Can I replace regular NiMH with LSD in a shaver

[ekincam]

When my shaver was new, the batteries on it would last over 70 minutes per charge per the integrated timer. Now I'm lucky if I get 30 minutes before the shaver is noticeably slower so I have to charge more frequently. A 70 minute charge is good for about 20-25 days of shaves.

I opened up my shaver and found two AA sized NiMH batteries soldered together. Is there any issue in replacing these batteries with Eneloops? I don't know if the charger is timer based or what, but it stops charging after about 1 hour.

From a link I found on this site, I found a place that builds custom battery packs and I am comfortable soldering the battery pack into the shaver, but not soldering the batteries themselves (unless they're tabbed). http://www.cheapbatterypacks.com/?sid=2059275

Is it going to make a big difference if I put LSDs in this application versus regular NiMH?

I know these aren't lithium, but having witnessed, first hand, the aftermath of a D size lithium explosion and resulting injuries, I am not comfortable with putting an iron to a battery without tabs. And no, these guys were not fooling around with the batteries. They were op checking or changing batteries when they exploded.

I really would rather keep this shaver working since it's not broken yet and this is an inexpensive way to prolong its life. Replacing an otherwise fine shaver is wasteful. The packaging on this shaver was already horrendous - The shaver was packed in a plastic clam shell inside a paperboard box inside a plastic box inside another paperboard box. I did not know it would be packed like that when I bought it.

 

[TorchBoy]

Yes. Low self discharge NiMH cells are NiMH cells, which means you can use them in anything you can use NiMH cells in. Are you looking for a source of tabbed LSD cells or trying to find a way of fitting them without soldering?

 

[N162E]

No prpblem at all. Have the pack welded and tabbed by a local battery shop and you will be good to go. I've done this several times. With the high cost of quality shavers these days its well worth while to replace parts.

 

[ekincam]

Yes. Low self discharge NiMH cells are NiMH cells, which means you can use them in anything you can use NiMH cells in. Are you looking for a source of tabbed LSD cells or trying to find a way of fitting them without soldering?

That website I posted above will custom fabricate a battery pack with Eneloop cells. I found it in another post on CPF. I haven't looked for tabbed NiMH cells, but they should be a fairly common item. I can probably find them on Digikey, Thomas Distributing, or something along those lines.

I was just gathering information - mainly if I can use LSD NiMH in place of regular NiMH and if there was a big advantage in my application. I'm not too concerned regarding mAH ratings - 2000 should be plenty.

No prpblem at all. Have the pack welded and tabbed by a local battery shop and you will be good to go. I've done this several times. With the high cost of quality shavers these days its well worth while to replace parts.

What do you mean by local battery shop? I'm thinking you don't mean Fry's or Autozone. I've never fabricated, or had fabricated, a battery pack from non-tabbed batteries.

The heads are $25/ year and the battery has lasted 6 years. If it ends up costing $15 or so to replace the battery, that will be the way to go since this thing cost over $100. I am content with the shaver. I really wish they'd make the batteries easier to replace, but I also can understand that this can help drive sales because most people won't attempt to service them in this manner.

 

[Marduke]

Are you positive they are NiMH cells? Or are you just assuming since they are AA sized and rechargable?

If you are just assuming, they are quite possibly NiCads.

 

[Mr Happy]

"Local battery shop" could mean Batteries Plus for instance.

See this thread for my experience of soldering up a replacement battery pack with LSD cells and why it can be worth it.

 

[tabetha]

I put LSD's in my philips philishave.
I used a cold soldering iron, so it was safe, they had around 60% more shaves, it has a digital readout stating how many shaves left, a charge now is around 75 shaves/days, it doesn't drop in performance till last 3-4.
tabetha

 

[sygyzy]

LOL "local battery shop." Maybe they are spoiled in WI but I have no idea what a local battery shop is. We certainly don't have any around here.

 

[ekincam]

Are you positive they are NiMH cells? Or are you just assuming since they are AA sized and rechargable?

If you are just assuming, they are quite possibly NiCads.

The battery has NiMH 1600 mAH printed on the wrapper. I have not taken actual measurements or compared it directly to an AA, but it appeared very close in size to AA cells so I assume they are AA size. They did not look like 2/3 or 4/3 AA size. Given the capacity of the battery, it sounds about right for what was typically available 6 or 7 years ago when this shaver was manufactured.

 

[Norm]

Lux luthor should be able to make a pack for you, but I can't see any benefit in using LSD batteries in something that is used daily.
Norm

 

[Ardillakilla]

I've been messing with the batteries in my toothbrushes. They're tabbed 4/5 AA so the replacement options are kind of limited. I found that charging them with the C9000 resulted in much better performance so I haven't replaced them just yet.

 

[SemiMan]

Sand the ends of the batteries a bit and solder them.... done it several times with NiMh ... no issues.... including Eneloops in a razer which works just fine now. You can get something built with tabs, but for a one off, likely not worth it.

Semiman

 

[sparkysko]

It'll cost you ~$12 shipped to get a pack made by cheapbatterypacks. Unless you already have the cells, you won't save money doing it yourself. (Soldering wick and a high wattage iron). I can solder 120mah 1/3AAA cells without blowing them up, and I'm unskilled, it should be easy to solder AA behemoths.

 

[ekincam]

Lux luthor should be able to make a pack for you, but I can't see any benefit in using LSD batteries in something that is used daily.
Norm

So there is no benefit to using LSD cells in a shaver?

 

[TorchBoy]

Depends if you want to charge it daily. I wouldn't want to (and don't).

 

[Lynx_Arc]

So there is no benefit to using LSD cells in a shaver?

1600mah nimh cells don't self discharge fast enough that LSD cells could be more useful in that respect. The only advantage would be slightly more runtime per charge.

 

[Norm]

So there is no benefit to using LSD cells in a shaver?

Probably not LSD are great for things that are used infrequently cameras, glove box light, etc. as your going to charge your shaver regularly the self discharge of normal NIMH cells won't be a problem. No harm in using LSD but there's no advantage either.

Depends if you want to charge it daily. I wouldn't want to (and don't).

Normal NIMH cells will hold a charge for longer than 24hours. My Braun with 5 or 6 year old cells only requires charging about every 10 days.
Norm

 

[Mr Happy]

So there is no benefit to using LSD cells in a shaver?

Contrary to what other people said, there may well be a benefit. Some LSD cells, eneloops especially, have shown themselves to be more robust and durable than other cells. Therefore using them in a heavily used appliance may lead to better performance and longer lifetime than other cells.

 

[N162E]

What do you mean by local battery shop? I'm thinking you don't mean Fry's or Autozone. I've never fabricated, or had fabricated, a battery pack from non-tabbed batteries..

As Mr. Happy said above I was thinking of a shop like "Batteries Plus." Most of these shops have a spot welder on premesis and will weld your pack together for a couple bucks. A welded/tabbed pack will be way more durable (Vibration resistant) than anything you can solder. If you bring your current pack in and buy the batteries from them they may not charge for the tabbing.

 

[qwertyydude]

I have to disagree small spot welds are susceptible to fatigue failure because they're a tiny contact point. Probably the hardest conditions you'll see is in a high quality RC car and tabbed preassembled battery packs fail too often and can't transmit as much power as a good soldering job with battery bars. A good solder joint makes better contact with the cell and you can use copper conductors whereas spot welded strips are usually steel.