on nicads

[db (martinez, ca.)]

from the font of all knowledge:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/349/do-nickel-cadmium-batteries-develop-charge-memory-if-not-fully-discharged

it sounded ok, with the exception of the damage he spoke of being the reversal of polarity and his not mentioning the possible wives tale which i heard: stating that the memory effect (or false memory effect) is not that the batteries won't charge fully - it's that they won't discharge fully.

i mostly use nimh cells now, so it's not a big deal to me. i just want to read what someone who knows a lot may write.

[Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil)]

Hi, db;

all I'd add about that is something mentioned by Katie Wasserman a couple of weeks ago: NiMH cells work better/live longer if kept charged at 60% +/-15% of their full charge, based on Prius battery regulation. Please, follow this thread; Katie's is one of the last two.

I sometimes find only NiCad's when searching for certain types, like the ones to rebuild the 82143A batteries (and related cases: Topcats, 82162A, etc.). I never found NiMH Sub-C batteries where I searched for them.

Cheers.

Luiz (Brazil)

Edited: 6 Aug 2010, 12:20 a.m.

[tim m.]

I've bought many from BatterySpace.com, mainly for rebuilding Roomba battery packs (with 12 cells in series, usually one or two die, bringing down the entire pack voltage enough that I get very little operating time from the robot).

-Tim

Edited: 6 Aug 2010, 2:24 a.m.

[designnut]

I have hadsuch good reesults with Sanyo Eneloop low discharge AA cells I use them in most appliances. I used to have 2 4 station chargers on nearly full time, now one used rarely. I read there has been further improvement lately in the self discharge rate.
I use them in shells to substitute for D cells in one application where I get long life. I had a portable telephone that would lose it's nicad charge in 2 days. I bought some NiMh cells with tabs ans replaced them. They are satisfactory after years of use. Sam