I Bought Some Batteries at the Dollar Store

[Nietzsche]

One dollar for, I think, eight AA batteries.

At the time, it seemed plausible: even if they only lasted a short while, it still beats spending 4-8 dollars on a package of high-quality batteries.

Well, now that the cheap batteries are gone, I can voice my final proclamation on the matter: THEY SUCKED.

No, I'm not surprised. But still.

I needed the batteries in the first place because I have an X-Box 360, and the (wireless) controller chews them up pretty good. In that context, the cheap batteries lasted roughly two days, compared with a nice pair of Duracell's which last over a week.

Just now, my remote for my TV died, and I estimate the (cheap) batteries lasted a total of about three weeks. As most of you are aware, a remote should have no problem going a full SIX MONTHS without needing batteries.

Not only are these batteries crap, their lifespan is SHORTER than I would have expected.

Just FYI.

[Hierophant]

Get rechargeables...

[Thank You]

Well, if the goal is to save money, keep buying the cheap ones (if rechargeable isn't an option). Perhaps I misunderstand the facts you've presented, but it sounds like expensive batteries cost 4x as much, and last 7/2 times as long. If you don't mind the extra trips to the store or carrying and storing more batteries, the cheap ones sound like the better option.

[vertigo]

Why don't you just use a wired controller, or is there not that option?

[Thank You]

Wired controllers are tough to find for the 360, and kind of annoying to have to use, especially if you get used to playing the Wii.

[Tmaq]

I just saw a pack of 30 rechargable AA batteries in one of our local grocery stores for $20.

The charger might run you $15-$20 more, and you'll never spend more than a penny per charged battery after that (the electricity still costs, but very litttle). Easier on the eviornment, too.

-Tom

[Nietzsche]

You guys are awesome.

[Jimbo Rich]

After a while of recharging a chargeable battery, it starts to wear out the pastey stuff in the cel of a battery, if its a dry cell, which most batteries are, and it will eventually make it unable to hold anymore ions. then, the battery is dead. this takes a while of course, but just so you know that rechargeable batteries do die eventually. (The more you charge them)

[Phentos]

Well duh. Nothing can manage perfection.

[Tmaq]

After a while of recharging a chargeable battery, it starts to wear out the pastey stuff in the cel of a battery, if its a dry cell, which most batteries are, and it will eventually make it unable to hold anymore ions. then, the battery is dead. this takes a while of course, but just so you know that rechargeable batteries do die eventually. (The more you charge them)

MTBF depends strongly on type and treatment, too.

The eventual failure can be delayed quite a while by proper charging. Some are more forgiving than others.

-Tom

[Thank You]

The eventual failure can be delayed quite a while by proper charging.

Well, how long. He might want to do a price comparison. (Or is it not even close? Assuming the cost of the charger and the electricity is negligible, in the long run, the rechargables would have to get 10 2/3 total days usage in a wireless 360 remote used at the rate Nietzsche plays.)

[Tmaq]

The eventual failure can be delayed quite a while by proper charging.

Well, how long. He might want to do a price comparison.

Agreed. Based on the costs I've seen, you only have to recharge them 2 or 3 times to make them cost less overall than buying non-rechargables, and with proper care, they can often be good for 1-200 recharges.

That's not to say that you can't kill them pretty quickly, too. Overvcharging NiCads bascially destroys them before you even use them once.

With a little searching, you can find tons of guides for the various types of rechargeable batteries, how to charge them properly, 'deep-cycling,' the 'memory effect,' which types suffer it, how to avoid it, etc.

-Tom

[nobody in particular]

NiMH rechargeable batteries are awesome. I've been using them for years. They are good for use in things which need to be recharged frequently like cameras, phones, and wireless controllers, mice and keyboards. Only get as many as you can use, though, as they tend to have a high self-discharge rate and so aren't useful to keep around if you aren't using them.

Alkaline batteries are still mostly useful for things like smoke alarms and TV remotes, where a set of batteries would typically last a year or so. I usually tell people to buy these batteries in large quantities as they have very slow self-discharge rate and so will keep for a long time without use.