# Anybody know anything about rechargable batteries?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-anything-about-rechargable-batteries/4109>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 21, 1999, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-anything-about-rechargable-batteries/4109 "1999-10-21T07:52:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Inky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d78d45/32.png) [@Inky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-anything-about-rechargable-batteries/4109/1 "1999-10-21T07:52:00Z")

</div>

I just got one of those Baygen Freeplay radios that don’t use batteries. They have a spring you wind up that spins a little dynamo that charges a NiCad battery (theres also a small solar panel).

I’m wondering, I seem to remember hearing that NiCad rechargable batteries have a “memory” that gets screwed up by under charging. Wouldn’t the constant partial charging/depleation wreck this?

Also don’t NiCad batteries have a limited lifespan in which they can hold a charge?

Thanks.

Inky

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![The\_LION](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@The\_LION](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_LION)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-anything-about-rechargable-batteries/4109/2 "1999-10-21T13:25:00Z")

</div>

Hello Inky  
Don’t worry about the battery developing a"memory" as that is a very rare problem.  
The thing to watch out for is overcharging.  
Let the battery run all the way down before you charge it and it will last a long time.  
I have been useing NiCads in my ham radios for years with few problems.

t lion

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-anything-about-rechargable-batteries/4109/3 "1999-10-21T14:58:00Z")

</div>

Re: NiCad battery “memory”

## [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/990312.html](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/990312.html)

Back off, man. I’m a scientist.