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Chapter 15: Caring for Your Batteries from Birth to Retirement
It is interesting to observe that batteries cared for by a single
user generally last longer than those that operate in an open
fleet system where everyone has access to, but no one is accountable
for them. There are two distinct groups of battery users — the
personal user and the fleet operator.
 A
personal user is one who operates a mobile phone, a laptop
computer or a video camera for business or pleasure. He or
she will most likely follow the recommended guidelines in
caring for the battery. The user will get to know the irregularities
of the battery. When the runtime gets low, the battery often
gets serviced or replaced. Critical failures are rare because
the owner adjusts to the performance of the battery and lowers
expectations as the battery ages.
The fleet user, on the other hand, has little
personal interest in the battery and is unlikely to tolerate
a pack that is less than perfect. The fleet user simply grabs
a battery from the charger and expects it to last through
the shift. The battery is returned to the charger at the end
of the day, ready for the next person. Little or no care is
given to these batteries. Perhaps due to neglect, fleet batteries
generally have a shorter service life than those in personal use.
How can fleet batteries be made to last longer?
An interesting contrast in the handling of fleet batteries
can be noted by comparing the practices of the US Army
and the Dutch Army, both of which use fleet batteries. The
US Army issues batteries with no maintenance program
in place. If the battery fails, another pack is issued. Little
or no care is given and the failure rate is high.
The Dutch Army, on the other hand, has moved
away from the open fleet system by making the soldiers responsible
for their batteries. This change was made in an attempt to
reduce battery waste and improve reliability. The batteries
are issued in the soldier’s name and the packs become part
of their personal belongings. The results are startling. Since
the Dutch Army adapted this new regime, the failure rate has
dropped considerably and, at the same time, battery performance
has increased. Unexpected down time has almost been eliminated.
It should be noted that the Dutch Army uses exclusively
NiCd batteries. Each pack receives periodic maintenance to
prolong service life. Weak batteries are systematically replaced.
The US Army, on the other hand, uses NiMH batteries. They
are evaluating the Li-ion polymer for the next generation
battery.
Because of the high failure rate of fleet batteries
and the uncertain situations such failures create, some organizations
assign a person to maintain batteries. This person checks
all batteries on a scheduled basis, exercises them for optimum
service life, and replaces those that fall below an accepted
capacity level and do not recover with maintenance programs.
Batteries perform an important function; giving them the care
they deserve is appropriate.
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