does it make sense to use rechargeable batteries?

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(snip)

Incidentally, my first digital camera absolutely devoured alkaline AAs. I could only get about 20 shots out of a set if I was lucky. It had to be fed on rechargeables to get any sensible battery life out of it.

 

My first digital camera, a Nikon Coolpix 2000, also gave about 20 shots with either alkaline or NiMH.

 

After not so long, I figured it wasn't the batteries (which were still fine), but the low battery sensor.

I sent it back to Nikon, and it came back better.

 

NiMH hold their charge without load better than NiCd, but not quite as good as alkaline.

 

Both NiCd and NiMH work well under high load, including motorized cameras and flash units.

Alkaline might be better for low continuous load devices.

Reading this thread again jogged my memory of something my dad started using pretty heavily in the mid-90s-rechargeable alkaline batteries. All the ones we had were Rayovac "Renewal" branded ones.

 

A quick Google search shows that rechargeable alkalines(not necessarily that brand) are still around and available. Their big advantage for the original premise of this thread would be that their self discharge rate is comparable to that of a standard alkaline, meaning that you could easily leave one for a couple of years and still have some power left in it.

 

Their disadvantage for use in a camera is that apparently deep cycling kills them. If Wikipedia is to be believed, if you routinely discharge to 75%, they are good for hundreds of cycles. Discharging to 50% drops that number to a few dozen, and a complete discharge is only good for a couple of cycles. This reminds me of a typical lead acid automotive(I recently exchanged a Die-Hard that Platinum that would have been expensive new and hadn't been used much, but had sat dead for several years, and remained open circuit even with some "aggressive" charging attempts), as opposed to NiMHs that love deep cycling, and NiCds where it's mandatory to maintain performance.

 

Given current prices of NiMH batteries, investing in rechargeable alkalines may be a non-starter. I still could dig up a charger for them somewhere at my parents house, but they seem few and far between new, and I'm not sure I'd trust a standard NiCd/NiMH charger to do the job. The cells are $13 for a set of 4 at Wal-Mart, where Eneloops are $18 for 8 on Amazon.

 

The only potential advantage I could see for them for camera applications is for something that does indeed need a full 1.5V (or 1.4V) and not the 1.2V of NiMHs.

 

So, they may not be the BEST option, but they are an option that's out there.

Somewhere I have a charger that was sold as capable of recharging standard alkaline batteries. It worked - sort of.

 

I used it a couple of times to revive some AAs when I'd run out of fresh ones. The recharge lasted long enough until I got to the shops to buy replacements. I just didn't trust the recharged cells not to leak.

 

Ah, well. Another redundant gadget that seemed like a good idea at the time. Most stuff seems designed to run on rechargeables these days.... apart from my blood pressure monitor that always flattens the too-small triple As while sitting unused. And then I wonder why the reading is high! :mad:

I'd never recharge an alkaline as the chemistry really isn't reversible and they have enough trouble not leaking after a single use. It's just the nature of the beast, though some are better than others. I've had very good luck with Rayovac "Fusion" alkalines, the red ones, in terms of battery life. For charging NiMH, make sure your charger is "smart" and has decent delta-V charge detection and hopefully a temperature sensor. If you cook the batteries with a bad charger, life will be short.

To be clear, I'm speaking specifically of alkalines DESIGNED to be rechargeable.

 

As I mentioned, "Renewal" was one popular brand name at one time. Duracell now makes a rechargeable alkalines.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Duracell-Rechargeable-AA-Batteries-Count/dp/B00007ISWA/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_121_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=EVEBM92QAWWM3DA3T14F

 

20 years ago, when Ni-Cds were the main rechargeable chemistry available, these made a lot of sense, especially in low drain applications where you want the battery to have a long life(remote controls are the stereotypical example, while an infrequently used camera might be another). NiCds were terrible about self discharge and had horrible memory effects if only used to partial capacity, while a rechargeable alkaline loves shallow cycles(much like a car battery).

