DK Firearms

Cheap vs Expensive batteries.

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  • Rating - 0%
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    Jan 5, 2012
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    Came across this video a few days back. It's a comparison between the cheap batteries and the expensive.

    One aspect he discusses is cost per hour of a given brand of batteries. For some applications, cheaper is better. Others, the expensive are better.

    He performs some simple tests to find out.

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    Low_Speed

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    Nov 25, 2010
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    Came across this video a few days back. It's a comparison between the cheap batteries and the expensive.

    One aspect he discusses is cost per hour of a given brand of batteries. For some applications, cheaper is better. Others, the expensive are better.

    He performs some simple tests to find out.



    I saw this a few days ago. It pays to buy lithium batteries. I’ve had too many electronics destroyed buy cheap batteries. Also, when I NEED a flashlight, I want it to work.


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    TheDan

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    Nov 11, 2008
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    Can't watch the video at the moment, but an easy way to compare generic alkaline batteries vs the name brand ones in the store is to check the weight. If they feel about the same weight as the name brand ones then they are probably just as good.

    Carbon zinc batteries have very low energy density. I get them for "free" sometimes at Horrible Freight, but I'd never willingly spend money on them.
     

    TheDan

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    ok, watched the video... I agree with his overall assessment that generic alkalines will be the most cost effective, but all he really tested was the average capacity with a light load. I would have liked to have seen voltage drops from various size loads and also the drain rate at those loads to tell a little more complete picture of performance.
     
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    I gathered(sorta) that the Sunbeam batteries were the best with electronics that go through lots of batteries. Like a remote air temperature thermometer. Walkie Talkies.

    The expensive batteries in something that doesn't blow through batteries. Like a TV remote or a stored radio.

    ....


    I was surprised those little fans ran for hours. I always figured those little things would peter out after 15-30mins.
     
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    I only use rechargeable AA batteries.


    What happens when the power go's off and they can't be recharged?

    How long will they store with a full charge?

    I have various rechargeable stuff and if they're not kept up on a charge. They discharge themselves in a progressive way of things. Being rechargeable is about the only thing I've seen them being good at.
     

    Shady

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    Aug 24, 2013
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    get a jump start battery for your car and you can use it to charge the AA's or fire up the generator and recharge them while the fridge is cooling down.

    What happens when the power go's off and they can't be recharged?

    How long will they store with a full charge?

    I have various rechargeable stuff and if they're not kept up on a charge. They discharge themselves in a progressive way of things. Being rechargeable is about the only thing I've seen them being good at.
     

    Shady

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    as far as cheap batteries, I got one of the free 24 packs of AA;s from harbor freight and they were way over priced at free.

    it was not a matter of hours in a flash light it was seconds before they were dead
     

    benenglish

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    Nov 22, 2011
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    He performs some simple tests to find out.
    ...with uncalibrated, unreliable test equipment. How can he possibly know each cheap fan is going to pull power at the same rate? He can't. His test results are interesting and, I'm sure, somewhat valid. But they should come with a big pinch of salt.

    One thing he didn't cover is weight. The last time I was making money with a camera, it was powered by 8 AA batteries. A full load of lithiums would weigh about 4.25 ounces. A full load of nicads would weigh about 6.5 ounces. When you're holding a small device in your hands all day, that 2+ ounce advantage for the lithiums is actually significant. The weight advantage is greatly multiplied by the fact that I only had to carry 2 sets of spare lithiums (8.5 ounces) in my bag. With the nicads, I'd feel the need for at least 3 spare sets and usually carried 4, adding 26 ounces to my bag.

    Again, when you're carrying stuff all day, ounces add up. Ultimately, the thing I liked best about lithiums was their lighter weight. Once I bit the bullet and bought a few sets and used them for a few jobs, I judged myself penny-wise and pound-foolish, in more than one sense, for previously sticking to the cheaper nicads.
     

    Younggun

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    Lithium and LiPo for me.



    Actually have a few Nimh and NiCad packs for specific uses though. Probably gonna switch them to LiFe though.


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    Younggun

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    The biggest issue with cheap batteries are leaking.


    As far as the test, we don’t even know what the fans will draw if given the opportunity. A cheap battery will probably have a shitty discharge rate. Given the same capacity and a fan that will run on the reduced voltage of a shit battery sagging under the load, the shit battery will probably run longer because it doesn’t have the ability to discharge at a fast enough rate to keep up with the quality battery.



    It really wouldn’t be that hard for him to have set up a quality test and actually measure the voltage and what’s actually being taken from the battery to get a good idea of the discharge rate and real capacity of the batteries being tested. But a bunch of little fans will make people feel smart for buying shit batteries from the dollar store I guess.


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    DD130

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    get a jump start battery for your car and you can use it to charge the AA's or fire up the generator and recharge them while the fridge is cooling down.
    Or solar; we have solar charges for phones and solar power bricks for scanners and 2-way radios. The upside of rechargable is there is at least a chance to re-new the energy... Alkis once dead are just trash.
    YMMV.
     

    Bozz10mm

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    I have been using Eneloop rechargeables for years. I have some from as far back as 2008 that are working just fine. They hold a usable charge for over a year. Even though they start out lower in voltage than regular alkalines, they seem to run as long or longer than alkies. And, they don't leak.

    The Rayovac and Energizer rechargeables are crap tho. White top Duracells are okay, Black top Duracells are crap.

    I keep packs of alkalines on hand in case of extended power outage, but for the most part it's Eneloop rechargeables.
     

    majormadmax

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