Rechargable batteries

[MarMatthias]

Hi,

I know the question of which batteries are the best replacements for Uniden radios. I have found some replacements that work very well and have a very good life:

Sanyo Eneloop 8 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries: Electronics

I did the math for the price and found that I saved at least $2200 with these batteries vs other brands. YMMV though, but I have found them quite reliable and you don't need to worry about any "memory locks" and such. You can charge these batteries to "top them off" with no negative side effects.

Hope this helps anyone looks for good, reliable replacement batteries.

 

[tampabaynews]

Hi,

I know the question of which batteries are the best replacements for Uniden radios. I have found some replacements that work very well and have a very good life:

Sanyo Eneloop 8 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries: Electronics

I did the math for the price and found that I saved at least $2200 with these batteries vs other brands. YMMV though, but I have found them quite reliable and you don't need to worry about any "memory locks" and such. You can charge these batteries to "top them off" with no negative side effects.

Hope this helps anyone looks for good, reliable replacement batteries.

Thanks, will try a pack!

 

[Dewey]

Remember that the Sony Eneloop's are "Low Discharge" batteries, so they are able (supposed to) be able to sit charged on a shelf without losing a significant amount of charge due to sitting (this is how/why they come pre-charged). There is nothing wrong with this, but low discharge cells do not come in capacities as high as standard nickel metal recahrgables. With that said, the Eneloops are 2,000 mAh. The Maha's have recently upped the capacity of their low dischage cells from 2,100 mAh to 2,400 mAh (-Maha Imedion AA 2400mAh Rechargeable BatteriesUltra Low Dis..). So now you can have 2,400 mAh low discharge cells that are almost as high a capacity as the higher standard 2,700 nickel metal cells, AND, the cost of the 2,400 mAh Mahas is neck and neck with the 2,000 mAh Sonys.

Just one person's opinion,
Dewey

 

[Baylink]

Remember, though, that those high-cap rechargeables don't come without a price:

Battery capacity - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[IAmSixNine]

Good info guys. Thanks.

 

[hiegtx]

Remember, though, that those high-cap rechargeables don't come without a price:

Battery capacity - The RadioReference Wiki

Also, remember that if you put a set of the low discharge Eneloops, or the Maha/Imedion low discharge batteries (there are other brands available as well), into a fast charger (one that charges in 15 minutes), the heat from the fast charging can damage the batteries, greatly shortening their life span, not to mention lowering their usable capacity in the process.

 

[TEH]

rechargeable batteries

Radio friends,

Thanks for this info on the Eneloop batteries, this looks interesting. I have not seen this brand of battery in stores yet. Here's my experience with NiMH batteries. Anyone with information on these issues, please reply.

1. I bought Sanyo 2700 MAH NiMH batteries from a large national battery store which has a booth at the Orlando, FL Hamcation each February. While the batteries worked fine initially, they deteriorated prematurely, and would not power my scanners.

2. This national battery retailer advised me that rapid chargers shorten the life of the batteries by about half. Thus I have stopped using rapid chargers.

3. While examining NiMH batteries at retailers, I noticed that packages of Eveready batteries stated that the 2300 MAH batteries have a much longer life span (ie number of times the battery can be recharged and used, and NOT the running time for any given charge) than 2650 MAH and other higher-capacity batteries. So far, I have not noticed the Eveready 2300 MAH batteries declining in capacity.

4. Literature I have read about NiMH batteries and recent NiCd batteries (late 1980s till now) is that these batteries do not have a memory effect as NiCd batteries from 2-3 decades ago had.

5. I used to run my scanners until I got low battery indication, and then charged the batteries. But for the last few months, I have charged the batteries after a few days of use, and before the scanner gives a low battery indication.

6. The Uniden scanners we have purchased came with a Chinese brand of NiMH 2300 MAH batteries. These seem to have a life span of about a year or 2. In one case, these batteries have leaked and caused corrosion within the battery compartment.

Thanks for any information you can provide.

