which battery is better li ion or nimh?

The battery is one of the core components of any walkie-talkie as these devices cannot function without it. The walkie-talkie battery is the power source of the two-way radio. Only with the battery can it accept normal transmission and reception of radio messages. In order to ensure normal operation, it is necessary to equip your walkie-talkie with replaceable batteries.

 Lithium batteries and nickel-metal hydride batteries are common battery types on the market. For many people, they are often confused about how to choose between these two batteries. This article will help you choose from the suitable shortcomings of the two batteries.

NiMH batteries

It consists of a cathode (negative electrode) made of hydrogen-absorbing alloys or various intermetallic compounds. The anode (positive electrode) in this type of walkie-talkie battery is made of nickel hydroxide. It is a good medium temperature battery. You can typically use them in temperatures ranging from -5 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The service life of NiMH batteries is only 500 charge and discharge cycles.

Advantage

They have no memory effect and NiMH batteries are considered environmentally friendly.

Disadvantages

Disadvantages of NiMH walkie-talkie batteries include significant loss of capacity as ambient temperatures decrease. Such batteries are essentially unusable at temperatures below -20°.

Lithium Ion Battery

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

Advantage

They have no memory effect They have no memory effect, and they are better suited for long-term storage than NiMH because their self-discharge rate is only about 3% per month.

Disadvantages

The chemistry of lithium-ion batteries is not designed for 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 circuit is not present, the battery may undergo thermal runaway.

Another safety issue is water. Lithium ions oxidize extremely quickly in the presence of water.

Summarize

NiMH batteries have lower capacity than Li-ion batteries and have a much shorter lifespan than Li-ion batteries. Lithium battery technology performs best in deep discharge applications. Lithium battery technology is more mature and reliable than other battery types such as nickel-metal hydride batteries. However, the price of lithium batteries will be higher.

Hope my answer can help you. Regarding the maintenance of walkie-talkie batteries, we describe it in detail in the article "Battery Maintenance Guide".