Rechargeable NiMH Battery Life

[WoodPeckr]

Anyone know how long do these AA rechargeable Nickel-metal hydride batteries last?

Used my digital camera over the weekend for the first time in years. Charged up the batteries. They took a full charge but when put in use didn't last very long at all. After a dozen pix a pair of batteries ran right down and had to be replaced with another pair that did the same thing, ran down quickly. Didn't use the LCD display because that will really eat up batteries. I had 8 of them rated @ 2500 mAh. They were purchased 5 years ago. Question is are they shot? They weren't really used much and were supposed to be capable of being recharged 1000 times! [That was the claims made by the Energizer bunny back then.]

Determined that one of them is definitely shot and won't take a charge at all. The other 7 work but lose power very quickly.

 

[mwong168]

Well the problem with rechargable batteries is they need to be used and charged on a regular basis or else their performance or life expectancy diminishes. If you find you don't use your rechargable batteries that frequently you might want to consider getting Sanyo Eneloops next time because they are designed to be able to sit for longer periods of time with minimal discharge. Also another thing to consider when using rechargable is the type of charger you use them in. Never use these rapid 15 minute chargers because they not only shorten the life expectancy but also kill the battery too! You can pick up Eneloops for $9.99-$12.99 for a set of 4 and invest in a good charger like a La Crosse BC-9009. The nice thing about this charger is that it charges each battery seperately and stops charging just that battery once it is full whereas these cheap ones stop charge once the first or last position battery if full meanwhile your other batteries are not receiving a full charge or worse they overcharge. This charger also has a "refresh" mode as well which is sometimes successful at fixing or bringing back some life to old or previously abused batteries.

 

[Cinema Face]

I don’t know how long they last. Depending on how much they’ve been used, I’d say that 5 years is a pretty long time for rechargeables.

I’ve had mixed results with NiMH batteries.

I don’t know if the brand has anything to do with it but I first tried a set of Energizer NiMH and they were garbage, all 4 of them.
I would only get a few pictures before they die and they would just discharge in a few days. I would measure them with a battery meter and all 4 were dead.

Then I bought a set of Rayovac NiMH rechargibles called “Hybrid” from Walmart. They claim that they will hold a charge on the shelf for 6 months. These batteries are excellent. I’ve had them 2 years and so far so good.

I used my camera on vacation for a whole week without recharging and they will hold the charge as claimed.
I don’t know if I just had mixed luck or there is a difference between brands.

 

[WoodPeckr]

The system I had used a slow charge that took ~8.5 hours to fully charge 4 batteries. I seemed to work OK years ago but was never impressed with how long those batteries lasted since they only put out 1.2 volts when fully charged. I just assumed the HP digital camera was a high drain camera. Another problem with NiMH batteries is fully charged, they run down in a month even if they are not used. They don't hold their charge and don't last for years with a full charge like alkaline batteries. That camera eats up alkalines faster than MiMH batteries.

I use the camera very little and used Energizer NiMHs. They would run down to dead after a month even if not used. Friends and family use their cameras and their batteries last much longer and they use their LCD displays far more than I do mine. So I just thought mine was a high drain camera model.

This was my first experience with digital cameras. In the past I always used Camcorders which used Ni-Cad batteries that always performed far better.

 

[blackrock13]

I don’t know how long they last. Depending on how much they’ve been used, I’d say that 5 years is a pretty long time for rechargeables.

I’ve had mixed results with NiMH batteries.

I don’t know if the brand has anything to do with it but I first tried a set of Energizer NiMH and they were garbage, all 4 of them.
I would only get a few pictures before they die and they would just discharge in a few days. I would measure them with a battery meter and all 4 were dead.

Then I bought a set of Rayovac NiMH rechargibles called “Hybrid” from Walmart. They claim that they will hold a charge on the shelf for 6 months. These batteries are excellent. I’ve had them 2 years and so far so good.

I used my camera on vacation for a whole week without recharging and they will hold the charge as claimed.
I don’t know if I just had mixed luck or there is a difference between brands.

I've just picked up a few set of the hybrids and will give them a try. My supply of rechargeable have been around for 4 years bu the last 6 months have been tyring. With 30+ to choose from you've go good ones somewhere, on the wall in your pocket in your pouch or in your toy, but you cycle them more often with time.

 

[Cassini]

A few comments:
- Be on the lookout for a defective charger. It seems strange that you have so many defective batteries.
- NiMH batteries are not known for long life expectancies. They are a much better power source for pro-photographic equipment than AA batteries.
- If the HP camera that you describe is the one I am thinking of, it was notorious for excessive power dissipation resulting in low battery life. Essentially, no small battery could generate sufficient power to power the camera in a reliable way.
- I would suggest using AA batteries with it, as they are cheap, and it sounds like you do not use the camera very often. You might want to try the more expensive AA batteries, ie: the "Lithium" Energizer and Duracell batteries. They are designed to work a "little" bit better with photographic equipment.

 

[WoodPeckr]

It's an HP Photosmart 733 model. It came with Duracell batteries that didn't last long. Tried more Duracell batteries with the same results.....it went right through them. Energizer NiMHs performed better when new than Duracell batteries but not terribly better. Yeah I don't use the camera much.

 

[Cassini]

Yes, that is the model. Check out: http://www.epinions.com/reviews/pr-Hewlett_Packard_Photosmart_733_Digital_Camera

Almost every reviewer mentioned that the camera eats batteries. You might also want to remove the batteries from the camera when storing it. One of the reviewers mentioned that it eats batteries even while off. This could account for your problems with your NiMH batteries. Rechargeable batteries really don't like being stored for long periods of time, while connected to a load. It can ruin them.

