Long term Ni-Cad Battery storage...

[LoneStar]

I recently purchased a fine cordless drill which came with a spare 18 volt Ni-Cad battery. I won't be using the spare for a LONG time -- I plan to use the primary battery till it dies, then use the spare. Question: what's the best way to store it? In refrigerator, discharged, fully charged, freezer, or what? I've had bad luck with these kind of batteries in recent years. It seems I "kill" them after a year's usage. Perhaps I don't charge/discharge properly.

Anyway, how do I store the spare for a year or two? Thanks.

EW

[RicodJour]

Sell the battery and buy a new one when you need it. Otherwise alternate using both batteries so you'll always have a charged one on hand. NiCads lose their charge just sitting there. Roughly a month and thing is totally dead.

R

[Jim Yanik]

"LoneStar" wrote in news:46896383$0$97242$ [e-mail]:

if you have not charged the spare yet,don't. IMO,NiCds store best if never charged. If you already have charged it,then you have to recharge it periodically.Manner of storage is not going to matter much.

DONT freeze the pack!!

NiCds last best if used frequently,and then fast charged promptly. Fast=1 hr

[LoneStar]

Thanks to the both of your for your replies. On the first reply, I can't just sell the battery -- no buyers around here for anything. I'll just do as Jim says: store the uncharged battery till needed. However, this time, I'm going to use the primary battery until it's fully discharged, then fully charge it, every time! In the past, my mistake was to charge after each use, whether it needed it or not. The so-called "memory effect."

Thanks.

EW

[Bob F]

If you "fully discharge" the battery regularly, that will reverse charge some cells and kill the battery also. Depending of course on your definition of "fully discharge".

Bob

[Jim Yanik]

"Bob F" wrote in news:NcidnTA- oM_PGhTbnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

IMO,"fully discharged" is when the drill begins to slow under load.

you definitely do not want to discharge lower than 1 v per cell.