NiCad "Behavior"

clayne said:

Unless the cells have been damaged by overcharge, why wouldn't he? No moving parts here.

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You obviously don't know how batteries work, it's like chemicals for developing, they stop working because the chemistry oxidizes and changes and no longer works the same, batteries are the same...


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StoneNYC said:

78!!!

As in 1978???

If you have rechargeable batteries that even work at all from 1978 that's a miracle...


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Assuming that is what is meant by Nikon's code on the batteries! The sets I have show 78/04 and 79/12, respectively. Perhaps the numbers indicate something other than date of manufacture?

BTW, regarding the toxicity of the heavy metal cadmium: this is the heavy metal found in whey protein isolate, a favorite supplement used by many body builders and fitness buffs... :confused:

BradleyK said:

...Do NiCads discharge of their own volition? If so, how quickly?...

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This page


provides all the information you'd ever need about nickel cadmium batteries. From the section on charging:

Gerald C Koch said:

...Nicads are no longer made because of the toxicity of cadmium...

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About 15 years ago I purchased an X-Rite Densitometer that runs off four AA nickel cadmium batteries. Roughly seven years ago, the batteries would no longer hold a charge. I bought replacements at Radio Shack. Just last week, noting decreasing time between charges and sensing the end of that set's useful life, I ordered another four:


The original batteries in the densitometer were Sanyo brand. The listing for these indicates that, apparently, Panasonic has purchased Sanyo's battery manufacturing operation. I have no reason to believe the set of batteries en route to me is anything but newly manufactured.

Note that it is important to observe all equipment cautions and instructions concerning replacement batteries. For example, my densitometer's nameplate directs that only 600 or 700 mAh NiCd batteries be installed, and warns that a fire hazard will result otherwise.

I consider $8.40 every seven or eight years for batteries to be a considerably better alternative than buying the current NiMH-powered version of my densitometer

which sells for $1,288.

From what I remember using NiCad are 3 things. You have to drain them completely because they have a "memory". In other words, if you recharge half-empty, they'll have have of their potential capacity. They don't indicate when they poop out until the last second. They're old news.

Gerald C Koch said:

Thank goodness for rechargeable lithiums. I won't buy anything now that uses nicads.

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Lithiums deteriorate whether you use them or not. NiCds only deteriorate with use. Each has its place.

One thing I like about rechargeable NiCd AA cells - you can always use regular primary AA cells. There's no easy way to replace lithium cells once a few years go by and they're no longer in production for a device.

NiMh cells are the best thing to hit the battery maket in my lifetime.

NiCads work fine if you know their quirks and follow the rules though.

PhotoJim said:

One thing I like about rechargeable NiCd AA cells - you can always use regular primary AA cells.

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The cell voltage of NiCads is about 1.25 volts vs. about 1.50 volts for MnO2 primary cell batteries. A battery made up of 6 NiCd cells is 7.5 volts vs. 9.0 volts for MnO2 cells. Sometimes it's important to keep that in mind.

PhotoJim said:

NiCds only deteriorate with use.

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This is contradictory to every other post mentioning NiCads in the thread.