# Lithium Ion batteries vs NiCad memories

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lithium-ion-batteries-vs-nicad-memories/5903>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 7, 2000, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lithium-ion-batteries-vs-nicad-memories/5903 "2000-01-07T16:55:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KCB615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2000, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lithium-ion-batteries-vs-nicad-memories/5903/1 "2000-01-07T16:55:00Z")

</div>

## We all know that if you continually don’t drain a NiCad battery down fully before you recharge it, it will form a “memory” and will only discharge down to that point in future use. Now, do rechargable lithium ion batteries have this same effect? My brandy-new cell phone has a litium ion battery, and I’m not too keen on recharging it every 2 nights when the battery still has 1/3 of its charge left. I also don’t want to toss a $60 battery trying to find out.

Jeremy…

Nobody ever calls me after they’ve done something smart.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2000, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lithium-ion-batteries-vs-nicad-memories/5903/2 "2000-01-07T19:58:00Z")

</div>

Lithium ion batteries don’t have the memory effect but then again modern NiCd batteries don’t either. Overcharging NiCd batteries can cause a problem that is often misidentified as memory effect. Here’s some info on that.  
[http://www.batteriesplus.com/techctn.html](http://www.batteriesplus.com/techctn.html)

FWIW I have a Qualcom phone, Sony Handycam and H-P laptop all with lithium batteries. I’ve never bothered with intentionally discharging the batteries and have never seen a problem with battery life.

* * *

“Popeye? Hm? He’s not much of a judge of women!” King Blozo

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MadPoet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@MadPoet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPoet)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2000, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lithium-ion-batteries-vs-nicad-memories/5903/3 "2000-01-07T20:47:00Z")

</div>

## Probably thinking NiMH batteries, which have a memory effect. Lith batteries last twice as long, don’t have memories (well, they do, but hardly noticable), and cost much more.

[http://www.madpoet.com](http://www.madpoet.com)  
There’s a million fine looking women in the world, dude, but not all of them will bring you lasagna at work. Most just cheat on you.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2000, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lithium-ion-batteries-vs-nicad-memories/5903/4 "2000-01-07T21:01:00Z")

</div>

I don’t believe in the “memory effect,” whatever its real technical details are.

I bought a phone four years ago, and I followed the rules (discharge completely before recharging and so forth), and within a year, it still would not hold a charge for more than 6 hours (it was supposed to have a 24 hour standby charge).

I have not had this problem with the lithium batteries. They have held up nicely.