How to Buy Rechargeable Batteries

By eHow Electronics Editor

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Rechargeable batteries are good for the environment and for your wallet. Here's a guide to purchasing the right rechargeables for your devices and appliances. Don't forget the charger: You can buy units that fit alkaline, NiMH and NiCd batteries for approximately $30.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Realize the benefits of using rechargeable batteries. They often have a long shelf life, and work extremely well in devices that require a low amount of energy to operate, such as remote controls and flashlights. They can be cheap and still cover a number of cycles. Specific battery types work for energy-intense products like digital cameras and remote-control toys.

Step2

Research the different rechargeable options. Alkaline batteries come in a rechargeable form, usually with a charging cartridge that plugs into the wall. Nick Metal Hydride (NiMH) lasts longer per charge than its nickel counterpart, Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), and is less toxic to the environment. They also handle memory effect much better than NiCd batteries. However, NiCd batteries are often cheaper and somewhat easier to use. Lithium Ion batteries are powerful and light, and do not exhibit memory problems. So, you can charge them anytime at any power level without concern for "overcharging" resulting in power deficiency through power memory loss. Li-Ion batteries produce the same energy as NiMH, but weigh approximately 20 percent to 35 percent less. They are also environmentally friendly because they don't contain toxins such as cadmium or mercury.

Step3

Find battery collection sites in your area. When your rechargeables finally fall victim to the "memory effect"--crystals that form on interior plates and shorten the life of the battery--visit to RBRC.org. There, you'll find collection sites in your area listed by ZIP code.

Tips & Warnings

The energy capacity of the battery is measured in milliampere hours (mAh). The higher the mAh number, the longer the battery will hold and provide its rated charge. Digital cameras need AA batteries with 1,800 to 1,900 mAh.
The shelf life of a battery varies depending on how you use it. An alkaline battery with 2,500 mAh might die in an hour or less if you use it in a digital camera. In a remote control it could last for several months.