Nickel-Metal Hydride)

 NiMH stands for nickel-metal hydride and they are on the list of the most common batteries that can be recharged. Since they have great chemical properties, they are a good alternative to nickel-cadmium ones. The good thing is that NiMH leaves out cadmium and has no memory problems, unlike NiCD. This is what makes them an ideal choice for consumer electronics. Also, compact high-powered methods are used in the making of these power packs. In this article, we are going to share a few tips that will make it easier for you to use NiMH batteries.

1. The Classifications

Usually, nickel-metal hydride power packs contain several single units connected in series. Unlike lithium-polymer ones, NiMH ones are much safer to use. Each battery has a rated voltage of 1.2V. Irrespective of the physical size, the rating on each unit is 1.2V. As a general rule, the bigger the battery pack, the bigger the mAh.

As said above, these power packs are an ideal choice for less than 30 days. You may have seen these batteries in laptops, cosmetic devices, communication equipment, and digital cameras.

2. Method of Use

Although these batteries may have a few shortcomings, they tend to discharge when not in use. If you don't use it for several months, it may cause permanent damage to the power pack.

Roughly, 20% of the power is lost during the first 24 hours, and then the power continues to drop at the rate of 10% per 30 days.

3. Charging Method

If you want to charge a NiMH battery, make sure you use the right type of charger. The use of the wrong adapter may render the battery useless. So, it's important to keep in mind that the battery shouldn't be charged for more than 20 hours or you may end up causing damage to it.

4. Number of Cycles

Usually, the charging cycle of a regular NiMH battery is around 2000 times. Also, the battery use may also decide on the cycle number. Overall, 2000 cycles is an impressive figure for a small rechargeable battery.

5. Precautions

If you want your battery to stand the test of time, make sure you have a few precautions. A safe method to recharge a battery is to go for trickle charging. In this method, you charge the unit at the slowest rate possible.

The total time to recharge the batt

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10456336