Rechargeable AA Lithium Batteries

[Snowgoose-1]

I'm a medium to high user of AA batteries both at home and the boat.
The throw away Enegizer Lithiums are superb.

I notice that Rechargeable Lithiums are available but at a fairly high initial cost.

Just wonder if any folks have experience
of them and maybe any recommendations .
TIA

 

[Rappey]

I have lots of devices with 9v battery but not often used and therfore flat when needed. Bought usb rechargeable 9v as didn't want yet another 240v battery charger Very pleased. Here what you may be looking for ?
1.5V Rechargeable AA Lithium Batteries 2600mWh Li-ion Batteries w/ Charger Cable | eBay

 

[Refueler]

Why not use standard NiMH rechargeables ?? I buy Grundig NiMh ... they are good Low Self Discharge items - as godd as any at 2x the price ...

I have only odd items that cannot use them ... due to the full charge voltage being less then the 1.5V of dry cells ... BUT the NiMh maintains better voltage stability in any item they work in unlike Dry Cells that voltage drop like a brick !!

 

[Trident]

I have a 16 Energizer rechargeable batteries and their AA charger - all for my wife's twinkle lights for Christmas because they run down the normal Duracell and Energizer so quickly . The rechargeable last almost as long between charges so from this limited experience I think they are quite good

 

[kwb78]

Why not use standard NiMH rechargeables ?? I buy Grundig NiMh ... they are good Low Self Discharge items - as godd as any at 2x the price ...

I have only odd items that cannot use them ... due to the full charge voltage being less then the 1.5V of dry cells ... BUT the NiMh maintains better voltage stability in any item they work in unlike Dry Cells that voltage drop like a brick !!

NiMh can be good but you do need to get low self discharge versions if it's something that's only used intermittently. Ordinary NiMh cells can discharge 5% or more in the first day and be completely discharged after a few weeks.

Lithium cells are usually pretty good in that regard, and the main advantage is that they have an internal voltage that is 3.6V or thereabouts, and use a buck converter to provide 1.5V until they are completely discharged. The downside of them is that their current output is limited by what the buck converter can supply, so the quality of the battery is important - cheap ones might not be able to supply enough for high current devices.

One thing about lithium cells (both primary cells and rechargeables) is that they don't tend to leak like alkalines if left for a long period, so if you inadvertently store something with batteries in, you don't come back to find it damaged by battery goo.

 

[andsarkit]

The lithium cells above are quoted as 2600mWh compared to NiMh usually quoted as mAh so you need to divide by 1.5V to make a comparison. Many NiMh now have very low self discharge and can still be 80% after a year.
Recyko If the cells come precharged ready to use they are probably low self discharge.
I always use Energizer alkalines as they are guaranteed not to leak. Duracell are also known as Duraleak for their ability to destroy expensive equipment.

 

[GHA]

Not lithium but Ikea own brand Ladda have proven to be great for a good few years now, I've a nitecore charger which charges most. Lithium ion PP3 are good for multimeters as they have a little boost converter and kick out 9v plus or nothing, many an hour has gone by with confusion from a meter with low batteries. Most will charge from usb c.
Also a good buy can be used 18650's on ebay, the test numbers they give will be made up but still usually well worth it. Fake 18650`s weigh less then real ones, about 35g to 40 odd grammes istr.

 

[jwilson]

I use loads of AA cells: almost given up on NiMh except for one trail camera that really likes the high power delivery of good NiMhs. At the moment I just buy bulk packs of "industrial" Energisers or Duracells. The lithium AAs that recharge from USB are so far all non-brand" ones, and I avoid this if I can. Also If something you use takes 4 or 8 AAs it would be a lot of hassle charging one lithium AA at a time for an hour or two.

 

[Plum]

. Duracell are also known as Duraleak for their ability to destroy expensive equipment.

Agree. I have given up buying Duracell due to them leaking.

 

[Aja]

Not lithium but Ikea own brand Ladda have proven to be great for a good few years now, I've a nitecore charger which charges most. Lithium ion PP3 are good for multimeters as they have a little boost converter and kick out 9v plus or nothing, many an hour has gone by with confusion from a meter with low batteries. Most will charge from usb c.
Also a good buy can be used 18650's on ebay, the test numbers they give will be made up but still usually well worth it. Fake 18650`s weigh less then real ones, about 35g to 40 odd grammes istr.

Have you any links to "good" 18650's? If so how do you charge them? I'm replacing the battery pack on my Winchrite so interested in what you have found.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

I have lots of devices with 9v battery but not often used and therfore flat when needed. Bought usb rechargeable 9v as didn't want yet another 240v battery charger Very pleased. Here what you may be looking for ?
1.5V Rechargeable AA Lithium Batteries 2600mWh Li-ion Batteries w/ Charger Cable | eBay

Many thanks for the replies.

