Batteries

EamonnKeane

Is there any real point in selling and recycling millions of alkaline batteries every year when rechargeable batteries exist? They cost twice as much as regular batteries but can be charged hundreds of times. A charger can be as cheap as €10. If inefficient light bulbs are going to be banned, should alkaline batteries be also?

I suppose the idea is that batteries may be needed on the run...Like, if ya are out in town at a wedding (a very specific one I know...) and yer batteries in yer camera go...Ya just want one use batteries...

Personally, i have used rechargable batteries and I didnt like the experience. Took too long to charge and didn't get a great lot of use out of them compared to my duracell temp ones...

g5fd6ow0hseima

recycling's over rated

Bricriu

I bought a charger and rechargeable batteries some years ago and found that the charged batteries were vastly inferior to ordinary batteries: power itself inferior, charge didn't last a third the length of a good ordinary battery, and they lost their charge fairly quickly if left unused.

I suppose it's the old story: not enough money being spent on research to improve them, as the ordinary batteries are raking in the profits already, thank you very much, and f**ck the environmental damage all the used batteries are causing.

The other old story is that it is up to Governments to pass legislation to encourage or make compulsory rechargeable/re-usable technology, but then Govenrments are too close to business/dependent on brown envelopes, for that to happen.

Cabaal

Those 2400mha rechargable batterys last bloody ages, so I wouldn't say their all inferior

Alun

Bricriu wrote: »

... and they lost their charge fairly quickly if left unused.

One word Eneloop (Google it).

blackbox

It depends on the application.

Rechargeable batteries are great for items that use a lot of power, but not for items that use very little.

I use rechargeables for torches, toys and cameras (keep a set of alkalines in the bag for backup) but use alkalines for smoke alarms and remote controls.

Alun

blackbox wrote: »

It depends on the application.

Rechargeable batteries are great for items that use a lot of power, but not for items that use very little.

I use rechargeables for torches, toys and cameras (keep a set of alkalines in the bag for backup) but use alkalines for smoke alarms and remote controls.

Again Sanyo Eneloop batteries (or many of the lookalikes) are the answer here. They don't suffer from self-discharge as much as standard rechargeables do and therefore hold their charge much, much longer. They also come ready charged when you buy them (which in itself is proof that they work!) so no need to charge them before first use.