Home >> News >> Battery Knowledge

What Are The Advantages Of Lithium and NiMH AA Battery?

Jun. 06, 2022
Share

What Are The Advantages Of Lithium and NiMH AA Battery?

Before using any battery, it is always good to explore the advantages it offers you. This will help you determine if the battery is right for your application.

 

The main advantages of lithium batteries include -

 

Energetic

Lithium batteries are known for their stable, long-lasting and reliable power. They have a very high energy density compared to NiMH batteries. Therefore, this also means they have a high power capacity. Because of their high energy density, they can be used in devices that require high power requirements, such as cell phones, laptops and computers. In short, Li-ion batteries can carry more power per gram than NiMH AA batteries.

 

Size and Weight

Lithium batteries are typically lighter and weigh less than NiMH batteries. This is a big advantage or benefit that contributes to its use in many portable consumer electronic devices such as smartphones and laptops.

 

Low discharge and faster recharge time

Lithium batteries have significantly lower self-discharge compared to NiMH batteries. As a result, you can use them in low-current devices such as watches and clocks. They can easily handle multiple charge and discharge cycles. As a result, they have a longer shelf life. In addition, these batteries are much faster to recharge compared to NiMH batteries.

 

Low maintenance

Compared to any battery technology, lithium-ion batteries do not require any maintenance to ensure their performance. Other technologies such as NiMH batteries require discharge to prevent memory effects.

 What Are The Advantages Of Lithium and NiMH AA Battery?cid=44

Key advantages of NIMH AA batteries include -

 

Safer

NiMH AA batteries have less active material than lithium-ion batteries. If overcharged or short-circuited, they can burst. However, this is nothing if we compare it with lithium-ion batteries that explode. They are more environmentally friendly compared to Li-Ion batteries.

 

Full discharge is possible

Fully discharging means you can reduce them to zero charge, if you can do so. Nonetheless, they will still charge. One thing you should be careful of is not to let them encounter reverse polarity or you will damage the battery.

 

Compatibility

NiMH uses standard sizes, which is why these batteries are compatible with almost all devices that use sizes like AA.

 

What are the limitations of LiPo and NiMH AA batteries?

Every item has its drawbacks, and it's no different when it comes to batteries. So, let's take a quick look at the limitations of LiPo and NiMH AA batteries.

 

The main limitations of Lithium batteries include -

 

Expensive

Although the cost of lithium batteries is decreasing, they are still higher compared to NiMH AA batteries.

 

Contains highly active materials

These batteries contain extremely high levels of reactive materials. They react easily and provide a lot of heat. As a result, there are short circuits in these battery cells.

 

Cannot be fully discharged

If a lithium battery is completely discharged, then you will damage the battery. This is why it is always recommended to keep these cells above 50% charge.

 

No standard size

Unlike NiMH batteries, LiPo batteries do not come in standard sizes like AA.

 

The main limitations of NiMH AA batteries include

 

High self-discharge rate

NiMH batteries lose most of their charge each month. They have a fairly high self-discharge rate compared to lithium batteries.

 

Long recharge time

Each AA battery can only produce 1.2v compared to a Li-ion battery that can deliver 3.7v.

 

Cannot operate at extreme temperatures

NiMH batteries will reduce their voltage output at extreme temperatures. Lithium batteries, on the other hand, can handle these temperatures or conditions to such an extent.

 

Not suitable for low load devices

You should not use NiMH batteries for low-load devices such as clocks. These batteries will lose their charge quickly through self-discharge. That's why lithium batteries are recommended.

 

That's all there is to know about LiPo and NiMH AA batteries. Hopefully you now know exactly which is better for your application, Lithium or NiMH technology. Before making a real purchase, look at the pros and cons of both batteries to decide. Considering everything discussed here, it is safe to say that Lithium batteries are superior to NiMH AA batteries. The only major limitation of Li-ion batteries is the cost. This is why many people turn to NiMH AA battery technology. Well, the rest depends on your specific requirements.