What AA batteries for hand held devices?

[Richard19068]

Hi,

What do you consider the pros and cons of various battery types for hand held devices, particularly GPS's?

Regular alkaline seem fine unless you leave them in for an extended time and they leak. I usually take them out between trips but sometimes forget.
Any thoughts on the best or worse brands for leaking?

I have relatively light use so the alkalines seem cost effective but I don't have any experience with rechargeables. Any opinions on what might be best or worse here?


Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[kappykaplan]

I'm partial to the "ultimate" varieties . . .

 

[Richard19068]

I'm partial to the "ultimate" varieties . . .

I assume that's Energizer Ultimate Lithium. Those do look good.
Thanks

 

[kappykaplan]

I assume that's Energizer Ultimate Lithium. Those do look good.

Yes and yes.

 

[kappykaplan]

but I don't have any experience with rechargeables.

I gave up on rechargeable batteries a long time ago. They just don't last.

 

[dLj]

I gave up on rechargeable batteries a long time ago. They just don't last.

The older ones, I agree. The new ones, not so much. My favorite flashlight is running a rechargeable Li-ion battery that is now 5 or 6 years old, went across the pond and back with me, and is still going strong.

dj

 

[kappykaplan]

The older ones, I agree. The new ones, not so much.

I'll have to take a look. Tks!

 

[dLj]

I'll have to take a look. Tks!

@kappykaplan - Not sure if you've seen my posts on my fav flashlight, the Powertac E11-G2. Not cheap, but for a "tactical" flashlight darned good - it's about $50. It has 5 light intensity settings with the lowest setting perfect for working on the boat at night and a highest setting that is darned near a spot light. I typically only use the two lowest settings but occasionally bump up into the higher settings. I keep thinking they are going to stop making it as it's been around awhile now and you know how those things go...

I bought a second one after getting back, as it was the only working flashlight I had left. All the others died on the trip.

dj

 

[colemj]

I've given up on alkaline batteries for anything I value or want to keep working. Over the years, the leaking of these has gotten out of hand. It isn't because they are old, as new ones leak too. The leaking occurs when they get down close to being empty. I don't know the mechanism, but I've never had full batteries leak - only ones that are near the end of life. Not just batteries that have been in the device for a very long time, but ones that are near the end of capacity, but not very old.

One thing that I suspect exasperates this is today's low-draw devices. A high-draw device takes the battery from usable to dead pretty quickly, and the when it is "dead", it is dead for that purpose, but will still measure at 1.3-1.4V. Low-draw devices, however, take the battery down to truly dead because the LED or whatever is being powered can operate at lower voltages. When I change out LED flashlight batteries, they usually measure <1V.

The last straw for me was when a 3 week old set of new alkalines ruined the battery compartment of a $1400 pair of binoculars. I caught it in enough time that it only cost me a $100 battery compartment instead of the entire binoculars.

I've switched to lithium batteries - both disposable and rechargeable. They are a bit more expensive, but they last longer. They are a lot less expensive than replacing equipment that has corroded because of battery leaks.

I do have and use rechargeable lithium AA batteries. It is hit and miss with those. Often, you will get DOA cells right out of the box. Cells will also suddenly go dead early in life. Some cells last for years, while others last for months. The reason is that these rechargeable cells aren't actually 1.5V batteries. They are higher voltage that uses a voltage converter and small BMS to charge/discharge. I suspect either the electronics fail, or the internal cells reach a state the BMS determines is unsafe and shuts them off. I just buy 10-12 of them and replace when enough go dead that I need more. They really are convenient.

Otherwise, rechargeable NMH batteries like Eneloop can be good. We do have those for some things, but I find they don't last long between recharges, and some of our equipment doesn't run well on them because of their lower operating voltage.

Mark

 

[colemj]

The older ones, I agree. The new ones, not so much. My favorite flashlight is running a rechargeable Li-ion battery that is now 5 or 6 years old, went across the pond and back with me, and is still going strong.

We also have flashlights that use those 18650 rechargeable lithiums like yours, and never had one of their batteries go bad.

The OP seemed to be looking for AA/AAA sized batteries, and these in rechargeable lithium are less robust.

I think the difference might be that the 18650 batteries are single cells operating at their natural 4.2V chemistry, while the AA/AAA are operating through voltage converters to get that down to 1.5V. My suspicion is that the voltage converters either fail, or detect something in the underlying cell that they refuse to use it.

