Msg: 2676 *Conference*

06-07-92 15:51:29

From: RICK LOPES

To : TRACY ALLEN

Subj: LAPTOP NICAD BATTERY PACKS

A fews question for our resident NiCad expert.... 
    
Am I correct in thinking that NiCad Battery packs should best be stored fully
dis-charged?  To obtain the best battery life, should I fully charge and
discharge a NiCad battery I have in storage on a regular basis (monthly,
yearly??).
    
Also, how long is the "life" of a NiCad presuming it is cared for correctly
with a full charge and discharge cycle? Will a dis-charged battery in storge
last indefinately or will it start to fade as time goes on? Does a NiCad ever
really "die a sudden death" so that it will not hold a charge at all, or does
it just fade away holding less and less of a charge as time goes by? Any
ideas?? 
   
On a related issue, can you foresee any possible problems running a laptop
(e.g. Toshiba T1200) WITHOUT the battery pack installed and utilizing ONLY the
AC current.  I heard/read it was not good for the battery to keep the live AC
plugged in with the battery installed (that it would shorten the "life" of the
battery).  It's really a bother having to plug and unplug the battery whenever
it starts getting low.