Rechargeable Batteries (AA/AAA): Ni-MH vs. Ni-Cadmium

[ywh]

What kind of rechargeable batteries (AA/AAA) are best over (e.g, batterylife, usage, times it can recharge etc...)? Which is better, Ni-MH or Ni-Cadmium? Any brands are better than others in particular, or no name brands are just as good.

[kingsley]

Which is better, Ni-MH or mAh?

Ni-Mh stands for nickel metal hydride and mAh stands for miliamps per hour.

Lithium is better than nickel metal hydride.
The more mAh a batter has the longer it will last.
AA lasts longer than AAA because they simply are bigger and have more charge.

[yiggy]

I think you mean for your comparison to be between Ni-MH vs. Ni-Cadmium.

mAh is just a rating for how long the battery will last. The higher the better.

Ni-MH are newer and are good for high drain devices (digital cameras). And I think they lack a memory effect, or at least to a better degree than Ni-CD. So you can re-charge them anytime you want.

So buy Ni-MH.

[Esca]

Another reason to get Ni-MH over Ni-Cd is that Ni-Cd is bad for the environment (I think the way they're produced? I forget) if I recall correctly.

[Agent_J]

Lithium is better than nickel metal hydride.
Lithium batteries are the most powerful batteries you can get, but they're expensive, you can't recharge them, and they're toxic so you can't just throw them in the trash. (You're supposed to take them to your community's hazardous waste facility.)

NiCads are old-school rechargeables. They've been replaced by NiMH's which last longer, don't suffer from the memory effect, and aren't toxic.

If you want to recharge your batteries, use Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH). These replace old-style NiCad rechargeables. NiMH's have much higher capacity than NiCd's and don't suffer from memory effect.

[Justin]

I use rechargeable Alkaline batteries. They can only be recharged about 20 times but they only cost about $6 for 4 of them to begin with.

The reason i use them is because they can be used in anything becuase they have full 1.5 volts like non-rechargeable batteries. Ni-Cad and NiMH only have 1.2 volts

[KevC]

Lithium batteries are the most powerful batteries you can get, but they're expensive, you can't recharge them, and they're toxic so you can't just throw them in the trash. (You're supposed to take them to your community's hazardous waste facility.)

Uh... yeah. You can recharge Lithium Ion batteries. And Lithium Polymer batteries.

But yeah, NiMH are the best bang for buck right now. They're dirt cheap. there's no point of buying NiCads anymore.

Check out batteryuniversity.com for more info.

[Agent_J]

Uh... yeah. You can recharge Lithium Ion batteries. And Lithium Polymer batteries.
if you see the first post, he was talking about AA/AAA batteries, not cell phone/laptop batteries ;)

[kingfencer]

Ni-MH, bought one from sony website, they are awesome, longest battery life ever.

[Twism]

Got 2 new recent additions to add to your list, one of which Panasonic claims their new oxyride batteries last twice as long as alkaline. Check the news.com review link. Used in real world conditions these batteries can take alot more digital phones vs alkaline batteries.

http://news.com.com/New%2C+cheap+battery+outshines+alkalines/2100-1041_3-5658376.html?tag=nefd.pop

[chatbox]

Uh... yeah. You can recharge Lithium Ion batteries. And Lithium Polymer batteries.

But yeah, NiMH are the best bang for buck right now. They're dirt cheap. there's no point of buying NiCads anymore.

Check out batteryuniversity.com for more info.

The other guy is correct, you CAN'T recharge "Lithium" batteries.
And you're correct as well (the second part); you CAN recharge "Lithium Ion" and "Lithium Polymer" batteries.

[midget_man]

I use rechargeable Alkaline batteries. They can only be recharged about 20 times but they only cost about $6 for 4 of them to begin with.

The reason i use them is because they can be used in anything becuase they have full 1.5 volts like non-rechargeable batteries. Ni-Cad and NiMH only have 1.2 volts

Which alkaline ones do you use and where did you get them?? I have sh*tloads of nimhs laying around but I have the same problem you do, I have a handheld GPS device that does not take too kindly to the lower 1.2V of the nimhs and continually tells me the batt is dead, when I know its not.

I would imagine that nimh chargers won't charge them right? My chargers charge nimh and nicads. My only concern is I have heard that those alkalines are known to leak. I don't want to f-up my machine with them. But I think I am just too deep into the world of rechargables to ever go back to the good 'ol regular alkalines.

