Originally Posted by Adiankur
So for things like blinkies and such, rechareable batteries would be good? I read that if you let the batteries get too low, or completely discharge too often, their lifespan would be diminished. You should just do a total discharge now and again.
So, Im thinking that, while you wouldnt just leave them in for as long as you may another battery, environmentally, probably a best bet to go with NiMH.
Anyone notice any concerns with using these batteries with blinkies and the like? Ill probably get an HID for my main light soon.
Actually that's the place where rechargables are a bad idea. The power demand for the LED is so small that rechargables end up self-discharging before you get a useful life out of them. Self-discharge isn't good for the Ni chemistry batteries either. It's less of a problem with NiCd than it is with NiMH.
If you use rechargeables, use them in the headlamp where they are getting exercised all the time and you are recharging them constantly. you should "exercise" your rechargeables once a month when in storage, i.e. the summer, so that the batteries don't die an untimely death. Don't leave them on a charger, but use something to discharge them regularly to make them last their full lives