# frugal trivia



## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

recently i read a tip that a small fold of aluminum foil placed behind a battery will prolong its life.

i tried with a tiny pad of folded aluminum foil about 4 layers thick. Ordinary kitchen aluminum. In truth i wasn't expecting anything.

to my astonishment this works like a charm. Battery life doubles. 

does anyone know the science of how this happens? the tip didn't explain how.


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## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

humble_pie said:


> recently i read a tip that a small fold of aluminum foil placed behind a battery will prolong its life.
> 
> i tried with a tiny pad of folded aluminum foil about 4 layers thick. Ordinary kitchen aluminum. In truth i wasn't expecting anything.
> 
> ...


what was your test method? There really is no reason I can think of. If it was just that easy the battery companies would have integrated it.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

it was/is just that easy. The method is what i've described. Batteries are lasting twice as long.

just in case a tiny 4-layer pad of folded aluminum foil might end up harming a device/appiance, i'm not trying this on anything important. But on flashlights radios mouli etc, it's working.

in reality, battery manufacturers would not have integrated such a feature. Battery manufacturers want their product to fail quickly so consumers wlll buy & use more product. Same as cars. The disposable economy.


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## bgc_fan (Apr 5, 2009)

I wouldn't read too much into it. I have done that before, but I figure it was more to ensure that the contact between the battery and spring was better rather than getting more energy.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

bgc_fan said:


> I wouldn't read too much into it. I have done that before, but I figure it was more to ensure that the contact between the battery and spring was better rather than getting more energy.


Yes, if the aluminum makes a better connection with the contacts in the device and the battery it can extend operating time and/or provide more power.


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

A folded piece of foil could act as a condenser or capacitor but why this would lengthen battery life, I don't know.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Rusty O'Toole said:


> A folded piece of foil could act as a condenser or capacitor but why this would lengthen battery life, I don't know.


A simple folded piece of foil will not make a capacitor, it's just a conductor.


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## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

Did you know that at one time, light bulb manufacturers got together and agreed to limit the lifespan of their lightbulbs? It was one of the earliest examples of 'planned obsolescence.' http://members.questline.com/Article.aspx?articleID=41833&accountID=1877&nl=24028

You only have to look at the rust on any of the 'Big 3's' automobiles to see the same thing today. There is no reason why a car should start rusting after a couple of years but they still do.


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## dubmac (Jan 9, 2011)

humble_pie said:


> recently i read a tip that a small fold of aluminum foil placed behind a battery will prolong its life. Battery life doubles.
> does anyone know the science of how this happens? the tip didn't explain how.


Interesting HP. I am curious tho - what kind of battery did you use - was it a "copper-Zinc" type or other?
I assume that the Aluminum was placed around the jacket of the battery, and the Al is no where near the contact where charge enters and exits the battery?


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

cainvest said:


> Yes, if the aluminum makes a better connection with the contacts in the device and the battery it can extend operating time and/or provide more power.



i think you & bgc_fan have figured it out

thankx guys!


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

dubmac said:


> Interesting HP. I am curious tho - what kind of battery did you use - was it a "copper-Zinc" type or other?
> I assume that the Aluminum was placed around the jacket of the battery, and the Al is no where near the contact where charge enters and exits the battery?



black mac i believe you might not be envisioning this quite right. The AL foil doesn't go around the battery jacket, it goes behind the battery in a flat tiny pad of folded aluminum foil which gets placed between the battery & its rear connection seat. You can make such a pad yourself in a jiffy. Mine are about 4-5 layers of thin kitchen-grade foil.

as bgc fan & cainvest have figured out ^^ upthread, what's working helpfully is that the connection is improved, thus permitting longer/better drawdown of power from the battery.

in my case battery lives are almost doubling. If it's all a question of connection, this is telling me that the springs to ensure tension in the connection and/or the engineered dimensions of the battery chamber were not adequately manufactured, ie the batteries were being held too loosely in the device.

if the explanation is all about obtaining a tighter battery connection, this also tells me that aluminium atoms are not running amok & ruining a device. Which suggests that one could try the reynolds wrap even in an expensive or critically important device. However it does occur to me that over-increasing the spring tension in the battery chamber might possibly cause adjacent parts of Important Device to fail prematurely.

PS they weren't special batteries. Just regular alkaline AAs & AAAs.


