An outstanding and durable rechargeable battery

Is it the first time you will be using them? What batteries have a memory effect? What are the best batteries? These and other questions will help you select the best items.

General facts

Basically, there are four common types of rechargeable batteries in the market:

·         Nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd)

·         Nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH),

·         Lithium ion (Li-Ion)

·         Lead-acid

But when it comes to the latter ones, they are only used in vehicles and devices such as uninterruptible power systems (UPS) on which normally carry no intervention on its batteries.

# 1 Before you first use a rechargeable battery go for a full load- longer

Myth: You have to load them until the indicator shows that they are already loaded, for an hour- at least. If you leave them some more time connected could damage them, and although most batteries and chargers have protection circuits against overload, better not tempt fate. Whenever we see that the battery has finished loading, it is best to disconnect from the network

This is an important factor, because that of the first load is a myth, a legacy from the batteries Nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd).

# 2 must be loaded only when the battery is fully discharged

Half-truth: it depends on the type of battery. Lithium ion batteries and lead acid have no memory effect that can be loaded at any time. Nickel-metal hydride, which is the technology used for example in rechargeable batteries, it does suffer from this effect, but in his case is so small it is negligible.

The nickel-cadmium batteries, however, if you suffer from memory effect and are necessary to take this precaution. This type of batteries, are being replaced by Ni-MH in almost all their functions, are used for example in video cameras high end. The biggest advantage of which is its long life, between 1,000 and 1,500 cycles of charge / discharge (much more than the lithium-ion or Ni-MH).

Chargers- However, professional chargers for these batteries have a discharge system, so that when plugged into the charger first thing you do is download this completely before starting to load from scratch, avoiding possible memory effect.

# 3 If there is to be used for a long time, it is best to save the battery

Myth: To store a battery that will be used in a long time, maybe he's a middle ground: neither charged nor discharged, but charging half or so. In fact, one need only look at that all electronic devices that incorporate battery usually have the same partially charged battery when out of the box, about 40% of its total capacity. This is the ideal load with which we store.

Storage

Storing the battery fully discharged for a long time can cause irretrievable damage (making it impossible that he can never be reloaded), while fully charged if the store is likely to lose some of its capacity (about 20%).