Rechargeable Batteries, Money and Environment Savers?
If you’re like us and concerned with your budget as well as helping to keep our environment cleaner, you might wonder whether rechargeable batteries are a good option and whether they last long enough to offset their higher costs. Read on to find out more.
I started wondering about rechargeables when we noticed that some of our rechargeables weren’t holding up as long as they used to. Then today, I found this article from Greenopolis which has a very quick summary of why rechargeable batteries are better.
I decided to dig further to see what I could find. The first site I ran across was Battery University. This is a fairly comprehensive site on techniques and tips for using rechargeable batteries.
The first portion I found interesting was their “What’s the best battery?” page. Here I finally found a good quick explanation of when to use certain batteries and their different environmental impact characteristics (look at the table at the bottom for those.)
I also learned that we should be storing our batteries in the refrigerator if we want to keep them useful longer. I had heard this in other places but the depth of technical information on this site makes me much more comfortable with what sounded like an old-wives-tale. Now, to convince Goosey to allow a pile of batteries somewhere in our packed fridge 
They recommend:
- Keep batteries in a cool and dry storage area. Refrigeration is recommended but freezers should be avoided. When refrigerated, the battery should be placed in a plastic bag to protect against condensation
- Do not fully charge lithium and nickel-based batteries before storage. Keep them partially charged and apply a full charge before use. Store lithium-ion at about 40% state-of-charge (3.75-3.80V/cell open terminal). Lead-acid batteries must be stored fully charged.
- Do not store lithium-ion fully depleted. If empty, charge for about 30 minutes before storage. Self-discharge on a depleted battery may cause the protection circuit to trip, preventing a recharge.
- Do not stockpile lithium-ion batteries; avoid buying dated stock, even if offered at a reduced price. Observe the manufacturing date, if available.
- Never leave a nickel-based battery sitting on a charger for more than a few days. Prolonged trickle charge causes crystalline formation (memory).
- Always store a lead acid battery in full-charge condition. Observe the open terminal voltage and recharge the battery every 6 months or as recommended by the manufacturer.
Also, check out their terrific: “Do and don’t battery table.”
After doing more research, I’m glad we started to use our recyclables and I’ll start looking for more opportunities to use them.
To recycle your batteries, you can take it to many different retailers and have them recycle it for you. The list includes: Sears, Target, Wal-Mart, Circuit City, Home Depot, etc. To find a location near you, you can try:
http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/ (looks promising but their database is having a problem as I write this.)
Have you found yourself using more recycleable batteries? Do you have any techniques not mentioned by Battery University to extend life?
