There are various types of rechargeable batteries in the market. Which should I use?
For AA/AAA, C, and D sized batteries, the commonly available types of rechargeable batteries are:
Rechargeable Alkaline
Pros:
 | Immediately usable upon purchase. As it comes fully charged, there is no need to charge the batteries for the first usage. |
| Long shelf life. Due to low self-discharge, it is able to retain a charge for years without recharging. |
| No memory effects. Do not require periodic full discharge to restore performance. |
| High initial capacity for low-power devices. |
| Low cost. |
Cons:
| Not suitable for high drain devices. |
| Relatively less charge/discharge cycles compared to Ni-Cd & Ni-Mh. |
| Long charge time. |
| Cell can be damaged if it is discharged beyond the minimum level. |
Rechargeable
Nickel
Metal
Hydride
(Ni-Mh)
Pros:
| Suitable for moderate to high drain devices due to lower internal resistance. |
| No memory effects. |
| Higher initial capacity as compared to Ni-Cd. |
| High charge/discharge cycles. |
| Can be fast/rapid charged to reduce charge time. |
Cons:
| Highest self discharge as compared to rechargeable alkalines and rechargeable nickel cadmiums (Ni-Cd). |
| Relatively more expensive as compared to rechargeable alkalines and rechargeable Ni-Cd. |
Richargeable
Nickel
Cadium
(Ni-Cd)
Pros:
| Suitable for high drain devices. |
| Relatively low cost as compared to Ni-Mh. |
| Higher charge/discharge cycles as compared to Ni-Mh. |
| Can be fast/rapid charged to reduce charge time. |
Cons:
| Over time, crystalline formation occurs which causes Ni-Cds to lose their performance. Requires periodic full discharge to restore performance. If periodic full discharge is not applied for a long period of time, crystalline formation can be more difficult to dissolve and it requires deep conditioning (a process consisting of several cycles of full discharge/charge) to restore performance. |
| Subjected to self-discharge over time, although less than Ni-Mh. |
| Relatively low initial capacity as compared to rechargeable alkalines and rechargeable Ni-Mh. |
Having
considered
the pros
and cons
of each
type, for
moderate
to high
drain
applications,
rechargeable
nickel
metal
hydride
(Ni-Mh)
would be
the most
appropriate
choice.
Current
Ni-Mh
batteries
are
produced
with
relatively
high
capacity
and they
can be
quickly
recharged
with a
high
performance
battery
charger.
They are
also
economical
to use in
the long
run.