They look excellent value.
As mentioned by andsarkit, they would equal around 1700ma.
They quote 1.5 hours to recharge. Seems almost too good to be true.

 

[Rappey]

They look excellent value.

I think they are. Search for others on ebay as often if you buy 4 you get a usb cable with 4x usb c outputs so you can charge 4 at once.
The best part is not having yet another battery charger. They also come in aaa.

 

[Refueler]

NiMh can be good but you do need to get low self discharge versions if it's something that's only used intermittently. Ordinary NiMh cells can discharge 5% or more in the first day and be completely discharged after a few weeks.

Lithium cells are usually pretty good in that regard, and the main advantage is that they have an internal voltage that is 3.6V or thereabouts, and use a buck converter to provide 1.5V until they are completely discharged. The downside of them is that their current output is limited by what the buck converter can supply, so the quality of the battery is important - cheap ones might not be able to supply enough for high current devices.

One thing about lithium cells (both primary cells and rechargeables) is that they don't tend to leak like alkalines if left for a long period, so if you inadvertently store something with batteries in, you don't come back to find it damaged by battery goo.

Near all NiMh batterys on market now are Low Self Discharge ... its only the real cheapo ones that are not ... if you buy recognised brands such as Grundig .. Phillips ... Sanyo etc - they are fine.

I have 7 RC Tx;'s on my shelf ... 4 of which have NiMh AA's in ... I recharge them only when they have been discharged by use ... not standing ... they can stand for 1 or 2 months ... even longer between use and the batts are fine ... still reasonably charged to fly. The other 3 are LiFe / LiIon 18650 powered.

 

[Refueler]

Have you any links to "good" 18650's? If so how do you charge them? I'm replacing the battery pack on my Winchrite so interested in what you have found.

18650's are too big for common use and requires a purpose sized carrier ... the 18650 refers to the physical size of the battery ... they are of course usually LiIon and that means sustained storage at full charge will ruin them ... they should be stored at below 80% charged ... preferablt 50 - 60%

I use a lot of 18650's ...

 

[GHA]

Have you any links to "good" 18650's? If so how do you charge them? I'm replacing the battery pack on my Winchrite so interested in what you have found.

Pretty much price if you want real ones, though the fakes still work, just the label is wrong. My charger says intellicore I4 , runs off main/12v & does 18650, AA & AAA. 4 slots in any combination. I use them for LED torches, many now seem to have adaptors to run 3 x AAA or 18650. If you're onboard a lot they can be a good option if you have torches / head torches which can use them. Real ones last for ages. I got a load used of ebay which should last for years, on the passage plan check sheet to make sure there's a handful charged up

 

[Aja]

18650's are too big for common use and requires a purpose sized carrier ... the 18650 refers to the physical size of the battery ... they are of course usually LiIon and that means sustained storage at full charge will ruin them ... they should be stored at below 80% charged ... preferablt 50 - 60%

I use a lot of 18650's ...

Your not teaching granny to suck eggs are you?

 

[Refueler]

Your not teaching granny to suck eggs are you?

Thought the subject of the thread was supposed to be about AA's ......

 

[GHA]

so as you mentioned it..... bought a little spoon scales for measuring tiny amounts of epoxy the other ay from the chinese shop >

And a rather lovely torch off Aliexpress, €30 but got a proper 18650 in it whih would prob be at very least a fiver



can't remember where this one came from, real as well



ebay prob from a used computer pack - looks real with no BMS



and this one..... what do you think??



Also splashed out on a low resistance tester off ali express, ran out of hands to take pics of the tests but


Torch batt - 23.7mOhm, 3.9608v
tesla - 16.5mOhm, 4.0646v
green one 30.21mOhm, 4.0072v

fake 212.59mOhm , 2.6848v

From What is Lithium Ion Battery Internal Resistance?

Lithium-Ion Batteries​

• Low Internal Resistance: Typically ranges between 10-50 milliohms, depending on capacity and design.

 

[Refueler]

Pretty much price if you want real ones, though the fakes still work, just the label is wrong. My charger says intellicore I4 , runs off main/12v & does 18650, AA & AAA. 4 slots in any combination. I use them for LED torches, many now seem to have adaptors to run 3 x AAA or 18650. If you're onboard a lot they can be a good option if you have torches / head torches which can use them. Real ones last for ages. I got a load used of ebay which should last for years, on the passage plan check sheet to make sure there's a handful charged up

Be aware that 18650's and the other sized LiIon's such as 21700's .... can be had in TWO voltages .... 3.6V and 4.2V full charged ....

Care needs to be taken as sites often quote the nominal voltage which in the case of a 4.2v Li is 3.6 - 3.7V.

 

[Refueler]

Internal resistance testers .... to have any merit - they need to be used at a specific temp and charge state of the cell.