Which battery chemistry is right for you . . . . NiCD or NiMH???

When choosing the correct Ni-CD or Ni-MH replacement cells for your particular application, there are several factors that are important for you to consider: number of charge cycles, longevity of run time, and memory effect:

Number of charge cycles. A charge cycle consists of a full charge and a full discharge of the battery pack. Ni-CD battery cells will provide you with a range of 800-1000 charge cycles.  Ni-MH battery cells will provide you with fewer at a range of 400-500 charge cycles.

Its all about run time.  The running time between charges and is dictated by the battery's milliampere hour [mAh] rating. Essentially, the higher a battery's mAh rating, the longer will be its run time. Ni-CD battery cells are available in 1500 mAh and 2100 mAh ratings. Ni-MH battery cells have significantly longer run times than Ni-CD cells. Our most popular is the 3300 mAh line, which is the preferred battery cell for high performance battery packs in the remote control car industry. These are also used in drill packs to provide extra run time and exemplary performance.

And memory affect....... generally refers to cases in which batteries appear to hold less of a charge than expected. Specifically, it describes a characteristic of Ni-CD batterys' gradual loss of its maximum energy capacity when it is repeatedly recharged after being only partially discharged. This infamous "memory effect" can be controlled only if Ni-CD cells are completely discharged between recharges. Ni-MH cells, on the other hand, build up little to no memory effect, and are preferred throughout the industry for this type of application.