Re: NiMH battery compatibility with NiCd chargers

From: Andy Cuffe (baltimora_at_psu.edu)
Date: 06/29/04 

Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:12:20 -0400

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 19:45:00 -0400, "Wild Bill" <kwag98@usachoice.net>
wrote:

>Hi.. I don't have any experience with NiMH batteries, and I never much cared
>for the problems associated with NiCd cells, so I'd like to know if using
>NiMH will be less problematic than NiCd.
>
>Will NiMH cells charge and last perfectly well in NiCd chargers, or will
>NiMH chargers be required for best results?
>When I use the term NiCd charger, I mean the more sophisticated commercial
>chargers, not just the transformer & diode types.
>
>Ideally, I'd like to find a trouble-free, rechargeable battery (if possible)
>for a few applications.
>I'd like to avoid any type of battery that will short if it's not being
>charged or used.. which always seems to happen with any of the NiCd types
>I've had.
>
>Thanks
>Cheers
>WB
>

For best results, you need a charger designed for Ni-MH, but they seem
to be more tolerant than many people would have you believe. I
rebuilt the Ni-Cd battery pack in my cordless phone using some Ni-MH
cells I had on hand and it still works well after 3 or 4 years of
almost constant charging. I would think you would have more trouble
with a 'smart' Ni-Cd charger than a simple charger because it's hard
to say how the smart charger will handle the wrong type of battery. I
have no seen any shorted Ni-HM cells yet. What I have seen is a very
high self discharge rate in old Ni-MH laptop batteries. It's not
unusual to see a laptop battery that will run for 2 hours when freshly
charged, but if it's left sitting for even a few hours it becomes
mostly discharged.
Andy Cuffe
baltimora@psu.edu

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