Recharge Ordinary Alkalines?

I was reading Sky Mall on a flight back from Atlanta and I saw this.

Something tells me that this doesn't work too well. Anyone have any experience with recharging ordinary alkaline batteries?

It doesn't really work well. You'll only be able to charge 'em a few times, and they grab less charge every time if I remember correctly. The original brand name for these cells was "Renewal".

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flashlite said:
I was reading Sky Mall on a flight back from Atlanta and I saw this.

Something tells me that this doesn't work too well.

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That SkyMall charger won't work because it's the imfamous "Buddy L" piece of junk that **** Clark U.S. infomercial tried to sell in the early 90s.

-Hilarious at $30.00! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I recently bought one as pictured in that ad for 10CAD at a clearance store. It never worked. The distributor said some had a problem and offered to send a new one, but I don't think it's worth the postage to return it to the USA. I did have a friend who was happy with his. That was at least five years ago. Neither of them did NiMH either.

There's another charger I have called the Saltek Eco that has done a great job for over 10 years on all my regular alkalines. Each cell [1-4, different sizes] is monitored individually and the time remaining displayed. If anyone can find one, I recommend it and would like another myself. The trick is to ALWAYS recharge regularly and often, well before half-discharge, the opposite of NiCads.

I do prefer NiMH, however my TV remotes go crazy with them. I guess 1.2V just isn't enough. The alkalines also come in handy for low drain stuff, like clocks. There's another regular battery charger, from England and made in the Far East that uses LED indicators. It kinda works, though not dependably. Again, got it cheap at a surplus store.

Alkaline chargers designed solely for special [more expensive] so-called rechargeable akalines are a waste of money IMO. The batteries die too quickly and aren't anything like advertised. Now I'm purchasing jsburly's 123 lithium one...one can always hope, eh?

See this recent thread.
Recharge alkalines

I also have a Saitek Eco charger purchased about 10 years ago. As stated by 2dim, it works best if you recharge early.
But these days NiMh is the way to go. I think I saw a charger with 4 AA batteries on sale at Target for $9.99 yesterday, so you recharge them four times and you've paid for the batteries and the charger.

Stocking up at sale prices is a better value because you don't waste your time charging or with frequent cell changeouts and new cells provide more current at a more stable discharge rate. At 15-20 cents per new alkaline cell, on sale, you will save all the way around and won't risk leakage from a recharged, old, cell.

Yes, it does work. I don't know specifically about that charger, but I've been charging up alot of D batteries using a simple LM317 for constant current. If you want to buy an alkaline charger, the money would be MUCH better spent on a NiMh charger, since NiMh batteries are only about 50% more than alkalines...

Alkalines can be recharged a few times, but there are some restrictions behind this:

1) You can't drain the battery beyond ~50%; otherwise it won't charge.
2) You can't over-charge the battery; otherwise it will generate gas and leak.
3) You can't use the batteries in high-drain appliances; the internal resistance of a charged battery is higher than a new battery.
4) You can't use the battery in expensive appliances; because at some point the battery WILL leak.

In one word, it's not worthwhile---as BatteryCharger said, go pay a little more and get NiH.

I use the battery manager, an older charger from real goods. I've had some luck with charging alkalines. Sometimes batteries from duracell and energizer charge. Othertimes no (the charger gives a X on the display when it can't charge the battery.

Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. For example, I have 4 identical C duracells from the same package. 3/4 recharged, but the 4th repeatedly has an X.

I have done no real tests to see if they charge all the way back up, or almost back up, nor do I know if some are under 50% drained, etc etc. I have about a 60% success rate.

Since I got this charger for other reasons, I use it when it works and I dont get too mad if it doesn't. I consider it a bonus if I'm able to recharge my remote batteries and have them last another two years (will find out tonight). But I don't know if I'd buy a charger specifically for this purpose...I can't see it being worth it.

Bottom line: it will work sometimes, but you're better off with real NiMH rechargeables.

-Mike

My experience has been the same as LED ASAP stated above. Recharging alkalines is usually just trouble waiting to happen.