In this Technical Side we will be covering proper care of rechargeable batteries. This article will focus on nickel-cadmium batteries because of their wide use as a power source for electronic surveying instruments. The second installment will deal specifically with gelled lead-acid batteries used in GPS and auxiliary batteries. We will start off by giving some background information and explaining some of the terms we will be using.
All batteries produce electrons from a chemical reaction.
The original reaction can occur again, producing more electrons. The amount of electrons produced, or the capacity of the battery, depends on the size and composition of the battery. This capacity is measured in amp hours, the amount of time the battery will provide a given amount of current. For example, a 2.8 amp hour battery should provide one amp of current for 2.8 hours or 2.8 amps for one hour. Our first concern with a rechargeable battery is charging it.