I have heard numerous times that older rechargeable batteries have a internal memory capability. Even on some cordless phones, the instructions recommend a full drain on the battery before rechargeing. Recent reports are that newer batteries, specifically Nickel Metal Hydride do not have this problem. However, I have also heard that the real truth is that only one type of battery ever had this problem, it being on in a jet fighter, and the public would not have access to this. This being the original report that started this rumor. can someone please find out the real truth on this matter.
So, what’s the chance that this would have been addressed (in part) by today’s Straight Dope Classic?
I read the link to Cecil’s post but I’m confused.
I’ve been working in the computer industry for a long time and I remember some early laptops that had a discharge feature. Supposedly, in order to avoid the battery memory thing, you would hit a special button to have the laptop quickly drain the battery of remaining charge once it was close to dying anyway. After that you plugged it in a recharged the thing.
This was before the Nickle Metal Hydride and Lithium Ion batteries that supposedly don’t suffer from this problem. Still, I would assume computer manufacturers would be smart enough to realize that the NiCad memory problem wasn’t really a problem and not bother putting that discharge feature in. Of course I suppose it is possible that this was a marketing gimmick meant to make people who thought this was a problem happy even if it served no purpose.
From experience I will say those NiCad batteries did seem to lose dramatic performance over their lifetimes (a few years) to the point where you could barely turn a laptop on before having to plug it in. Still, as far as I know this is just the nature of the batteries normal wear and tear and may have nothing to do with the memory thing.
I suspect Scott was inspired to write the question by Cecil’s column. As such, Comments on Cecil’s Columns is probably the best place for this thread. I’ll move it.
bibliophage
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