What batteries to use?

[in2-dadark]

Have some fun, put some nonrechargables in a battery charger and see what happens... Great family fun..!

[Jim Yanik]

[e-mail] (Dave Martindale) wrote in news:gc0p95$v9k$ [e-mail]:

I've seen TEK 200 series o'scopes that had NiCD packs with NO fuse protection,where something shorted and melted the circuit board and caught fire,melting right thru the plastic case. A mod was generated to install fuses in each battery pack....DUH!!!

But alkalines can deliver a hefty short-circuit current,too.

rechargeables are for frequent-use items(due to self-discharge rates),and alkalines for intermittent-use items.

[tnom]

Not any more. Revised NIMH technology puts a premium on low self discharge.

[AZ Nomad]

Depends. While they're great for low consumption devices like remote controls or bluetooth peripherals, I wouldn't trust low discharge NIMH batteries for very infrequently used items like emergency flashlights.

[Stormin Mormon]

Off the topic of labellers, the old CB walkie talkies used to have a dummy cell which replaced 2 AA cells. If you used rechargables, you use 10 batteries. For alkalines, you use 8 batteries, and a dummy insert.

[David Nebenzahl]

On 10/1/2008 5:53 PM [e-mail] spake thus:

I assume you're referring to that oft-repeated claim that you must Never Ever Put Non-Rechargeable Batteries In A Charger, printed on all batteries and chargers. Or else they'll explode and destroy your house and kill all its occupants.

Not true. I'm here to tell you that I've been recharging non-rechargeables (alkalines, mostly) in my chargers for decades now. The worst that happens is that a cell will leak; this isn't the end of the world, and my charger still works even though that's happened to it several times.

I'm not recommending this, as it only gives a weak charge at best, but it will often restore a marginal cell to working capacity for at least a little while.

The AAAs in my remote are Duracell alkalines that I've recharged several times, and they're still working great. I'm guessing this is because the remote draws so little current that it doesn't take much juice to satisfy it.

[chio88]

As far as i now, you should not let batteries stay in your gadgets especially if you know that you won't be using them for a long time. :wink: Posted from the Free Home Improvement Forum at

[Jmmv08]

You have a point here Choi88 and I?m definitely agreed with you. Posted from the Free Home Improvement Forum at

[David Combs]

I buy my batteries at costco -- and use their own brand.

Seem fine to me.

Never leaked so far.

David

[jmeehan]

I would suggest not leaving batteries in them. Keep a supply of alkaline batteries of the sizes you need and then just put them in the devices when they are being used. The slight inconvenience will be small compared to the cost of dead batteries and the possible damage due to leakage.

[jch]

No. Rechargeables are not a good idea for infrequently used items. Rechargeables have a shorter shelf life than non-rechargeable batteries. Rechargeables are good for cameras, r/c equipment, etc, anything with frequent use, but they don't 'outlive' regular batteries. For example, you should never use rechargeables in home fire detectors. They just don't have as long a shelf life before they begin to loose their charge.

[e-mail] wrote:

[Jmmv08]

Alkaline is the better choice. Posted from the Free Home Improvement Forum at