Comparison

For Solar Lamps, NiCd Vs NiMh: What is the Difference?

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For Solar Lamps, NiCd vs. NiMh: What is the Distinction?

Global energy consumption will be more than triple by the end of this century. The world will need alternative energy fuel resources due to rising energy fuel costs, reduced energy supply or accessibility, and increasing environmental issues due to increasing energy demands.

Here, solar energy, a renewable energy source, plays a vital role in the world’s electricity market.

The Sun is an endless stream of energy that shines every day on earth. This excellent energy source in the sky will help us gather the solar energy we need to lead humankind towards a new direction of growth and advancement.

How Solar Lights Work and Why are Good Batteries Essential for it

Solar Lights

Solar light also referred to as solar lamp, is an illuminating device whose significant components consist of a solar panel with photovoltaic solar cells, a battery, and an LED light. The lamp runs on the battery’s electricity, charged utilizing the solar panel’s solar photovoltaic screen during the day.

But the solar panel gives electricity if sunlight is falling on it. As a result, the solar panels cannot produce electricity at night, thereby good storage batteries or secondary cells are required so that the lamps can provide light from the day-spring till midnight.

One of today’s most trendy and efficient ways of illumination is solar lamps. This style of technology in both urban and rural areas has been commonly accepted by people these days. There are many advantages of using solar lights instead of any other non-renewable source of energy, as it has zero maintenance, lasting over a long period, creating no pollution, and having a running cost of almost nil.

Types of Battery Used in Solar Lights

It is essential to gain details about the solar batteries from all aspects of the solar lighting system, as the solar lights’ efficiency depends solely on the battery.

Nowadays, low-density rechargeable batteries are essential and are used for nearly all garden solar lamps. Most of the solar lamps require 1-4 batteries for working efficiently.

Usually, two types of battery are commonly used for solar lamps or lights, are: –

  • NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) battery, usually AA sized of 1.2 V and 500-900 mA
  • NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) battery, usually AA sized of 1.2V and 1000-2000 mA.

NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) Batteries

NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) Batteries

Abbreviated from nickel (Ni) and Cadmium (Cd) chemical symbols, these are rechargeable batteries with nickel oxide hydroxide and metallic Cadmium as their electrodes. These batteries are currently widely used for portable electronics, cordless and wireless telephones, toys, and solar garden lights.

They can provide high surge currents with comparatively low internal resistance, making them favorable for remote-controlled electric versions of boats and vehicles, cordless power tools, and video flash systems.

A single fully charged Ni-Cd cell bears a potential gap between 1.25 and 1.35 volts under no load, which remains comparatively stable as the battery is discharged.

Ni-Cd cells are available from AAA through D in the same dimensions as alkaline batteries and various multi-cell types, including a 9-volt battery equivalent.

3 Best NiCd Batteries You Should Grab!

Relightable AA NiCd Batteries

Relightable customers’ satisfaction average stands at 4.3/5, making it a popular choice. It is easy to install and use yet is very affordable. Complete exposure to direct sunshine during the day would ensure a transparent working light for the outdoors at night.

 

Pros

  • Quick and easy charging
  • Worth the deal

Cons

  • Self-discharge is significantly high.
RELIGHTABLE AA NiCd 600mAh 1.2V Rechargeable Batteries for Solar Garden Lights (Pack of 20)
  • RELIGHTABLE AA NiCd 600mAh 1.2v Rechargeable Batteries (20 pieces)
  • 1.2-volt 600mAh AA Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries
  • Real 600mAh capacity
  • Perfect for Intermatic and Malibu Solar Garden light, and can replace 600mAh, 800mAh, etc NiCd AA...
  • Expected lifetime : 1000 charge & discharge cycles

Moonrays 47740SP Rechargeable NiCd AA Batteries

Since1986, Moonrays has been in the lighting industry and is known for being a pioneer in electrical supplies, selling a wide range of lamps, electrical devices, and accessories. It produces technologies for low voltage and solar-powered goods that can be used indoors and outdoors.

 

Pros

  • Flexibility to work in considerable variations of temperatures
  • Charging within 1.5 hours

Cons

  • Only available for 600 mAh

No products found.

GEILIENERGY AA Size NiCd AA 

GEILIENERGY AA NiCd rechargeable batteries have great power, a long life span, and low self-discharge. Compared to other types of batteries, these batteries are great for giving your lights more periods of working time at night. For the batteries to be fully charged, it only takes 5 to 6 hours of sun exposure.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Safer and reliable

Cons

  • Weather can affect its efficiency
GEILIENERGY AA Size NiCd AA 600mAh 1.2V Rechargeable Batteries for Solar Lamp Solar Light(8 PCS)
  • ❤MULTIPLE USES - Popularly used for solar powered garden lights, landscaping lights, lawn lights,...
  • ❤REPLACE & REUSE - The dimensions are as followed for 1.2V AA NiCd Rechargeable Batteries: 14.2 mm...
  • ❤High Capacity - The aa rechargeable battery real capacity was higher than labeled one, allows you...
  • ❤MONEY SAVING - Avoid wasting money on one-time use disposable alkaline batteries ,rechargeable...
  • ❤ MAXIMUM BATTERY LIFE-Please use up the power each time, then recharge it or it will affect its...

