Battery Handling
- Do not short-circuit. A short-circuit may cause severe
damage
to the battery or even explosion.
- Avoid dropping or impacting rechargeable batteries.
This could result in the exposure of the corrosive cell contents.
- Avoid exposing the battery to moisture or rain.
- Always keep battery away from fire or other sources of extreme
heat.
Never incinerate.
Battery Ratings
There are two ratings on every battery: volts and amp-hours
(AH). The AH rating may also be given as milliamp-hours (mAH), which are
one-thousandth of an amp-hour (for example, 1AH is 1000mAH). The voltage of
the new battery should always match the voltage of your original. Broadly speaking the larger the physical size of a
battery, the more electrical energy it can store. The gross electrical storage
capacity of a battery is usually specified in ampere-hours (Ah), or for small
batteries in milliamp-hours (mAh). As you can see these units equate directly
to the quantity of electrical charge they store: 1Ah is the same as 3600
coulombs of charge, while 1mAh is the same as 3.6 coulombs. (1 amp = 1 coulomb
per second) Needless to say this stored charge can be delivered by the battery
at various rates during discharge, and also replaced at various rates during
its recharging. This is discussed in more detail shortly.
Battery Technologies
Rechargeable batteries in portable lighting devices and two-way radios
are principally made using Nickel Cadmium (NiCad), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)
or Lithium Ion. (Li-Ion) technologies. Rechargeable flashlight batteries are
generally Nickel Cadmium. Each type of rechargeable battery type has unique
properties:
NiCad and NiMH
The main difference between the two is the fact that NiMH batteries (the
newer of the two technologies) offer higher energy densities than NiCads. NiMH
delivers approximately twice the capacity of its NiCad counterpart. What this
translates into is increased run-time from the battery with no additional bulk
to weigh down the device. NiMH also offers another major advantage: NiCad
batteries tend to suffer from what is called the "memory effect". NiMH
batteries are less prone to develop this affliction and thus require less
maintenance and care. NiMH batteries are also more environmentally friendly
than their NiCad counterparts since they do not contain heavy metals.
Li-Ion
Li-Ion has quickly become the emerging standard for portable power. Li-Ion
batteries produce the same energy as NiMH batteries but weigh approximately
35% less. This is crucial in applications such as portable two-way radios or
notebook computers where the battery makes up a significant portion of the
device's weight. Another reason Li-Ion batteries have become so popular is
that they do not suffer from the memory effect. They are also environmentally
friendly because they don't contain toxic materials such as Cadmium or
Mercury.
Battery Upgrade
NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion are all fundamentally different from one
another and should not be substituted unless the device has been
pre-configured from the factory to accept more than one type of rechargeable
battery technology. The difference between them stems from the fact that each
type requires a different charging pattern to be properly recharged.
Therefore, the device's internal charger must be properly configured to handle
a given type of rechargeable battery. Refer to the owners manual to find out
which rechargeable battery types the particular device supports.
Maximizing Battery Performance
There are several steps you can take to insure that you get maximum
performance from the rechargeable battery:
Break In New Batteries
New batteries come in a discharged condition and must be fully
charged before use. It is recommended that you fully charge and discharge the
new battery two to four times to allow it to reach its maximum rated capacity.
Prevent the Memory Effect
Keep the battery healthy by fully charging and then fully
discharging it periodically. Exceptions to the rule are Li-Ion batteries,
which do not suffer from the memory effect.
Keep the Batteries Clean
It's a good idea to clean dirty battery contacts with a cotton
swab and alcohol. This helps maintain a good connection between the battery
and the device.
Exercise the Battery
Do not leave the battery dormant for long periods of time. We
recommend using the battery at least once every two to three weeks. If a
battery has not been used for a long period of time, perform the new battery
break in procedure described above.
Battery Storage
If you don't plan on using the battery for a month or more, we
recommend storing it in a clean, dry, cool place away from heat and metal
objects. NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion batteries will self discharge during storage.
