Rechargables in wireless mouse? smart or dumb?

StainlessSteel

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Is it a good idea to use Rechargable AA batteries in a wireless mouse for the computer?

thank you.
 

metalhed

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I do it.

The only problem I can see is that the first time or two that the batteries die, you may think the computer has frozen up on you...until you notice the lack of light coming from your mouse. :hahaha:

No big deal, but sometimes if I'm tired and they go dead, it takes me a second to realize it's not anything serious. Just keep a fresh pair around or in the charger, as when they die they give no warning whatsoever.
 

Brighteyez

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Aren't wireless mice usually shipped with NiMH batteries and cords that enable charging from the USB port?

StainlessSteel said:
Is it a good idea to use Rechargable AA batteries in a wireless mouse for the computer?

thank you.
 

Empath

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In my first wireless mice, particularly optical, rechargeables were reasonable. At that time using alkaline cells would only give you up to a month's use. Today, some wireless optical mice will give you up to six months of use on a pair of alkalines. The mouse I'm using now uses infrared instead of red led and the two alkaline cells last so long that I seldom even think of them. To me, rechargeables are unnecessary for it.

I know there are some still today that use a rechargeable cradle, and I can't figure out why. I don't know what the system used now is for switching from stand-by to full power, but the system has apparently changed from early models. I always figured if they just kept a circuit active monitoring for capacatance change as a hand neared the mouse, the stand-by power use would be negligable.
 

Heck

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I use nimh for my wireless mouse and bluetooth keyboard. Lasts a long time in the keyboard, and less so in the mouse, so I keep an extra set of nimh for it.

I keep a 15 min charge handy to charge these cells, don't care if I'm shortening the life of the cells or not charging to full capacity, the benefits outweight the cons.
 

benighted

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My mouse came with AA Ni-MH and a charging cradle, sometimes I use the mouse as a quick charger if something else around the house dies.
 

Lite_me

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My main machine has an old(er) cordless Logitech Mouseman Optical. It uses 2 AAs. It is my primary AAs battery deplete'r. Any device that I have that stops performing on its AAs, the batteries go in the kitty for use in it. This mouse will suck all the life out of used AAs while running for close to a month. When the batteries are 'out', an icon pops up in the System Tray letting me know it's time to change. Very handy. Works for me.
 

bob_ninja

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Same here Logitech MO. I use my oldest NiMHs that are no longer suitable for other aplications (just removed a pair of 1300s). They still last 2-4 weeks. Sometimes I also use it to drain other empty NiMHs as it has a nice slow draw. The only problem is that the spare NiMHs can self-drain by the time you want to use them in the mouse, so need to keep rotating spares.
 

jtice

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I use them in mine,

probably shouldnt, its might be draining them down too far,
but so far, I have not had any failures, leaks, dead cells, etc.

Lasts a LONG time though :)
I can go months.

~John
 

AFAustin

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Ditto what Lite_me said, assuming he was talking about alkies and not NiMHs. My cordless mouse is the primo dead alkie eater, and really can go on and on with cells that won't power up anything else. My computer "warns" me that the cells are low and to change them, and I just ignore it and the cells keep on going for weeks.
 

amanichen

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My MX700 will eat through a well worn pair of 2100MAh batteries in three days. (If I don't do any gaming, they'll last about a week.)
 

zespectre

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amanichen said:
My MX700 will eat through a well worn pair of 2100MAh batteries in three days. (If I don't do any gaming, they'll last about a week.)

Roughly the same here. Heavy use (I.E. photoshop) will have it calling for a recharge in 3-4 days. Light computer use I can get a week+ (running fairly new 2300 MAh).

I also have a belkin wireless mouse for my laptop (cute little thing) but it always acts a little funny with NiMH batts so I use alkalines in it.
 

tebore

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I have the original Cordless optical mouse made (The logitech one). I had to use rechargeables. 2 Alkys would last about 2-3 weeks less than that with heavy use. I have been using NiMHs with them ever since, saving the batteries that come with them for use in remotes and emergencies.
 

bob_ninja

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Same here Logitech MO. I use my oldest NiMHs that are no longer suitable for other aplications (just removed a pair of 1300s). They still last 2-4 weeks. Sometimes I also use it to drain other empty NiMHs as it has a nice slow draw. The only problem is that the spare NiMHs can self-drain by the time you want to use them in the mouse, so need to keep rotating spares.
 
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