According to the material of manufacture, these batteries are divided into various types, namely; Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH); Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) and Lithium-Pol (Li-Pol). NiCd and NiMH batteries are usually used as a DC power source for children’s games; digital cameras, to hybrid cars to sophisticated cell phones though. Li-Ion and Li-Pol batteries have various shapes and sizes, commonly used as a power source in cellphones and notebooks/laptops.
NiCd and NiMH batteries each have their advantages and disadvantages. NiCd batteries have more charge and discharge cycles than NiMH batteries (500X more), but NiMH batteries have a much greater capacity than NiCd batteries. The drawback of these two batteries is that they have a memory effect, that is, if the capacity of the battery has not decreased to its minimum limit (ie 1.0V – 1, 1V/cell) and then the battery is charged again. So it will cause deposits that can reduce battery capacity.
Unlike NiCd and NiMH batteries, Li-Ion and Li-Pol batteries, these two types of batteries have no memory effect, so charging can be done at any time. Although some Li-Ion and Li-Pol batteries also have a maximum charge and discharge cycle (typically 500X charge), where beyond that limit, the quality and performance of the battery will decrease. This kind of thing is characterized by a rapidly decreasing battery capacity even though it is fully charged.
All rechargeable batteries have a self-discharge character even when not in use, the amount is at 10% to 30% per month. Until a fully charged battery will empty itself in a few months. without being used.
Care; Good Rechargeable Battery
So how do we optimize the use of rechargeable batteries to achieve maximum cycles or even exceed maximum cycles? Here are some steps that can optimize the use of rechargeable batteries.
- Do this to empty the battery before charging it, even if the battery is Li-Ion or Li-Pol. This sort of thing has the aim of minimizing the memory impact. NOTE: Discharge to the minimum limit of battery/cell voltage, not less than this voltage or the battery will be damaged.
- Use a Charger which has the benefit of automatic charging stop in fast charging mode (less than 4 hours). The benefit of this automatic shutdown is very useful so that the battery does not overcharging which can cause damage to the battery.
- Do not leave the battery on the charger that is still on for more than 20 hours. Generally, when using a charger with standard charging mode (overnight charging), in this mode the battery will be full in a span of 16 hours. Because the current used to charge the battery is small so it is not too dangerous for the battery, but it should not exceed 20 hours.
- Never short circuit the battery. The goal here is to combine the positive and negative poles of the battery by immediately using a cable or other conducting material.
- Do not use electronic devices when in charging mode. Usually, this kind of thing often happens when using cellphones and laptops, this causes the battery power to decrease quickly which is marked by the bulging of the battery. Try when the device’s charging mode is in a non-active situation.
- When buying a new battery, NiCd and NiMH batteries should be emptied before being used before being charged and used. As for Li-Ion batteries and Li-Pol batteries, they can be used immediately or immediately charged to full.
- Do not replace battery pairs with other battery pairs.
- If the battery will be stored for a long period of time (some months) it is recommended that the battery be discharged and fully charged before storing it. Separate batteries from electronic devices and place them in a cool and dry place.
- Rechargeable battery life is measured based on how many batteries it undergoes charge and discharge cycles where the cycle has a maximum value of 500X, if it exceeds that limit then the battery life will begin to decrease significantly and eventually cannot be reused. Therefore this guide is provided so that some users of these batteries can achieve the maximum cycles set by the battery manufacturer. A few guidelines for Optimizing Rechargeable Battery Usage, hopefully they are useful and increase insight.
