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[OM] Will high-capacity batteries harm my flash?

Subject: [OM] Will high-capacity batteries harm my flash?
From: William Sommerwerck <williams@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 06 Jan 2001 12:10:23 -0800
Although the question about the use of NiMH cells in flashes designed for NiCd
cells shows the normal confusion about how electrical devices work (the battery
simply supplies current -- it doesn't "force" it into the device), the
surprising answer is that rechargeable batteries >>can<< harm some flashes.

Alkaline cells have a higher internal resistance than NiCd or NiMH cells. Some
flashes (mostly cheaper units) are designed to use this resistance to limit
current flow to the oscillator. If NiCd or NiMH cells were used, more current
would flow and the flash might overheat to the point of damage.

I know of no "quality" flash with this problem. My experience is that NiMH
cells have a significantly shorter recharge time than NiCds. I emphatically
recommend them.

Oh, yes... The F280's "cutoff" voltage is too close to 5V to work well with
NiCd cells. If you get ten flashes out of a charge, you're lucky. (I haven't
tried it with NiMH cells, but I assume you'd have a similar problem.)

Coming up...  a definitive answer to the f/2 question.


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