AA Batteries
31 December 2010, 09:19 PM
#31
Also chargers that charge in pairs aren't ideal either as it can't monitor each individual battery. Plus its annoying if you want to just charge an odd number of cells or have accidentally mixed up charged cells with discharged ones.
Batteries allowed to overcharge will just get hot, and if left too longwill just vent its internals (not that messy, usually just leaves a bit of white residue on the positive terminal). Usually the battery still works, but it generally doesn't work as well afterwards (self discharges, usually).
Last edited by ALi-B; 31 December 2010 at 09:22 PM.
01 January 2011, 01:07 AM
#33
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Procell = Duracell without the fancy packaging and silly power test gizmo, very good in my experience.
01 January 2011, 01:45 AM
#34
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Have you tried the USBCELL batteries?
Bought some today from Morrisons, reduced from £5.99 to £1.48 for a pack of 2 AA.
They are NiMH rechargables that you charge up from any USB port.
And no need to buy a special charger!
Bought some today from Morrisons, reduced from £5.99 to £1.48 for a pack of 2 AA.
They are NiMH rechargables that you charge up from any USB port.
And no need to buy a special charger!
Last edited by WRXBOB; 01 January 2011 at 01:50 AM. Reason: Carnt spel
01 January 2011, 02:17 AM
#36
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Vapextech.
http://www.vapextech.co.uk/
Good quality high capacity cells, plus one seriously rapid charger (individual delta peak).
http://www.vapextech.co.uk/
Good quality high capacity cells, plus one seriously rapid charger (individual delta peak).
01 January 2011, 10:47 AM
#37
But make sure they are the ready-charged ones. As these can be left on the shelf with very little self-discharging.
Most normal run of the mill Ni-MH cells self discharge (and get worse as they get older or damaged via bad charging). Great if in constant use, but no good to be left on the shelf or in infrequently used/low current drain items.
Best to get boths type; high capacity for contantly used items that draw high current (portable radios, r/c cars, cameras, incandecent torches), and the ready charged types for lesser used items or items with lower current drain (remote controls, LED torches, backup/spare batteries etc).
Last edited by ALi-B; 01 January 2011 at 10:52 AM.
02 January 2011, 01:48 PM
#38
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Les
02 January 2011, 02:49 PM
#41
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Another vote here for Sanyo Eneloop and similar; they really do stay charged much, much longer than regular NiMH batteries, and if you get through a lot of AAs I'd definitely recommend them.
They do need the correct type of charger, though.
They do need the correct type of charger, though.
02 January 2011, 02:55 PM
#42
What type of rechargeables and what type of charger? Because there are two types of both: good ones, and crap ones.
If they are Ni-Cd (nicad) bin them. Outdated, old tech. And you shouldn't dismiss the performance of rechargeables based on these.
If its a dumb fast charger (usually anything branded by Duracell, energizer and most chargers bundled in the same packaging as the batteries etc), it will not properly charge the batteries and eventually ruin them. You can have the best batteries in the world, but they quickly get ruined if you have a crap charger (and fact is, most chargers are rubbish). I've learnt this myself the hard way.
What do I recommend?
Have a look at Sanyo's Eneloop batteries (Sanyo used to be the best rechargeable manufacturer out there) - they come pre-charged, do not self discharge (well they do, but not by much), have good capacity (2000mAh+) and are rechargeable.
Ansmann also make similar type cells called "Ansmann max E". And Panasonic "Infinium".
As for chargers, ALWAYS use a "peak detect" charger which can charge individual cells (not pairs). Any other type of charger will knacker your batteries in the long run.
I recommend the AnsMann Powerline 5 mobile, which is fully automatic, and can be had for about £25 or alternatively Sanyo MQR06.(warning, some online retailers sell this with an EU plug with a UK adapter).
If they are Ni-Cd (nicad) bin them. Outdated, old tech. And you shouldn't dismiss the performance of rechargeables based on these.
If its a dumb fast charger (usually anything branded by Duracell, energizer and most chargers bundled in the same packaging as the batteries etc), it will not properly charge the batteries and eventually ruin them. You can have the best batteries in the world, but they quickly get ruined if you have a crap charger (and fact is, most chargers are rubbish). I've learnt this myself the hard way.
What do I recommend?
Have a look at Sanyo's Eneloop batteries (Sanyo used to be the best rechargeable manufacturer out there) - they come pre-charged, do not self discharge (well they do, but not by much), have good capacity (2000mAh+) and are rechargeable.
Ansmann also make similar type cells called "Ansmann max E". And Panasonic "Infinium".
As for chargers, ALWAYS use a "peak detect" charger which can charge individual cells (not pairs). Any other type of charger will knacker your batteries in the long run.
I recommend the AnsMann Powerline 5 mobile, which is fully automatic, and can be had for about £25 or alternatively Sanyo MQR06.(warning, some online retailers sell this with an EU plug with a UK adapter).
02 January 2011, 03:03 PM
#43
Depends Les; The vast majority of "automatic" AA chargers just shut down via an automatic timer and then go to a constant trickle charge. That's fine for nicads as they are more tolerant of overcharging, but not so good for Ni-MH which will reduce their rated working capacity. The majority of fast chargers (i.e five hours or less) are just crude timer circuits; Five hours and they shut off regardless of if the battery is under charged or overcharged.
A Ni-MH cell to be be fully charged from flat needs about 120% of its current capacity rating. for example, a 1500mAH cell requires 1800mAh, which is 3.6 hours for a 0.5amp charger. Now say that was a 5 hour charger that just used an automatic timer? It would be overcharged by over an hour!
