Where recharable batteries can be used
To get the most out of rechargable batteries
Average cost for a pack of D's
Where recharable batteries can be used
To get the most out of rechargable batteries
Average cost for a pack of D's
Rechargable Batteries can replace ordinary batteries in almost any product which can take ordinary batteries. Depending on the capacity of the batteries is the length of time it runs for. Standard rechargable batteries are the cheapest of the lot and are available at most Electrical shops. The High Capacity Batteries run up to twice the time of the standard rechargable batteries and the High Capacity D's run over 3 times the length. The NiMH type run 2/3 the length of the type same type in Alkaline making them suitable for high drain products like Tourches and CD Players. Most rechargable batteries can be recharged up to 1000 times and have an average life span of 4 years. They are not suitable in very low drain applications, e.g. Smoke alarms, Clocks, etc.
NOTE: There are many products which say 'Do not use rechargable batteries'. Rechargable batteries can be used in these products without problems. Most companys say this to try to get people to still buy the non rechargable type. Rechargable batteries have only one small problem. Most ordinary batteries drop their voltage when they get low where as rechargable keeps its voltage quite steady until it becomes 'dead'. This means that some products with battery low warnings will not warn that the batteries are getting low until its too late, e.g. The Gameboy will warn you when there is aprox.5 hours remaining with normal batteries but with rechargable batteries, it gives an aprox. 10 minute remaining warning. NiMH batteries may not be suitable for use in applications that are used for travel as there may be only 10 seconds remaining when the application gives the battery low warning. Other than this, rechargable batteries are suitable for almost any application which can take ordinary batteries.
Do not short circuit rechargable batteries as this can cause fire:
When making home made applications which take rechargable batteries, put a fuse in series with the batteries to prevent damage if a short circuit occurs.Avoid overcharging them as this causes them to get hot and reduces its life:
Some battery rechargers don't have a built in timer. To overcome this, a plug timer is recommended. These cost aprox. £7.00 and are simple to use.Be sure to drain the batteries as much as possible before recharging them to get the most capacity per charge:
If rechargable batteries need to be recharged even though their charge has not been used up yet, they need to be drained first. To do this, get a tourch which can take these batteries and leave the tourch on until the bulb gets dim. Repeat this with all the batteries needing to be recharged and then recharge them. Ni-MH batteries do not need to be discharged before being recharged. It is recommended to recharge Ni-MH batteries before using them on a journey as an application using Ni-MH batteries will not warn that the batteries are getting low until there is only 10 - 30 seconds of power left!
| Normal Shops | Discount Shops | Cost to Recharge | |
| Standard non-rechargable type: | £1.50 | £ .49 | -- |
| Heavy Duty non-chargable | £1.99 | £.79 | -- |
| Alkaline | £3.99 | £1.99 | -- |
| Rechargable Standard | £4.99 | - | .75p |
| Rechargable Enhanced | £5.99 | - | 1p |
| Rechargable High Capacity | £13.00 | - | 2p |
- Not available normally in these shops
-- These Batteries cannot be recharged
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The capacities listed above may vary for different company's.
If anyone has the capacity for the AAA, C or D NiMH type batteries,
you can email them to me at:
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