NiCad vs Lithium Ion Battery

The nickel cadmium battery popularly known as NiCad battery is a type of rechargeable battery that uses nickel oxide hydroxide and metallic cadmium as its electrodes. The first invention of this batteries was in 1899 but with the coming of NiHM and lithium ion batteries NiCad batteries have kind of lost market.

Lithium ion batteries on the other hand is a type of rechargeable battery that is commonly used in phones, laptops, tablets and they are recently being used in cars.

The last 30 years the market was dominated by NiCad batteries but with advancement of technology the market has been taken over by lithium ion batteries. This does not mean that the NiCad batteries have lost their spark. They still have their pro and cons and we are going to compare this two types of batteries based on their pros and cons.

Advantages of Lithium Ion Batteries

· They have high energy density. We had to start with this because it is one of its major advantage. Devices like mobile phones need to operate need to operate longer between charges and that’s why they need batteries with high density of power.  Lithium ion batteries are even being used in cars.

· Self-discharge. When it comes to rechargeable batteries, the self-discharge rate is very important. The main advantage of lithium ion battery is that it has a lower discharge rate that is lower compared to NiCad batteries.

· Low maintenance. Another main advantage of lithium ion batteries. There is no maintenance that is required to ensure that a lithium ion battery performs. On the other hand NiCad batteries requires proper maintenance to ensure that there is no memory effect. There is no such thing as memory effect on lithium ion batteries.

· There is no need for priming. Some rechargeable batteries usually need to be primed especially when they are receiving their first charge. As for lithium ion batteries, there is no need for that.

· There are variety of types available. The benefit of variety of types is that with the advanced technology the batteries can be used for any application that needs the battery. Some types of this batteries do provide high current density which makes them ideal for any electronic device. Some even have high current density and they can be used in cars or other tools that requires a lot of power.

Advantages of NiCad Batteries

These batteries don’t really have a lot of advantages and that’s why they have been beaten ten to nil by lithium ion batteries. This does not mean that they don’t have their spark. Some of their advantages include:

· They come in wide range of sizes and options. Most of this batteries are cylindrical and they usually come at very affordable prices. Being cheap is actually one the major advantage of this batteries. They don’t require any special conditions for them to be shipped. NiCad batteries are also very easy to store and they actually don’t damage under normal circumstances.

· NiCad batteries charge simple and fast. Even if your battery has been in the storage for quite some time it will still charge nice and easy. They take high number of charges and if they are not misused the charge can last for a longer time compared to lithium ion batteries. In most cases the charge is about a hundred cycles and when they are discharged you charge again. If you take proper care of this batteries you can be sure of them lasting for a very long time.

· Low temperatures don’t affect NiCad batteries. This batteries have very good performance and they are not really affected by low temperatures. Unlike lithium ion batteries which if charged under low temperatures can affect their longevity. Making this batteries the perfect choice for any climate setting.

Disadvantages of Lithium Ion Batteries

In most cases anything that has advantages also has disadvantages. Lithium ion batteries despite being peoples’ favorite still have some disadvantages. Some of the disadvantages include:

· They require protection. Unlike other rechargeable batteries, lithium ion batteries requires protection. This protection is to prevent them from being overcharged or discharged way too far. They also need protection to ensure that currents are maintained within a safe limit. The protection is usually incorporated when they are being processed.

· Lithium ion batteries suffers from ageing. One of the major disadvantage of this batteries is that they actually suffer from ageing. The number of discharge and charges the battery continues to decrease in quality. Most of the batteries are only able to withstand between 500 and 1000 charge and discharge cycles before there is significant fall of capacity. It is recommended that you keep your battery partially charged to make it last longer.

· Transportation. This is actually the biggest disadvantage of this batteries. When travelling via ships or air planes, gadgets using lithium ion batteries are usually carried in the luggage cabin.

· Higher costs of production. Lithium ion batteries cost the manufacturers more than 40% of the price NiCad batteries cost. This is why lithium ion batteries are more expensive compared to NiCad batteries.

Disadvantages of NiCad Batteries

· Compared to lithium ion batteries NiCad batteries have low energy density.

· NiCad batteries discharges in storage which means you will have to charge them again every time you want to use.

· The metals contained in this batteries are considered environmental unfriendly so each battery must be removed before you dispose them.

· Some countries are limiting the use of this batteries because they are environmental unfriendly.

Can Lithium Ion Batteries and NiCad Batteries Share a Charger?

The basic answer is no. everything is different from current tampering to voltage profile. But sometimes it can be done. It will depend on the voltage of the charger you want to use. In most cases it is not wise to share the chargers but if you want to improvise then make sure you know what you are doing.