> They
> do not exhibit a "memory" characteristic typical of the
> nickel-cadmium
> style batteries
Actually, the "memory effect" is mostly a myth even for NiCd batteries. It
only shows up if you:
A) Charge and discharge the battery to _exactly_ the same level every time
for dozens of cycles,
_and_
B) Have an application that is sensitive to even 0.1 volt extra drop in
battery pack voltage.
For practically all consumer applications, it is much better to recharge
them early and often. The "memory effect" can be cured by just charging
them a bit extra; while running a NiCd pack down more than 1.2 volts below
it's nominal voltage (ie 16.8 volts for an 18 volt pack) runs a high risk of
damaging one of the cells permanently; especially if the pack is a little
old or wasn't charged thoroughly last time.
-- Randall
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