2.
A regular duty cycle is performed which allows the
battery to expend only a limited portion of its ca-
pacity.
If the nickel-cadmium battery is only sparingly or sel-
dom used and is left on continuous charge for one or two
months at a time, it could experience reduced capacity. On
the first discharging cycle, the output voltage could be suffi-
ciently lowered to reduce the battery’s hours of useful serv-
ice.
The most common method of causing this limited capac-
ity is regularly performing short duty cycles; when the bat-
tery is operated so that only a portion (<2%) of its capacity
is expended. This type of operation can cause the battery to
become temporarily inactive and show a severe decrease in
the ability to deliver at full-rated capacity.
Any nickel-cadmium battery showing signs of reduced
capacity should be carefully checked before being returned
under warranty or scrapped. If reduced capacity is a fact,
the following procedure may restore capacity:
1.
Discharge the multi-cell battery at the normal dis-
charge rate until the output voltage is approxi-
mately 1 volt per cell. This equals 6 volts output
for current PCS Personal radio batteries.
Refer to the Typical Ni-Cd cell discharge curve in
Figure 5 below. Note the flatness of the discharge
voltage. Discharging below the knee of the curve
does not give added service. Experience shows
discharging below 1.0 volt is not necessary for re-
conditioning a cell.
2.
Charge the cell a full cycle using an appropriate
charger.
3.
This procedure should be repeated. Performing the
rated discharge and charge cycle at least twice
should sufficiently restore the battery.
Disposal
The product that you have purchased contains
a rechargeable battery. The battery is
recyclable. At the end of its useful life, under
various state and local laws, it may be illegal
to dispose of this battery into the municipal
waste stream. Check with your local solid
waste officials for details in your area for recycling options
or proper disposal. Call Toll Free 1-800-822-9362 for
information and/or procedures for returning rechargeable
batteries in your state. (See "Intrinsically Safe Usage"
section for additional information concerning Ni-Cd
batteries.)
Printed in U.S.A.
Figure 5 - Typical Ni-Cd Cell Voltage Discharge Curve
LBI-38956
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