If you use a walkie talkie on the job, you might wonder how long you’ll be able to use it without replacing the battery. After all, you’re likely very busy at work, and the last thing you want is to be replacing your battery constantly to the point where you can’t concentrate on your job.
Not to worry, though, because walkie talkie batteries last 18 to 24 months on average. This can vary, of course, depending on the battery and the walkie talkie itself, but you can usually count on the battery lasting between 1.5 and 2 years once you purchase it.
Are There Different Types of Batteries?
When it comes to walkie talkies, there are two main types of batteries. These include primary and secondary batteries, and here is a brief description of each:
- Primary batteries are the main battery in your walkie talkie. They are not rechargeable because they only need a one-time chemical reaction for the walkie talkie to operate properly.
- Secondary batteries are rechargeable and are usually made out of either Nicad or Nickel Metal Hydride.
Nicad, or nickel cadmium (NiCd) batteries, have two plates per cell that enable you to charge and recharge the batteries. Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries are a little newer but provide a charge that lasts a little longer, even though its lifespan is usually not as long.
If you’re going to buy a replacement battery, you might as well choose the one with the highest quality, and those are batteries with premium grade cells.
Premium Grade Cells Versus Low Tier Cells
If you’re wondering what a cell is, just know that the cell is the main component of any battery. The cell is what makes the battery work, and both the capacity (how long you can go between charges) and the cycle life (how many total charges you get before the battery dies) are important.
There are two grades of cells in batteries, including:
- Premium grade cells, as the name implies, last longer between charges and offer more total charges than a low tier cell does.
- Low tier cells have less capacity and a shorter cycle life than premium grade cells do.
The thing is, there isn’t always a huge difference between these two cell types, so it’s smart just to get the premium grade cell batteries for your walkie talkie. Will it be a little bit more expensive? Of course it will, but you’ll end up saving money in the long run because of how long it will last.
Temperature Can Affect Your Battery Life
Batteries for walkie talkies always do best when they are charged at room temperature. If the temperature is very hot or less than 4 degrees Fahrenheit, you can lose a lot of the charging capacity. Always do two things when your batteries need charging.
First, make sure you charge the battery at room temperature. Second, always let your battery run down to zero power before charging it again. There is a reason for this, and it’s called the memory effect.
The memory effect means that if you only let the battery run down to 25% before recharging it, it’s possible the battery will only charge to 25% capacity the next time. This is because the battery “remembers” how much it was charged the last time you charged it.
To avoid this, just let the battery run all the way down, then recharge it from there. This way, it essentially tells the charger that the battery needs to be charged to 100%.
Conclusion
Walkie talkie batteries last, on average, 18 to 24 months. It’s important that you charge them properly each time and buy the right batteries in the first place. These are a few ways to make sure your battery lasts a while.