For the first time, Eneloops let me down

[h2xblive]

I used a fresh Eneloop (AA) in my wall clock and it lasted only a few weeks before the clock became slow.

 

[ltiu]

I cannot use Eneloops in my 2AA Energizer EnergiToGo cell phone charger. It runs for about 5 minutes then dies, barely charging the phone.

 

[jayflash]

While I'll agree that rechargeable cells make absolutely no sense in remotes. clocks, and test meters, etc. Lithiums are my choice for their lack of damaging leakage and long, trouble free life; even in low drain applications.

Alkies outgas and deposit a non conductive film on the contacts and cell terminals. This is why spinning alkaline cells or cleaning the contacts is necessary every few months. Lithium cells preclude this annoyance, last longer, and prevent the discarding of good alkaline cells, thought to be bad.

Apply Caig Gold to cleaned terminals and cells and you may experience 5 - 10 years of reliable remote performance, without the alkaline induced intermittants.

IF a lithium cell would leak, it won't damage the metal contacts and eat away the springs. This long lasting damage free use may justify the expense of lithiums. Of course YMMV.

 

[shadowjk]

hm, my energi2go doesn't seem to want to start most of the time unless the batteries have high voltage. Once it starts it keeps going though.

 

[eluminator]

While I'll agree that rechargeable cells make absolutely no sense in remotes. clocks, and test meters,

Two years ago I wouldn't argue. I hadn't had a problem with alkalines in 20 years. But I had alkalines leak twice in the past year or two. I still agree with you for most rechargeables but eneloops are another matter.

I now use 2 AAA eneloops in a window air conditioner remote. I remove them in the fall when I remove the air conditioner because the remote seems to slowly discharge the cells when not used. A remote for an air conditioner seems like a silly frill, but it came with one, so I keep it working.

I use 3 AAA eneloops in my new digital multimeter, because I can no longer trust alkalines.

I use 3 AA eneloops in my carbon monoxide monitor for the same reason. It was a leaking alkaline in this $50 unit that was the last straw. I cleaned the corroded contact with alcohol and a paper towel, and so far it's working okay. I put the eneloops in 8 months ago and the battery monitor still shows 2 of 3 squares. It dropped from 3 to 2 squares after 6 weeks. That's normal because the thing was no doubt designed for alkalines. When it went to 2 squares the eneloops measured 1.32 volts. I am keeping an eye on it to see how long it goes.

Unless I encounter a device that needs at least 1.28 volts to operate, I may never buy another alkaline.

 

[TorchBoy]

IF a lithium cell would leak, it won't damage the metal contacts and eat away the springs. This long lasting damage free use may justify the expense of lithiums. Of course YMMV.

My first thought is that it would have to be very expensive equipment considering the ongoing added expense of lithiums. How do you justify it with a clock?

 

[ltiu]

My first thought is that it would have to be very expensive equipment considering the ongoing added expense of lithiums. How do you justify it with a clock?

I use L91 in my alarm clock.

Just saves me the trouble of a malfunctioning alarm clock and not waking up early enough to get to work on time.

 

[TorchBoy]

Fair enough, ltiu, but that's not "just" a clock - if you don't have a backup your job could depend on it.

 

[etc]

I used a fresh Eneloop (AA) in my wall clock and it lasted only a few weeks before the clock became slow.

All this just proves that alkalines and L91s are here to stay with us. The eneloop is great for most applications but sometimes it really fails.

 

[lctorana]

All this just proves that alkalines and L91s are here to stay with us. The eneloop is great for most applications but sometimes it really fails.

That's just unfair.

That's like calling me a failure at my IT job because I'm not a gymnast.

 

[Bones]

All this just proves that alkalines and L91s are here to stay with us. The eneloop is great for most applications but sometimes it really fails.

Your terminology implies that the Eneloop didn't perform within its design parameters etc, which is highly unlikely.

It's also much more likely that the real failures are going to be those manufacturers who persist in marketing devices that will only work with lithiums and alkalines, and are deficient in incorporating rechargeables in their design.

 

[ltiu]

Fair enough, ltiu, but that's not "just" a clock - if you don't have a backup your job could depend on it.

Can never be 100% perfect. Using L91 just gets me closer to being 100%.

My backup? I tell my boss I was late because my alarm clock failed!

