topic Re: Rechargeable batteries in Home

Rechargeable batteries

mallemo — Tue, 13 May 2014 17:06:22 GMT

I know this has been discussed here many times but I need to refresh my memory. Does anyone have better luck with one brand of rechargeable battery over another? I've been using Energizer and was just wondering if another brand might hold it's charge longer? I've also got a couple of Energizer chargers. TIA!

Re: Rechargeable batteries

BornToShop — Tue, 13 May 2014 21:26:25 GMT

Hi mallemo, remember the good ole days when summerblue was still posting? She was a fanatic on rechargable batteries; did all kinds of research & really had a lot of good advise. If there was a way to find her old posts, I'm sure you could find some great information. How often do you have recharge the Energizers when you are using flameless candles with the 5 hrs on? I have become so anti-battery lately and would love to find a battery recharger worth the time.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

willdob3 — Tue, 13 May 2014 21:46:29 GMT

I've been using only rechargeable batteries for years & haven't noticed a measurable difference between brands.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

mallemo — Tue, 13 May 2014 23:40:28 GMT

On 5/13/2014 BornToShop said: Hi mallemo, remember the good ole days when summerblue was still posting? She was a fanatic on rechargable batteries; did all kinds of research & really had a lot of good advise. If there was a way to find her old posts, I'm sure you could find some great information. How often do you have recharge the Energizers when you are using flameless candles with the 5 hrs on? I have become so anti-battery lately and would love to find a battery recharger worth the time.

I agree. Summerblue was full of info. on this subject. I sure hope all is well with her as I have not heard a peep in ages. I have been using the "C" size in my VPH spheres and the "AA" size in some candles. The "AA" size last much longer in the candles than the "C" size do in the twinkling spheres. I think that twinkle is the battery drainer! I was just wondering what a generic rechargeable battery would be like.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

mallemo — Tue, 13 May 2014 23:41:20 GMT

On 5/13/2014 willdob3 said:
I've been using only rechargeable batteries for years & haven't noticed a measurable difference between brands.

Have you tried any generic or off brand batteries?

Re: Rechargeable batteries

MagnoliaMs — Wed, 14 May 2014 01:59:32 GMT

I'd love to know more about these. I'm going to have to float a loan if I buy anymore battery operated items. Do you plug something up and then attach it to your batteries? I have not tried these so hope that this isn't a laughable question.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

KJPA — Wed, 14 May 2014 02:27:42 GMT

I love the eneloop brand. I get them at Costco but I think they are sold at many places. I've found them only in AA and AAA size.

Recently I invested in C & D rechargeables which are a lot more difficult to find. I picked the Tenergy brand and purchased from Amazon. So far so good; they all worked after I charged them and going strong a month later in my Luminara candles that are on timers.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

KJPA — Wed, 14 May 2014 02:29:19 GMT

On 5/13/2014 MagnoliaMs said:
I'd love to know more about these. I'm going to have to float a loan if I buy anymore battery operated items. Do you plug something up and then attach it to your batteries? I have not tried these so hope that this isn't a laughable question.

If you have a Costco or other warehouse store that sells eneloop I would start with those. The set at Costco even comes with a charger. Once you get used to using the AA and AAAs you may feel more comfortable investing in the bigger batteries and chargers.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

mallemo — Wed, 14 May 2014 03:02:42 GMT

On 5/13/2014 MagnoliaMs said:
I'd love to know more about these. I'm going to have to float a loan if I buy anymore battery operated items. Do you plug something up and then attach it to your batteries? I have not tried these so hope that this isn't a laughable question.

Both of the chargers that I have the batteries go inside of them to charge. It then indicates when they are fully charged and ready to be used.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

mallemo — Wed, 14 May 2014 03:04:32 GMT

On 5/13/2014 KJPA said:
I love the eneloop brand. I get them at Costco but I think they are sold at many places. I've found them only in AA and AAA size.

Recently I invested in C & D rechargeables which are a lot more difficult to find. I picked the Tenergy brand and purchased from Amazon. So far so good; they all worked after I charged them and going strong a month later in my Luminara candles that are on timers.

Thank you. I will have to look in to that brand. The problem with the Energizer brand in the larger size batteries is that the initial investment for the batteries is pretty steep.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

GCR18 — Wed, 14 May 2014 03:21:40 GMT

I should look into these. For the longevity of the battery, do you have to run the charge out before recharging? Or does it matter? I hate when candles get down to half their life and are dull.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

mallemo — Wed, 14 May 2014 03:23:48 GMT

On 5/13/2014 graycatsrule said:
I should look into these. For the longevity of the battery, do you have to run the charge out before recharging? Or does it matter? I hate when candles get down to half their life and are dull.

I'm not sure about that and I probably should know because I do the same thing. The minute the battery operated item begins to dim I'm recharging!

