With proper care, a NiCad battery
will give you approximately 500 charge – discharge cycles and supply 80% of
the rated capacity after one year of service.
Allow the
battery time to reach room temperature and never charge a cold or hot
battery. Charging a cold (below 40oF) or hot battery (above 104oF)
will significantly reduce its charger – discharge cycle life.
The Nickel Cadmium Battery must be
initialized before being placed in service. Charge your new battery at least
15 hours to obtain maximum battery capacity.
Do not leave your radio and fully
charged battery in the charger. This, in effect, will slowly cook and baste
the battery and significantly reduce its cycle life. A charger is not
a radio stand.
Only charge the battery when it has
been fully discharged. Charging a partially discharged battery creates
“memory effect”. The battery learns the discharge and charge cycle and over
time, delivering less and less power to the radio. For extended operating
time, it is more cost effective to carry a spare battery.
A Rapid Charger does not fully
charge the battery. When the light turns green, give the battery an
additional one to two hours to complete the charge cycle.
New Batteries can be stored for two
years and still retain close to original cycle life. Batteries should
be stored fully charged and at room temperature in a dry area.
Never use a battery that has a
cracked, melted, or swollen case. Batteries can create extreme heat
and explode.
Do not discard a battery because
the radio only operates for a few hours. Have it analyzed by your
service provider. They may be able to cycle and bring new life to your
battery.
Occasionally clean the battery and
charger contacts to maintain good electrical contact during a charge cycle.
return to
top of page
Download This Info
