Discover which charger is best for your application A good battery charger provides the base for batteries that are durable and perform well. In a price-sensitive market, chargers often receive low priority and get the “after-thought” status. Battery and charger must go together like a horse and carriage. Prudent planning gives the power source top […]
Nickel-based batteries dwell between lead acid and Li-ion. They are safe, economical and long-living but are increasingly being assigned to niche markets. Table 1 summarizes the characteristics of present, past and future nickel-based batteries. Chemistry Nickel-cadmium Nickel-metal-hydride Nickel-iron Nickel-zinc Nickel-hydrogen Abbreviation NiCd NiMH NiFe NiZn NiH Type Nickel cathode; cadmium anode Nickel cathode; hydrogen-absorbing anode […]
Learn about the differences within the lead acid family and find out what the cons and pros are. Invented by the French physician Gaston Planté in 1859, lead acid was the first rechargeable battery for commercial use. Despite its advanced age, the lead chemistry continues to be in wide use today. There are good reasons […]
Analyze the pros and cons of other battery systems and learn what the potentials are. The media promotes wonderful new batteries that promise long runtimes, charge in minutes, are paper-thin and will one day power the electric car. While these experimental batteries produce a voltage, the downsides are seldom mentioned. The typical shortcomings are low […]
Find out how NiCd, NiMH and Li-ion perform when put to the test. To compare older and newer battery systems, Cadex tested a large volume of nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal-hydride and lithium ion batteries used in portable communication devices. Preparations included an initial charge, followed by a regime of full discharge/charge cycles at a 1C rate. The following […]
Explore SoC measurements and why they are not accurate. Voltage Method Measuring state-of-charge by voltage is simple, but it can be inaccurate because cell materials and temperature affect the voltage. The most blatant error of the voltage-based SoC occurs when disturbing a battery with a charge or discharge. The resulting agitation distorts the voltage and […]
Learn about storage temperatures and state-of-charge conditions. The recommended storage temperature for most batteries is 15°C (59°F); the extreme allowable temperature is –40°C to 50°C (–40°C to 122°F) for most chemistries. Lead acid You can store a sealed lead acid battery for up to 2 years. Since all batteries gradually self-discharge over time, it is […]
Learn the key feature of each Li-ion in a summary table. The term lithium-ion points to a family of batteries that shares similarities, but the chemistries can vary greatly. Li-cobalt, Li-manganese, NMC and Li-aluminum are similar in that they deliver high capacity and are used in portable applications. Li-phosphate and Li-titanate have lower voltages and have less […]
