Having two boys (13 and 10) we get through a LOT of batteries. I'd like to be able to check that each battery is truly exhausted before it's replaced. Can anyone here recommend a good (reasonably cheap) battery tester?
Thanks
Edward
A simple DVM set to the current range gives a good indication - with practice. But you'd save money by changing to recharables with a decent charger.
No but I can suggest that you buy re-chargeable. I can't see why anyone would use non re-chargeable for any sort of frequent use other than them being unsuitable for the device.
Thirded.
It can take a while to train kids to check for the difference between re-chargeable and conventional, though. Expect a few instances of re-chargeables being thrown out, and of attempts to put conventional batteries in the charger :-)
At least on this side of the Pond, the batteries and a (simple) charger are stupidly cheap now - I remember them being hellishly expensive when I was a kid. Only $5 now for four AA rechargeables and a four-cell charger (unfortunately I don't remember what four conventional AAs cost here for comparison purposes).
And talking of lots of batteries, our boy got hold of one of those laser-tag things the other week - 6 AAs in each gun (he has four) and then I think it's another 4 AAs in each of the two head-sets. And there's no 'hard' power off on the guns, so they must have some current drain even when off. Whoever designed that thing needs bashing over the head with something *very* heavy.
cheers
Jules
On Sep 15, 1:43=A0pm, Jules wrote: Whoever designed that thing needs bashing over the head with
A large torch / flashlight with several 'D' cells in it?
Isn't the easiest way of establishing remaining charge of a cell to measure the open circuit voltage resonably accurately? From memory an alkaline cell is pretty much had it once it's below 0.9V for example.
That's just a case of getting the incentives right. Lost rechargable = replaced from pocket money at source, and/or game/toy no longer usable. Should quickly encourage correct behaviour ;-) There's also the discipline of charging them, so you don't find you've got 4 flat sets when you need a working set.
Note there's a wide range of different NiMH capacities available in the same sized cells (particularly AA size).
Yep, the Lidl battery charger is pretty good and =A312.70 IIRC. It's more than just a constant current source and fixed period time switch. 2 PP3 bays, 6 AA or AAA bays or 4 D. Works well charges cells in around 3hrs.
The Lidl rechargeable batteries are also good, packs of 4 AA NiMH
2500mAhr for less than =A33. However they don't hang about in the stores long. The Carlisle Lidl had the chargers in stock last week.At about 25p/battery for decent alkalines it doesn't take long to break even on a =A312 charger and =A312 on batteries (approx 16 x AA's) that's only 96 alkalines and no nasty waste in landfill.
Dave Liquorice coughed up some electrons that declared:
I tried that - but I ran into the problem that a lot of stuff I buy loads of batteries for didn't cope well with 1.2V cell voltage. Most of the stuff would work, but only for perhaps a fraction of the battery's charge cycle until the voltage fell back a bit.
Torches were an issue too. I tweaked the bulb voltage in my maglite to compensate, but ended up with a bulb that was being slightly overrun - very bright but not much life. Seemed difficult to get a bulb in the power and format I needed that suited 1.2V per cell.
I have the charger, but have given up for now. Children's toys (especially ones with motors) fared better, but I don't have many of those now.
If only there was a 1.5V rechargeable...
I used to have this problem with camera / flashgun / radio / GPS until I got one of the slightly better NiMH chargers with individual circuits for each cell
Yup - it's an excellent charger. Tests the battery first and if it's no good tells you so.
They were selling for £6.24 when I bought mine a few weeks back.
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