Rechargable Batteries and Chargers?

[rahock]

Since picking up my Line 6 G30 wireless hookup up I'm on a quest for batteries for it, my Roland Microcube amp and my Olympia acoustic/electric bass.
I've been doing some internet research on what's best. Is anyone using Maha Powerex NiMh batteries on anything? For AA batteries they are looking pretty good. They are rated at 2700 mah and the independent test results show that they are delivering over 100% of that. A lot of batteries are advertising pretty substantial mah ratings but testing out to deliver far less than advertised ( imagine that)

I didn't come up with any test results for Duracell 2650 mah but their 2500 series looks pretty good. There is also another company with a 2900 mah bat but I couldn't find any test results on them. The tests are really pretty enlightening , some batteries are only deleviering 70-80% of what they advertise , while others are delivering over 100% of their advertised rating. So , you can buy a substatially lower rated battery and get more juice than the higher rated battery  .

I have not been able to find much good stuff on 9 volt NimH. Any suggestions?

I have a cheapo slow charger that is only good for up 2650 mah on a AA and 175 mah on a 9 volt. The question I have is this. mif I run a 2700 mah battery on a charger that is rated at only 2650, am I going to damage anything?  I am thinking about picking up another charger, but if I don't have to do it right away, I won't . Also, what's a good charger?

Thanks,
Rick

[Pilgrim]

I've used a lot of field gear that's battery powered, and for stuff like mikes I've come down on the side of alkaline batteries.  Reasons:

- When they're dead, you toss them with minimal environmental impact.
- They're cheap
- Alkalines are always ready NOW, but rechargeables take time to charge.  If you have two sets and one set fails while the other is on the charger, you're screwed.  You need alkalines as a backup anyway!
- Rechargeables tend to lose their charge unless you're quite good about charging on a regular basis (I put a file folder label on each battery and write the date I pull it off the charger so I can see at a glance when it was last charged, then scratch the date when the battery is discharged through use.)
- Not all equipment works well with rechargeables.  Alkalines and rechargeables discharge differently - and many rechargeables experience a sudden drop in voltage when partly discharged.  This voltage drop makes some types of equipment think the batteries have failed - which results in it shutting down - when the batteries actually have charge remaining.  Alkalines have a consistent rate of discharge which doesn't trick the shut-down circuits of field gear.

In response to your question - you won't hurt anything.  You just may not get a full charge into the battery, depending on how/when the charger is designed to shut down.  There are plenty of chargers around if you do some web surfing.

ALL rechargeables will drop in performance after some number of recharge cycles.  Today's NiMh are much more forgiving than the old Ni-Cads, especially in regard to not acquiring false memory.  I use a charger for AA rechargeables that completely discharges the batteries before it re-charges, just to be safe.

[Highlander]

Fast chargers will kill a battery faster...

Slow and steady wins the race... also try and get a charger that "senses" when the battery is charged to it's peak... and remember to "cycle" them from time to time (a few full/empty/full/empties)... NiMh does not suffer "NiCad memory" issues, but it does help...

[Chris P.]

Rechargable batteries can die suddenly, while a normal Duracell will lose it's power slowly. During gigs I rather use Duracells...

[Pilgrim]

Rechargable batteries can die suddenly, while a normal Duracell will lose it's power slowly. During gigs I rather use Duracells...

My point exactly. At partial discharge there is a slight but sudden voltage drop typical of rechargeables which can fool equipment into thinking the battery has failed.  Some gear is smart enough to deal with this and keep functioning, but other gear shuts down or malfunctions when this drop occurs.  It helps to try it out so you know how your equipment deals with the effect.

[TBird1958]

I've been using those Maha 9.6v batteries in my Shure I.E.M. setup for about a year now, the charger holds 4 and the charge typically lasts at least two hours. I've had no problems at all and have saved a lot of $$$ on batteries.........  

[rahock]

Thanks for the replies . I know with the Alkalines , it's Duracell at the top of the list, Energizers number two and everything else out there that I've come across is pretty much crap. With NiMh batteries there is alot to look out for in selecting something that's going to work right and it amounts to a whole lot more than just selecting a brand name. Each brand name has several different models of the same size battery, each with different mah ratings,  and when you look at the test results within the same brand,it's not uncommon to see a lower mah rating deliver more juice that the one with the higher rating. The better brand names on NiMh batteries are not always a name you're familiar with either. It looks like Duracell stands pretty tall in the NiMh world but unlike the Alkaline market, they do not rule the world and in many instances the unknown brands kick their butt. Picking the right NiMH battery calls for some reseach , or I would agree that sticking with Alkalines would be better and definately easier. I've got a few battery eaters on my hands and I've pretty much decided I've got to go rechargable, so I'm trying to find the best.

TBird it sounds like you did a little homework. I'm finding the Maha Powerex stuff stands pretty tall. Their 2700mah AA looks like the best out there,but I didn't find any test results on the 9 volts . In general their stuff looked to be top of the heap How would you compare their lifespan and performance to Alkalines? Also, did you buy online or did you find them in a store somewhere?


Any more words of wisdom out there?
Rick

[Lightyear]

..........................
Any more words of wisdom out there?
Rick

Yes, carry some alkaline backups    

Sorry, sometimes I can't help but be a smartass

[TBird1958]

I don't carry any Alkaline backups................Haven't needed too, reliabilaty has never been a problem. Everybody in my band uses IEMs and we all use these specific 9.6v batteries, there's an initial cost but they pay for themselves rapidly even if you gig/rehearse moderately. A couple of my bandmates are techies, being in ATT's cell phone test division and ex-Microsoft,  they checked the Maha ones out  pretty carefully and they've more than held up for all of us, I've never had one fail under any circumstances, show or rehearsal. On the day of a show I always just put them in the charger early in the day and they're ready to go in an hour or so, no problem. We play one hour sets so I can easily get two hours use from one battery plus have a few spares, change out is easy.
I let the partially used batteries discharge as much as possible after the show by putting them back in the IEM and leaving it on, back in the charger when I need them again. Simple and again reliable, no complaints here after a year or so.......lots of money saved on batteries, trips to the store to buy batteries, and nothing going into landfills either.
I'll try to find the online retailer I got them from after I get home later today!




 

[Lightyear]

All joking aside, blame it on a mild case of OCD, but I would carry backups for my backups  

[Pilgrim]

Consumer Reports did a test of various types of alkaline batteries a couple of years ago. Their conclusion was that all brands were essentially equal in the service they provide.  Their conclusion and recommendation was to buy whatever brand was on sale. 

[rahock]

Consumer Reports did a test of various types of alkaline batteries a couple of years ago. Their conclusion was that all brands were essentially equal in the service they provide.  Their conclusion and recommendation was to buy whatever brand was on sale. 

I've done my own tests and they don't agree with Consumer Reports. Duracell outlasts anything I have ever used by a mile.
Rick

[nofi]

i think your best bet would be a 12 volt truck battery you could put in a wagon and drag  around with you. young whippersnapper...cough..hack...aargh!!!

[rahock]

  That's what I'm doing now and I keep forgetting where I put the wagon!
Rick

[Pilgrim]

I've done my own tests and they don't agree with Consumer Reports. Duracell outlasts anything I have ever used by a mile.
Rick

YMMV, and if it works for you, embrace it!