Pound shop batteries vs rechargables

Dave_C_2

I've been using rechargables for a few years now, but the smart charger has gone on the blink (or more accurately not blinking ) so for the past few months I've been using pound shop AA and AAA Alkali batteries.

I'm finding that they last an awful lot longer than rechargables and for my (not very heavy) use seem to be working out better. So much so that I'm not going to replace the faulty smart charger and just spend a quid every couple of months for batteries.

Anyone else?

Dave

John_Gray

If it works for you, there's only the safe-disposable/recycling of the non-rechargeable batteries to consider!

steve1980

What are you using the batteries in? If it's keyboard & mouse then cheap all the way as rechargables drain a hell of a lot quicker than standards.

prowla

I find that rechargeables don't keep their power very well over time, even when not used.

Iconic

prowla wrote: »

I find that rechargeables don't keep their power very well over time, even when not used.

Not if you use Low Self Discharge rechargeables!

More info here http://e-group.uk.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12087

m5rcc

Depends what rechargeables you use! If you use poor, low capacity rechargeables, then yes, they won;t last long. My Energizer 2450 mAh ones last for ages.

A.Penny.Saved

The LSD re-chargeables are the ones to go for because they keep their power for longer in low drain applications, whereas typical re-chargeables lose most of their power self discharging rather than power the device. Remotes and similar devices are a good place to use LSD batteries.

I have just purchased quite a few LSD re-rechargeables and I am currently breaking them in. I am expecting a 9V Voltcraft charger today and I am still awaiting some LSD 9V batteries for use in meters and scales.

A good set of LSD AA batteries can hold 2400mAh of charge. Vapextech are meant to be good and fairly inexpensive. They are physically quite large batteries, especially the AA's and they are very heavy.

neilwoods

I like the sanyo eneloop xx battery, not cheap but well worth it.

As for the OP, are you sure they are alkaline. Most the cheap batteries they sell are Zinc carbon, which if they leak could damage the item's you use.

A._Badger

This is an interesting question. I use a smart charger which has a charge and test facility - essentially reporting back (after a few cycles) on the maximum capacity an individual cell will hold.

I've found 7Dayshop AAs really poor when tested this way. After a few uses, the performance seems to drop and in a set of four the individual maximum capacities have been all over the place. I've had similar problems with Fameart AA and AAA NiMhs, too.

I've yet to get around to testing my 'best' sets (Energisers and some Panasonic re-badged Eneloops) but I need to do this as it's starting to look like low cost alkalines would be, if not actually cheaper, close enough to make them a more reliable alternative.

Dave_C_2

neilwoods wrote: »

As for the OP, are you sure they are alkaline. Most the cheap batteries they sell are Zinc carbon, which if they leak could damage the item's you use.

Yes, well at least that's what it says on the packet:)
And they have the alkali battery construction rather than the plain zinc can construction.

Dave