Boy Gordy, thats pretty rich from from someone with as many opinions as you have. ;-)�� I do however have an LED ESV (the HotChek)�that I use regularly for both NiCD's and NiMH's, and it's equally�accurate for both.� (I'm thinking the device doesn't care where the voltage is coming from, only what its magnitude is...)
As popular a topic as I may be, other than flying and building sailplanes I have nothing to do with the topic of Nihms and LEDS :-)
This info above is the kind of stuff that causes confusion. You chose the word magnitude, something we haven't seen used with batteries and doesn't say anything that relates to why we thought we were using an LED meter.
The LED's are (at least) implied to be 'gas gauges', but in reality are nothing but 'volt meters'... and as I stated and others remarked about..nihms have a very flat discharge which means that just before they die they show great voltage.
Often when there are no facts from data, the testimonial 'I have used them and they have worked great' is used to shore up the argument. In the case of batteries and Nihms especially, all that statement provides is that you haven't flown the batteries out, and that your LED (of any brand) showed pretty lights with consistency. :-)
Here's the deal...doesn't matter if its a LED or a ESV (expanded scale voltmeter) both with load, the information is only as good as the moment you look at it...and if you have charged fully the chances are the LED green light will shine for a long time that day.
At this point VOLTAGE readings are not much value when the cells (any kind) keep their number level almost to the end, then drop like a rock. That's where Nicads have the advantage over Nihms and Alkaline.
The Alkaline lasts a lonnnnggggg time but its voltage drops on almost a straight diagonal...meaning for a bunch of that time there isn't enough voltage to do what we need, so while we paid for the whole cell, we only get to take advantage of some of it.
The Nicad has a declining but fairly flat discharge, so we get to take advantage of more of its power...and a Voltage tester (LED or ESV) gives us a more realistic idea of what's left in the 'tank'....and can pretty much get to know how long we can run on 'E'.
Nihms' flat discharge gives us a lot more use per cell for its cost...but 'reading' voltage doesn't tell us anything about how full the 'tank' is or how long we can run on 'E'. They only thing that will provide that kind of info is going to be a load related hour meter.
SO okay electronic genius',,,, we need a load related hour meter for our RX and TX Nihms.
Gordy
Your welcome :-)
