Sanyo Eneloop batteries and charger: Work for Texas Instruments 84 calc?

[[email protected]]

Anyone have this system?

I really don't use a LOT of batteries but the idea of
throwing them away bothers me as we have no way to
recycle them here locally

I'm wondering if they would work ok in graphing
calculator?

Sorry to post here but didn't know where else to put
it.
Also, is there any diff between a cheap $13 Kodak NiMH
charger and more expensive $40 one?

 

[UCLAN]

Anyone have this system?

I really don't use a LOT of batteries but the idea of
throwing them away bothers me as we have no way to
recycle them here locally

I'm wondering if they would work ok in graphing
calculator?

I use Sanyo Eneloop AA batteries (as well as other brands of low
self-discharge NiMH batteries) in several devices, including a
police scanner, AA cell flashlight, cordless mouse, remote controls,
etc. I'll never go back to regular NiMH batteries, or alkaline for that
matter. I always have four or so fully charged ready to go.

BTW, I've used a Maha MH-C401FS charger for over two years. About $35.
I don't recommend cheap chargers for the reasons given by another poster.

 

[[email protected]]

BTW, I've used a Maha MH-C401FS charger for over two years. About $35.
I don't recommend cheap chargers for the reasons given by another poster.

OK thanks

I was really unsure of the cheap vs expensive charger!

 

[Haywire1]

I have Eneloops, Ray-O-Vac "Hybrid", and Duracell Low-Self-Discharge
batteries, and love them all. My children (and the rest of my family,
including me...) go through a lot of batteries, so I sprang for the best
charger (Just an opinion, there are other very good ones out there) - the
Ansmann Energy 16 (Paid $119 at Amazon.com) If you're just interested in
charging just AA's and AAA's, I think the LaCrosse BC-900 is a much better
choice (tells you actual maH accumulated charge!) for much less ($40 at
Amazon, free shipping) and comes with 4 each (total 8) AA and AAA batteries,
plus other accessories. It has features even my Ansmann does not, like
user-selectable charge rates, and a test mode with actual battery capacity
readout on a digital display. I haven't used one, but the reviews seem to
indicate that people are very happy with it.

If you don't want to spend the extra money on a good charger, I would
recommend you have extra batteries on hand, so you can switch them out when
one set is dead in your device(s), and charge only completely dead batteries
for only the time recommended by your charger for your capacity batteries.
As long as you're diligent in taking them off charge when they are done, and
are not trying to charge only "partially dead" batteries, you should be o.k.
Regardless of how they are charged, LSD batteries beat the pants off
"conventional" Nimh and Nicads - I use 'em in nearly everything. Circuit
City has been closing these out (eneloop) real cheap, like $6.00 for 4 AAs
or AAAs - I cleaned my store out - I can't imagine why they don't intend to
stock these any more. I don't think they marketed them properly in the
stores to explain to people what their advantages are.

[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

I don't understand this business about "low self-discharge" NiMH batteries,
as I'ven never noticed any particular problem with them.

In order to have a lower self discharge rate, they have to have a higher
internal resistance. This lowers the effective charging rate, and the
output current.

I'm using Recyko+ battries sold by GPT out of Hong Kong. They are the
same batteries as one of them (there are only three companies that make
them), but I don't know which.

In order to get them to work, I have to charge them an awfully long time
with the chargers that have a fixed rate. For example the one that came
with the AAA batteries should charge them in 12 hours, I leave them on
at least 24 to get a useful charge. I also have one that times the
charge for 7 hours and I have to charge them twice.

With a normal NimH battery of the same capacity, the charger would charge
it completely in 7 hours.

Geoff.

 

[[email protected]]

If you don't want to spend the extra money on a good charger, I would
recommend you have extra batteries on hand, so you can switch them out when
one set is dead in your device(s), and charge only completely dead batteries
for only the time recommended by your charger for your capacity batteries.
As long as you're diligent in taking them off charge when they are done, and
are not trying to charge only "partially dead" batteries, you should be o.k.

OK

Well I just don't want to spend a ton of
money cause I only have a "few" devices
that use AA or AAA right now and am
afraid the payback would be too long if
spending much money for charger and the
cells

 

[UCLAN]

I don't understand this business about "low self-discharge" NiMH batteries,
as I'ven never noticed any particular problem with them.

