A while back, I bought a pack of rechargeable batteries and a charger from Costco. Today my clock stopped, so I pulled out those batteries and charged them up.
Guess what? The clock didn’t run with the rechargeable battery. It did when I replaced it with a single-use alkaline. I wondered why.
Turns out, like chocolate or sports bras, not all rechargeable batteries are created equal.
I found a website that tells you what to look for in a rechargeable battery, their shortcomings and their benefits. An important tip I learned: If you let a rechargeable battery drain of all power, you will likely ruin it.
Most electronics stop using power when the power source (the battery) runs low. But some things, like flashlights, will drain every ounce of energy from the source beyond a normal power drain if they are left on. For those items, you’re better off using single-use alkaline cells.
Also, you can overcharge batteries unless you have the type of charger that switches to “trickle charge” when the charging cycle is finished. Overcharging is just as bad for a rechargeable battery as using it until it’s dead.
Check out this website for more information on the best way to keep rechargeable batteries strong, and which types to buy.
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/WPW/Power/RechBattInfo.htm
While it seems it will take a bit of research to find the perfect rechargeable battery, I’m committed to this effort because I’ve always felt bad about throwing all those alkaline batteries in the trash.
So our tip for the day is…
Tip for Day Eight: Switch to rechargeable batteries when feasible.
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