batteries

[jholly]

rechargeables are good but if you try the NEW energizer , I know you will love it. Just do the same test and you'll see.

How will I know a "NEW Energizer" when I see it? (vs. the old Energizer)

 

The old Engergizers have grey hair, the new one have bright pink hair.

[knowschad]

rechargeables are good but if you try the NEW energizer , I know you will love it. Just do the same test and you'll see.

How will I know a "NEW Energizer" when I see it? (vs. the old Energizer)

The old Engergizers have grey hair, the new one have bright pink hair.

[knowschad]

I found what I believe to be a pretty good review of the inexpensive, 15 minute Energizer charger that I used (disclaimer... I am not an electrical or any other sort of engineer. This could be totally bogus, but it seems to fit my experience):

 

 

http://www.epinions.com/content_276023709316

[+Chrysalides]

I found what I believe to be a pretty good review of the inexpensive, 15 minute Energizer charger that I used (disclaimer... I am not an electrical or any other sort of engineer. This could be totally bogus, but it seems to fit my experience):

 

http://www.epinions.com/content_276023709316

Interesting that it says freezing a fully charged cell will damage it. Conflicts with some advice given on this page. I'm not sure - with hybrids I have no need to try to find out, and in this region, 3 freezing nights a year is considered a cold winter.

[tylernt]

A few random thoughts:

 

15-minute chargers are only designed for the Energizer batteries which are also designed to be charged in 15 minutes. Other batteries will get fried. I suspect the special Energizer ones have a short lifespan too, but have no experience with them.

 

A cheap charger will drastically shorten the lifespan of a cell by overcharging it; get a good charger and your batteries will thank you. Just about anything you buy in a grocery or department store is not going to treat your batteries well -- instead, look online for an individual-channel (doesn't charge in pairs) charger.

 

NiMHs with the greatest mAh rating are not always the best. Despite their lower mAh rating, LSD or Low Self Discharge cells (sometimes called "Pre-charged" or "Hybrid") are superior for intermittently used devices because they'll hold (most of) their charge for 6 to 12 months. LSD cells also have lower internal resistance which results in more "usable" capacity instead of wasting some of it to heat. Sanyo Eneloop or white-top Duracells (which are actually rebranded Eneloops) are widely regarded as the best LSD cell. GP Recyko isn't bad either.

 

The other upside to LSD cells is they hold their voltage better during use so they are less likely to prematurely trigger the "low battery" warning (or shutoff!) of a device. So depending on your device, LSD may actually last longer than cells of a higher mAh capacity.

 

Memory effect -- yes, NiMH still has a voltage depression as a result of crystallization (what some call a "memory effect"), but it's not nearly as bad as NiCd -- in fact, most NiMH users will never experience the phenomenon unless they have cheap cells or a cheap charger. So, if you frequently top-off your NiMH cells, it's advisable to discharge them to 0.9v every once in a while. No biggie.

[+cycler48]

I found what I believe to be a pretty good review of the inexpensive, 15 minute Energizer charger that I used (disclaimer... I am not an electrical or any other sort of engineer. This could be totally bogus, but it seems to fit my experience):

 

http://www.epinions.com/content_276023709316

Interesting that it says freezing a fully charged cell will damage it. Conflicts with some advice given on this page. I'm not sure - with hybrids I have no need to try to find out, and in this region, 3 freezing nights a year is considered a cold winter.

 

As for the freezing of nimh rechargeables, here's another site that favors the practice. One can draw their own conclusions. As for me, I freeze them and haven't noticed any problems. YMMV

 

http://www.reuk.co.uk/Keep-Rechargeable-Ba...-in-Freezer.htm

Edited December 26, 2009 by cycler48

[+Chrysalides]

As for the freezing of nimh rechargeables, here's another site that favors the practice. One can draw their own conclusions. As for me, I freeze them and haven't noticed any problems. YMMV

Not saying you're wrong, just pointing out a difference between that article and what you do. If it works for you, don't let anyone tell you differently I know that even for LSDs, they hold their charge better when stored at lower temperature - Sanyo's numbers (85% charge after 1 year, etc) are done at 20°C (68°F). Anyway Sanyo's specs for the Eneloops say they can be stored at -20°C (-4°F) so I'd think other rechargeables are similar.