Re: Rechargeable batteries

KJPA — Wed, 14 May 2014 03:41:46 GMT

On 5/13/2014 mallemo said:
On 5/13/2014 KJPA said:
I love the eneloop brand. I get them at Costco but I think they are sold at many places. I've found them only in AA and AAA size.

Recently I invested in C & D rechargeables which are a lot more difficult to find. I picked the Tenergy brand and purchased from Amazon. So far so good; they all worked after I charged them and going strong a month later in my Luminara candles that are on timers.

Thank you. I will have to look in to that brand. The problem with the Energizer brand in the larger size batteries is that the initial investment for the batteries is pretty steep.

Mallemo - yeah, the ones I got are expensive but I figured it this way: The large pack of D batteries I was buying at Costco cost around $15. Just for my window candles I needed to purchase every two months. That's $90/year!!!! I bought 16 rechargeable D batteries for about $120. That was steep, but in less than 1.5 years they will have paid for themselves. I also had to purchase a new charger so add another $50. I figured it would be two years to break even. In those two years I will probably charge the batteries about 12 times. The seller says you can charge them "up to 1000 times" so if I even 10% of those charges that's 100 times and should carry me into the year 2025. Hopefully a lot longer

Besides the recycling/waste issue of using so many alkaline batteries I had one other deciding factor. With all these window candles I need to change the batteries all at one time. They never go out at the same time; there is one going out every few days. And they need to be set to come on at the same time each night or they drive me nuts. I hated to remove batteries that were still working just because another candle was going out. Now I can just recharge them all at the same time, turn them on at the correct time in the evening and put them back in the windows. All done for another 60 days.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

Deadeye Daisy — Wed, 14 May 2014 13:21:50 GMT

I use rechargeables, but generally only when they come with an item or in my cordless phones. I have a charger that will charge both rechargeables and regular alkaline batteries.

Not necessary to spend money on C & D batteries. My holiday decorations and window candles call for C or D batteries. I use AAs with battery adapters. Bought 3 dozen adapters on sale online through Walgreens. I got mostly C, but some D. These cover my holiday wreaths, garlands, candles and villages.

You can get good brand name AA & AAA batteries with a minimum 3 year shelf life for great prices either at warehouse stores or places like nomorerack.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

KJPA — Wed, 14 May 2014 13:52:40 GMT

On 5/14/2014 Deadeye Daisy said:
I use rechargeables, but generally only when they come with an item or in my cordless phones. I have a charger that will charge both rechargeables and regular alkaline batteries.

Not necessary to spend money on C & D batteries. My holiday decorations and window candles call for C or D batteries. I use AAs with battery adapters. Bought 3 dozen adapters on sale online through Walgreens. I got mostly C, but some D. These cover my holiday wreaths, garlands, candles and villages.

You can get good brand name AA & AAA batteries with a minimum 3 year shelf life for great prices either at warehouse stores or places like nomorerack.

I tried those adapters but with my Luminara candles they didn't last long enough to suit me. I was constantly changing batteries.

I too have a charger that works on both rechargeables and alkalines. But I find that the recharged alkalines last a couple of days at best instead of one or two months. And I had lots of them start leaking and making a mess. I paid too much for my candles to have them ruined by the batteries.

BTW, I always used Duracell because I thought they were the best alkalines. But even they sometimes leak after one or two charges.

I'm glad it worked for you though!

Re: Rechargeable batteries

ValuSkr — Wed, 14 May 2014 16:20:56 GMT

If you stick with name brands like Duracell and Eveready / Energizer, there isn't much difference.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

MagnoliaMs — Thu, 15 May 2014 01:36:54 GMT

On 5/13/2014 graycatsrule said:
I should look into these. For the longevity of the battery, do you have to run the charge out before recharging? Or does it matter? I hate when candles get down to half their life and are dull.

graycatsrule, DH just told me he's used the rechargeable apparatus many times. He said you have to wait until the batteries totallly run down or the life of the batteries become shorter and shorter.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

GCR18 — Thu, 15 May 2014 01:56:00 GMT

On 5/14/2014 MagnoliaMs said:
On 5/13/2014 graycatsrule said:
I should look into these. For the longevity of the battery, do you have to run the charge out before recharging? Or does it matter? I hate when candles get down to half their life and are dull.

graycatsrule, DH just told me he's used the rechargeable apparatus many times. He said you have to wait until the batteries totallly run down or the life of the batteries become shorter and shorter.

I thought that was the case. Thanks.

Re: Rechargeable batteries

KJPA — Thu, 15 May 2014 02:19:56 GMT

The Tenergy rechargeables I bought are NiMH and supposedly don't have a memory. So theoretically you can charge them at any time and they should always have ""full"" charge again.

But read up on it; there is always fine print. I think it's good to let them run down completely some times or use a charger with a discharge feature that discharges them completely and then recharges them.