Charging NiMHand NiCad batteries

[beanzontoast]

The cadmium in NiCd batteries is a nasty poison if it ends up in landfill rather than being properly disposed of, so anyone who considers themselves to be "green" should avoid buying them.

Agreed - we take our 'dead' NiCads to the local recyling facility. Beyond the financial comparisons, someone must have done the maths about just how 'green' NiCads (and NiMHs for that matter) are.

I find rechargeables brilliant for digital cameras (which gobble juice) and remote controls, ok for mp3 players, passable for use in torches, not so good in radios and that's about it. There's still a place for 'normal' batteries.

 

[KentS]

An alkaline battery is 1.5 volts when new, then it falls slowly (more or less at an even rate) untill its empty, when the voltage is just over 1V. A NiMH at the other hand begins at 1.4V quickly drops to 1.2V, and then it keeps that voltage throughout its lift just until before its empty when it rapidly falls to 1.1V. This means that a NIMH usually gives better (more even throughout the life of the battery) light than an alkaline. You should not compare with new alkaline cells, but the average output of them, which for alkalines also is something lika 1.2V. I prefer NiMH since I know that the voltage is constant all the way until it's finished unlike non-rechargeable ones.

 

[DLB]

i've been using the new uniross hybrio batteries in my cateye and think they are so much better than normal nicad and nimh. They don't lose their charge like normal rechargeables (70% left after a year of non-use)

And you can get 4 x AA in asda for £6.

p.s. they use normal chargers as well

 

[Tynan]

bloody rechargeable batteries, still well hacked off to learn that rechargeables deliver 1.2v ie not enough to run the splendid new DAB radio I bought for the bathroom and boy do they eat batteries

 

[KitsuneAndy]

bloody rechargeable batteries, still well hacked off to learn that rechargeables deliver 1.2v ie not enough to run the splendid new DAB radio I bought for the bathroom and boy do they eat batteries

You just need the right charger/batteries

http://www.budgetbatteries.co.uk/20...-1-5v-rechargeable-alkaline-xl-ram-batteries/

 

[Elmer Fudd]

bloody rechargeable batteries, still well hacked off to learn that rechargeables deliver 1.2v ie not enough to run the splendid new DAB radio I bought for the bathroom and boy do they eat batteries

My flashgun needs 4 x AA 1.5v batteries, but operates very well (better) on 4 x AA rechargeables. As has been said, rechargeable batteries give a constant output until the end when they just die.

Buy Duracell every two months or buy a battery that can last theoretically 96 years (1 charge a month, 1000 charges), know which one I'd go for.

 

[summerdays]

Interesting the stuff able... I will take a closer look at how our rechargables are doing... but what I can say is don't put normal batteries in your charger... My kids wanted some batteries and just stuck them in... first I knew they had done it them selves was a strange hissing noise... quickly unpluged and placed in the garden. They still carried on popping one by one. Luckily the charger still works and my kids have learnt something.