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## peterk (May 16, 2010)

humble_pie said:


> The AL foil doesn't go around the battery jacket, it goes behind the battery in a flat tiny pad of folded aluminum foil *which gets placed between the battery & its rear connection seat*. You can make such a pad yourself in a jiffy. Mine are about 4-5 layers of thin kitchen-grade foil.


Do you mean between the flat end of the battery and the spring? or the nub end and the other metal doohicky? Or maybe both? Perhaps it doesn't matter which end...


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

No, you just think the battery life doubled. Unless you tested dozens of qualified batteries in a precise temperature controlled environment, and collected massive data points with sensitve instruments, you're being misled by factors you aren't considering. 

There is no property of aluminum that would create this situation. Placing it outside of a sealed battery, it will not act as a catalyst to the chemical reaction within the sealed battery. 

Placing it within the circuit loop, it can only act as a resistor, thereby reducing the current, and make the battery last longer. *BUT*... aluminum is a good conductor, so the resistance would be below trivial, and difficult to even measure. No way would it double the life, i.e. cut the current flow in half. The flashlight bulb would be dim.

Sorry, you're not going to pump the value of your NYSE:AA shares with this scam. :cocksure::cocksure::cocksure::cocksure:


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

Another quick solution is to stretch the spring on the negative end to eliminate resistance at the positive end where resistive losses can occur.


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

kcowan said:


> Another quick solution is to stretch the spring on the negative end to eliminate resistance at the positive end where resistive losses can occur.


But... reducing resistance increases current and depletes the battery quicker. I=V/R. Less of the battery's power is lost to generating heat through the unwanted resistance, but if the battery is rated at 2500 mAh, that's all you're going to get out of it.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Userkare said:


> No, you just think the battery life doubled. Unless you tested dozens of qualified batteries in a precise temperature controlled environment, and collected massive data points with sensitve instruments, you're being misled by factors you aren't considering.


100% agree that a controlled test would be needed to verify the results.



Userkare said:


> Placing it within the circuit loop, it can only act as a resistor, thereby reducing the current, and make the battery last longer. *BUT*... aluminum is a good conductor, so the resistance would be below trivial, and difficult to even measure. No way would it double the life, i.e. cut the current flow in half. The flashlight bulb would be dim.


Actually it could reduce resistance between the battery and poor contact points. Many of those spring type AA holders are of poor quality and usually made of a steel type metal, not the best conductors. If only a small contact point is made between the battery and the spring it could limit the current/voltage to the device. Having the aluminum foil piece in there could increase the contact area that *might* help with this situation.

A common example of this is with car batteries and poor connections to the battery posts, usually caused by them being loose or corrosion. This applies to small devices as well and the contacts can normally be "refreshed" with a little sand paper if corrosion is present. After ten years of use my hand held GPS required a little sand paper touch up last year, has been operating fine ever since.


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

cainvest said:


> 100% agree that a controlled test would be needed to verify the results.
> 
> 
> Actually it could reduce resistance between the battery and poor contact points. Many of those spring type AA holders are of poor quality and usually made of a steel type metal, not the best conductors. If only a small contact point is made between the battery and the spring it could limit the current/voltage to the device. Having the aluminum foil piece in there could increase the contact area that *might* help with this situation.
> ...



One more time.... Ohms law states that Current = Voltage divided by Resistance ( I = V/R ). Any decrease in resistance will increase current. Cleaning the contacts with a commercial electrical contact cleaner will eliminate the superflous resistance of dirt / corrosion on contacts. This is not done to increase battery life, but to allow the full charge of the battery to power the load, and not be wasted in heating the resistive dirt. The battery can only provide as much power as it is rated for, measured in ampere hours, or milliampere hours for small batteries. Period!!!!!!!!


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Userkare said:


> One more time.... Ohms law states that Current = Voltage divided by Resistance ( I = V/R ). Any decrease in resistance will increase current. Cleaning the contacts with a commercial electrical contact cleaner will eliminate the superflous resistance of dirt / corrosion on contacts. This is not done to increase battery life, but to allow the full charge of the battery to power the load, and not be wasted in heating the resistive dirt.


Exactly, a better contact will lead to less wasted power. As I said, a clean contact and/or increasing the size of the contact area will lower the resistance.


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

cainvest said:


> Exactly, a better contact will lead to less wasted power. As I said, a clean contact and/or increasing the size of the contact area will lower the resistance.



