Batteries and chargers help please

Blackpool_Saver

Hi,

I am wanting to buy a battery charger for domestic use, mainly AA but suitable to charge others please.

I don't know anything about this, so please can you tell me, do these come with the batteries? or can you re charge normal batteries nowadays, I am suspecting not, but after googling and reading lots of adverts for different systems I am still at a loss as I am yet to see one which says batteries included or this unit will fit a full range from AA to D etc, hope I am making sense and someone can advise, Thanks....

kwikbreaks

Some come with batteries some don't.

The advert will say which sizes and types are supported. In general a "Universal" charger is likely to upport a range of sizes and types.

NiMH batteries will charge better with a charger which says it uses deltaV rather than trickle chargers and the like.

NiCad should you use them appreciate a full discharge before charging and some chargers do this automatically.

Some chargers will recharge Alkaline types (with varying degrees of success) a few times. These are often called "Smart chargers".

The way to find out what any given charger supports is to read the advert. About £20 should buy one supporting all the features I've mentioned (but probably without any batteries included).

Blackpool_Saver

thanks Kiwi, the batteries you mention are they special re chargeable ones or ordinary ones you would normally throw away?

kwikbreaks

Well the smart charger I bought will recharge disposable alkalines but not always and never to the sort of capacity they had when new. If you have something that is picky about working with the lower voltage that rechargeable batteries supply (1.2v against 1.5v of alkalines) then it cuts the cost a little.

There are also some specialist alkaline types around which are designed to be recharged a limited number of times but the prices are high.

For the most part NiMH are maybe the best all rounders as they offer higher capacities but they do self discharge fairly quickly and can't supply the very high current which NiCads offer.

This subject can be as complex as you want to make it - there are other types as well as those I've mentioned. These days most people just buy a few NiMH batteries in AAA AA and maybe C and D together with a suitable charger and leave it at that.

BillScarab

Just make sure you get a decent smart charger that senses when the batteries are fully charged and switches itself off. Otherwise you have to monitor it yourself and switch it off which can lead to batteries being damaged.

This is what I use.

http://www.energizerrecharge.eu/en/range/chargers/15-minute

It's very fast, it has a fan to stop overheating and senses when batteries are full.

isofa

Get a decent dV charger from a specialist supplier like https://www.tantronics.co.uk the difference they make is incredible, use with quality NiMh batteries and you'll be amazed. This has been well discussed before, search the forums...

Blackpool_Saver

kwikbreaks wrote: »

These days most people just buy a few NiMH batteries in AAA AA and maybe C and D together with a suitable charger and leave it at that.

Ok will do

Blackpool_Saver

BillScarab wrote: »

Just make sure you get a decent smart charger that senses when the batteries are fully charged and switches itself off. Otherwise you have to monitor it yourself and switch it off which can lead to batteries being damaged.

This is what I use.

http://www.energizerrecharge.eu/en/range/chargers/15-minute

It's very fast, it has a fan to stop overheating and senses when batteries are full.

Yep, got that, thanks

Blackpool_Saver

isofa wrote: »

Get a decent dV charger from a specialist supplier like https://www.tantronics.co.uk the difference they make is incredible, use with quality NiMh batteries and you'll be amazed. This has been well discussed before, search the forums...

looking at it all, thanks

andy2004

I have 2 battery chargers, A uniross x-press300 which i use with my AA and AAA NiMH rechargable batteries for use with my wireless mouse, torches, mp3 player, and a battery genie which can recharge most batteries, both rechargable and the non-rechargable, including the ones which are only £1 for 24, but they dont last very long, only about 3-4charges, best batteries i found for use are the Rayovac AA Alkaline nonrechargable ones which i bought from B&Q, 24 for £5, which i recharged in my battery genie, as thats what its designed to do, it also does Ni-cad and Nihm.
Battery Genie I bought from comets cost £30 with no batteries
X-press 300 bought from netto's including 4 AAA batteries £5

Blackpool_Saver

Thanks a lot Andy