Innovation Brings The New Battery Battery: Lithium Polymer Batteries

The standard batteries of yesterday, Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) and Nickle Metal Hybrid (NiMH) worked fine to power the devices they were originally made for. Around 2002 as personal electronics expanded a new kind of battery was called for. Lithium Polymer batteries or Lithium ion Polymer batteries were the new development next step, lighter and longer lasting that the other batteries. Hobbyists who use remote control equipment and builders of custom motorcycles also moved on this opportunity to get better batteries for their equipment, though this was not the primary market for the battery.

The old Nickel Cadmium batteries had a flaw in that they developed a 'memory'. Each time a user charged the batteries they took a little bit smaller charge until they eventually don't take a charge at all. Even if the batteries are fully drained after each charge as recommended there best life expectancy was about six months.

Solution: the battery which does not develop a 'memory', ensuring a much better lifespan for the batteries. The main usage for these batteries is personal electronics. Take a look at your mobile phone battery. It is probably a slim rectangle with two tab-like contacts at one end, which is the most common Lithium ion Polymer cell.

The batteries are also used for remote control helicopters, cars and airplanes. These come in packs of two or three cells and are favored because they are lighter (about one third the weight of an average NiCad battery) and have a longer life on a single charge that NiCad or NiMH cells (about three times the life between the reduced weight and increased capacity).

The batteries have also changed things for custom motorcyclists. The batteries take up far less room that a traditional battery on the motorcycle and weight about a quarter of what a lead acid battery would weigh. These batteries are also more environmentally friendly than traditional lead acid batteries when they do reach the end of their lifespan. The batteries superior charge capabilities make it possible to attempt to start the motorcycle enough times that the starter is no longer working before the battery stops working.

When using a battery you must be very aware of the safety hazards to get the best use of your battery. The batteries build up heat while they are charging and should never filled with a turbo charger or left unattended during charging. If using a trickle charger the batteries require a balancer, which is often built into the charger, to ensure that all cells charge equally and that the battery is at its best performance.

Is important that a battery that has been damaged never be used because it is very prone to explode.

Properly cared for, a Lithium ion Polymer battery will last for years. Lighter and holding more charge that its earlier counter parts, the Nickel Cadmium and Nickel Metal Hybrid batteries and more environmentally friendly the lead acid auto batteries, Lithium ion batteries have changed the way we use our personal electronics, motorcycles and radio control models.

If you want to learn more about the energy performance of a lithium polymer batteries, you should find them all over the net. When you use a lithium polymer battery, you will be delighted with the performance.