Battery Information

Battery Information

• Proper Battery Care & Use
• Battery Dont's
• Types of Rechargeable Batteries
• Memory Effect
• Battery Upgrading
• Battery Will Not Charge • Maximizing Performance
• Battery Ratings (Volts & Amps)
• Battery Lifespan
• Recycling
• Main Batteries
• CMOS (Clock Batteries) • RAM (Resume Batteries)
• Laptop Burn Time
• "Smart" Batteries
• NiCad Batteries
• Sealed Lead Acid Batteries
• Nickel Metal Hydride

Types of Rechargeable Batteries
Batteries in portable consumer devices (laptops and notebooks, camcorders, cellular phones, etc.) are principally made using either Nickel Cadmium (NiCad), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) or Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) technologies. Each type of rechargeable battery technology has its own unique characteristics:

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. In other words, pound for pound, NiMH delivers approximately 100% more capacity than its NiCad counterpart. What this translates into is increased run-time from the battery with no additional bulk to weigh down your portable device. NiMH also offers another major advantage: NiCad batteries tend to suffer from what is called the "memory effect" (html link). NiMH batteries are less prone to develop this dreaded 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 (which present serious landfill problems).

Li-Ion has quickly become the emerging standard for portable power in consumer devices. Li-Ion batteries produce the same energy as NiMH batteries but weigh approximately 35% less. This is crucial in applications such as camcorders 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 AT ALL. They are also better for the environment because they don't contain toxic materials such as Cadmium or Mercury.

Disclaimer: Any statements and information in this page are for general information purposes. They represent the latest technical status at the time of publishing. We reserve the right to change the information in this page without prior notice. The technical information is given in a descriptive way and does not guarantee any properties or change any warranties on batteries.