nimh vs nicd vs li-ion

There are many different types of walkie talkie batteries available in the market. So it can be confusing to face the many options when making a choice. Today we are going to organize the different types of walkie talkie batteries available on the market has and the differences between them. Hopefully, this will help you when making your choice.

Types of Walkie Talkie Batteries and the Different 

Nickel-metal hydride batteries

It consists of a cathode (negative electrode) made of hydrogen-absorbing alloy or various intermetallic compounds. The anode (positive electrode) in this type of walkie-talkie battery is made of nickel hydroxide.NiMH batteries have a higher capacity than nickel cadmium batteries, but a lower capacity than lithium ion batteries. They are almost twice as heavy as NiCd batteries.

They also have no memory effect. They are good medium temperature batteries. You can usually use them in temperatures ranging from -5 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit without any adverse problems.

NiMH batteries are considered environmentally friendly. These batteries have a higher capacity than nickel cadmium batteries of the same size by as much as 20%. NiMH batteries. They have a service life of only 500 charge/discharge cycles, which is much shorter than that of NiCd and Li-ion batteries. NiMH batteries provide better protection against thermal runaway than Li-ion batteries, but not as good as NiCd batteries. They have similar safety features to NiCd and are more environmentally friendly than NiCd.

NiMH batteries also have drawbacks, and the drawbacks of NiMH walkie-talkie batteries include significant loss of capacity as the ambient temperature drops. These batteries are essentially unusable at temperatures below -20°.

Nickel-Cadmium Batteries

Nickel-cadmium batteries utilize nickel hydroxide, cadmium metal electrodes, and an alkaline potassium hydroxide electrolyte. Nickel-cadmium batteries are very rugged. They are suitable for operation in extreme environments, such as cold or hot weather. They are characterized by a long storage time and stability at temperatures down to -40 degrees Celsius. This allows you to use devices equipped with these batteries even in extremely cold conditions.

They also have a slightly longer life cycle than nickel-metal hydride or lithium-ion batteries, with approximately 700-1000 cycles.

Nickel-cadmium batteries have their drawbacks. They have a charging problem known as the "memory effect". That is, if they are not fully charged after each use, they may only be charged to their last maximum charge. It also has a high self-discharge rate of about 20% per month. This can shorten the life of the battery. They can be repaired, but at the cost of at least 3 life cycles.

Lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are known for their great energy density. They are capable of storing more energy per pound than any traditional battery pack. Lithium-ion batteries are one of the most widely used options for powering portable electronic devices today.

They do not have the memory effect of nickel-cadmium and perform best in deep-discharge applications compared to nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal hydride. Lithium battery technology is more mature and reliable than other battery types such as NiCd and NiMH.

They are better suited for long-term storage because their self-discharge rate is only about 3% per month. They are also relatively simple to maintain because they do not have a "memory effect".

Lithium-ion batteries also have some drawbacks. The chemistry of lithium-ion batteries is not suited to extreme temperatures. According to NASA, the maximum capacity of a lithium-ion battery at -40 degrees Celsius is 12% of its room temperature capacity.

Safety is another issue with lithium-ion batteries. All lithium-ion batteries must use integrated circuits to control input and output voltages. If the circuitry is not present, the battery may experience thermal runaway. Another safety issue is water. Lithium ions oxidize extremely quickly in the presence of water.

In addition, lithium-ion batteries are more expensive compared to other batteries

Summarize

Ni-MH and Ni-Cd batteries as well as lithium-ion batteries are all common types of batteries. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, and Retevis' walkie-talkie batteries are basically lithium-ion batteries. If you need the appropriate battery equipment, you can find it on our walkie talkie accessories page.