What's The Best Battery Out There?

It Really Depends...

When it comes to pinpointing the best battery out there, it really all depends on the application as well as a number of other factors. Below is a summary of the strengths and weaknesses of today's most common battery types. Although a battery's energy density is key, other important attributes to consider while determining the best battery include service life, load characteristics, maintenance requirements, self-discharge costs and, of course, safety.

Nickel-cadmium Battery - Mature but has moderate energy density. Nickel-cadmium is used where long life, high discharge rate and extended temperature range is important. Main applications are two-way radios, biomedical equipment and cordless power tool batteries. Do stress caution while using these types of batteries, for nickel-cadmium contains toxic metals.

Nickel-metal-hydride - Has a higher energy density compared to nickel-cadmium at the expense of reduced cycle life. There are no toxic metals. This type works as ideal mobile phone batteries or laptop computer batteries. NiMH is viewed as a steppingstone to lithium-based systems.

Lead-acid - Most economical for larger power applications where weight is of little concern. Lead-acid is the preferred choice for medical equipment batteries, emergency lighting batteries, and wheelchair batteries. Lead acid is inexpensive and rugged and serves a unique niche that would be hard to replace with other systems.

Lithium-ion - The fastest growing battery system; offers high-energy density and low weight. Protection circuits are needed to limit voltage and current for safety reasons. Applications include notebook computers and cellular phone batteries. High current versions are available for power tools and medical devices.

It's important to note that the nickel-cadmium battery is the first rechargeable battery in small format and forms a standard against which other chemistries are commonly compared. The trend is toward lithium-based systems.

Find the optimal battery that is right for you. Visit www.batterygiant.com to find the best selection of long-lasting alkaline batteries and SLA batteries (seal-lead acid batteries) available. Be sure to join the discussions at the BatteryGiant Facebook page to discover energy saving battery tips to save you money.