The main advantage of Ni-Cd batteries is that these batteries are inexpensive. However, there is a disadvantage as these batteries can develop memory. The Ni-Cd batteries come in single, twin and multiple packs for various applications. Specialty Ni-Cd lifepo4 batteries are used in applications such as cordless phone handsets, emergency lighting you see in buildings and other situations.
They have a relatively low resistance internally and can supply high currents surging at one time. This surge effect makes them popular as a choice of power for cordless power tools, camera flash units, lights and so on. In fact, larger Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries are also used for aircraft batteries. During the past few years developments in battery production techniques has seen the resistance in ni-cd batteries fall to as low as the common alkaline batteries. And advances have also seen production costs drop dramatically whereby today nicd batteries are cheap compared to years ago. It’s the big flat TV effect.
The batteries tend to be less prone to damage and can put sustain what is known as deep discharge for longer periods of time. In other words the Ni-Cd battery is more stable and in long term storage is usually fully charged. Ni-Cd batteries usually last longer as both rechargeable and non-rechargeable forms. Ni-Cd batteries tend to be smaller and lighter in comparison to say lead/acid batteries. And in the world of consumer products Ni-Cd batteries now compete directly with alkaline batteries in everyday applications.
In industrial and commercial applications Ni-Cd batteries are commonly preferred to batteries like Ni-Mh battery for example. The trade off with Ni-Cd batteries is that sometimes they can be more expensive than other batteries in the marketplace. This can be the case in consumer areas where alkaline batteries can be quite cheap, however Ni-Cd batteries will outperform alkaline batteries in life and power surge more often than not. In commercial applications Ni-Cd is usually highly cost competitive.