What Do mAh & NICAD Mean?

MAh

• Current capacity measures how quickly a battery will produce energy when the chemical reactions inside the battery are activated. It is measured in ampere-hours, or mAh, and determined by multiplying the flow of battery current by the total amount of time that the battery provides that current flow. MAh can be affected by several factors, including the specific device being powered, how much energy the device uses for different functions and the age of the battery.

NiCad

• Nickel-cadmium batteries, or NiCad, are a type of rechargeable battery that contains the chemicals nickel oxide hydroxide and metallic cadmium in electrochemical cells. These cells contain anodes, cathodes and electrolytes. The anode and cathode are made from the nickel and cadmium compounds, and are allowed to exchange electrons -- react electrochemically -- via the electrolyte. In NiCad batteries, the electrolyte is usually a diluted potassium hydroxide solution.

Advantages

• NiCad batteries are long-lasting and typically stable when stored for a long period of time. They are often smaller and lighter than batteries with comparable current capacity, although this only comes into play when dealing with high-voltage batteries. In the consumer market, NiCad batteries are more expensive than comparable batteries; however, the fact that they can be recharged often balances their initial cost.

Temperature

• One of the most distinct features of a NiCad battery is its tolerance for extremely cold temperatures. Comparing NiCad batteries to lead-acid or alkaline batteries, the NiCad batteries retain more charge even at temperatures at or below freezing. This capacity makes NiCad batteries ideal in devices used at extreme temperatures or needed for emergency use.