Rechargable AA recommendations sought

[Geode]

Hi,

I am contemplating entering the wonderful world of rechargeable batteries, and know much has happened to get a lot of bang for the buck these days.

I will want to use 6 batteries at the same time and it would be nice to charge them all at the same time.

Any recommendations for bang-for-the buck batteries and a charger?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I think you have many bangs for the buck choices. There are literally dozens of threads on batteries and chargers, I will try to summerize what little I have gleaned in the few months I have been here.

First off chargers: I do not recall any 6 cell chargers and the 8-10 cell ones I have seen listed are somewhat slow (overnight, usually timer) so you may end up buying two fast chargers 15,30,60 min, 1-3 hours is what I consider fast.
I also recommend smart chargers, forget the timer based ones unless you want one on the extra cheap.

Batteries: nimh is the best all around for AA rechargeables, and the best bang for the buck is somewhat dependant on how many cells you want to buy and what output you truly need. The best cost per cell is in bulk quantities from online retailers such as amondotech.com and batteryspace.com. There are so many 4 cell chargers out there with/without batteries in so many configurations you really would have to divulge your usaged habits to narrow things down more. I suspect you want perhaps a dozen AA cells of ~2000mah or more capacity and want to be able to recharge them in 8 hours or less.

I myself have considered getting a bulk deal of powerizer cells from batteryspace.com and maybe a vanson BC1HU charger when I get the funds, but I haven't really decided yet I am still reading others opinions. I have two trains of thought when it comes to rechargables: first buy a fast charger so you don't have to have lots of cells and get better/best quality cells, second buy a slower fast charger (2-3 hours) and more batteries so you have enough spares you never have to wait on the charger, in this you buy more generic cells with somewhat less quality/capacity.

Hope this helps

 

[Phlack]

Good advice in the last paragraph.

I've got an AccuManager20 (700mah charge), and the old energizer "cooker" charger. I use the latter only when my kid is screaming that he wants to play with his leap pad, and we're about to go on a car trip, and he didn't bother to tell me an hour ago. Otherwise I stick with the AccuManager20, since the batteries don't get nearly as hot (I presume they get a better charge, but I don't have the resources to prove that; perhaps someone else smarter than I can answer that).

-Mike

 

[PocketBeam]

Cheap $6.99 package

I haven't used the above item. Personally I have a one hour charger from Ray o vac. I haven't noticed shortened life using fast charging. And having a battery in an hour is just about perfect. Usually if I need batteries, I can start them charging and then take a shower, etc, and when I am ready to go, so are the battereies.

Remember if they are not fully discharged, then they take less then an hour.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I also have a rayovac 1hr charger and to be honest if you buy cheaper generic nimh you dont feel guilty about cooking them to death over time with it because in the days of nicads I was lucky to get 20 charges out of them over the years before they were toast, if I get 50 full recharges and perhaps 100 *toppings* out of nimh cells it saves me a fortune compared to alkalines.

 

[Geode]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the advice. I am thinking about getting a flashlight that takes 6 AA cells that provide about 2 hrs of run time - the amount I use in a week. Sounds like two 4-packs is the way to go.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

If you had a dozen nimh cells you could get by with one 4 cell charger keeping 6 cells charged up ready to go and recharging the other 6 in two sessions. a semi decent 1 hour charger costs more than 8 cells so probably gettting a dozen and one charger will end up being the cheapest way to get by instead of 6 cells and 2 fast smart chargers.