RE: How does voltage effect charging?
NiCd and NiMh packs are current sinks. Simplistically you control the rate of charge thru current however the voltage must be higher than the pack. Remember you can't have current without voltage they are not separate entities. Voltage = Current times Resistance or Ohms law -> E = I X R
Lead Acid and LPo are voltage dependant. It all depends upon the chemistry of the pack.
John