Consumer products designed in the past decade and a half, or two decades, generally speaking are rubbish. I've seen few that were "worth their salt" if one can say that about 'em.

The Gardner Denver charger was designed in the early '70's, when NiCd batteries were new. It appears it's just a diode and a resistor. The voltage is low, of course. I'd admit that 30 years is a long time for NiCd batteries to last, but three of 'em that I've still got on hand, including the one that came with the tool is rather a long time.

OTOH, the 6-10 week lifespan of typical NiCd batteries, and maybe 6 months for NiMh is not long at all as compared with their cost, to say nothing of those 1.5 to 2-year lifespans one often gets with $200+ notebook batteries.

I've built chargers that make the batteries last, but I can see why appliance manufacturers don't use that sort of charger. I can even refresh batteries that are essentially shorted. I use very short, very high-current pulses from a 48-volt supply. With that, I can charge those NiCd's that seem dead in my 2-line phone, but once I put 'em back in the Uniden phone, it's only a matter of time.

I'd be perfectly happy with the sort of life I get from the cheap NiCd's that live in my electric razor. Why don't more appliances provide such a lifespan, when it can be done with a resistor and a diode?

So many costly appliances' warranties don't even cover their batteries in their 90-day span. Clearly they've got little confidence.

RE