 

[gambill1]

I have been using a 2000 mah nickel metal hydride that is made by chicago electric. sold by harbour frieght. I get about 4 nights out of these. about 6-8 hours a night the scanner is on. works real good in the scanner i use. a 4 pack was $4.99 on sale so i tried a pack and went and bought more. got rid of the old radio shack rechargebles that i have been using.

 

[hiegtx]

Thanks for this info on the Eneloop batteries, this looks interesting. I have not seen this brand of battery in stores yet. Here's my experience with NiMH batteries. Anyone with information on these issues, please reply.

Eneloops are available at some of the camera stores. I've seen them at Fry's as well. Besides Thomas Distributing, they're also available from Amazon. I have also had good experiences with the Imedion batteries (Maha's version of the low discharge batteries, purchased from Thomas).

1. I bought Sanyo 2700 MAH NiMH batteries from a large national battery store which has a booth at the Orlando, FL Hamcation each February. While the batteries worked fine initially, they deteriorated prematurely, and would not power my scanners.

Similar results to mine on those batteries. I bought several sets of four batteries. Despite gently charging them, externally, I've had an unacceptably high failure rate with these. One or more in a 'set' of batteries for my 396XT or PSR-500 would exhibit a high self discharge rate. In effect, there would be a cell too dead to power the scanner, or only for a short time, within a few days of being fully charged. A refresh/recharge cycle in one of the Maha chargers had no effect. I'm culling the weak sisters out, and will likely end up using the low discharge batteries exclusively.

2. This national battery retailer advised me that rapid chargers shorten the life of the batteries by about half. Thus I have stopped using rapid chargers.

Ditto. Heat from fast charging is the enemy.

 

[EJB]

Also, remember that if you put a set of the low discharge Eneloops, or the Maha/Imedion low discharge batteries (there are other brands available as well), into a fast charger (one that charges in 15 minutes), the heat from the fast charging can damage the batteries, greatly shortening their life span, not to mention lowering their usable capacity in the process.

I used to have a set of low-discharge batteries like the ones you are mentioning (came pre-charged) and I'll say that they lasted me almost 2 years charged solely on a fast charger (15 min).

The batteries that came with my HP 1 the 2300's are crappy and the 15 min charger occasionally makes them hot as hell and refuses to charge them the first time.

 

[Tom_G]

I've been using Eneloops for about a year and I like them the best.
The shelf like is great on them.
Thats all I use now.

 

[Baylink]

Similar results to mine on those batteries. I bought several sets of four batteries. Despite gently charging them, externally, I've had an unacceptably high failure rate with these. One or more in a 'set' of batteries for my 396XT or PSR-500 would exhibit a high self discharge rate. In effect, there would be a cell too dead to power the scanner, or only for a short time, within a few days of being fully charged. A refresh/recharge cycle in one of the Maha chargers had no effect. I'm culling the weak sisters out, and will likely end up using the low discharge batteries exclusively.

Ditto. Heat from fast charging is the enemy.

I don't know that it is. As I noted in the wiki article I wrote and linked about, anything over about 2300mAh is *insanely* sensitive to physical damage; the layers short together inside the cell. At least, this is what my battery guy tells me, and he's been doing this for almost 40 years.

(So that I'm clear, yes, heat isn't going to help you any, which is why all the fast and super-fast chargers have Big Fans... but I don't think that's all that's causing people's problems.)

 

[Baylink]

Here's quite a bit more background on the Eneloops, which are (and I didn't realize this) not the "rechargeable alkalines"; they're low self-discharge NiMH batteries:

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Eneloop

 

[jackj]

I have just bought a set of Eneloops for use in my wife's digital camera. Regular NiMh cells work pretty well just after they are charged but her camera might set for a month or more between uses and then they are mostly dead. I don't see any advantage for the Eneloop style over regular NiMh if you use them on a regular basis. Intermittent use should be where they will shine.

