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Here you will find a list of the most Frequently
Asked Questions regarding the purchase, use and handling of batteries.
The list has been compiled from telephone calls made to Cell Pack
Solutions over the years. If you can’t find the answer to your
questions, please feel free to browse the rest of this site for
more information, or please contact
us.
1.
I can’t find my replacement battery, what should I do?
2. I just received my new battery - Why
isn't it working?
3. How long should my battery last?
4. What is the best way to charge my battery?
5. Do I have to use batteries made by the
same manufacturer in my CD player, Hi-fi etc?
6. How should I store my batteries?
7. What is the difference between Nickel
Cadmium (NiCd) batteries and Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries?
8. It seems like my battery isn’t
giving me as much power as it did in the past. Why?
9. My battery did not last as long as I
expected. Why?
10. I can’t connect my new battery
to my phone, camcorder, camera but the battery is the same size,
why is this?
11. Cells and Batteries, What’s the
difference?
12. How should I dispose of my used batteries?
13. How do I change a battery?
14. Can I clean batteries?
15. What are High Current Drain Devices?
16. What are the best batteries for High
Drain Devices?
17. How are batteries rated?
18. Two batteries have the same Voltage
measurements but different Ampere Hour ratings, which one is better?
19. I need a replacement Mercury Battery
but I can’t find any anywhere, what can I do?
20. What is deep discharge?
21. My charger shows that my battery is
fully charged, but it’s not working… why?
I can’t
find my replacement battery, what should I do?
Chances are that your battery has become obsolete;
there are a number options available to you in this instance.
- We might have replacement/alternative batteries
available for your product. Enter the battery code into out ‘Find
Battery’ search; if no alternatives are found then the next
step is to contact us.
- We need to know as much information about
your existing battery; voltage, capacity, application and if possible
a picture. E-mail these details to us and we will do our best
to solve your problem.
- As a last resort, you can send us your battery
and we may be able to refurbish it. Again, the more information
you can provide us with the better. Great care must be taken when
sending your batteries by post, see our Battery Transport section
for more details.
I just
received my new battery - Why isn't it working?
Rechargeable batteries such as Cordless Phone
batteries are dispatched in a discharged condition. This is because
batteries self discharge when not in use and manufacturers don’t
like sending charged batteries out from their factories. ALWAYS
charge your battery before you first use it.
How long
should my battery last?
Primary (non-rechargeable)
The length of battery life depends on many factors;
battery type, application, frequency of use, storage, temperature
and age are just some of the issues which effect battery life.
Secondary (rechargeable)
The same factors affect rechargeable batteries
and primary batteries (see above). However there is also a limit
on the number of times a secondary battery can be charged. The claim
that a NiMH or NiCd battery can be recharged up to a 1000 times
is pretty reasonable under normal operating conditions. This value
however, can drop as low as 200 or so if the batteries are misused.
What is
the best way to charge my battery?
There are many guidelines that exist regarding
the charging of batteries. The best thing to do is to look at the
information that comes with your product. If this is inconclusive
then you can get more information from Charging
Guide and Choosing
the right charger sections.
Do I have
to use batteries made by the same manufacturer in my CD player,
Hi-fi etc?
Yes, do not mix new cells or batteries with used
ones, or mix brands or types together within one piece of equipment.
This can cause numerous problems including possible battery leakage/explosion
which will inevitably damage both the batteries you are using and
the device they are in.
How should
I store my batteries?
Primary (non-rechargeable):
Where?
o In a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, ideally using a small, heat-resistant
plastic container. Do not mix batteries with metal objects during
storage to avoid accidental short-circuit, and do not store in a
densely packed condition. The containers used should not be hermetically
sealed.
How long for?
o The type of battery and the area in which you store it will determine
the shelf life of your battery. All batteries are subject to self
discharge causing the charge in the battery to reduce over a period
of time.