Myself, if I was lightly using the camera, I would just purchase several packs of non-rechargable lithium AA Energizer and/or Duracell Batteries and insert new batteries every time I used the camera. Don't forget to remove them again afterwards.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Yes, that is the model. Check out: http://www.epinions.com/reviews/pr-Hewlett_Packard_Photosmart_733_Digital_Camera

Almost every reviewer mentioned that the camera eats batteries. You might also want to remove the batteries from the camera when storing it.

Yeah just my luck to pick a camera that eats batteries....lol.
It does take nice pix though.
Well got it 5 yrs ago and knew little about them. Always took the batteries out for storage or left alkalines in to keep the clock/calender running, so as not to have to reset them all the time. But since it's not used much, I just store it with no batteries in now.

 

[Rockslinger]

Ni-Cad batteries that always performed far better.

I think Ni-Cad batteries have been banned because they poison the environment.

 

[Rockslinger]

Then I bought a set of Rayovac NiMH rechargibles called “Hybrid” from Walmart.

I'll vouch for these "Hybrids" as well. I called Rayovac in Wisconsin and they said these are "alkaline like" batteries.

 

[WoodPeckr]

I think Ni-Cad batteries have been banned because they poison the environment.

They ALL do that.
The Ni-Cad that came with my first camcorder lasted over 10 yrs along with a second one I got back in the 80s. The Ni-Cads in my second camcorder didn't last as long but still performed well plus they held their charge better than these new NiMH batteries.

 

[Whosyodaddy]

For high capacity batteries, try a RC ( radio controlled ) hobby store. Check the rating n the side of the battery, the higher the MA ( Milli amp ) rating, the more it holds. Look for at least 2500 ma rating..

or try this link

http://michaelbluejay.com/batteries/

 

[WoodPeckr]

or try this link

http://michaelbluejay.com/batteries/

Thanks for the great link.

 

[Twister]

I got a kodak it it eats my batteries in a disgusting matter, not funny

 

[WoodPeckr]

Got tired of talking with noobs at Best Buy, etc., who knew little on this topic and decided to go to a real camera shop for some 'expert' advice. Well the camera guy there pretty much agreed with most posted above and claims many digital cameras eat up batteries and NiMH rechargibles are the best choice if your camera uses AAs, even though they self discharge in a month or two even if not used. Then threw in something new I never heard before. He claims 'old' cameras like the 5 yr old camera I have eat batteries up even more as they age! WTF! Never heard that one! Could this be possible? I think it's just BS to try and get you to buy a new camera.

 

[Cassini]

Yes, the camera guy is probably correct. The dominant effect, however, will be a psychological one. Some of the camera's really abuse the batteries; they should really be powered with much larger rechargeable batteries than the cameras in fact use. The result is the batteries rapidly deplete, so the camera after 5 years will certainly be using batteries faster than when initially purchased.

A few additional effects also happen. Generally, the power consumption of electronic devices gets worse with age, and rarely better. Flashes yellow, and attract dust. The result is more energy for a given amount of light output. You might not see that change, but the camera will. Similar effects happen in the CCD array of the camera. The MOS electronics also has a worsening decay curve with time, although that is typically slight.

Additionally, the original batteries were probably selected to have the reasonably good lifespan with a given camera model. The new batteries are whatever rolled down the production line in China, unless you are ordering special grade batteries.

I agree with the person that suggested using RC batteries, in that increasing the mAHr rating of the battery will increase lifespan, and some of the RC batteries will have lower ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) ratings. However, what is really needed here is a battery that is much bigger than the AA batteries being replaced. Specifically, a battery almost the same physical size as the camera. Such a battery would power the camera very well, with no rapid discharge problems. It is also a pain to carry around, however some pro-photographers prefer the external high-power battery packs. Today, the external battery packs are less popular with SLRs, but they are still widely used to power the portable studio light kits.

 

[Rockslinger]

Similar effects happen in the CCD array of the camera. The MOS electronics also has a worsening decay curve with time, although that is typically slight.

Are you saying the image quality of an aging camera is worse than when the same camera was a young stud?

 

[Cinema Face]

Got tired of talking with noobs at Best Buy, etc., who knew little on this topic and decided to go to a real camera shop for some 'expert' advice. Well the camera guy there pretty much agreed with most posted above and claims many digital cameras eat up batteries and NiMH rechargibles are the best choice if your camera uses AAs, even though they self discharge in a month or two even if not used. Then threw in something new I never heard before. He claims 'old' cameras like the 5 yr old camera I have eat batteries up even more as they age! WTF! Never heard that one! Could this be possible? I think it's just BS to try and get you to buy a new camera.

I've never heard of the power consumption characteristics of an electronic gadget changing over time. That sounds like salesman BS to me. More likely that battery performance deteriorates over time. Also new electronics on the market may be more energy efficient compared to the old ones.

It sounds like you’ve got a rather “thirsty” camera.

Anyways, 5 years is about 60 in digital camera years. Lol. It may be time to think about a new one. They are so much better now.

 

[WoodPeckr]

I've never heard of the power consumption characteristics of an electronic gadget changing over time.

This has been my experience tinkering around with electronic gadgets the last 40 yrs.

More likely that battery performance deteriorates over time. Also new electronics on the market may be more energy efficient compared to the old ones.

This definitely happens. The 10 yr old Ni-Cad battery in my camcorder still works but only for a ½ hour now. It lasted for 2 hours when it was brand new.