NiMH Rechargeable Batteries - Cheaper & Better Than Alkaline Batteries

NiMH (nickel metal-hydride) rechargeable batteries are more expensive than alkaline batteries if you just look at the price tag. However, when you factor in the life of a NiMH battery compared to an alkaline battery, you discover that NiMH rechargeable batteries are the way to go for most battery applications.

Consider that one AA alkaline battery costs 50 cents; a NiMH battery costs $3.00. Most people only compare the sticker price and decide right there that alkaline is cheaper. But like CFL bulbs, you must consider the costs of the life of the product to determine the true cost of an item.

A NiMH battery can be recharged hundereds of times (meaning that $3.00 is spread over each recharge). Let's say you only recharge a NiMH battery 50 times. That means the $3.00 NiMH battery really only costs 6 cents when comparing it to a one-time use of an alkaline battery! And that of course is only considering recharging a NiMH battery 50 times. You should get much more than that (more on that later).

One thing to consider is there will be a small amount of electricity required to recharge the batteries (this will add to the overall cost of the battery, but that electricity won't cost much). A NiMH battery recharger may only require about 5 watts of power (think standard night light). NiMH batteries are recharged by inserting them into a compatible battery charger and plugging it into the wall. Some chargers take a few minutes, others can take a few hours to completely recharge batteries.

Find video game deals! Visit this Cheap Video Game Deals lens. You will find the best video game deals listed (updated daily).

There is an old battery technology called NiCd (nickel cadmium) batteries that are rechargeable just like NiMH batteries. However, cadmium is a dangerous toxic heavy metal. Cadmium poisoning can cause problems if released into the environment (cadmium can cause extreme sickness for humans and animals).

Water, air and soil can also be contanminated with cadmium. One of the biggest reasons for this is the landfill trash of NiCd batteries. Please recycle all NiCd rechargeable batteries!

Other than the dangerous use of cadmium, the other reason why NiCd batteries have lost their popularity is because they suffer from the "memory effect." Nickel cadmium batteries had to be completely discharged or experience this "memory effect." NiCd rechargeable batteries would "remember" at the exact point where it began recharging and would suffer a drop in voltage at that point during battery usage.

It is best to stay away from NiCd batteries because of their toxic cadmium content and inconvenient recharging habits.

Rechargeable NiMH batteries are better for the environment (they contain less harsh compounds but still should be recycled). They do not contain any cadmium and unlike alkaline batteries, they can be used more than once. Think of it like this: you would need to buy 500 - 1,000 alkaline batteries to match the life of just one NiMH rechargeable battery. Think about the trash you would produce if you threw away 500 - 1,000 batteries. That is a lot of unnecessary trash!

NiMH batteries can be recharged several hundred times and the number of times is determined by how much you use them and how often you recharge the NiMH batteries. If you recharge a NiMH battery before it completely discharges, you will get more recharges out of the battery (extended life). If you use your NiMH batteries constantly in high-drain devices, this will decrease the overall life of the battery (the number of times it can be recharged).

Another advantage of NiMH batteries is they don't suffer from a "memory effect" like NiCd batteries.

Purchase a name brand NiMH battery (like Energizer or Rayovac) to avoid low quality batteries that will not hold a charge or to avoid batteries that do not recharge properly.

There is one disadvantage to using rechargeable NiMH batteries. They discharge at a significant rate (about 5-10% the first day, then leveling off between 0.5 - 1% per day at room temperature).

High-drain devices like digital cameras, MP3 music palyers, portable game systems, PDAs, portable CD players and toys are excellent products to use NiMH rechargeable batteries because they will require frequent recharging. Low-drain items like smoke detectors, remote controls and clocks should continue to use alkaline batteries as they will last much longer in these devices (using NiMH batteries in low-drain devices would require recharging every few days which would be inconvenient for these type of products).

If you take away the one disadvantage of the significant discharge rate of NiMH batteries, you see a lot of good reasons to start buying rechargeable NiMH batteries. They don't suffer from any "memory effect," they don't contain toxic cadmium, they are safer for the environment because NiMH batteries produce less trash in the landfills and they are cheaper than alkaline batteries because they can be recharged hundreds of times!

Remember, please RECYCLE ALL BATTERIES regardless if they are one-time use alkalines or rechargeable batteries!

There are a lot of good reasons to consider NiMH rechargeable batteries for most of your future battery needs. Don't be swayed by that initial sticker price on alkaline and NiMH batteries. Think of the long-term costs, financially and environmentally.

Here is a lens about Earthmate 1 Mg Low Mercury CFL Bulbs.



Eco Conservation Products