Doubts AA battery

[gamer87fla]

1) the Ni-MH rechargeable AA battery 2600mah is good against leakage? MOX brand

2) In the AA battery manual it says to increase the lifespan before using it, recharge it for 7 hours but I didn't understand this statement if the charger charges 100% and turns off before 7 hours?

3) In its manual it says that this Ni-MH rechargeable AA battery supports more than 500 recharges, any tips for increasing the number of recharges as much as possible?

 

[Bill_Bright]

It just means, because almost all batteries are never fully charged to 100% before they leave the factory (that takes too much time, and time = money), they want you to fully charge it before using it the first time. This is most likely to keep users from returning it because they think it ran out too early and not because it [supposedly] extends its life.

If it takes 3 hours to fully charge, then fine. They don't know what charger you are using so 7 hours is just a safe "guess" to give a good charge.

any tips for increasing the number of recharges as much as possible?

Not really because you are going to use the way you need to use it. That is, the load your TV remote puts on the battery will be different from the load your flashlight puts on it, and different still from the way your wireless keyboard puts on it.

So my advice is, first and foremost, keep it (or the device it is in) away from direct sunlight/extreme heat. After that, use it normally. Run it down, then charge it up. And if you need to store it unused for long periods of time, it typically is recommended to discharge it to about 50% or so. Then when ready to use, top it off.

 

[R-T-B]

For 1.) high amperage nimh AA cells like you just cited generally are poor against leakage (if by leakage you mean self-discharge). This is why Panasonics "white" eneloops nimh AA batts are the low self-discharge kings honestly (that and their quality manufacture), they are rated fairly low in mah. I believe it's like 1800mah for a AA or similar. They also can be recharged some 2000 times by comparison. Its not that your cells you bought are "bad" they are just formulated more for runtime than longterm lifespan.

 

[Bill_Bright]

That too.

But again, since battery makers produce 1000s of batteries every day (every hour!) it would be a HUGE logistics and expensive nightmare to charge every one to 100% before they left the factory. So they just don't do it.

 

[R-T-B]

That too.

But again, since battery makers produce 1000s of batteries every day (every hour!) it would be a HUGE logistics and expensive nightmare to charge every one to 100% before they left the factory. So they just don't do it.

Eneloop whites come "precharged." Mostly because they are one of the few with a low enough self discharge that the logistics are doable (they will literally hold a charge for multiple years at above 80%).

Granted, his almost certainly won't. That's the exception not the rule.

 

[gamer87fla]

The leak I'm referring to is that it releases the chemical compound that corrosives metals and the PCB out of the battery. In the past, I lost remote controls or joysticks because the AA battery leaked and corroded the Ni-MH, I don't know how it was built.

I live in Brazil and in my city I couldn't find eneloop, only Chinese brands like MOX

 

[DavidC1]

That too.

But again, since battery makers produce 1000s of batteries every day (every hour!) it would be a HUGE logistics and expensive nightmare to charge every one to 100% before they left the factory. So they just don't do it.

You sure it isn't due to them ultimately ending up in shelves for months which will kill the lifespan?

 

[R-T-B]

The leak I'm referring to is that it releases the chemical compound that corrosives metals and the PCB out of the battery. In the past, I lost remote controls or joysticks because the AA battery leaked and corroded the Ni-MH, I don't know how it was built.

I live in Brazil and in my city I couldn't find eneloop, only Chinese brands like MOX

ah, on nimh the leaks are generally non-corrosive if they do happen, and they happen much less often. You should be safe.

 

[bonehead123]

#Enloops4Me4eva#

I've been using these for years in all kinds of devices, they last a LONG time, hold a charge a LONG time, and the have yet to leak, voltage or chemical-wise, nevanottaproblemo

 

[oxrufiioxo]

I only use Enloops as well never had any problems either been using them at least a decade in all my devices.

 

[evernessince]

#Enloops4Me4eva#

I've been using these for years in all kinds of devices, they last a LONG time, hold a charge a LONG time, and the have yet to leak, voltage or chemical-wise, nevanottaproblemo

Same, haven't had to buy a battery since. Insane value given I only paid $25 for the entire kit which includes the batteries, charger, and converters.

 

[gamer87fla]

AA Ni-MH batteries when they leak do they release acid or corrosive liquid inside the circuit corroding the joystick or remote control? In my childhood I had batteries that leaked and destroyed everything

 

[dragontamer5788]

AA Ni-MH batteries when they leak do they release acid or corrosive liquid inside the circuit corroding the joystick or remote control? In my childhood I had batteries that leaked and destroyed everything

NiMH leak hydrogen when damaged, which destroys the battery and dissipates quickly. There's a small fire risk (very very small amount of Hydrogen), but that stuff just disperses in the room rather quickly and doesn't cause issues in practice. Hydrogen is a gas, not a liquid (like Alkaline batteries). Its generally considered safe but the small chance of explosion risk is something to keep in mind. As long as you're not anywhere near an open flame, you'll be fine.

