I’m posting this on a few sites, so hopefully I’ll get some answers…
I’ve been using the Energizer rechargable batteries (the green and silver NiMH) for a couple of years and… they suck! They drain so fast in my digital camera it’s insane. Same with almost everything else (in flashlight, remote controls, etc etc)… except the 9-volts. 9-volts seem to work good for some reason.
Now I even got one of those “reconditioner’s” and it doesn’t make a difference. So at least for my digital camera I want to look into Lithium rechargeable’s. Anyone have a AA Lithium rechargeable setup?
I would like to help but, I am not sure what you are asking for.
I use a pair for my wireless headphones, which recharge when I plug in the headphones. I think they are philips. I use them for like a year and a half now and charge them an hour here an hour there etc. Work fine, no problems yet.
What you need to know, if you don’t already, when you first buy them you have to charge them for like 78 hours or something, well, more than the usualy anyway.
If you forget to do so then you will get less than perfect batteries that do not last long.
I’m asking about common batteries… not the kind that come pre-installed with a device like yours.
The ones I’m using are Energizer… you must take them out of the device and put them into a charger to charge. But they don’t work long at all.
I was hoping there was Lithium Ion AA battteries that were rechargeable. You can buy them in a pack that are disposable… but I have not seen any rechargeable versions.
Rechargeable batteries’ life span goes down over time. If they’re years old, as you claim, then that’s almost certainly the issue. Just buy a new set of the same type and I believe you’ll see a noticeable improvement.
Not all rechargeable AAs are the same. They range in capacity from 1300maH to 2400maH, so the higher batteries can last almost twice as long compared to the cheap ones. In addition, there are 30 minute, 1 hour, and overnight chargers, and if you stick some batteries into an overnight charger and pull them out 4 hours later they won’t be holding much of a charge.
BTG is right. this makes a huge difference. i picked up some 2400mah batteries without realizing it. they last way longer than the lower rated (1700mah perhaps?) ones i had before.
I use energizer rechargables and i’ve noticed two important points in using them regularly. 1st is that the default charger sucks, and i got an aftermarket conditioner. 2nd is that rechargable batteries lose ALOT of charge if they’re sitting in something that has the capacity to ‘discharge’ them. I went on an overnight trip and in the hotel i found as i was installing my batteries into my camera that they had been all but completely discharged while sitting in the unplugged charger for a few days. They also lose quite a lot per day; 1% is the quoted figure but i think it’s higher.
OTOH, rechargable batteries “fresh” out of the charger work fine.
Can yiou leave batteirs in all those different chargers “all the time” so their fresh? Or do you have to take them out so they don’t get overcharged? I always leave mine plugged in so they’re fresh - but fresh right now is about 15 minutes of battery life.
I use a 1-hour duracell charger. All my various rechargables (energizer, duracell, something in foreign characters only from Big Lots) do great. The 4 aa’s in my camera, duracell brand, last literally months a charge, which is basically thousands of shots.
Avoid NiCad, just so you know. These are the ones used in proprietary battery systems (miniature vacuum cleaners, cordless phones, etc.), because they are very poor and need frequent replacements.
NiMH charges stop charging automatically when the battery is fully charged. NiCad batteries don’t care if you keep charging them. If you keep charging NiMH batteries (e.g. leave them in a NiCad charger isntead of a proper NiMH one) I’m told bad things happen. Apparently, the material of which they are composed can spontaneously organize into an evil sentient intelligence if provided too much power, track you down, and really beat the shit out of you.
No, because Lithium-Ion batteries are not manufactured in standard AA, AAA, C, D, or9-volt sizes.
I read somewhere that it’s both a safety issue and an engineering issue. Lithium ion cells generate 3.7V instead of 1.5V, so there would have to reduce the voltage somehow. Lithium-ion batteries contain circuitry to protect the battery from over and under-charging, but if placed into a non-lithium ion charger on accident, lithium-ion batteries can ignite and create a serious fire hazard.
No, because Lithium-Ion batteries are not manufactured in standard AA, AAA, C, D, or9-volt sizes.
I read somewhere that it’s both a safety issue and an engineering issue. Lithium ion cells generate 3.7V instead of 1.5V, so there would have to reduce the voltage somehow. Lithium-ion batteries contain circuitry to protect the battery from over and under-charging, but if placed into a non-lithium ion charger on accident, lithium-ion batteries can ignite and create a serious fire hazard.[/quote]
What BTG said: Always check the mAH rating for the rechargables you purchase. NiMH will usually be higher. There are some really good ones out there if you look. I think my current digital camera’s using >3000mAH AA’s. They are sweeeet.
Also, avoid high-speed rechargers if at all possible. High-speed recharging produces heat, and heat is ultimately what kills off rechargeable batteries.
You’ll never see a Li-Ion AA, because all Li-Ion batteries are 3.6V (apparently has something to do with the nature of the tech itself, and not just that no one manufactures them that way), and AA, AAA, C and D cells are all 1.5V… a bit beyond what the power systems of most devices can adjust for.
Just a fyi, Maha MH-C204W don’t have independent charging circuits (they are dual I believe).
What this means is that you have to charge batteries in pairs. This also means that you may have to have some sort of battery tester to check if the pairs you are charging are pretty equal in charges, otherwise one battery doesn’t charge fully.
Two good battery chargers with independent charging circuits that you may want to look at are:
POWEREX MH-C801D and La Crosse BC-900 (These two chargers are only for AA and AAA rechargeable batteries)
Besides the Maha Powerex and Energizers’, Sanyo rechargeables are also great to get.
