Charging your NiCad or NiMH batteries Rechargeable AA/AAA batteries commonly come in two types - NiCad and NiMH. A few simple rules will help you get the most out of them.
Battery capacity is shown in mAh. The larger the capacity, the longer the battery will last - but the longer it will take to recharge. The higher the solar panel wattage, the faster it will charge a given capacity battery.
NiMH are more environmentally friendly and tend to be higher capacity than NiCad. They are better suited to fast charging
NiCads contain environmentally toxic Cadium, but are more robust and last longer than NiMH.
Charge new batteries before first use; if they are high capacity, charge them from mains once before you charge them from solar.
Try to run the battery right down and then recharge it on a regular basis (monthly for NiCads, every 3 months for NiMH).
Batteries, especially NiMH, loose their charge during storage - recharge them before each use.
Don't let the battery get too hot during charge or storage; if it feels hot during charging, stop.
Remove batteries from the charger once they are fully charged, especially in bright conditions.
When charging a pair of batteries, make sure they are of the same type and state of charge.
Please be responsible. Your batteries contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Dispose of then properly - don't put batteries in your household waste.
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