The Rechargeable Battery

After buying my kids the Nintendo Wii, I noticed that the remotes were wireless and required two AA batteries. I thought nothing of it at the time until I noticed that my stash of AA batteries was gradually depleting. After my inquiries, I was told that each Wii remote was draining an average of two batteries per week. I immediately went to the store to purchase some rechargeable batteries. If you have gone shopping for rechargeable batteries recently you may have noticed that there are many types and brands to choose from. So here are a few things I learned; essentially there are four types of rechargeable batteries out there.

Nickel-Cadium (Nicad) batteries are being phased out by manufacturers because the chemical cadium is toxic and needs to be disposed of properly. If you find rechargeable batteries that seem like a great deal (under $20 for 4 AA's and a charger) chances are they are Nicad.

Nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) represent the new generation of rechargeable battery technology. They are the more practical kind of rechargeable batteries out there. They take about 8 hours to charge fully and can outlast the Nicad's. Expect to pay over $40 for the charger and 4 AA's. One brand advertises a rapid charge system that takes only 15 minutes to charge. Though it's $70 price-tag (4 AA's and the charger) hardly substitutes for the 8 hour wait.

Rechargeable Alkaline are very inexpensive but it shows in its performance. They take forever to charge up and loose power fast. Avoid them if you can! Be sure to not confuse alkaline batteries with rechargeable alkaline batteries, they are completely different.

Last but not least are the more expensive Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. They are by far the more superiour rechargeable batteries out there, so they are usually reserved for heavy duty jobs such as digital cameras, laptops or portable televisions.

The last thing you should remember before running to the store is that you need to make sure you match the right batteries for the appropriate charger. Also remember that when a rechargeable battery eventually wears out (after a year or more) they need to be disposed of properly, which means bring them to a recycler. Most electronic stores will have them.

Image: Green Shop

Source: Grinning Planet

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The Rechargeable Battery

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