Yes yes yes, true. But that will not increase battery life; it will actually decrease it. Do you see that?


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

To extend battery life just buy lithium batteries - much lighter and longer lasting. To save even more weight you can put AAA lithium batteries in a AA converter case etc

Most of my AAA and AA batteries are nimh rechargeable 2800 mAh. A good XTAR $20 portable USB charger/power bank can charge li-ion and nimh of various sizes with real-time display of capacity/current/resistance. I have another more portable $10 USB charger that is just USB cable to 2 magnetic caps

Good rechargeable batteries are so cheap online now. Even the lithium batteries are down to $1 ea now on amazon with the typical discounts


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Userkare said:


> Yes yes yes, true. But that will not increase battery life; it will actually decrease it. Do you see that?


From a typical device standpoint it *can* increase the time of use. Many devices have an operating voltage threshold (yes current too be lets keep it simple for now), an overhead of voltage that is required to operate their internal voltage regulator (current is controlled here). With a bad contact the voltage drop (or limited current) won't allow the device to operate because the input voltage is to low, i.e. dead device / batteries appear to fail faster.

In a non voltage controlled device, say an old bulb flashlight, many have seen what a bad contact (increased resistance) will do. Yup, jiggle the flashlight and the light *likely* gets brighter again. Of course shaking doesn't improve battery life but has just reduced the resistance between the bulb and the battery. And yes, the battery's power is not better is just being utilized more.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

Userkare said:


> No, you just think the battery life doubled. Unless you tested dozens of qualified batteries in a precise temperature controlled environment, and collected massive data points with sensitve instruments, you're being misled by factors you aren't considering.
> 
> There is no property of aluminum that would create this situation. Placing it outside of a sealed battery, it will not act as a catalyst to the chemical reaction within the sealed battery.
> 
> Placing it within the circuit loop, it can only act as a resistor, thereby reducing the current, and make the battery last longer. *BUT*... aluminum is a good conductor, so the resistance would be below trivial, and difficult to even measure. No way would it double the life, i.e. cut the current flow in half. The flashlight bulb would be dim.



thanks for posting about the correct scientic testing procedure

but keep in mind that i'm only a dumb crumb. A simple homemade oatmeal cookie with chopped dates & walnuts.

i'm not up to the laboratory testing you require. But surely even a humble kitchen biscuit should be allowed to mention a frugal tip on an anonymous chat board.





> The flashlight bulb would be dim.


the beam of light thrown by a flashlight w aluminum-refreshed battery is definitely not "dim" although i agree it's not quite as bright as a brand-new battery. The beam is, however, functional & adequate. It's certainly sufficient for general purposes, ie home garage & property. We're talking here not only about semantics but also about an individual person's vision acuity. What might be dim to one pair of eyes can look sharp & clear to another pair of eyes.

right now i have a spent battery inside the flashlight. Backed onto aluminum foil, it's come back to life. So far this battery - which previously would have gone straight to battery recycling in my ville - has provided roughly 10 extra usages. Altogether at least an extra hour of extended light. It's not done yet, it's still going strong.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

m3s said:


> To extend battery life just buy lithium batteries - much lighter and longer lasting. To save even more weight you can put AAA lithium batteries in a AA converter case etc



alas my experience has been the opposite. For me, lithium batteries do not perform better than alkaline. In my hood they cost more than $3 each.

last lithiums i bought were from the local hardware. They lasted so briefly that i thought their incoming shipment must have been damaged (who knows, maybe allowed to freeze outside, idk) (but those batteries were the worst i've ever known)

a US $1 lithium battery stateside could easy cost $1.79-.99 in canada

good tip to figure out how to re-charge batteries though, thankx


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

luddite-ism is suddenly becoming more appealing


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

humble_pie said:


> recently i read a tip that a small fold of aluminum foil placed behind a battery will prolong its life.
> 
> i tried with a tiny pad of folded aluminum foil about 4 layers thick. Ordinary kitchen aluminum. In truth i wasn't expecting anything.
> 
> ...


....what / where exactly do you mean by "behind"? ...

I'm positive you mean the negative end, no?


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

jargey3000 said:


> ....what / where exactly do you mean by "behind"? ...



ummm i mean "behind"

behind the flat end of the battery, which gets installed upon the spring connector ...