Now say if the same charger was used to charge a flat 2200mAh cell; That would need 2400mAh to be fully charged, which with teh same 0.5amp charger would take 5.3 hours. Problem is, the timer shuts off at 5 hours, so its undercharged by 17 minutes.
Also if the charger is disturbed mid-cycle (turned on and off, or a cell is removed/replaced) the timer reset.
The same issues rises with partially charged cells or partially charged ones that get mixed up with flat ones as nearly all of these chargers charge in even pairs. Causing the partially charged cells will get overcharged, even if a pair of cells came out the same device; one may have more charge than the other (because discharge rates varies between each individual cell). This is why chargers that charge cells in pairs can also ruin good cells.
Why the hell battery manufacturers brand/sell chargers that damage the very same cells they sell is beyond me. I only assume its so that they wear out quicker so consumer buys more batteries.
if the charger doesn't say "delta peak" or "peak detect" anywhere....regardless of how much it cost; Bin it IMO (or calculate the charge time yourself and use a stop watch: http://www.greenbatteries.com/batterycalc.html ).
Last edited by ALi-B; 02 January 2011 at 03:07 PM.
02 January 2011, 04:40 PM
#45
Depends Les; The vast majority of "automatic" AA chargers just shut down via an automatic timer and then go to a constant trickle charge. That's fine for nicads as they are more tolerant of overcharging, but not so good for Ni-MH which will reduce their rated working capacity.
02 January 2011, 06:54 PM
#46
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Both have a memory-effect, though nicads are far worse.
The biggest issue of using either is that you rarely bring all the cells down to a completely discharged state.
Before you recharge each cell must be discharged, then recharged, not only do you get a better charge, but you remove the memory effect.
Nicads should be discharge down to 0.1v.
Nimhs should be discharged down to 0.9v
Charge systems are different to, nicads are generally pusle charge, whereas nimhs are linear charge, but both with some form of peak detection.
The biggest issue of using either is that you rarely bring all the cells down to a completely discharged state.
Before you recharge each cell must be discharged, then recharged, not only do you get a better charge, but you remove the memory effect.
Nicads should be discharge down to 0.1v.
Nimhs should be discharged down to 0.9v
Charge systems are different to, nicads are generally pusle charge, whereas nimhs are linear charge, but both with some form of peak detection.
02 January 2011, 07:49 PM
#47
Memory effect is the result of improper discharge techniques. (actually that is an incorrect term, as it actually crystalisation of the cell's internal chemical structure, causing loss of capacity and internal shorting).
A nicads must be fully discharged before charging, otherwise they will slowely but surely start to degrade in capacity. Ni-MH you can recharge a part discharged cell with less issues (problem is with a timed charger, its likely to get overcharged).
This was a pain in the **** back in the days when RC cars used to use nicads: 7.2v RC cars had so much current drain, they couldn't fully depleat the battery properly before the reciever/speed controller shut down. So the battery packs had to be discharged and balanced using other means (I used to use a 5watt 12volt light bulb
).
Last edited by ALi-B; 02 January 2011 at 07:54 PM.
02 January 2011, 10:51 PM
#48
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Ali,
I remember the lightbulb
Loads of balancers out there now, however there's only one the I know of that work with 'AA's & AAA's, thats the Novak Smart Tray
http://www.teamnovak.com/products/di...ray/index.html
Now the RC world has gone Lipo\Life
I remember the lightbulb
Loads of balancers out there now, however there's only one the I know of that work with 'AA's & AAA's, thats the Novak Smart Tray
http://www.teamnovak.com/products/di...ray/index.html
Now the RC world has gone Lipo\Life
03 January 2011, 09:52 AM
#49
Also known as daz
If you want even more capacity have a look at sanyo eneloop xx, they now have 2500mah and have been just released, just make sure you use an eneloop charger as they're designed for the cells.
03 January 2011, 01:31 PM
#50
Ten packs of IKEA alkaline AA batteries for just under £2 a pack I find are as good as anything else I have tried and better than Duracell. Mainly use them in camera flashes so constant drain. Obviously make sure you dispose of them responsibly in recycling battery bins!
14 January 2011, 03:05 PM
#51
Have a look at Sanyo's Eneloop batteries (Sanyo used to be the best rechargeable manufacturer out there) - they come pre-charged, do not self discharge (well they do, but not by much), have good capacity (2000mAh+) and are rechargeable.
I recommend the AnsMann Powerline 5 mobile, which is fully automatic, and can be had for about £25 or alternatively Sanyo MQR06.(warning, some online retailers sell this with an EU plug with a UK adapter).
I recommend the AnsMann Powerline 5 mobile, which is fully automatic, and can be had for about £25 or alternatively Sanyo MQR06.(warning, some online retailers sell this with an EU plug with a UK adapter).
Thank you.
14 January 2011, 04:40 PM
#55
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I'll second that. I use a lot for different things at work and duracell had a habbit of just not working when going flat. Most others kind of let you know there going flat. I use Phillips and for the cost per use I'll not be using duracell again. I think it works out for £0.42 for a pack of 4 via Mico
14 January 2011, 05:59 PM
#57
It will also test and tell the true capacity of your old batteries (many cheap 2000+mAh batteries can't delivery anywhere near their rated capacity). Instructions are a bit naff though. But I'm sure you'll work it out.
Alternatively if you need to charge 9v, D or C type cells there is this: http://www.buyabattery.co.uk/ansmann...er-p-1563.html
Or this: http://www.buyabattery.co.uk/ansmann...ger-p-655.html
I have the older version of the powerline 5, which is ok, But I found it doesn't charge AAA cells very well as the contacts aren't in the right place (keep having wiggle them). So maybe the newer one has been improved.
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