Battery Characteristics

Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

• Ideal for modern LED rechargeable flashlights
• Virtually no memory effect. Near full capacity every charge cycle
• 2 times the energy capacity of comparable NiCad battery
• Typical cycle life is 3000 cycles

Rechargeable Lithium

• Ideal for high output LED flashlights
• Higher energy density than NiCad, NiMH and alkaline batteries
• No memory effect
• High cell voltage
• Flat discharge characteristic
• Very long shelf life - Very long operating life, 15 to 20 years
• Typical cycle life is 3000 cycles

Lithium Air Cells (CR-123)

• Ideal for high output LED flashlights
• Very high energy density for its size
• Flat discharge characteristic
• Very long shelf life

Alkaline Batteries (AA, AAA, AAAA)

• The most popular premium general purpose battery
• Four times the capacity of an equivalent size rechargeable NiCad or NiMH battery
• Suitable for high drain rate applications
• Good shelf life
• Not normally rechargeable

Nickel Cadmium (NiCad)

• Ideal for old style flashlights with xenon bulbs
• Flat discharge characteristic but falls off rapidly at the end of the cycle
• Major drawback is recharge memory effect. During charging a chemical process is
• degrading the battery’s ability to store energy. Each charge degrades the battery more.
• Eventually the battery can no longer be charged
• Use of heavy metals makes it environmentally toxic
• Typical cycle life is over 500 cycles