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

humble_pie said:


> thanks for posting about the correct scientic testing procedure
> 
> but keep in mind that i'm only a dumb crumb. A simple homemade oatmeal cookie with chopped dates & walnuts.
> 
> i'm not up to the laboratory testing you require. But surely even a humble kitchen biscuit should be allowed to mention a frugal tip on an anonymous chat board.


It's not a matter of 'dumb'; everyone has their own areas of expertise. This is basic electronics/physics; but I don't expect everyone to know it, unless they work in that field as I did. I tried to explain it in as simple terms as I could.

Suffice to say that is against the accepted laws of physics that a battery can produce more energy than what it produces by the chemical reaction within it. Energy cannot be created, only converted to other energy. 

To double the useful life of a battery, you would have to reduce the 'load' current in half by adding resistance. The resistance converts the current to heat. At half the current, the bulb would be noticably dimmer. This is how the simple old-fashioned dimmers worked. Now they use more efficient methods.

Making a good electrical connection will eliminate some of the unwanted stray resistance, the energy from the battery will be mostly converted to light rather than wasted heat, keep the bulb bright, but it will not increase the battery capacity.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

Userkare said:


> One more time.... Ohms law states that Current = Voltage divided by Resistance ( I = V/R ). Any decrease in resistance will increase current.



even a poor dumb pre-luddite biscuit can understand something like the above

but coming back to our humble flashlight & other low-cost items that are mass-produced in asia, i'm assuming the manufacturers design & manufacture an item's battery chamber so that the battery assembly will be a nano-measure on the loose side. Just a tiny measure. Because they don't want customers all over the planet returning shipments because the end users complain they can't get their batteries installed in a too-tight chamber. 

in some items, this means that battery life will appear to end prematurely; however current is still available within each battery. It would seem that this problem can be cured by installing a tiny aluminum foil pad, which forces the battery assembly forward & slightly increase its tension.

so we're not talking about decreasing current. We're talking about being able to tap into current that previously - without the foil pad - could not be accessed.


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

jargey3000 said:


> I'm positive you mean the negative end, no?


well i can't see your battery item jargey but i'm positive that you're positive we're talking about the negative end


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

humble_pie said:


> even a poor dumb pre-luddite biscuit can understand something like the above
> 
> but coming back to our humble flashlight & other low-cost items that are mass-produced in asia, i'm assuming the manufacturers design & manufacture an item's battery chamber so that the battery assembly will be a nano-measure on the loose side.


Yup, now we're talking about a poor design. A coil spring should be used to keep the battery snug, but still allow it to be easily inserted. Some of the cheaply produced garbage just uses a bent strip of metal that, over time, becomes loose. Cleaning the contacts, and bending the cheap metal strip back should have the same effect as the tin foil. 

Also, as mentioned upthread, even a coil spring can compress over time, so stretching it back would also help.

BTW did you see this in one of those "click bait" ads that appear on this site? They usually go something like... "This simple trick, that the battery companies don't want you to know, can save you $$$." ?


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Userkare said:


> Yup, now we're talking about a poor design. A coil spring should be used to keep the battery snug, but still allow it to be easily inserted. Some of the cheaply produced garbage just uses a bent strip of metal that, over time, becomes loose. Cleaning the contacts, and bending the cheap metal strip back should have the same effect as the tin foil.


Yes, many have a cheap design with very small contact points. Not just the spring side but if you look closely at the positive ends some have a tiny indent (bump) in the metal tab that makes for a tiny contact area. Adding the aluminum foil can increase the overall contact area which could help but it's also wise to clean (or sand) *both contact points* even with the foil between.

Added: Some 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper works well for this.


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

cainvest said:


> Yes, many have a cheap design with very small contact points.


It's actually surprising how much current can pass through such a tiny contact. I frequently use 28 or 30 gauge wire to modify circuit boards; they're pretty thin, and still rated at 1.4 and .86 Amps! https://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

The bump on the battery contact tab is larger diameter, and so short, it doesn't really reduce current. The biggest factor for such a small area is firm contact, and keeping it clean and not corroded.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

humble_pie said:


> ummm i mean "behind"
> 
> behind the flat end of the battery, which gets installed upon the spring connector ...