Secondary (rechargeable):
Where?
o In a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, ideally using a small, heat-resistant
plastic container. Do not mix batteries with metal objects during
storage to avoid accidental short-circuit, and do not store in a
densely packed condition. The containers used should not be hermetically
sealed. Batteries should be stored in a fully charged state whenever
possible.
How long for?
o Leaving batteries dormant is unadvisable, and can lead to a decrease
in a batteries running time earlier than normal. Ideally batteries
should be used every two to three weeks.
What is
the difference between Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) batteries and Nickel
Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries?
NiCd batteries are the older of the two technologies,
they have less capacity than NiMH Batteries but have around three
times more cycle life, generally used in high drain, fast charge
applications such as power tools or devices running motors. The
10-25% greater capacity of NiMH means that they are the ideal choice
for use in wireless applications such as mobile phones, laptops
and camcorders. NiCd batteries are generally being replaced by NiMH
batteries on environmental grounds because of the presence of Cadmium
which is a highly toxic chemical.
It seems
like my battery isn’t giving me as much power as it did in
the past. Why?
You might have read about the so called Memory
Effect which is said to occur in rechargeable batteries. This
‘phenomenon’ does not really exist, and the most likely
cause of reduced performance is due to Voltage
Depression which is caused by regularly overcharging your
battery.
My battery
did not last as long as I expected. Why?
A common mistake when selecting a battery for
an application is using the Ampere-Hour
(Ah) rating stated on a battery to calculate how long a battery
will last. For example:
Say a battery has a 20Ah rating, you may think
that if you took 20A from this battery that it would last 1 hour,
this is not the case. The rating given on a battery is generally
the best possible capacity of the battery at a specified current
under a defined temperature and featuring a specified cut-off
voltage.
The actual capacity of a battery depends upon a number of factors;
including operating temperature, discharge current, battery age
and cut-off voltage.
A more accurate rating of a battery is at a 10th
of the Ampere-hour rating given, e.g. 3Amps for a 30Ah battery.
However, if you require your battery to power a critical application
then it is important that you consult the manufacturers’ data
sheets to get exact values regarding battery ratings.
I can’t
connect my new battery to my phone, camcorder, camera but the battery
is the same size, why is this?
Such devices as you know are manufactured by
variety of different companies such as JVC, Panasonic, Sony, BT
etc. These companies can use different connectors for devices which
take the same size battery to power them. When buying a replacement
battery for such applications, it is important that you supply us
with the ‘Make’ and ‘Model’ of your product.
This information will enable us to locate the correct size battery
with the correct connector fitted to it.
Cells
and Batteries, What’s the difference?
The two terms tend to be used interchangeably
these days and is done so by most companies who supply batteries.
Technically, a ‘Battery’ is a collection of ‘Cells’
connected together to obtain a higher voltage. Technically speaking
your standard AA battery is really a ‘Cell’ as they are
a single ‘Electrochemical unit’, but it is common usage
to call an AA cell a battery, the distinction is not really necessary.
How should
I dispose of my used batteries?
Most modern primary batteries do not contain
heavy metals such as mercury which may leak into the ground when
disposed of incorrectly which can contribute to soil and water pollution
endangering wildlife. The two types of battery which should ALWAYS
be recycled are ‘Lead-Acid’ and ‘Nickel Cadmium’
batteries. It is recommended however that you recycle all of your
spent batteries where possible to reduce the risk to the environment
and to help reduce the volume of household waste. Here are a few
details on how you can help:
- Recycling old ‘Lead-Acid’ batteries
is highly recommended and can be taken to most garages, scrap
metal facilities and many civic amenity and recycling centres.
- For general household batteries, a number
of local authorities now collect waste household batteries as
part of multi-material kerbside collections, but if they don’t
then some retailers such as DIY shops and supermarkets have battery
collection points at their stores.
- Otherwise you can get in touch with the battery
manufacturer and they should be able to provide you with advice
on how to dispose of your battery.
