAC.NET>]

Don't understate the "old" problems.  It used to be that if you had old
VCR, VCR camera, laptop, or cell phone batteries, and recharged them
before they were fully discharged they would not then hold a full charge
-- our storeroom is full of the "boat anchors" this type of mis-use
generated.

The new types of batteries are a 100% improvement.

If you can find out the manufacturer of you batteries, inquire there
first.  I have found them to be good sources of information.  One
manufacturer even sent me copies of old technical articles in anser to
one of my inquiries.

Peter Schoch

brian whatcott wrote:
> At 11:25 6/8/99 -0600, you wrote:
> > I've been told that deep discharging reduces the memory effect of NiCad
> > rechargeable batteries; however the new rechargeable million-candle-power
> > spotlight we just bought says _not_ to deep discharge it, and that the
> > battery will last many more cycles if it is recharged immediately after
> > shallow use.
> >
> > Questions:
> > 1. What causes the memory effect in the first place?
> > 2. Why does deep discharging reduce the memory effect?
> > 3. Why does Lectro-Sci (maker of the Night Tracker spotlight) say not to
> > deep discharge their NiCads?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Larry Smith
>
> There have been several threads on technical newgroups bearing
> on this topic. The idea of memory effect has been rather overdone,
>  apparently.
> Repeated discharge to an IDENTICAL end point voltage has
> been associated by NASA with a memory effect, it is said.
>
>   A more pernicious usage is overcharging, and overheating
> which drives off some electrolyte, some folks claim.
>  In the name of avoiding memory effect, people deep discharge the
> cell pack, ensuring that the usual recharge time does not overheat
>  the pack. A better solution is a smart nicad charger.
>
>  All the same, this topic can generate as much heat as a
> dumb charger.
>
> brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>
> Altus OK