3-CD45/F – 3-Cell 3.6V 4AH NI-CD D Cell Flex Emergency Lighting Battery

Cross referenced with other manufacturers part numbers:

3 Cell NiCd
3 CELL NICD D CELL FLEXI
3.6V 4.5Ah High Temp
3-CD45/F

BBL 3/4500DH-D-1+1+1-AMP-REV-FS
LITEPLAN 3-CD45/F/AS
LITE-PLAN 3-CD45/FL/FPS/AS
LITE-PLAN 3-CD45/FL/FRS/A

Equipment that uses this battery:

MST/3/3W/NM

NiCd batteries are a type of rechargeable battery that uses nickel oxide hydroxide and metallic cadmium as electrodes. They are known for being rugged, reliable, and able to perform well in demanding conditions, including very high or low temperatures.

However, their use is declining due to the toxicity of cadmium, a “memory effect” that can reduce capacity if not fully discharged, and lower energy density compared to newer technologies like NiMH and Li-ion.

Advantages

Durability: They are rugged and can tolerate deep discharges, making them suitable for harsh environments and high-drain applications like power tools.

Long life: They can last for a high number of charge/discharge cycles.

Performance: They can be recharged quickly and maintain a steady voltage during discharge until they are nearly depleted.

Temperature tolerance: They perform well in both very low (sub-zero) and very high temperatures.

Low self-discharge: They have a low self-discharge rate, which is beneficial for applications like solar garden lights, meaning they hold their charge longer when not in use.

Disadvantages

Toxicity: They contain cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, which poses environmental and health risks if not disposed of properly.

Memory effect: They can suffer from a memory effect, where the battery’s capacity is reduced if it is repeatedly recharged before being fully discharged.

Low energy density: Compared to newer battery types, they have a relatively low specific energy (energy density).

Environmental restrictions: Due to the cadmium, their use is restricted in many regions and they are being replaced by safer alternatives

Applications

Industrial and safety: They are still used in specific demanding applications like aviation, railway systems, and emergency lighting where their reliability is critical.

Power tools: Historically, they were a popular choice for power tools, but have largely been replaced by NiMH and Li-ion batteries.

Solar applications: They are still used in some solar-powered lights due to their low self-discharge rate and ability to maintain consistent output.

Liteplan are the largest, privately owned emergency lighting component supplier to the UK market, whilst also shipping their products to a worldwide customer base. Established in 1994 by the late Bill Green, the company was successfully run by Bill’s right hand man, Peter Ray for many years. Peter retired in 2022 and Liteplan is now run by the next generation of Bill’s family with his son, Steve Green at the helm as Managing Director and Steve’s brother-in-law, Jonathan Bell as Director of Operations.

Their Business Development Director, Adrian Spicer is a long standing and well respected figure in the world of emergency lighting. His knowledge and stature within the industry are invaluable to them.

Liteplan’s wealth of knowledge extends many years. Their Technical Manager, David French BSc. sits on the committee at ICEL and works closely with The LIA. Their Product R&D Manager, Osman Özgür Rakibet, PhD, takes control of Liteplan’s product road map. His knowledge is steering their evolution and maintaining their position as the innovators of the emergency lighting sector.

Many of Liteplan’s engineers have worked with the company for over 20 years, constantly striving to progress through the our ever evolving CPD scheme to stay at the forefront of the ever changing world of legislation.

Liteplan proudly design all of their products in-house, making product evolution a constant and seamless process. They employ over 60 local personnel, many of whom have been with them for the majority of their existence and they also pride themselves on their unrivalled delivery satisfaction level.

Their 40,000 square foot factory enables them to carry a huge level of stock, thereby fulfilling even the largest of orders with haste. They recently acquired additional warehousing adjacent to their headquarters near London’s M25. This will fuel Liteplan’s global expansion plans for many years to come.