Because you leave them on simple trickle chargers long term, which causes little
whisker crystals called dendrites to form inside the battery and short it
out internally. I get a heck of a lot of recharge cycles out my rechargeables.
I use smart chargers that just about shutdown (go way below "trickle") when
the battery is charged.

--
Chuck Tribolet

http://www.almaden.ibm.com/cs/people/triblet

Silicon Valley: STILL the best day job in the world.


"Floyd I Johnson" wrote in message . ..
OK, so there's no memory effect. But, why do I have to regularly change out
the rechargeable batteries of my cordless phones, dustbuster, laptop,
electric toothbrush, flashlight, ect.?
1,000 recharge cycles? ........rubbish!