Tear-down analysis of old Ni-Cd batteries and reduced maintenance procedures

Major telecom operators are installing Ni-Cd batteries on a much larger scale than ever before, primarily in remote terminals (RTs). The reason for this is the increasingly large number of RTs that are being deployed in the telecom network. As the operating conditions inside RTs are generally much more severe than in a typical central office (CO) environment, telecom operators have therefore faced unexpected problems with traditional valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries. Some have therefore turned to Ni-Cd batteries to cut operating cost and to improve reliability of service. The goal of this paper is to explain how to substantially reduce Ni-Cd battery maintenance and operating costs, and at the same time improve battery life, safety and reliability without the addition of extensive and complex monitoring equipment.