Why still so many alkaline batteries exist?

[Vern_in_IL]

Why do people still buy these things? NiMH is the way to go!!! Yet I go into stores and see them [censored] alkaline batteries that love to leak and ruin my stuff! Stores still have like a 20:1 ratio of Alkalines vs NiHM's. (There MUST be a really high profit margin on them alkalines?) There is not a brand of alkaline batteries that I've used that actually did not leak.

I've never had a NiMH fail or leak yet. Don't understand why battery makers are pushing alkalines, I see no advantage.

 

[901Memphis]

I never seen to have enough nimh to go around. The ones that I do have Amazon basics both the regular and high capacity and they work good

 

[Merkava_4]

Don't you have to have a charger for NiMH ?

What does that stand for anyway; nickle hydrate ?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
NiMH is the way to go!!!

Most people don't want to bother with recharging them. Plus the initial cost is much higher if you buy decent ones, not to mention the added cost of the charger. I think I paid $10 for 4 AA high capacity LSD AmazonBasics last time. The same $10 got me 60 alkaline batteries. I don't use that many AA batteries in general. I use NiMH in high discharge applications like camera flashes. But for kids toys I use alkalines - wife sells/trades these toys all the time, and I don't want her to accidentally give them away with expensive NiMH batteries in them.

I also don't remember when I had an alkaline battery leak last time.

 

[DrRoughneck]

NiMH don't hold charge as well as alkaline in the cold. So for anything that spends time outside in freezing temperatures like a flashlight in your car, alkaline is better.

 

[Wolf359]

I use them for smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Can't use rechargeable in those, especially when they're in a unit by the tenant where they're liable to just throw them out once the alarm starts beeping because of low battery. They're also good for clocks and remotes because of the self discharge nature of NiMH, although the newer ones don't have that as a major problem anymore.

 

[i_hate_autofraud]

For smoke alarms and other applications, alkaline is needed to get 1.5V per cell where NiMH or NICADs are only 1.2V, max 1.3V just after charging and they set off the low battery alarm way too soon.

 

[Tomioka]

After having batteries leak in emergency flashlights and that random remote control I'm done with alkalines. If you can catch them leaking early some distilled vinegar can save the contacts but some were too late.

In high drain devices I keep a rotation of rechargeable batteries. In my xbox one controllers I picked up the play and charge kit so if the batteries do run low in wireless mode I can charge it via USB.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: i_hate_autofraud

For smoke alarms and other applications, alkaline is needed to get 1.5V per cell where NiMH or NICADs are only 1.2V, max 1.3V just after charging and they set off the low battery alarm way too soon.



+1.

For low power use, an alkaline will deliver around 2600mAh at 1.5V, as compared to 2000-2500mAh at 1.2V for NiMH.

Alkalines have higher impedance, so under high drain the actual voltage and capacity is lower.

Some NiMH have high self discharge. The low self discharge type is great.

They are ever so slightly larger than AAs. I had a toothbrush that woukdbt take rechargables because of that.

 

[Rolla07]

Never had alkaline leak on me. The last time I used rechargeable, the batteries dont seem to last all that long.

 

[PimTac]

Most of the good alkalines are made in SE Asia or other places around the world where costs are super low. Still, I haven't had any leak as of late except for some cheap Chinese batteries that were likely poorly made. The big 3 companies, Ray-o-Vac, Eveready, and Panasonic make some good long lasting alkaline batteries.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
Why do people still buy these things?


Why do some people have nothing better to worry about?

 

[JustinH]

I buy the mega pack of costco batteries for my devices, and never had one leak.

 

[alarmguy]

Yes, I was quite surprised how much Alkaline batteries leak.
I see if often in my industry and sometimes in our remote controls at home too.
Doesnt matter the brand, they all will leak if run down REAL LOW to almost dead.
I think its safer to use standard batteries in devices like remotes and smoke alarms if you change every year.

People who report they never had one leak is simply because it happens under really long, slow, low power drain lasting a couple years. Clearly is not a common event but it is a common event for certain specific uses in certain devices.

 

[Blueskies123]

You have never had any alkalines leak? That is amazing. Over the last 30-40 years I have had dozens leak ruining all kind of expensive remote controls, flashlights, and kids toys. I too have moved to almost all Eneloops for valuable devices and only use in alkalines in devices that can be thrown away without having to be replaced.
For devices where Eneloops do not work well I use the Lithium batteries.

By the way look at the reviews for Costco batteries on Amazon. I had some and virtually 100% of the leaked.

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: i_hate_autofraud

For smoke alarms and other applications, alkaline is needed to get 1.5V per cell where NiMH or NICADs are only 1.2V, max 1.3V just after charging and they set off the low battery alarm way too soon.



+1.

For low power use, an alkaline will deliver around 2600mAh at 1.5V, as compared to 2000-2500mAh at 1.2V for NiMH.

Alkalines have higher impedance, so under high drain the actual voltage and capacity is lower.

Some NiMH have high self discharge. The low self discharge type is great.

They are ever so slightly larger than AAs. I had a toothbrush that woukdbt take rechargables because of that.


All true, but we must also consider that the proper measure of energy density is Watt/Hours. Top shelf alkaline batteries have a linear voltage drop as they are used, down to about 0.9 volts, at which point voltage drops rapidly. So capacity of a AA alkaline is typically said to be 1.225 volts on average, and an mAH capacity 2600, for a max energy of 3.9 watt hours.

NiMh batteries remain around 1.2 volts during the discharge cycle, and can have as much as 2850 mAH capacity. For 3.42 Watt/hour energy.

Close, but not quite there.

 

[kc8adu]

i suspect folks are either lazy,or never bothered to do the math.
one can buy a eneloop kit at costco for $25 that will pay for itself after a few uses.
i know lots of folks that wont invest in something that pays off in the future and will continue to throw money in the trash with alkaleaks.
around here if a device wont work right on nimh or li-ion i just get rid of it in the next garage sale.
you would also be surprised how many devices can use 18650 li-ion with a little work.like 3aaa flashlights. often just a rolled up sheet of cardboard to take up space.

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: kc8adu

you would also be surprised how many devices can use 18650 li-ion with a little work.like 3aaa flashlights. often just a rolled up sheet of cardboard to take up space.


Agreed.

18650 and the larger 26650 cells are truly capable.

Put another way, the best AA battery, run to exhaustion at a low load (50ma) , has 3.9 watt hours energy. But drops to a dismal 0.83 AH capacity at 1 amp load. Or less than 1 watt hour.

A typical 18650 has 10 watt hours under a 1 amp load.

 

[Fsharp]

Why use alkalines when you could use carbon-zinc?

I use alkalines because the only things I use batteries in are things like remotes where the power draw is so low they last well over a year and when they go bad just pop in a fresh pair. I don't have to worry about recharging them, testing them, declining capacity, rapid self discharge, low initial voltage, etc.

 

[Michael_P]

I spent bokoo and switched everything to NiMH. After three years, I do have slight buyer remorse. My flashlights are never charged when I need them. I check them once a month too. All of my flashlights are LED.