Alkaline batteries leak when over-discharged. I would personally suggest everyone move to NiMH these days, its just better in the vast majority of applications.

When NiMH batteries claim "low-leakage", they mean leakage-current. A "low-leakage" NiMH stays charged for 1 to 10 years, depending on the quality. Your "typical" Eneloop are 1-year low-leakage current (aka: ~1-year in storage they'll still be charged), while the more expensive Eneloops can be mostly-charged even after 10 years of storage.

-----------

2000mAh is good for a low-leakage (aka: long-storage) NiMH. 2600mAh is nearly unbelievable, especially from a no-name brand like MOX. I would prefer to buy the 2000mAh Eneloops which have been tested for ~10 years to have good storage characteristics. Alternatively, Energizer 2000mAh to 2300mAh cells have good leakage / storage characteristics as well in my experience, so I'm willing to choose Energizer from the stores.

 

[gamer87fla]

You said that the AA Ni-MH battery does not leak acidic compounds or liquids, corroding everything, but Ni-MH leaks hydrogen. If it leaks inside the joystick, the hydrogen gets trapped in the cylindrical AA battery compartment and the joystick explodes?

Chinese Ni-MH AA batteries undergo a lot of alteration and deceive by saying they are Ni-MH but it is not this technology?

 

[dragontamer5788]

You said that the AA Ni-MH battery does not leak acidic compounds or liquids, corroding everything, but Ni-MH leaks hydrogen. If it leaks inside the joystick, the hydrogen gets trapped in the cylindrical AA battery compartment and the joystick explodes?

No. The Hydrogen leaks out, much like a Helium balloon or other gas. But when this happens, the NiMH is effectively destroyed. In any case, this only happens if you significantly abuse NiMH. It can only explode if there's something that can catch it on fire the moment it leaks. Which is ... I don't want to say impossible but... very very very rare. There's no fires in a Joystick, so the gas just disappears into the atmosphere.

EDIT: This only happens if the battery overheats. Which means you pulled over 2Amps (!!!!) from the battery, so something very, very, very wrong has happened to your electronics. It takes a substantial amount of abuse to destroy a NiMH, its one of the safest and most reliable chemistries I know of.

Chinese Ni-MH AA batteries undergo a lot of alteration and deceive by saying they are Ni-MH but it is not this technology?

There's a ton of different NiMH chemistries. Eneloop is one of the best chemistries in practice, but only has ~2000mAh. If you're seeing higher numbers (ex: 2600mAh), its likely not a LSD (low-self-discharge) type like Eneloop or Energizer. It should be noted that "AmazonBasics" are Eneloops, so they're also a fine brand. (Amazon buys up Eneloops, paints them in Amazon's colors, then resells them)

Old NiMH chemistries will self-discharge within 1 to 3 months. Which is too quick in most scenarios. Having 1year+ is a very important feature, more important than 2000mAh vs 2600mAh. Most things that use AA batteries (such as video game controllers or toothbrushes or flashlights) are expected to be used for longer than a month between recharges (especially if you're in infrequent gamer who only plays once or twice a week).

 

[gamer87fla]

If I buy any Chinese Ni-Mh AA battery, could I be buying a fake battery that is not Ni-Mh and that will leak liquid or acid and destroy the joystick circuit?

Why do common AA batteries leak and corrode the circuit? because of construction discharge to 0% constant recharges etc

 

[R-T-B]

Why do common AA batteries leak and corrode the circuit? because of construction discharge to 0% constant recharges etc

Because alkaline battery chemistry is different, and corrosive with a tendency to leak if left empty for a long period.

 

[Frick]

with a tendency to leak if left empty for a long period.

This is the main thing. If you don't use the thing the battery is in, unplug the battery. It's one of those things that should be taught in school.

 

[dragontamer5788]

This is the main thing. If you don't use the thing the battery is in, unplug the battery. It's one of those things that should be taught in school.

Or just use NiMHs IMO. If you abuse a NiMH (ex: over-discharge), the NiMH breaks and you just throw it away. But there's no damage to anything else.

The only reason to use Alkaline is for cheap 2+ years worth of charge on very low use devices, like remote controls. NiMH (at least Eneloops / Energizers) still discharges over a ~1 year period in practice so its still more convenient to use Alkaline in TV remotes or Fire Alarms IMO.