 

[zipplet]

FWIW, regarding eneloops in devices like remotes and clocks:

I tried to use 2 eneloops in a bedside clock that took 2xAAA. The display kept flashing up the low battery icon whenever I pushed the backlight button and the display was dim - because it expected a higher voltage

I also tried 2 eneloop clones (vapex instant) in an outdoor wireless weather sensor. It's still going strong

 

[Mr Happy]

Look peeps, if your battery powered device doesn't work with rechargeable batteries like Eneloops, put the blame where it lies; the device is at fault, not the batteries. Blame the device manufacturer for producing a bad product. Any properly designed device that takes alkalines must work with battery voltages from 1.6 V down to 1.0 V or less per cell, since that is the normal operating range of an alkaline cell.

Here's an example of a properly designed device: I have an Equity 21400 alarm clock with always-on back light (this one). I put three of my "crap" UltraLast LSD cells in it. One for the clock and two for the back light.

The clock keeps time with an accuracy of about two seconds per week, and the backlight shines brightly with the battery voltage right down to 0.9 volts per cell (oops). The backlight will work for months on a pair of the AA cells in adapters, and I have to remember to check them from time to time with a voltmeter to make sure they are not being over discharged.

 

[Turbo DV8]

I use 3 AA eneloops in my carbon monoxide monitor for the same reason.

TorchBoy: Fair enough, ltiu, but that's not "just" a clock - if you don't have a backup your job could depend on it.

And when one's life depends on something like a smoke detector or CO detector, I would not want to use a rechargeable NiMH or NiCd. When using alkalines or lithium, the "low voltage" warning chirp the detector emits lasts for several days, which ensures you hear the warning in order to heed it. However, when a rechargeable's voltage drops off, it does so quickly and precipitously. The detector need only lose one cell while one is away for the day or the weekend, and one will never know it went bye-bye. I believe detector manufacturers explicitly state not to use rechargebles for this very reason.

 

[Bones]

And when one's life depends on something like a smoke detector or CO detector, I would not want to use a rechargeable NiMH or NiCd. When using alkalines or lithium, the "low voltage" warning chirp the detector emits lasts for several days, which ensures you hear the warning in order to heed it. However, when a rechargeable's voltage drops off, it does so quickly and precipitously. The detector need only lose one cell while one is away for the day or the weekend, and one will never know it went bye-bye. I believe detector manufacturers explicitly state not to use rechargebles for this very reason.

Very good points, but they're based on detectors that were specifically designed to react to an alkaline's discharge characteristics. Alkalines also seem to have an increasing tendancy to leak which could compromise their connections and even the detector itself, and that leaves us with the lithium which is exorbitantly priced in reflection of Energizer's monopoly.

Surely a detector could be designed to accomodate the discharge charactistics of the low self-discharge NiMH cells as well. Especially considering the Eneloops Mr Happy tested after two full years in storage could still deliver close to 1.3 volts, and it's likely they even started out with less than a full charge.

I, for one, would be more than willing to rotate a set of Eneloops out once a year or so rather than risk using alkalines or add to the fruits of Energizer's corporate greed.

 

[etc]

Your terminology implies that the Eneloop didn't perform within its design parameters etc, which is highly unlikely.

It's also much more likely that the real failures are going to be those manufacturers who persist in marketing devices that will only work with lithiums and alkalines, and are deficient in incorporating rechargeables in their design.

Fair enough!

 

[Albinoni]

So pls tell me why do Eneloops feed torches better than Alkalines do or shall I say why does a torch perform better on Eneloops than Alkalines.

 

[asdalton]

So pls tell me why do Eneloops feed torches better than Alkalines do or shall I say why does a torch perform better on Eneloops than Alkalines.

NiMH cells (not just Eneloop or other low self-discharge types) have a lower internal resistance than alkaline cells, so they perform better under high current draw.

When you draw a lot of current from an alkaline cell, the voltage drops considerably, and the battery heats up. In that case, a large fraction of the battery's energy capacity goes into heating up the battery instead of powering the device.

 

[hopkins]

Didn't someone add a little solar panel to the back of their remote to give a trickle charge to the rechargeable batteries inside?

Just have to set it down so the panel is up to catch photons. Don't remember where I saw it but its sounds
like a fun way show disdain for alkaline chemistry once again!