I don't recharge NiCads until they're 80-90% discharged. (Definitely
don't want to discuss the pros/cons of that!) My question is what is
a reasonable discharge rate to get the batteries down to that level?
For example, for a pack of 2800mah batteries, a bulb pulling 300ma
takes a long time to draw them down. Can I safely up the load to 1 or
1.5A to discharge them faster without causing damage to the batteries?

Why? Typically I'll have usage on a battery pack at the end of the
day, but want to start tomorrow with a fully charged pack.

KC