Mark

 

[JoeWhite]

I use AA Duracell NMH rechargables.They are hard to find. I can find them at ACE and Target for a pack of 4 for about $20.00. They last a long time. Yes I use them to avoid the leakage and damage caused. As mentioned above, rechargables are 1.2 volts not 1.5v. This may make a difference when used in a hand held VHF radio as it requires higher current to transmit. I use rechargables in my hand held GPS. They last 10 hours.
It must be mentioned that AA rechargables have a larger diameter than nonrechargebles as a result they do not fit in some battery compartements.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

I no longer buy Duracell or Energizer due to leaks. I had entire box of ProCells leak in the box. Rayovac is supposed to have very consistent quality
.

 

[Rich Stidger]

I use Amazon Basic batteries in AA and AAA sizes. I've never had one leak even at low capacity. I do remove all batteries at the end of the season, mark them as to usage, and put all in a plastic bag to leave onboard over the winter. In the spring I replace in their original device and continue to use until exhausted. The only rechargeable batteries I use are the 18650 style and a sealed lead-acid unit in a spotlight.

 

[Davidasailor26]

I do remove all batteries at the end of the season, mark them as to usage, and put all in a plastic bag to leave onboard over the winter.

This is a key step with any alkaline battery. I don’t think I’ve ever had one start leaking while still operational or shortly after. It’s when they sit for a month or more partially or fully discharged that the problems happen.

 

[MFD]

I have NiMH rechargeable batteries for AAA, AA, C, and D-size adapters that hold 3 AA rechargeable in each.
Other oddball batteries like 18650 are Lithium since that is the tech (and associated voltage) they were designed with originally.

There are some really good & technical YouTube video reviews on different batteries and chargers.
My understanding is that none of the Lithium AA type batteries really work that well.
There are also other considerations like low temperature, where one would think Lithium would be better, but it doesn't seem to pan out that way.
Plus the electronics inside them - I guess it's a basically a 'buck converter' in the battery itself to drop the voltage, etc.
Where NiMH and batteries already design as Lithium originally are just simple, which suits me fine.

Having a good charger, with the ability to 'recondition' (full charge/discharge/charge) is also important.
LifePO4 small batteries are coming along now too, so if getting a new charger you might want that support.
Like: this on Amazon or similar.


The main driver for my choice was just getting tired of throwing away batteries. Ultimately Alkalines still last longer but this has been a better solution for me anyway. One ziplock bag for charged batteries, another for discharged. Once a month (or two), I plug in the charger and top up all the ones that need it. The actual batteries in equipment & tools get swapped as-needed, or preemptively sometimes.

 

[dLj]

I have to say, this has been a really interesting thread on rechargable batteries. I've learned a lot...

dj

 

[colemj]

It must be mentioned that AA rechargables have a larger diameter than nonrechargebles as a result they do not fit in some battery compartements.

I never noticed this and had to measure! Our Amazon Basic and Eneloop AA NMH rechargeables are 0.1mm wider in diameter than normal alkaline AA (three different ones). At first I thought this was just a measuring error, but it is consistent. Doesn't sound like it could make a difference, but I do have a couple of things where alkaline AA batteries just fit in the compartment with pressure needed on the last one to go in, so it is likely NMH batteries would not fit.

I do remove all batteries at the end of the season

My last "end of the season" was 16yrs ago, and the next one is beyond planning...

My understanding is that none of the Lithium AA type batteries really work that well.

Actually, they work very well. Until they don't. One day a battery will just be dead with no bringing it back. Even fully charged ones that aren't in use, and the cause is not a loss of capacity. It is possible to get DOA batteries in the original order. I just looked back at my last order of rechargeable AA lithiums and it was June 2022. I now have only 6 of the 8 because two of them just went dead suddenly. And the way it works is that the remaining ones could just suddenly stop working today - you just don't know, as they don't give any warning or symptoms.

Otherwise, they last longer than alkaline and rechargeable NMH AA in use, and don't have the risk of leaking like alkaline. I do watch them like a hawk when recharging, and don't recharge them unattended, but I do that for all rechargeable lithium in our boat that isn't LFP chemistry.

My experience with them lasting longer than alkaline in use is strange because their capacity is similar to alkaline, if not less than the more expensive "high performance" alkalines. My hypothesis is that the lithium delivers 1.5V right to the very end of being depleted, and the equipment I use them in stops working at ~1.4V, so I'm just not able to access the total available capacity of alkaline in this equipment. I suspect for something like a flashlight, they would be more similar.

Mark