Alkaline vs Lithium vs Ni-MH

[phrog]

Just got a great deal on a Fuji bridge camera. It uses AA batteries. Just wondered your thoughts or opinions on the use of alkaline batteries vs Lithium batteries vs Nickel Metal Hydride batteries. Thanks.

[poolhound]

Ni-MH hands down. The fact that the camera can take regular alkaline is nice for a backup as you can keep a set in your camera bag and also pickup a set at any gas station if you are really in a bind.

Get 2 sets so you can rotate and a good fast charger that also has an option to run from your cars outlet. Unless you plan to hike into the wilderness for days/weeks at a time then this should keep you powered up in all normal circumstances.

[gerti]

Actually you do NOT want regular NiMH, they discharge by themselves within weeks. Eneloop batteries behave much better and will still be full after a few months.

[cwsmith]

You didn't ask about NiCads?

In any case, here is the run down: For AA size all four chemistries are readily available from many sources, including most local retailers. In order of expense, alkalies are the cheapest and lithium are the most expensive to buy per battery.

However, you should understand that alkaline batteries come in a few different grades and some brands are not as long lasting or as durable as others. Likewise, alkalines are for one-time use as they are generally not rechargeable. On the positive side though, they produce 1.5 Volts though a good share of their life, but have a quick drop off near the end. (Important to note is that some electronic devices will only work with alkaline batteries because most rechargeables produce only 1.2 Volts.)

NiCads have been around for decades and for heavy-draw (higher current) they perform best AND, they are rechargeable. While I have had NiCads last me for many years, they must be used frequently and to the point where they are substantially drained and then recharged immediately. They should never be left on a charger however, as the continuous charge will dry out the chemistry prematurely. NiCad also suffer from what is termed the "memory effect", which simply put, means that they degrade if not substantially drained before recharging. Likewise care must be taken to not drain the battery so completely that no Voltage is detectable nor should they be left in a low charge state. NiCads have a relatively short 'shelf-life' gradually losing their charge over time. I've seen some drain completely in as short as two weeks.

Best uses from my many years of experience has been for cordless tools. In my big camera flash (Canon F1) unit they're great when brand new but over time not so much.

NiMhd (nichol metal hydride) batteries are actually my preferred choice for long storage and medium to low drain applications. Like NiCads, they too are rechargeable, and similarly they cost more than alkalines; but they can be recharged hundreds of times, making them rather economical. I use them almost exclusively in my portable ham radio equipment simply because of their longer shelf life. In my 2-meter handheld they can sit for more than a month and still be fully useful. They generally provide higher storage capacity than NiCads too and are not effected by " memory", so I can 'top them off' occasionally if need be.

I have used NiMhd in my camera flash, but don't recall how they compared to the NiCads. My current and somewhat old Nikon 995 digital uses a rechargeable lithium.

Lithium batteries are probably the longest lasting batteries for low current applications. They stand up much better in cold conditions (a real weak point with NiMhd which deplete rather rapidly in the cold) and are thus the best battery for outdoor usage like a trail camera, weather monitor, etc.

However, I am not aware that lithium are readily available in a rechargeable AA format. They are widely available as a one-time use AA, but it is important that you dispose of them in a recycle center, drop box, etc. Many modern camera's and electronic equipment come with rechargeable lithium batteries, often contained within the product and not user serviceable.

Lithium batteries are probably the current best offering for long storage and maximum use ability. But, they are not particularly the best for high current drain or rapid charge requirements. If they overheat they have tendency to ignite dramatically.

Bottom line, for your usage, I'd look at rechargeable NiMh or single-use lithium's. If you can find rechargeable lithium's that would be great. Just be aware that if you use rechargeables, it is absolutely imperative that you have the proper charger for the battery chemistry!

Hope this helps,

CWS

[capncarl]

I have several cameras that use 4ea AAs. They really use them, to the point you must always carry spare batteries. I purchased several packs of Lithium batteries for the cameras. The first camera had 1 year of use on the batteries before it was stolen. I've lost track of the other cameras usage because I take the batteries out when they a not being used and the lithium batteries were replaced with some rechargeable nmh. I now keep the same lithium batteries with my handheld gps. So my vote goes to lithium for the longest operational life. It seems that everything now has migrated to AAA over AA and I have a shoebox full of nicad and nmh that are good for nothing but installing in the solar yard light junk.

[phrog]

Jon - Thanks for your input. You wrote what I thought to be true.
Gerti - Thanks for the suggestion; I had seen those batteries before but had not really looked at them (Eneloop) that closely. I will now.
CWS _ Thanks for your long analysis; I learned a lot.
Capncarl - A voice of dissent; it's always good to hear other opinions. And yes, I have noticed how many devices are going toward AAA.

Another question for anyone - I see numbers like "1900 mAh" among others. Don't know exactly what I need there. Is there a minimum or maximum that I should look for? Thanks.

[poolhound]

Another question for anyone - I see numbers like "1900 mAh" among others. Don't know exactly what I need there. Is there a minimum or maximum that I should look for? Thanks.

mAh is milliAmp Hours. its is a measure of capacity and relative run time. If you check the L-ion on your tools you will see the same measure. In theory 1900 mAh means it could supply 1.9Amps for an hour or .95 Amps for 2 hours etc. Therefore the larger the number the longer they will run.

So the answer to your question is essentially the more the better for your $ spent. Brand and reviews not withstanding if you have a choice of a pack of 8 that are 1800mAh vs 1500 get the 1800! If you have to pay 2x for batteries that are also 2x the mAh your value is the same but you would have to change them half as often.

[cwsmith]

Currently I'm using rechargeable NiMh batteries from my local Harbor Freight in my HT (Handi-Talkie) radio and they've lasted pretty well. The last I looked (my present set of eight is about three years old now) HF sold two different grades of AA rechargeables and the one's that I have are the better 2200 mAmp hour storage capacity. At the time that I bought them, that was more storage capacity than either the 'Energizer' or the 'copper top' from the local Walmart.

Best thing is to look around, compare prices and mAmp ratings.


CWS

[phrog]

Jon and CWS, many thanks; I think I got the picture now - NiMH with high mAh numbers. Just bought a package of Panasonic alkalines at Dollar Tree to try out the camera. I took well over a 100 photos and did about 5 minutes of video and they're still going. I'll look into the NiMH for a "permanent" solution. Again, thanks.