Lithium Batty's...

[GOS]

Anyone tried those "Lithium Batty's" in their handheld GPS. I had the guy at Batteries Plus tell me they should work just fine. Thanks, Gregory

[Dave S]

I was reading the book "GPS Made Easy" several days ago and they suggested that particularly for cold weather operation Lithium Batteries have a longer life and encouraged their use.

[Kaz]

GOS: I think the Lithium battery will replace the Nicad very shortly. The big plus is they do not develope a memory. You can charge them anytime during the discharge cycle. I have some on my hand held radios and I always top off the charge just before using them. I would go for them. Good luck CHARGING....Kaz

[Greg P]

There is also a new type of rechargeable battery out refered to as 'Metal Hydride". I do not know the exact differences between all the batteries, but the metal hydride is supposedly the best available at this time. They were developed for the new battery eating digital cameras.

I don't think they are the same as Nickel Cadnuim, or lithium.

They boast highest energy density, and do not develop memory.

I have some for my camera, and they work great. Much better than any other type of battery I have ever used. They last about twice as long as a set of normal alkaline batteries. The charger I have takes about 12 hours to fully charge them, so I have 2 sets, and I am always charging one set of them. They are not harmed by overcharging.

I am sure someone out there knows more about this than what I can offer, but I do know that there are several types of rechargeable batteries on the market today and they are not all the same. As far as I know, the Metal Hydride are the latest and greatest.

Here is a website which provides some specific information regarding the charge/discharge characteristics for Metal Hydride.

So much to know, so little time...

Hope this helps.

[Greg P]

Oops! Here is the website:

www.mbi.panasonic.co.jp/oembatteries/english/e_nmh/out_enmh/defenmh.htm

[Thom]

Kaz,

I just thought you should know, long term testing by NASA has proven that the notion of battery 'memory' in ni-cads, or any other type battery is just a myth. The testing was done because of the cost of sending redundant battery packages up in satalites. As you might immagine a satilite that is spinning around the earth at exactly the same exposure to sunlight (recharging) and dark (battery use) day after day after day would be the prime candidate for the memory effect. So that left NASA in the positon of having to send up redundant battery packs so the ones that supposedly had developed memory could be shocked back to their maximum capacity. Unfortunately it cost a great deal of money to put a battery pack into space and so NASA really needed to come to understand the memeory effect that everyone knew existed. After a great deal of testing what came as a great suprise to them was that there was, in fact, no memory effect. That was a good thing though because it meant they could quit sending those extra battery packs into space, which saved considerable money. Also, because of their cost of disposal you shouldn't be looking for Lithium Ion batterys to be replacing Ni Cads anytime soon, nickel metal hydride might because of their lower toxicity and subsequent disposal cost, but not the lithiumion ones.

Thom

[Kaz]

Thom: That is intrusting. I have a very good connection to NASA, and I will ask the question. I have had memory problems with a Icom IC-T22A which has the Nicad, but my Alinco DJ-C5 with the Lithium can be charged anytime with out shorting the discharge time. I agree the NMH are better and my be first in line as a replacement, but I still think lithium batts will out-perform the other two. Waiting FOR SPRING....Kaz