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Electronics

2010-06-01 10:14:00

Battery chemistries

How do I choose the battery that’s right for me? There seems to be a lot of different kinds and it gets confusing.

Answer: Great question. This quick and basic review of batteries is geared toward rechargeable 2-way radio batteries, but it can go a long way for you to get the most from your battery no matter what you use it for.

What’s mAh? An ampere-hour or amp-hour (AH) is a unit of electric charge. One ampere-hour is the electric charge transferred by a steady current of one ampere for one hour. Milliampere-hour (mAh or mA•h) is one-thousandth of an ampere-hour, and is a technical term for how much electrical charge a particular battery will hold (storage capacity). Batteries used in two-way radios are often rated in milliampere-hours. As an example, two-way radio batteries with higher mAh values theoretically last longer without requiring a recharge. Terms such as "6 hour rate" or "20 hour rate" indicate that the battery is discharged steadily over 6 or 20 hours, and the Amp-hour capacity is measured by how much it puts out before reaching 80%. Two-way radio batteries range from 700-2000 mAh. What is NiCd, NiMh and Li-on and why does it matter? Much of the difference in battery "up-time" is affected by the chemistry of the battery. The three major chemistries used with two-way radios are: •NiCd Nickel Cadmium •NiMH Nickel Metal Hydride •Li-on Lithium-Ion Nickel Cadmium (NiCAD) batteries are the least expensive and most common battery. For optimum performance, NiCAD batteries should be completely discharged before being recharged, and then be recharged for a full eight hours at a time. Failure to properly discharge/recharge a NiCAD battery can lead to diminished performance (i.e. the "memory" effect). Having 2-3 extra charged batteries can make this process simpler. This chemistry is ideal for a user who needs a high-performance battery and who communicates under extreme conditions of cold and heat (-30C to +50C). Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries are less susceptible to the "memory" effect, allowing the user to charge their battery at their convenience. Motorola’s NiMH batteries can offer superior operation life between charges as the chemistry provides 30% to 40% longer operation time than NiCd. However, this chemistry does not operate as efficiently in extreme temperatures. Lithium Ion (Li-ON) batteries are also much less resistant to retaining a "memory," and normally provide a longer stand-by and talk time Their power to weight ratio results in a lighter and smaller power supply. Li-ON batteries are slightly more expensive than NiMH. For many users, battery maintenance will be the key to longer battery life and less frustration when using their two-way radio. Pam Tucker, FirstWireless, Inc. specializes in the Sale, Service and Rental of two-way radios, accessories and applications. Pam Tucker is part of the team of Wichita sales staff and RF radio technicians that is grouped with shops located in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. FirstWireless, Inc. offers client consultations and demos, service, maintenance and installation, radio rentals, FCC licensing, GPS tracking and warranty administration. As a Premier Service Partner with Motorola, the trained sales staff and radio technicians keep customers up-to-date with the most current technical advances in two-way radio systems and devices. Visit www.firstwirelessinc.com for more information or call us at (316) 265-2290. We are now on Facebook!