NiMH do's and don'ts
- Never solder a lead wire and other connecting materials directly to the battery, as doing so will damage the battery’s internal safety vent, separator, and other parts made of organic materials. To connect a battery to a product, spot-weld a tab made of nickel or nickel-plated steel to the battery’s terminal strip, then solder a lead wire to the tab.
- Use caution in applying pressure to the terminals in cases where the battery pack can be separated from the equipment.
- Because small amounts of alkaline electrolyte can leak from the battery seal during extended use or when the safety vent is activated during improper use, a highly alkaline-resistant material should be used for a product’s contact terminals in order to avoid problems due to corrosion.
- Excessively high temperatures (i.e. higher than 45°C) can cause alkaline electrolyte to leak from the battery, thus damaging the product and shorten battery life by causing deterioration in the separator or other battery parts. Install batteries far from heat-generating parts of the product. The best battery position is in a battery compartment that is composed of an alkaline-resistant material which isolates the batteries from the product’s circuitry. This prevents damage that may be caused by a slight leakage of alkaline electrolyte from the battery.
- Never disassemble a battery, as the electrolyte inside is strong alkaline and can damage skin and clothes.
- Never attempt to short-circuit a battery. Doing so can damage the product and generate heat that can cause burns.
- Throwing batteries into a fire or water Disposing of a battery in fire can cause the battery to rupture. Also avoid placing batteries in water, as this causes batteries to cease to function.
- Never solder anything directly to a battery. This can destroy the safety features of the battery by damaging the safety vent inside the cap.
- Inserting the batteries with their polarities reversed Never insert a battery with the positive and negative poles reversed. as this can cause the battery to swell or rupture.
- Overcharging at high currents and reverse charging
Never reverse charge or overcharge with high currents (i.e. higher than rated). Doing so causes rapid gas generation and increased gas pressure, thus causing batteries to swell or rupture. Charging with an unspecified charger or specified charger that has been modified can cause batteries to swell or rupture. Be sure to indicate this safety warning clearly in all operating instructions as a handling restriction for ensuring safety. - Installation in equipment (with an airtight battery compartment)
Always avoid designing airtight battery compartments. In some cases, gases (oxygen, hydrogen) may be given off, and there is a danger of the batteries bursting or rupturing in the presence of a source of ignition_(sparks generated by a motor switch, etc.). - Use of batteries for other purposes
Do not use a battery in an appliance or purpose for which it was not intended. Differences in specifications can damage the battery or appliance. - Short-circuiting of battery packs
Special caution is required to prevent short-circuits. Care must be taken during the design of the battery pack shape to ensure batteries cannot be inserted in reverse. Also, caution must be given to certain structures or product terminal shapes which can make short-circuiting more likely. - Using old and new batteries together
Avoid using old and new batteries together. Also avoid using these batteries with ordinary dry-cell batteries, Ni-Cd batteries or with another manufacturer’s batteries. Differences in various characteristic values, etc., can cause damage to batteries or the product. - Batteries should always be charged prior to use. Be sure to charge correctly.
- In order to ensure safe battery use and to prolong the battery performance, please consult ANSMANN regarding charge and discharge conditions for use and product design prior to the release of a battery-operated product.