How do
I change a battery?
This depends on the type of battery you are replacing
and the device you are replacing the battery in. You must always
ensure correct alignment of the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals.
We recommend that you consult the user manual provided by the manufacturer
for the device, it should provide details of how to change the battery.
Can I
clean batteries?
Yes, it is also important to keep the battery
compartment contacts clean. The safest way of doing this is by rubbing
them with a clean pencil rubber or a rough dry cloth. This has the
best effect if it is done every time you replace a battery. Do not
use liquid cleaners on batteries and remember never to open battery
casings or expose to extreme temperatures.
What are
High Current Drain Devices?
These are devices such as digital cameras digital
cameras, GPS systems, minidisks, and other modern digital equipment.
Such devices demand large electrical currents from the batteries
that power them, and hence it is important to choose the right battery
for your device.
What are
the best batteries for High Drain Devices?
Rechargeable batteries are the best choice for
such devices. Alkaline batteries have a high internal resistance
which means that they cannot produce energy rapidly enough to power
high drain devices. The chemical make up of Nickel-Metal Hydride
batteries can generate electricity far more rapidly which satisfies
the needs of high drain devices much better.
How are
batteries rated?
The two most common battery ratings are that
of Voltage (v) and Ampere-hour (Ah) or milliamp-Hour (mAh).
- Voltage
is the power a battery can deliver; it is the unit of measuring
electrical pressure. In other words, it is the measure of energy
required to move a charge from one point to another. It is very
important to match the battery voltage indicated on the device
you are running. All batteries are rated in volts DC (Direct Current).
- Ampere-hour
(Capacity) is the amount of electrical power that can be withdrawn
continuously from a battery over a period of time. The value actually
stated on the battery is the best possible capacity at a specified
current under a defined temperature and featuring a specified
cut-off voltage. See
My battery did not last as long as I expected. Why?
Two batteries
have the same Voltage measurements but different Ampere Hour ratings,
which one is better?
Generally, the battery with the higher Ampere-hour
(Capacity) rating will last longer than the one with the lower capacity
and visa versa. However, it is important NEVER to mix batteries
of different capacities; the reason for this is that the lower capacity
battery will pull down that of the higher capacity battery.
For example: if you put two standard AA batteries into your CD player,
one rated 1800Ah and the other at 2200Ah, the 1800Ah battery will
pull down the capacity of the 2200Ah battery causing the CD Player
to shut down more quickly.
I need
a replacement Mercury Battery but I can’t find any anywhere,
what can I do?
Mercury Batteries have been fazed out of production
due to the environmental concerns over the chemical used in the
batteries. Mercury is an extremely poisonous chemical and exposure
to it can cause debilitating pain with fatal consequences. Cell
Pack Solutions provide a number of Mercury replacement batteries
such as Alkaline, Zinc Silver Oxide or Zinc Air depending on application.
Please contact us stating your application
(i.e. camera make and model); along with the voltage of the existing
battery, we will try our best to find a replacement battery for
you.
What is
deep discharge?
Rechargeable batteries have an ‘end-of-discharge’
voltage; this voltage level varies for each battery type. At this
voltage level, roughly 99% of the energy of the battery is spent
and the voltage starts to drop rapidly if the discharge continued.
Deep discharging is where the discharge cycle continues past this
cut-off voltage, this can damage the battery, possibly irreversibly
if discharging continues for too long. For more information see
our Discharging section.
My charger
shows that my battery is fully charged, but it’s not working…
why?
This is known as “false peak” and is
very common condition during first time battery use (or using a
battery that has been discharged for several months). The charger
light may go out after only five or ten minutes, indicating that
it is fully charged when it is not. Should this happen, simply leave
the battery on the charger for about an hour, remove it, and return
it to the charger immediately. The battery will resume normal charging
and the charger light will indicate when the batter is ready for
use.
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