There *is* no problem with them. I use several brands, including Sanyo
Eneloop. Low self-discharge NiMH batteries have made regular NiMH batteries
obsolete, IMO. [Except for in heavily used high current applications, only
because the capacity of low-discharge NiMH batteries is not yet as high as
regular NiMH batteries.]

 

[UCLAN]

In order to have a lower self discharge rate, they have to have a higher
internal resistance. This lowers the effective charging rate, and the
output current.

I'm using Recyko+ battries sold by GPT out of Hong Kong. They are the
same batteries as one of them (there are only three companies that make
them), but I don't know which.

In order to get them to work, I have to charge them an awfully long time
with the chargers that have a fixed rate. For example the one that came
with the AAA batteries should charge them in 12 hours, I leave them on
at least 24 to get a useful charge. I also have one that times the
charge for 7 hours and I have to charge them twice.

With a normal NimH battery of the same capacity, the charger would charge
it completely in 7 hours.

That is a fault with your charger more than a fault of the batteries. I can
charge LSD NiMH batteries in a few hours in my Maha charger.

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

My own experiences are otherwise. "Traditional" NiMH batteries I
have used, would tend to lose a substantial fraction of their charge
within a few weeks, and would be nearly "flat" after three months of
storage.

That's about right, if not pretty good. The discharge rate that Motorola
once claimed in an ancient phone manual I once had was 30% per week.

The problem seems to be worse with the higher-capacity cells... a 2600
or 2700 mAh classic-NiMH cell would lose charge at a faster rate
(both absolute and percent-per-day) than an 1800 or 2000 mAh cell of
the same brand.

In effect what they have done is traded off how long a charge lasts
versus hom huch that charge is. Unless you have the guts of a battery
hidden in a black hole, there is only so much room in the case.

In certain applications - e.g. in the camera or flash unit of a very
busy photographer - the high-capacity "classic" NiMH cells may be the
best choice. It doesn't matter very much if they lose 2% of their
charge per day, if you're going to be running 'em down within a week
anyhow.

For low-rate or standby applications, the new ultra-low-discharge
cells are wonderful. I keep two sets of six in my ham-radio "go-kit"
for my spare dual-band handheld radio... each set will run the radio
through two 8-hour shifts of typical operation, and giving the a brief
topping-up charge every six months seems to be all that's required.

That depends upon what power level you run the radio. I found that out in
the mid 1990's with the Ray-O-Vac rechargable alkelines. Everything I had
as except flashlights only worked for one or two charges before they
could not put out enough current to be of any use.

There were just some places that 1 watt would not open the local repeaters
even with an better quality rubber duck than the one that came with the
HT. Switching to higher power drew too much current. :-(

Geoff.

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

That is a fault with your charger more than a fault of the batteries. I can
charge LSD NiMH batteries in a few hours in my Maha charger.

Sure, I can charge then in a few hours with a better charger too. But the
cheaper fixed current ones won't. The one that takes 24 hours is the
one that came with them. :-(

Geoff.

 

[UCLAN]

There *is* no problem with them. I use several brands, including Sanyo
Eneloop. Low self-discharge NiMH batteries have made regular NiMH batteries
obsolete, IMO. [Except for in heavily used high current applications, only
because the capacity of low-discharge NiMH batteries is not yet as high as
regular NiMH batteries.

No, I meant regular NiMH cells.

I have a big pile of them, and recharge them as needed.

Yeah, I have a pile of them too. I just never use regular NiMH since the
low discharge ones got so cheap. I can put a pair of low discharge NiMH
AA cells in my 2-cell AA flashlight (which might go weeks without use),
and it's ready to use when needed. Last had to recharge those batteries
months ago. Try *that* with regular NiMH cells. Kodak even sells the
low discharge cells in a 4-pack, fully charged and ready to use. Find
*that* with regular NiMH cells? Heck no. My regular NiMH cells are now
only used in high-current, heavy use applications - where self discharge
isn't an issue. I have six remote control units and a cordless mouse that
use low-discharge NiMH batteries. They operate almost as long as alkalines.
Try *that* with regular NiMH cells.