 

[Frick]

Or just use NiMHs IMO. If you abuse a NiMH (ex: over-discharge), the NiMH breaks and you just throw it away. But there's no damage to anything else.

The only reason to use Alkaline is for cheap 2+ years worth of charge on very low use devices, like remote controls. NiMH (at least Eneloops / Energizers) still discharges over a ~1 year period in practice so its still more convenient to use Alkaline in TV remotes or Fire Alarms IMO.

Well, alkiline batteries are everywhere. NiMH's are not. Recently I was at a wedding and wanted to buy some fresh batteries for the microphones. I bought a 20-pack of AA batteries that I know are of ok quality, for very little money, in a store that is everywhere. The only thing in my home that uses AA batteries is my mouse. The single remote I have use AAA batteries. That 20 pack will last for many years. I think I have a charger somewhere, but honestly I don't think NiMH batteries would be worth it in my case. Fire alarms use 9V batteries where I live. As does multimeters, so changing the batteries is something you do very rarely.

 

[gamer87fla]

Can the AA Ni-MH cylindrical battery be kept inside the joystick for long periods even without use and without risk?

I researched AA Ni-MH batteries and someone said that when they leak they release potassium hydroxide

 

[R-T-B]

Can the AA Ni-MH cylindrical battery be kept inside the joystick for long periods even without use and without risk?

I researched AA Ni-MH batteries and someone said that when they leak they release potassium hydroxide

They release hydrogen gas but only for brief periods in small amounts and it is generally harmless unless near an open flame like a lighter or something.

I've never heard about them releasing potassium hydroxide. Maybe if you abused them or something but I don't think theres potasium even then to get that compound?

Well, alkiline batteries are everywhere. NiMH's are not. Recently I was at a wedding and wanted to buy some fresh batteries for the microphones. I bought a 20-pack of AA batteries that I know are of ok quality, for very little money, in a store that is everywhere. The only thing in my home that uses AA batteries is my mouse. The single remote I have use AAA batteries. That 20 pack will last for many years. I think I have a charger somewhere, but honestly I don't think NiMH batteries would be worth it in my case. Fire alarms use 9V batteries where I live. As does multimeters, so changing the batteries is something you do very rarely.

Honestly for 99% of use cases alkalines are fine. Just trying to answer this persons question as he seems extremely fearful of leaks. If so, this should work for him, if just removing the cells when dead is not a valid option.

It also slightly more eco friendly than alkaline, but really, not that much more.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Eneloop whites come "precharged." Mostly because they are one of the few with a low enough self discharge that the logistics are doable (they will literally hold a charge for multiple years at above 80%).

I don't believe that is why or how it works. In the manufacturing process of batteries, as soon as they assemble and connect the various components/elements of the chemical substances that make up the battery, the chemical reaction process that creates the charge begins. "Some", high current testing/charging at this point occurs. But not full charging.

One of the Laws of Physics/facts of life is that the closer a battery comes to full charge, the slower its rate of charge becomes. It is like trying to reach the speed of light. The closer you get to that speed, the harder it is to get even closer. This is why a battery can become nearly fully charged in a relatively short period of time, but take a long time to fully charge.

IMO, it is this fact that dictates the fact that battery makers do NOT fully charge/quality-test each and every battery before it leaves the factory as that process is just not cost effective.

You sure it isn't due to them ultimately ending up in shelves for months which will kill the lifespan?

No. The BIG retailers (Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) don't ever, as in NEVER EVER want products sitting on the shelves "for months". That is bad for business. And that is bad inventory management. Someone would probably fired if that happened too often.

This is why these big companies don't have big "warehouses". NO!!! They have big "distribution centers" instead. Look up "JIT" inventory.

 

[R-T-B]

I don't believe that is why or how it works.

With all due respect, that's just silly as you can google this one. If you really must insist on this point buy them and enjoy the advertised points on the packaging, as well as nominal 1.6v free cell voltage (full charge in their docs). I've been using these eneloop cells since Sanyo sold them and precharged had always been part of the product features.

Panasonic literally makes a big fuss about this, to the point "PRECHARGED WITH SOLAR" covers nearly 80% of the package face (yeah, it's a bit marketing cringe, but makes my point).

 

[Shrek]

In its manual it says that this Ni-MH rechargeable AA battery supports more than 500 recharges, any tips for increasing the number of recharges as much as possible?

• Eneloop Pro AA are 2550mAh (500 recharges)
• Eneloop AA are 2000mAh (2100 recharges) and half the cost

I know which ones I would get.

I even have carriers to turn 3 AA cells into a D cell.