What is a consequence of frequently completely discharging and recharging a nickel-cadmium battery?

Frequently completely discharging and recharging a nickel-cadmium (NiCd) battery does not eliminate cell imbalance; instead, it can often lead to the opposite effect. The correct understanding of NiCd batteries is that they are susceptible to a condition known as "memory effect," which can occur if they are repeatedly recharged without being fully discharged. By discharging to a full extent and then recharging, it can sometimes help diminish this memory effect and maintain battery capacity but does not inherently ensure that cell imbalances are corrected.

A consequence of frequently discharging and recharging a NiCd battery is that it can lead to increased wear and reduced lifespan. This happens because the stress of deep discharges typically leads to changes in the chemistry of the cells that may not recover during recharge, thereby affecting battery performance over time. Additionally, these practices may also generate excess heat, particularly if the battery is not allowed to cool down adequately between cycles.

In summary, the frequent practice of completely discharging and recharging a NiCd battery can cause several issues, and it is important to understand that while managing charge cycles can impact performance, it is not a guaranteed solution to eliminate cell imbalance.