How Long Will Rechargable Flashlight Batteries Stay Charged? (the best, to buy, check)

[square peg]

I really have no idea on this. I took out my camera today and the batteries were dead. Duracell AAs. They had been unused for several weeks, but there was no low battery display the last time out. I do keep lots of them around and had backups ready to go. So why does the remote control for the tv go months without this happening? They get used a lot and seem to be fine. I know, apples and oranges, but what can you tell me about these things that I know so little about?

[AksarbeN]

I’ve noticed that also. I have a friend who removes the batteries from the camera when it’s not is use, and he says that they last longer that way. I’d also like to know who makes the best batteries. I’ve had some bad luck with the Energizer rechargeables but excellent batteries with the Sony Cyber-shot batteries, I just can’t find them in the stores to buy more of them.

[Denise in Fla]

I have the same problem with the Duracells, they don't hold their charge long!

[Tek_Freek]

Take them out of the camera and store them in the refrigerator. Right next to the batteries for your hearing aids....

Don't let them touch metal at the poles.

An annoying thing about most rechargeables is that they die quickly. Good charge now dead 30 seconds later.

And I bit my tongue because I wanted, really wanted, to say, "Until the charge is gone." But I didn't! Wait.... yes I did.

[motormaker]

AA batteries just arn't worth a hoot in cameras and flashs because of the energy draw. Had a cheap Kodak digital at work and it batteries like eating MnM's. Got rid of that quick and got a camera that has a lithium batter. Ah, so much better.

[AksarbeN]

I didn’t know you could use the lithium battery in cameras. The ones that I’m using are Nickel-Metal Hydrige (Ni-MH) batteries and the Sony ones last several days without problems but the Energizers are dead after an hour of camera use.

If I could find jumper cables with small enough clips on one end I could use the car battery when I needed to take photos. Keeping the batteries in the refrigerator is a good idea maybe but I don’t want to take photos of: milk, butter, vegetables, meats and whatever else we’ve got in there. Old days in Nebraska you’d have to jumpstart the car because the battery was cold and dead.

[Rance]

Are you using double A's? Energizer Lithiums hold a charge for quite a while.

[square peg]

I'm liking the sound of the lithium batteries here. The AAs I've used are Duracell, Rayovac and Energizers. All have been the NIMH kind. Are the lithium batteries made in standard sizes like AAA, AA, C & D. Can the same charger be used for lithium and NIMH batteries?

[motormaker]

Check these sites out for batteries. My cameras don't use AA's, so I can't really say how long they last.

aa lithium batteries - Google Search

[square peg]

Heh - good tip, motormaker

OK (I think) I found what I needed to know here.

FAQ's on lithium batteries, lithium ion batteries, and rechargeable lithium batteries

Apparently lithium batteries are not rechargeable. Lithium ion batteries are. But they're not available in standard sizes. Here's the explanation.

Are Lithium Ion batteries available in standard sizes like AA , C or D cell size?

No, Lithium-ion batteries are not available in standard sizes. We believe this is because it would be too easy for users to inadvertently put them in a charger not designed for Lithium-ion batteries creating a potentially dangerous situation. (If an alkaline battery is put into the wrong charger it might leak or even burst, but a lithium-ion battery put into a NiCd or NiMH charger not designed for lithium-ion, might ignite. Also, because Li-ion batteries operate at much higher voltage (typically 3.7V per cell) than the 1.2 to 1.5V of most cell batteries, designing a 1.5V lithium-ion cell would be expensive.