can you still get NiCd? TD has none. When are they better than NiMH?

[viorel00]

Just out of curiosity, when are NiCd better than NiMH, and where do you get them? TD seems to sell none.

 

[VidPro]

when speed and torturing them are more important than capacity.
all the RC places still carry them. more and more even they are switching to HIGH discharge rate li-ions.

 

[Brighteyez]

It all depends upon your intended usage. While NiMH is starting to appear with some rechargeable battery products, a good number of the ones for industrial usage still use NiCD. I suspect it may have to do with the increased fragility of NiMH batteries, their higher self-discharge rates, and shorter overall life spans.

As for where you might get them, it would depend upon what kind of NiCD batteries you're looking for.

 

[65535]

NiCads are great for high load applications, great for low capacity needs were constant cycling are around, check out RC places.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

When are they better than NimH?

There are lots of variables but:

• They work very well in things like radios that may not use much power.
• They work well in low powered LED lights where the usage is light enough that NiMH cells would lose more due to self discharge than by running the light itself. Blinky LED bike lights are a good example. Old CMG Infinities would be another.
• I've used NiCads out in the bush in Alaska during freeze-up where I knew I wouldn't be able to move around or recharge for six weeks. NiMH self discharge could make a use like that problematic.
• They'll take twice as many charge cycles as NiMH and with careful engineering, equipment and charger design -- much more than that.
• NiCads are more forgiving -- they may be drawn down to a lower voltage during use without damage than NiMH cells.
• Cost. You can get 7,000 mAH NiCad D cells for $5 each at Amondo. If you need a couple 6D sets for a boombox it is very easy to spend much more than the boombox cost on two sets of NiMH cells.

I like them and I use them in AA, C and D. Like NiMH or any other type of cell they have things that they do very well and we may use them to advantage if we make the right choices based on our needs and their own set of characteristics.

 

[speederino]

NiCads are more forgiving -- they may be drawn down to a lower voltage during use without damage than NiMH cells.

NASA actually recommends drawing NiCads down to zero volts and then shorting them with a bar in preparation for storage. That makes me shiver when thinking about NiMH cells.

I probably found the link to that NASA document somewhere on CPF, actually!

 

[Closet_Flashaholic]

NiCads are much better for operation in the cold.

 

[MrAl]

Hi there,

NiCd's are being phased out because eventually they will be illegal because they
contain cadmium. From what i remember they will still be allowed in power tools
however, but that's it.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

MrAl,

Do you have any idea what the timeline is on phasing out NiCads -- I don't want to be caught flat footed on that one. For me, Eneloops do a pretty good job of replacing NiCads in my applications but until I may buy them in Cs and Ds I'm still going to need NiCads.

 

[coppertrail]

I believe Tenergy (all-battery.com) and Powerizer (batteryspace.com) still carry NiCd cells.

 

[BackBlast]

Hi there,

NiCd's are being phased out because eventually they will be illegal because they
contain cadmium. From what i remember they will still be allowed in power tools
however, but that's it.

Do you have a source for this?

I know that the EU is considering a ban.

I've never heard of any effort to ban NiCD cells in the US.

 

[MrAl]

Hi again,

Yes Europe is banning by 2008, because they said the 'volunteer method'
(where you take the stuff to a recycling center on your own) was not
working.
I had read that the USA will follow their example, but i dont have a date.
It could be one year, two years, or five years, but i also read that they
would still allow the use in power tools (like drills).
The sub C NiMHs are starting to look pretty hefty these days anyway,
so i am thinking of one day converting. I'll have to change the program
in my PIC based NiCd charger though <chuckle> .
I have also read that many companies are voluntarily moving to NiMH
as that technology is more advanced anyway.

 

[BackBlast]

Again, I ask if you would please post where you read that the USA will follow their example? Where does this news originate? I've never seen this and I can't find it! I would be most curious if this is more than heresay.

 

[MrAl]

Hi again,

Sorry i cant remember where i read it and i cant find it either although i've looked
for quite a while to find it or something relating to it. I think the wording was
that the Europe group was sure that the US would follow suite, but that there
was no date set.
Everything else i have found seems to relate to either recycling NiCd's or
the industry leaning toward changing their products whenever possible.
For example, here is an interesting read:

http://www.epa.gov/epr/products/batteries.htm

And:

http://www.eeb.org/activities/waste/EEB-contribution-to-COM-on-batteries-april2003.pdf

 

[Sub_Umbra]

Thanks, MrAl.