 

These are batteries specifically meant to be recharged. The chemistry is somewhat different and more complex than a standard primary(disposable) alkaline. Among other things, they use a few "tricks" to scavenge or prevent the formation of hydrogen, which can form when a standard alkaline is recharged and can burst the case.

 

I would not want to recharge a standard alkaline either.

Duracell now makes a rechargeable alkalines

In my experience, that company also make the most leak-prone and generally crappiest batteries I've bought, of any technology. Wouldn't touch their overpriced products with a ten foot cartoon rabbit!

 

BTW, I'm not sure that link is for rechargable alkalines. I think they're just NiMH cells, and have been on the market for ages. In fact, picture two of that linked ad shows the back of the pack, and distinctly says 'NiMH' at the top right corner.

Edited September 20, 2019 by rodeo_joe|1

Seems to be described here:

 

Rechargeable alkaline battery - Wikipedia

I bought rechargeables but found charging them to be a pain. Throwaways are so much more convenient.

Throwaways are so much more convenient.

And so much more expensive unless you shop very carefully!

 

10 years ago, before 'Ready to use' NiMH cells came on the market, and when the price of alkalines was still halfway reasonable, the convenience just might have outweighed the cost differential. Nowadays the price and usability balance has definitely shifted in favour of rechargeables.

 

Over here in the UK, I can buy a supermarket chain's own-brand low self-discharge 2400mAH NiMH AA cell for only roughly twice the price of a well-known make of alkaline cell. Add on that same supermarket's 6 cell rapid charger, and the total outlay would have only bought me about 20 of those best-selling brand AA alkalines, along with the inconvenience of responsible disposal of the spent cells.

 

Even reasonably priced (and better quality) Kodak-branded alkaline cells aren't exactly dirt cheap. Being about one-quarter of the price of said NiMH AAs.

 

Recharging 6 cells takes all of two to three hours.

 

So, sorry, but I'm really not seeing any economic nor ecological argument for the use of disposable alkaline cells.

Edited September 23, 2019 by rodeo_joe|1

Well sure, alkalines are expensive and ecologically unsound, but at least they destroy your equipment at random intervals.

Well sure, alkalines are expensive and ecologically unsound, but at least they destroy your equipment at random intervals.

 

I've been in photography since 1974, and I've never had a camera/motor drive damaged by leaking alkalines.

I've been in photography since 1974, and I've never had a camera/motor drive damaged by leaking alkalines.

Lemme guess- you take the batteries out of photo devices not in regular use?

Lemme guess- you take the batteries out of photo devices not in regular use?

 

Hardly, LOL. I have more cameras than I'll ever use. Some have been sitting unused for a year.

 

I do take them out and check the meters to see if they still work (they do, fortunately) every couple of months or so. That's it!

 

I do use Duracells, which have a 10 year in-storage guarantee for AA batteries (for my motor drives). The Duracell S76 batteries I put in the cameras have a 3 year storage guarantee.

I've been in photography since 1974, and I've never had a camera/motor drive damaged by leaking alkalines.

Count yourself lucky then!

I'm pretty sure your 45 year run of good luck isn't typical though.

 

FWIW, mild citric acid is great for dissolving away the blue-green crap that clings to battery contacts after an alkaline cell leakage. I've found that it just recurs if not dissolved, neutralised and removed with a weak acid. Vinegar will also do the job, but it stinks.

 

However the two trigger transceivers that I had completely ruined by leaking AAA alkaline Duracells are beyond the ministry of citric acid or anything else. Rest in pieces old friends.

Non rechargeable batteries tend to leak when they are completely discharged.

As noted above, alkaline cells have a long shelf life unused.

 

Rechargeable batteries sometimes vent when overcharged, which can let

some chemicals leak, when they are back in some equipment.

 

I have gotten some rechargeable batteries on a good sale, including

some NiCd cells. I am careful to send my old NiCd cells to the proper

hazardous waste sites. (Also Pb batteries.)