Are NIMH rechargeable batteries any good?

[teddyFBI]

I have a Rayovac charger and batteries I bought around 4 years ago -- the batteries suck now...i pop a fully charged one into my MP3 player when i go to the gym, and it often dies before I get back home again 2 hrs later. New standard batteries typically give me 10 - 14 hours of playtime.

Is this because I have drained and then recharged the batteries so many times now? Or was the technology really primitive 4 years ago, and have they improved on it at all in the newer chargers / NIMH batteries??

[diebitter]

That's the secret of...

buy regular batteries.

rechargeable batteries work x times more and are x times as expensive.

the point: there's no advantage.

[jar]

Yeah, rechargables only have a useful life of so long. NiMH capacities now are higher than they were a few years ago too. I'd get some new batteries. I buy mine from battery space (http://www.batteryspace.com).

NiMH's cost a few times more than disposable alkalines, but they should last a few years/few hundred cycles.

[Mason Hellmuth]

[ QUOTE ]
buy regular batteries.

rechargeable batteries work x times more and are x times as expensive.

the point: there's no advantage.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is x times wrong. NiMH are great.

[Hiding]

[ QUOTE ]
buy regular batteries.

rechargeable batteries work x times more and are x times as expensive.

the point: there's no advantage.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats wrong, there is no finite life to NiMH batteries, it is 100% dependant upon 1) the load and 2) the charger


mostly the charger, a smart charger will keep the battery in great shape for many years. Add a "smart" load and they will last well beyond 10 years.

[astroglide]

i loved that movie when i was a kid

[Felix_Nietsche]

Completely drain them before re-charging them.
When my wireless mouse goes crazy (my battery is low) I replace the batteries and take the weak batteries and drain them with a walkman (FF).

If you don't do this the life and power of your battereries will go downhill FAST!.

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
Completely drain them before re-charging them.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is incorrect.

Nimh batteries don't suffer from the memory effect.

Rayovac IC3, powerex, energizer, maha, are all good names. Sams club has good prices on AA nimh batteries. You can occasionally find 40 packs for $8 or so online.

I don't use anything but lithium and Nimh anymore.

[peachy]

[ QUOTE ]
That's the secret of...

[/ QUOTE ]

i have that movie on DVD!!! i loved it as a kid

[Felix_Nietsche]

http://www.zbattery.com/zbattery/memoryeffect.html

Nimh can be affected but it is rare.