NiCd vs NiMh

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CutCutCut

1039 posts

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#71708 15-Nov-2010 20:41

Quick question for people in the know. The battery in my philishave shaver is dying and I opened it up to have a look and it's basically a NiCd AA battery solded in place. I was going to buy a replacement battery and put it in but it looks like NiCd batteries are getting pretty rare. How do I find out if a NiMh would do instead? I've read in a few places that replacing NiCd with NiMh is prefectly safe. Any insights?

Cheers.

Geese

1028 posts

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Inactive user

#405087 15-Nov-2010 21:13

Dick Smith and Mitre 10 both still sell Ni-Cd AA batteries.

rscole86

4973 posts

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#405090 15-Nov-2010 21:16

IlDuce: Dick Smith and Mitre 10 both still sell Ni-Cd AA batteries.

I believe OP is after the ones with solder tabs, which are hard to source now.

dontpanic42

1574 posts

Uber Geek

#405135 16-Nov-2010 00:08

Does it plug into the wall and the green lights go up on the shaver to tell you how much it has charged the battery?
If so, then this suggests that the shaver uses intelligent charging electronics i.e. The shaver will charge the battery until it meets full capacity. To that end it shouldn't matter what type of battery you replace the old one with.

The current battery is most likely a Ni-Cd 1200mAh. Like you suggested, you probably will have trouble finding the exact same type and capacity rating. But that's where good ol' trademe comes in:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Batteries/Rechargeable/AA/auction-332348896.htm
These batteries are probably exactly what you are after. They are however 2400mAh, which is double the capacity of my guess. But if my theory is correct then the charger should just take a while longer to charge it, but with the added bonus of double the capacity for your shaving pleasure.

They also only come in a four pack, but you should be able to pull the tabs off the rest and use them as regular rechargeable AA batteries if you like.

I have purchased quite a few batteries off this Catweazle trademe trader and can highly recommend him.
He even makes a mention on this listing that these batteries can be used for exactly what you want to do.

Hope that helps

Bung

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#405158 16-Nov-2010 06:48

dontpanic42:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Batteries/Rechargeable/AA/auction-332348896.htm
These batteries are probably exactly what you are after. They are however 2400mAh, which is double the capacity of my guess. But if my theory is correct then the charger should just take a while longer to charge it, but with the added bonus of double the capacity for your shaving pleasure.

They also only come in a four pack, but you should be able to pull the tabs off the rest and use them as regular rechargeable AA batteries if you like.

Jaycar list the same brand and type as a single (higher unit price but you don't get 3 orphans).

CutCutCut

1039 posts

Uber Geek

#406060 17-Nov-2010 20:23

dontpanic42: Does it plug into the wall and the green lights go up on the shaver to tell you how much it has charged the battery?
If so, then this suggests that the shaver uses intelligent charging electronics i.e. The shaver will charge the battery until it meets full capacity. To that end it shouldn't matter what type of battery you replace the old one with.

The current battery is most likely a Ni-Cd 1200mAh. Like you suggested, you probably will have trouble finding the exact same type and capacity rating. But that's where good ol' trademe comes in:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Batteries/Rechargeable/AA/auction-332348896.htm
These batteries are probably exactly what you are after. They are however 2400mAh, which is double the capacity of my guess. But if my theory is correct then the charger should just take a while longer to charge it, but with the added bonus of double the capacity for your shaving pleasure.

They also only come in a four pack, but you should be able to pull the tabs off the rest and use them as regular rechargeable AA batteries if you like.

I have purchased quite a few batteries off this Catweazle trademe trader and can highly recommend him.
He even makes a mention on this listing that these batteries can be used for exactly what you want to do.

Hope that helps

No it doesn't have any battery indicators like that. It has one green light that goes on when you plug it in to indicate that it's charging but nothing to tell you how much it's charged. I'm just not sure if it's be dangerous putting in a NiMh battery.