01/04/13 BatteryStuff Articles | NiMH Battery Common Questions Answered

What does NiMH stand for?

The material is Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) which has many advantages over other battery construction
materials.

What is meant by battery memory?

Older generation and batteries with other chemical make-up were subject to a memory effect. This is when a
battery must be fully drained before recharge or their capacity is reduced. The New Generation of NIMH
batteries do not develop a memory effect and can be recharged at anytime during usage cycle. When
uncertain about battery charge level or condition, recharge it.

What is the mAh rating mean?

This is a rating of energy storage capacity mAh = “milli-ampere hours”. So if you are comparing batteries to a
AA with a 2000 mAh rating, it will have twice the capacity of a 1000 mAh rating.

What is the best application for NiMH batteries?

Most all applications where there is a high energy consumption and demand, is where NiMH belongs. The
most popular applications are digital cameras, PDA’s, hand held games, portable music players, video devices
and toys. If you find yourself constantly buying alkaline batteries for an application then you should consider
using rechargeable NiMH.

How many times can a NiMH battery be recharged?

Lower capacity rechargeable AA batteries -1700 up to 2000mAh mAh can be recharged up

to 1000 times in overnight slow charge mode. 2100 to 2400 mAh rechargeable batteries can be recharged up
to 600 to 800 times in overnight slow charge mode. The new Higher Capacity AA 2500 mAh rechargeable
batteries have greater power capacity but can only be recharged approx 500 times in the overnight mode.
Capacity improvement or quick charging will always decrease the number of cycles. Every cell available on
the market above 2100 mAh will have below 1000 charge cycles

What applications are not good places to use NiMH batteries?

Any situation where the battery is not used within a 30 day period or low energy draw devices, for example
smoke alarms, emergency flashlights, clocks, TV remotes, etc.

Why won’t NiMH batteries work in some applications such as smoke alarms?

NiMH batteries self discharge about 1% per day so if used in a low energy consummation or stand-by device
the battery will only last about 90 days before requiring recharge.

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01/04/13 BatteryStuff Articles | NiMH Battery Common Questions Answered

Can I use a higher rated mAh battery in my electronic device (i.e. 1800mAh vs.
2000mAh)?

Yes, the mAh rating will give you longer run times between recharges. The higher rated mAh of a battery has
no effect on electronic devices other that allow longer term use.

Why are AA and AAA batteries rated at 1.2 volts and alkaline batteries rated at
1.5 volts?

In fact, over the course of their discharge, alkaline batteries actually average about 1.2 volts. The main
difference is that an alkaline battery starts at 1.5 volts and gradually drops to less than 1.0 volts. NiMH
batteries stay at about 1.2 volts for almost 80% of their discharge cycle. Once alkaline batteries discharge to
50% capacity, it will be delivering a lower voltage than a NiMH battery.

What you NEVER want to do.

Never mix batteries from different manufacturers.

Never mix batteries of different capacities.
Never mix batteries of different chemistries, i.e. NiCd, NiMH, Lithium. Etc
Never DROP the battery if you can help it as NiMH batteries damage internally quite easily.
Never store NiMH in the refrigerator.
Never expose to extreme heat

Do NiMH batteries lose capacity over time?

Yes, but nothing drastic. About 10 to 15% of the battery mAh capacity will be lost at the 400 to 800 recharge
level. This will vary greatly because of battery and charger quality, along with how the consumer treats their
batteries.

When I receive my batteries do I need to charge them?

Yes, before you use your new NiMH batteries for the first time you need to charge them
fully. Please note that for new NiMH batteries, it is often necessary to cycle them at least three to five times or
more before they reach peak performance and capacity. The first several times that you use your NiMH
batteries you may find that they run down (discharge) quickly during use. Don’t worry, this is normal until the
batteries actually structure internally.

Is there a difference in chargers. i.e, fast, slow, microprocessor controlled, etc?

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01/04/13 BatteryStuff Articles | NiMH Battery Common Questions Answered

Yes, there are differences in the different chargers on the market today. If the charger was
designed and sold in the past couple years and specifically says it is made to charge NiMH batteries you are
probably okay. Most of the new chargers use a small computer chip to manage the charge and you should be
getting at least 500 charges from your batteries. If not, buy a new charger. Some of the no name batteries
sometimes have a short life. Fast chargers also tend to give shorter battery life of less than 500 charges.

How do dispose of old NiMH batteries?

This is an easy one as NiMH batteries are safe and legal to dispose in a landfill, no hazard to the environment.

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