[Justin]

Which alkaline ones do you use and where did you get them?? I have sh*tloads of nimhs laying around but I have the same problem you do, I have a handheld GPS device that does not take too kindly to the lower 1.2V of the nimhs and continually tells me the batt is dead, when I know its not.

I would imagine that nimh chargers won't charge them right? My chargers charge nimh and nicads. My only concern is I have heard that those alkalines are known to leak. I don't want to f-up my machine with them. But I think I am just too deep into the world of rechargables to ever go back to the good 'ol regular alkalines.


I use some called Pure Energy. Link to charger with batteries at radioshack (http://www.radioshack.ca/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=RadioShack&category=Alkaline+Rechargeable&product=2318262)


Here is the link to the company web site. It is a canadian company that sells these batteries. It has all the specs and info about the batteries link (http://www.pureenergybattery.com/)


The Xl batteries can be recharged 50 times and the regular batteries 25 times it says.
link to xl AA batteries at radioshack (http://www.radioshack.ca/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=RadioShack&category=Alkaline+Rechargeable&product=2319298)

Radioshack is overpriced. i have seen these batteries at walmart and superstore for less. They seem to work just as well as regular alkaline batteries, but can be recharged

Rayovac also makes rechargeable alkaline batteries but they cost more.

[Shiifty]

I use some called Pure Energy. Link to charger with batteries at radioshack (http://www.radioshack.ca/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=RadioShack&category=Alkaline+Rechargeable&product=2318262)


Here is the link to the company web site. It is a canadian company that sells these batteries. It has all the specs and info about the batteries link (http://www.pureenergybattery.com/)


The Xl batteries can be recharged 50 times and the regular batteries 25 times it says.
link to xl AA batteries at radioshack (http://www.radioshack.ca/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=RadioShack&category=Alkaline+Rechargeable&product=2319298)

Radioshack is overpriced. i have seen these batteries at walmart and superstore for less. They seem to work just as well as regular alkaline batteries, but can be recharged

Rayovac also makes rechargeable alkaline batteries but they cost more.

I've used the Pure Energy batteries, very nice, Rayovac makes a similar battery. They don't have the capacity for high drain devices, such as digicams, they aren't good for that. And they slowly lose their top potential with time, so you may only get 1.45 volts after several charges, and so on (based on my experience).

They work best when you don't let them drain completely.

[MTL-TechY]

ni-mh can be charged up whenever, as ni-cd have to be all out before recharching. Some guy at Radio Shack told me that one

[mahjongmaniac]

I use some called Pure Energy. Link to charger with batteries at radioshack (http://www.radioshack.ca/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=RadioShack&category=Alkaline+Rechargeable&product=2318262)


Here is the link to the company web site. It is a canadian company that sells these batteries. It has all the specs and info about the batteries link (http://www.pureenergybattery.com/)


The Xl batteries can be recharged 50 times and the regular batteries 25 times it says.
link to xl AA batteries at radioshack (http://www.radioshack.ca/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=RadioShack&category=Alkaline+Rechargeable&product=2319298)

Radioshack is overpriced. i have seen these batteries at walmart and superstore for less. They seem to work just as well as regular alkaline batteries, but can be recharged

Rayovac also makes rechargeable alkaline batteries but they cost more.

yah.. i believe ur local walmart sells those too....

but its a surprise to me that RS sells this brand as well... i never knew...
usually, i see batteries as "radioshack" branded .... lol....
or maybe some1 will witness "nexxtech" branded batteries from RS? ;P

[me!]

Did you know that you can recharge nimh batteries on a nicad charger? I've done that and it charged okay.

don't know the long term effects on the battery life, but they are cheap enough to try. saves on getting a dedicated charger for nimhs when you already have a nicad charger.

[Shiifty]

Did you know that you can recharge nimh batteries on a nicad charger? I've done that and it charged okay.

don't know the long term effects on the battery life, but they are cheap enough to try. saves on getting a dedicated charger for nimhs when you already have a nicad charger.
Chargers that do both have a switch for choosing Ni-cad or NIMH. I'd be careful about charging batteries in an unsuitable charger. Explosions are very unlikely, you'll probably just have to clean the corrosion off which isn't pleasant.

You'd think the Rayovac and Pure Energy rechargable alkalines are very similar, but I know someone who charged Rayovac's in a Pure Energy charger and after several cycles (~10 or so) they leaked. I had it happen to me too.