Tipping the scales at 2500Mah, Energizer's NiMH have quietly eclipsed alkaline batteries as the leader in portable power for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, they can be recharged with inexpensive battery chargers like the
Energizer CHM4AAWB. Secondly NiMh batteries now cost about 50% more than a set of alkalines.
I bought two packs of these batteries to power a remote control 4x4 truck in November 2006. All 8 batteries had to be used when I was driving the truck so it was a real good test of their performance. The truck ran for about thirty minutes around my front yard with no problems. Since then, four of the batteries found their way to my office where they get recharged about twice a week while being used in my
Sony D-NF340 Personal CD/MP3 Player
Charging and Care
I have been a heavy battery user my entire life. The #1 rule of the road is to give your new set NiMH batteries a good charge as soon as you buy them. The reasoning is simple; the batteries have been on the shelf for as long as six months and lost their charge due to natural depletion.
Always recharge your NiMH batteries within 6 hours of depletion, recharge sooner if they were subjected to fast discharge. Just like Lithium-Ion batteries in laptops, these batteries have a high risk of losing their ability to recharge if discharged at high rate and left unattended.
Scientific studies have proven that using fast battery chargers (1 hour or less) decrease the lifespan of NiMH batteries. I have used a slow trickle charger for the past year and the batteries have the same usage time as they did when new. Quick charging is always harder on the batteries, because of the higher current, which causes more heating, which degrades the chemistry of the battery faster.
Appearance
The outside case is marked with the words "Rechargeable" in bright, white, bold lettering making them easy to spot.
The batteries are slightly wider than most AA batteries this may cause problems when used in tight fitting battery compartments.
Summary
The highest capacity AA rechargeable NiMH you can find on the shelves of retail stores today, period. I have used my current set of 8 batteries in heavy rotation for the past year with no problems at all. They perform flawlessly after several recharges in digital cameras, remote control 4x4 toy trucks, portable cd players and wireless computer mouses.
Reference
NiMH Battery Guide: http://michaelbluejay.com/batteries/
Details on NiMH battery performance: http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/nickelmetalhydride_appman.pdf