NiMh (Nickel Metal Hydride) Batteries

NiMh (Nickel Metal Hydride) Batteries

As a way of exploring how to store hydrogen for the nickel-hydrogen battery, development into the NiMH method began in the 1970s. The positive electrode chemical reaction is like that of the nickel-cadmium cell (NiCd), all of which use nickel oxide hydroxide.

So instead of Cadmium, the negative electrodes use a hydrogen-absorbing metal. A NiMH battery can have an equal NiCd capacity of three times its power.

For several tasks, tiny rechargeable batteries, NiMH batteries have displaced NiCd. With and without tabs, NiMH rechargeable batteries are available in various sizes and capacities, consisting of AA, AAA, C, and D with 9 Volt of the consumer’s range.

In previous generations of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles, NiMH batteries were being used. In digital cameras and other elevated applications, NiMH cells are being used to outshine primary, such as alkaline batteries throughout the single-charge operation.

For high-current drain applications, NiMH cells are useful primarily owing to their low internal resistance. NiMH can be revitalized quickly and is ecologically safe but has around 20 times greater self-discharge.

3 Best NiMH Batteries You Should Grab!

Amazon Basics NiMH Rechargeable Batteries

One of the several variants of rechargeable batteries offered by Amazon Basic is the Amazon Basics NiMH rechargeable solar batteries. The Amazon Basics are constructed from high-quality components that will guarantee your batteries last a lot longer.

Pros

  • Easy warehousing and export
  • Charge cycles of 1000

Cons

  • Bit expensive

Tenergy Solla Rechargeable NiMH AA Battery

Tenergy’s Solla solar batteries are safe from leakage due to overcharging and dead batteries due to over-discharging, unlike other solar rechargeable batteries. The most OK rechargeable batteries for solar lights have been developed and crafted to perfection using Solar Pro Technology.

Pros

  • Easy warehousing and export
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Bit expensive
Sale
Tenergy Solla Rechargeable NiMH AA Battery, 1000mAh Solar Batteries for Solar Garden Lights,...
  • Solar PRO technology – Tenergy engineered solar AA batteries with technology addressing common...
  • Year around outdoor durability – Power your solar lights all seasons under all weather conditions....
  • Long battery life – With 2,000 charging and discharging battery life, Tenergy Solla rechargeable...
  • Tenergy's solar NiMH batteries are made environmental friendly materials, free of toxic heavy metals...
  • Ready-to-use - Rechargeable solar batteries ship pre-charged ready-to-go out of the box. An ideal...

BONAI AA Rechargeable Batteries

In addition to being eco-friendly, the Bonai brand is budget-friendly as well. They can be refilled up to 1200 times so that you can use them for a long time, helping you save money from purchasing new replacement batteries often.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Worth the deal

Cons

  • Bit expensive

So, What Should I Choose: NiCd or NiMH?

 Two distinct types of batteries are NiCad (Nickel-Cadmium) and NiMH (Nickel-Metal Hydride). In terms of charging and discharging methods and principles, both types should be perceived and treated separately. Both may look similar, but they have their advantages and disadvantages and function individually.

When it comes to NiCd/NiCad, it is relatively cheaper with long shelf life than NiMH batteries, thereby economical to ordinary people. The large volume of charges or discharges, commonly over 1.5-2 amps that NiCad batteries can withstand, is unlikely for NiMH batteries to withstand.

They are fast to recharge and are durable, but the concern arises when we think about it ecologically. In NiCad batteries, potassium hydroxide, an alkali solution, is toxic and extremely corrosive to the skin.

Cadmium used as an electrode here is itself a poisonous substance. The legitimate ban on Cadmium due to its heavy toxicity has led to NiCd batteries’ retirement in many fields of its implementation.

When it comes to NiMH batteries, there are many advantages to the state. Though they are a bit expensive and less durable than NiCd batteries, yet they are less subjected to memory when compared with NiCd’s, which means they will go on charging even on humid or cloudy days.

One of its most amazing factors is that it is environmentally safe! It has no toxins as they use dry liquids. They can also resist high fluctuations in temperatures ranging between -20 to 70 centigrade. Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries have up to four times more power than nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries of the same size, ensuring they can last longer and remain robust.

Coming to the main point nowadays in domains such as digital networking and mobile technology, the NiMH is replacing the NiCd. Consumers are being urged to use NiMH instead of NiCd batteries in some regions of the world.

NiMH even has high energy density and capacity, but we should also remember that high-capacity criteria are not always reconcilable with tiny sized solar lights.

The growing popularity of these types of batteries confuses people and raises a question about which battery should be preferred but to be honest, and it depends upon you what you choose.

You must keep things in mind, such as device compatibility, size, and your preferences too.

Ryan Martinez
Ryan Martinez is an expert in analytical journalism and graduated with a degree in Economics. His career spans over a decade, focusing on market trends and consumer behavior analysis. With an MBA, he has been a key contributor to various platforms, specializing in thorough research and comparative studies. His background includes working as a financial analyst and a business consultant. His articles are appreciated for their clarity and depth. He is also a chess enthusiast and a mentor for young entrepreneurs.

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