Enloop Rechargables - Please advise of safety issues

[jacknife]

I am New to the Eneloop Rechargable Battery, Just bought First Package with charger at Home Depot . I am Aware of the Safety issues of the CR123's -- And I did a search here on Eneloop..but-- - Can someone please advise me of the Do's AND Donts of the Eneloops, and what Safety issues I should know about with these. I am presently using the rechargable AAA & AA type battery , Can they be used in any light that takes AA or AAA? Can they Burn and vent and smoke like a CR123 may if not properly Watched after?? THANKS

 

[John_Galt]

1) Wrong sub forum... We have an electronics and batteries subforum. Ask a moderator to move this... Don't start another one.

2) Li-ion are the dangerous chemistries. Ni-MH/Ni-Cd are very safe and stable in comparison.

 

[Yoda4561]

You shouldn't eat them, and ummm... yeah that's bout it.

 

[jacknife]

This can be moved . I did try to post it there first. It wouldnt accept my post there.

 

[tandem]

I am presently using the rechargable AAA & AA type battery , Can they be used in any light that takes AA or AAA?

Generally speaking, yes. You may find some older intelligent devices (such as an older model digital camera) *may* have issues as the voltage of a nickel metal hydride rechargeable cell is 1.2V compared to a standard alkaline from the drug store at 1.5V. Of all the devices we have only one seems to care, and that, an LG camera, has a menu choice where you select battery type. Eneloops work great in the camera.

In fact if you are using these for modern high output flashlights you'll find that these lights generally perform far better with Eneloops (and cells like them) than with run of the mill non rechargeable alkalines.

As far as safety, they are almost as innocuous as regular cells from the corner store. They do not become more dangerous when over-discharged or over charged and the chemical mix inside is not likely to vent with flame like maltreated lithium based primaries and rechargables can.

Just bear in mind that any modern battery is storing a lot of energy in a small package and these cells can pump out that energy very quickly if you happen to unintentionally short them.

Personally I take some of the same precautions when charging Eneloops or any NiMH cell as I would with li-ion rechargable cells - have your charger on a non combustible surface away from other combustible items (like overhead cabinets, drapes and such) and try not to charge unattended.

Mostly just enjoy them, great performing cells that should serve you very well.

 

[jabe1]

You shouldn't eat them, and ummm... yeah that's bout it.

That was my first thought... :thumbsup:

 

[Led_Blind]

Pushing them into your nose is also ill-advised

 

[nanoxd]

Pushing them into your nose is also ill-advised

Gotcha!

 

[jacknife]

I hope you guys are just kidding.

 

[Yoda4561]

No, 100% serious. Perfectly safe unless you eat them, they're a potential choking hazard after all. I wouldn't charge them on a gasoline soaked rag near a curtain or something either, but that's just common sense. About the only potential danger is if you overcharge like 1000 of them at the same time in an airtight room, then throw a lit match inside. Unless you're charging batteries at a pumping station or natural gas mine I really wouldn't worry about it.

 

[WDG]

Pushing them into your nose is also ill-advised

Hey... that would have worked if those meddling kids hadn't stopped me!

 

[tandem]

Pushing them into your nose is also ill-advised

I hear you, I hate it when I do that!

Just the other day I was walking along the sidewalk trying to mind my own business when the guy walking behind me cranked up a boom box. "Hey", I thought to myself, "I'll just put some batteries in my ear to block the sound". Well whaddyaknow, after a few seconds of blissful quiet I tripped and rolled down the hill which of course shoved the cells right through my ear drum and into my brain.

Ouch! I hate it when I do that!

(Thank goodness they were Eneloops)

 

[jacknife]

Why isnt this same NIMH made for a CR123?

 

[radellaf]

I actually tried to find cells to make a CR123 sized battery out of 3 NiMH cells. Something like it can be done, but the capacity was like 100mAh, and the voltage of course is 3.6 instead of 3, so I didn't bother. I bought "safe" LiFePo4 500mAh cells instead.

 

[seamy82]

My bro got put in hospital wiring these, so be carefull.

Belfast Kitchen Fitter
Kitchen Installation Belfast

 

[Yoda4561]

Why isnt this same NIMH made for a CR123?

It's all about the chemicals and metals involved and how much power they potentially make in a given sized cell or battery. Kind of like how they can't make a stick of dynamite as powerful as a nuclear bomb.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Jacknife,

While no one has clearly stated it, NiMh safety is more about the batteries heating up and the charger melting (BC-900 and 9000 charger problems) rather than explosive and fire causing venting.

The chemicals used in NiMh batteries may stain, but they are not volatile like lithium cobalt chemistry.

With NiMh cells, you try to minimize the heat build up during charging, but still allow enough heat build up to signal the end of the charge. In most cases, NiMh cells will simply vent and/or die.

With that said, charging at high rates (15 minute - 30 minute charging) coupled with a plugged cell vent can cause the cell to explode. The problem then is staying out of the way of the shrapnel. The more cells in the battery pack the more of an issue this can be, but most of us limit the maximum charge rate to 60 minutes.

Eneloop cells have proven to be very reliable and they seem to handle modest abuse without problems. Take care when charging and use them with confidence.

Tom

 

[jacknife]

THanks Silverfox I am trying to learn about these as I have never used rechargable batteries before.. Does charging at a high rate mean Trying to Charge at a fast pace ? I have the Sanyo charger that came with the Eneloops I suspect that their charger will charge them at the proper rate . The ones that I got in the package say they are pre charged. And on the Multi meter you just check at DC? no battery setting for 1.2 v min.

 

[Mr Happy]

I think if you use the Sanyo charger you will be fine. But if it is the MQN06 model that has to charge 2 or 4 batteries at a time, you should try to make sure each pair of batteries is evenly discharged before charging them.

What has not been mentioned very much is that rechargeable batteries can deliver much more power than alkaline batteries. This means you should be careful not to accidentally short them out, because if you do the wire and batteries can become very hot.

Checking the charge state with a meter is difficult. In the case of Eneloops you can assume that any voltage 1.33 V and above is fully charged, while 1.22 V or below is empty. Eneloops come off the charger at about 1.45 V and then drift down towards 1.35 V or so over the following weeks. So you can use this as an indication of how recently they were charged.

 

[tandem]

Under the subheading, don't try this at home...

It is amazing what you can find on youtube these days... here's a fellow who has intentionally hooked up 100 (probably cheap) AA cells so he can show you what happens when you short them.

That fellow is either inquisitive or has too much time on his hands depending on your perspective.

Here's another video showing a fellow starting a fire with heavy gauge wire and a 17 ampere-hour lead acid battery.

You certainly do not need 100 cells or a 17Ah lead acid battery to create a very very hot wire. One good AA will do.

Moral of the story, don't short your cells unless you truly are in a life or death situation and have nothing else to start fire with, McGyver-like.