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ICOM
two-way Radio Tips
- What's the best battery for ICOM two-way radios?
- What are the charging cycles of Nickel-cadmium and Nickel-metal-hydride
batteries?
- Can I use a Lithium Ion battery on my two-way Radio?
ICOM
two-way Radio Tips
What's the best battery for ICOM two-way radio?
Most ICOM two-way radio use nickel-cadmium. These batteries are durable and forgiving
if abused. The recommended alternative is nickel-metal-hydride,
a battery that has higher energy density and contains no toxic metals.
Comparing the two, nickel-cadmium has the advantage of maintaining
steady high capacity and low internal resistance through most of
its service life. Nickel-metal-hydride, on the other hand, starts
with good capacity and low internal resistance but the resistance
increases after a few hundred cycles.
Nickel-based ICOM
two-way radio batteries are high in maintenance. Periodic discharge
cycles are needed to prevent crystalline formation on the cell plates,
also known as memory. Nickel-cadmium is more receptive to memory
than nickel-metal-hydride because both nickel and cadmium plates
are affected by memory.
What are the charging cycles of Nickel-cadmium
and Nickel-metal-hydride batteries?
Nickel-cadmium should be exercised once ever 1 to 2 months, whereas
nickel-metal-hydride can get by with a deliberate full discharge
once every 3 months. Without proper maintenance, the advantage of
nickel-cadmium over nickel-metal-hydride in terms of cycle life
cannot be realized.
Can I use a Lithium Ion battery on my
ICOM two-way Radio?
Lithium-ion has been tested for two-way radio and the results are
positive. Substituting lithium-ion with nickel-based will require
chargers specifically suited for this chemistry. Nickel-cadmium
and nickel-metal-hydride can often share the same charger. Check
our two-way Radio Battery Finder (link to Two-Way radio battery
finder: Select manufacturer) to see if lithium batteries are available
for your two-way radio. |
