LEARN
ABOUT RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES for SOLAR LIGHTING
Currently
Firefly Magic® Firefly
Lights supply only Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd)
batteries
in Solar Powered lighting products rather
than the newer Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)
rechargeable
batteries,
and here's why . . .
We receive questions
about this as NI-Cd batteries are becoming
more difficult to source,
and they
are considered less "environmentally friendly" due
to a very small amount of Cadmium sealed
inside.
Because
of
this,
Ni-Cd
batteries should always be recycled, or disposed
of at special waste centers that accept products
like fluorescent lights, computer monitors,
and old cell phones.
 So
why are we still using them? Simply
put, Ni-Cd batteries are far more reliable
than NiMH batteries in the harsh outdoor environments
where Solar Lighting is typically installed.
Whether its in
an Arizona
desert landscape where battery temperatures
can reach 140°F in the summer, or below
0°F in the Canadian winter, Ni-Cd batteries
have proven to work consistently better than
NiMH batteries, and they typically can last
for two years or longer.
On the other hand, NiMH batteries have
developed a very bad reputation for reliability
in outdoor
lighting products. NiMH rechargeable batteries
sometimes last only a month or two in
hot and cold weather conditions. In addition,
NiMH batteries are not designed for the
very low trickle charging that outdoor lighting
solar
panels
typically provide.
We're always concerned about our customers and
the environment and we know that if recycled
correctly, Ni-Cd batteries do not pose a threat
to either.
To further explain the differences between the
two battery types, please review the chart below:
| |
Nickel Cadmium
(Ni-Cd)
(Used
in Firefly Magic® products)
|
Nickel
Metal Hydride
(NiMH)
|
PROS
|
- Reliable and
Stable
- Resists abuse
- Can have high discharge rates
- Can be used over wide temperature range of -20C to +60C reliably
- Excellent for 'trickle charge' from low voltage solar cells
|
- Higher energy
density than Ni-Cd
|
CONS
|
- Cadmium that's
sealed inside the battery is not
considered 'environmentally
friendly requiring batteries to be recycled
|
-
Poor low temperature performance & can
be damaged if charged in sub-zero temperatures
- Poor high temperatures performance as charging efficiency drops
to 25% when hot
- Low cycle life
- Can require new charger or upgrade
- Higher internal resistance causing more rapid voltage drop
- Higg self discharge rate (while stored)
- Poor 'trickle charge' characteristics
|
Four (4) AA - Ni-Cd Solar
Rechargeable Batteries - 600mah 
-----------------------------------------------
For pricing
and purchase information, Click
Here.
|