 

[MarMatthias]

Remember that the Sony Eneloop's are "Low Discharge" batteries, so they are able (supposed to) be able to sit charged on a shelf without losing a significant amount of charge due to sitting (this is how/why they come pre-charged). There is nothing wrong with this, but low discharge cells do not come in capacities as high as standard nickel metal recahrgables. With that said, the Eneloops are 2,000 mAh. The Maha's have recently upped the capacity of their low dischage cells from 2,100 mAh to 2,400 mAh (-Maha Imedion AA 2400mAh Rechargeable BatteriesUltra Low Dis..). So now you can have 2,400 mAh low discharge cells that are almost as high a capacity as the higher standard 2,700 nickel metal cells, AND, the cost of the 2,400 mAh Mahas is neck and neck with the 2,000 mAh Sonys.

Just one person's opinion,
Dewey

I don't remember what mAh these are... I have seen them as high as 3400 mAh. I just know they work very well for my 396XT, LED flaslights and other things I use. I also have a weather station that eats batteries like water. I can use up a NiCd in a month while these last 6 months or more. I'm sure these are other brands out there that do well. I've heard Rayovac is good.

For me, NiCd (with my 396XT) are problematic because I have an odd charging pattern, These don't burn up when I charge it for half an hour, go out for 2 or 3 hours, them plug it back in when I get back... I put my radio on and off the electricity so much that my worst enemy is the "memory lock" NiCd have...

 

[MarMatthias]

anything over about 2300mAh is *insanely* sensitive to physical damage; the layers short together inside the cell.

I haven't had that problem with the Sanyo Eneloop batteries and I'm always dropping the things. I flashlight looks pathetic and like it went through a war zone.

 

[hiegtx]

I don't know that it is. As I noted in the wiki article I wrote and linked about, anything over about 2300mAh is *insanely* sensitive to physical damage; the layers short together inside the cell. At least, this is what my battery guy tells me, and he's been doing this for almost 40 years.

(So that I'm clear, yes, heat isn't going to help you any, which is why all the fast and super-fast chargers have Big Fans... but I don't think that's all that's causing people's problems.)

Baylink,
The Sanyo 2700mah NI-MH that I've had an unacceptable high failure rate on, were: a- Not dropped or otherwise subjected to physical shock that should induce damage. I know what you are referring to. In order to get the higher capacity, you have to put more inside the case, so that means thinner insulators separating the layers of material. All that greater density makes them, shall we say, 'more fragile'? After all, you can't exceed the size for a "AA" battery, and it still be usable as one.
and b- These batteries were given the extended charge (not a fast charge), so excess heat was not a factor. Even so, far too many of them have quickly developed very high self discharge rates, going from charged to essentially dead in only a few days.

This rapid failure has not been encountered on other batteries from different manufacturers.

On the other hand, the Sanyo Eneloops, the Imedions, and a set of Lenmar low discharge batteries have all performed very well, charged on the same chargers. I've used nothing but low discharge batteries in my digital cameras for several years. But, I was wanting a higher capacity battery, for extended run time, for the scanners.

 

[DPD1]

Yeah, I like the Eneloops too. I've used those in shortwaves and they are quite good. It helps greatly to have a decent, controllable charger though. Those cheap ones just don't cut it. You want something that you can control the charge speed.

 

[MarMatthias]

Yeah, I like the Eneloops too. I've used those in shortwaves and they are quite good. It helps greatly to have a decent, controllable charger though. Those cheap ones just don't cut it. You want something that you can control the charge speed.

I like the solar chargers. I just set it in the bathroom or some other well lighted area. I can leave the batteries in it until I'm ready to use them. All the good ones have circuts that prevent over-charging.

 

[MarMatthias]

The Uniden scanners we have purchased came with a Chinese brand of NiMH 2300 MAH batteries. These seem to have a life span of about a year or 2. In one case, these batteries have leaked and caused corrosion within the battery compartment.

The ones that came with my 396XT lasted about 6 months for me. I know that's because of my erratic charging pattern, on and off the electricity constantly and using the LED features heavily... From what I understand, the higher the micro amps, the longer the battery will last. It seems to play out that way for my usage habit as well.