birding-aus

Re: SPOTLIGHTING equipment news

To: "birding-aus" <>
Subject: Re: SPOTLIGHTING equipment news
From: "Robert Inglis" <>
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:00:27 +1000
Hi Alan and others,

Alan, you suggested: "Naturally with these batteries you need to charge, then 
flatten, charge,
flatten, charge, flatten and naturally, charge before going out into the field. 
They also last
longer with full discharging and charging each time."

If the torch uses Ni-Cad or Nimh cells then your suggestion is reasonable. But 
if the torch uses
lead-acid cells (the so-called motorcycle battery) the suggestion is not so 
good. It is not really
advisable to continually fully discharge lead acid batteries.
Doing so will shorten their working life and can make them harder, if not impossible, to recharge with standard battery chargers.
This goes for the liquid or gel type electrolyte batteries.

The lead acid type batteries are probably better for spotlight applications as 
they hold their
charge better between outings. And they don't have to be fully discharged before recharging. In other words, they can simply be topped up, something that the other types of rechargeable batteries don't tolerate so well. Although the Nimh type are better than the Ni-cad type in this regard.

Cheers

Bob Inglis
Sandstone Point
SE Qld



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