A few do's and don'ts Before you use your new batteries for the first time you must fully charge them. New batteries often need to be cycled several times before they reach their peak performance. Don't be surprised the first time you charge a pack that it does not last long, they will improve as they are trained. The number of times you can recharge your batteries will depend on the operating parameters, such as discharge rate, battery care, etc. High discharge rates will shorten the life. When you store your batteries for the winter there are various schools of thought. Some say to keep cells charged over the winter and cycle them a few times as it will extend life. I just give them a charge and let them sit for the winter. They will slowly self discharge over the winter and need to be peaked before use. I don't see this as any different as when I purchased the cells as I'm sure it was several months between their manufacture and me getting them. You should never fast charge any batteries unless you a have a charger with built-in battery peak detector. If you fast charge NiCad & NiMh batteries and leave them unattended without the right charger they can outgas and explode. Don't use timer based chargers or trickle chargers, stick with peak chargers. | 