[knowschad]

A few random thoughts:

A cheap charger will drastically shorten the lifespan of a cell by overcharging it; get a good charger and your batteries will thank you. Just about anything you buy in a grocery or department store is not going to treat your batteries well -- instead, look online for an individual-channel (doesn't charge in pairs) charger.

As I said above, I am on my 3rd set in just over two years. My first two sets of Energizers lasted almost to the month, 12 months each. Given that I generally cache both days of the weekend (52 weeks * 2 sdays = 104 days) that is almost exactly what that researcher reported.

[+cycler48]

As for the freezing of nimh rechargeables, here's another site that favors the practice. One can draw their own conclusions. As for me, I freeze them and haven't noticed any problems. YMMV

Not saying you're wrong, just pointing out a difference between that article and what you do. If it works for you, don't let anyone tell you differently I know that even for LSDs, they hold their charge better when stored at lower temperature - Sanyo's numbers (85% charge after 1 year, etc) are done at 20°C (68°F). Anyway Sanyo's specs for the Eneloops say they can be stored at -20°C (-4°F) so I'd think other rechargeables are similar.

 

No problem ... I really didn't feel that you were implying that I was wrong. I read the epinions review that you gave a link to and did see where he said that freezing can damage the batteries and that's why I did a little more research on the topic. If I remember correctly, one site mentioned that for a particular brand it was recommended to store the batteries at a temp as low as -20 celsius. One thing I've seemed to notice is that there is a certain amount of conflicting advice regarding rechargeable batteries.

[tylernt]

A few random thoughts:

A cheap charger will drastically shorten the lifespan of a cell by overcharging it; get a good charger and your batteries will thank you. Just about anything you buy in a grocery or department store is not going to treat your batteries well -- instead, look online for an individual-channel (doesn't charge in pairs) charger.

As I said above, I am on my 3rd set in just over two years. My first two sets of Energizers lasted almost to the month, 12 months each. Given that I generally cache both days of the weekend (52 weeks * 2 sdays = 104 days) that is almost exactly what that researcher reported.

True enough, and 104 cycles is a far sight better than throwing away a pile of alkalines. Eneloops for example are expected to last 500-1,000 cycles, but they really aren't a good fit for your usage pattern, so that's not an apples to apples comparison.

[+TrickRick]

I tend to have back ups for back ups.......

Being a photographer as well I always carry 6 sets of 4 AA batteries for camera flashes, never seem to have enough when you use 3 sets of 4 at a time.

I also carry AA Alkaline batteries in a plastic battery box (30-06 caliber I think). I carry both AA and AAA batteries to feed my GPS'r, headlamps, and flashlights. I have glued a foam rubber piece inside the lid to keep them from rattling, and have this in my truck all the time.

 

If I were going to be hiking and away from a vehicle for many hours I would use the Lithium batteries, with a back up set in a watertight ziplock bag.

 

I guess that will cover the entire range, but better safe than sorry!

After reading thru the previous posts I have found a charger I HAVE to have!

[+brslk]

A good place to purchase rechargeable batteries and chargers is a hobby shop. One that specializes in RC cars, planes and helicopters.

 

People that fly very expensive toys do NOT want them to crash due to low batts in the radio (trust me, I know).

 

Might not be the cheapest source but even if you don't purchase from them, they can steer you in the right direction.

 

Bruce.

[+Mosaic55]

Sanyo Eneloops (hybrid) and LaCrosse charger. Costco seems to be the least expensive place to buy the Eneloops. They last longer in my camera than anything else I've tried.