...yes, I'm positive that's the negative end you're talking about...
but, "behind" could also have also meant in behind the battery body itself, kinda like the skin on a banana , if you will.....

on a side note, I've found that shaking the batteries a bit after they've apparently gone dead will restore power ,for a bit...
also, simply reversing the order of the batteries inserted into the flashlight, remote, vibrator etc. will sometimes do the same.
also my extensive research shows that Eveready AA batteries last longer than Duracell...they just keep going & going & going....

(as you can prob. tell, its about -23 windchill here today...& i haven't much to do...)


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Userkare said:


> The bump on the battery contact tab is larger diameter, and so short, it doesn't really reduce current.


Not the battery side, on the device's positive contact side ... some of them have a tiny dimple on the flat contact patch. IIRC i saw this on one of those external wireless temp probes and it worked before after I ground it off and sanded it.


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

jargey3000 said:


> on a side note, I've found that shaking the batteries a bit after they've apparently gone dead will restore power ,for a bit...


Leave it to jargey to squeeze every coulomb out of a battery. :tongue: Maybe you're stirring up the last remnants of the Zn & MnO2 for that final zombie battery minute.



jargey3000 said:


> .... vibrator etc. will sometimes do the same.


I see what you did there!


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

....wink, wink, nudge, nudge.....


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

i couldn't resist. I unscrewed the rear end of the flashlight & pulled up the tiny coiled spring, just like kcowan said. 

was rewarded with a strong bright white LED beam. But now the drat flashlight won't turn off.


EDIT: this was already a spent battery. But now it's well into its 2nd life. Already an extra hour of usage w multiple turnings on/off (i got the drat thing to turn off & it's behaving itself.)

i see Userkare's point about battery current causing dim light when resistance is reduced. However the gosh darn fact is that my "refreshed" batteries produce mostly strong beams, occasionally dimmer beams but still functional for ordinary household usage.

in a car or purse i would only carry a flashlight with brand-new batteries, would not risk a "refreshed" job, but "refreshed" is OK for home use imho.

Userkare is also right when he points out that battery life is not doubled. I must have exaggerated because i was so astonished that battery performance could even be extended at all. Sigh. When i think of the mountains of batteries that still had useful current inside them, that i've been prematurely sending to the city battery recycling depot all these years.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

LED flashlights are good candidates for rechargeable batteries because they drain sitting in the car etc unused and you always want them topped up before a trip etc

I typically keep my LED flashlight ready on "torch" mode because it's fun and also can be used to dazzle in a self defense situation, but it needs to be recharged often


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

Thanks for starting this thread HP. I think we have all learned something.

When will the carmakers install trickle charges for keep the rechargeable flashlights in peak condition? 

(Another tip for snowbirds, when you head north, take all your batteries out devices and put them in the fridge assuming you leave one fridge operational for your wine. No loss and no rotting.)


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## P_I (Dec 2, 2011)

kcowan said:


> (Another tip for snowbirds, when you head north, take all your batteries out devices and put them in the fridge assuming you leave one fridge operational for your wine. No loss and no rotting.)


Refrigerating or Freezing Batteries | Snopes.com says FALSE.


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## GreatLaker (Mar 23, 2014)

m3s said:


> LED flashlights are good candidates for rechargeable batteries because they drain sitting in the car etc unused and you always want them topped up before a trip etc
> 
> I typically keep my LED flashlight ready on "torch" mode because it's fun and also can be used to dazzle in a self defense situation, but it needs to be recharged often


Are you using low self discharge batteries like Eneloops? (I would guess yes since they are so common these days, but not all are.) Panasonic says white Eneloops hold 70% capacity after 5 years.

Another tip is that many flashlights, especially those with electronic switches, will have a slow parasitic drain when off. Depending on the flashlight, unscrewing the battery cover slightly (like 1/8 turn) when stored, may break the circuit and stop the parasitic drain.


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

Maybe snopes has no experience with snowbirds:
To maximize performance and shelf life, store batteries at normal room temperatures (68°F to 78°F or 20°C to 25°C) with moderated humidity levels (35 to 65% RH).

Our southern house will reach 90 degrees with 90% humidity and the fridge stays at 60 and 40% RH. Also the batteries will mold and ruin their host device regularly at those ambient temperatures. I agree that freezing them is a bad idea.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

GreatLaker said:


> Are you using low self discharge batteries like Eneloops? (I would guess yes since they are so common these days, but not all are.) Panasonic says white Eneloops hold 70% capacity after 5 years.
> 
> Another tip is that many flashlights, especially those with electronic switches, will have a slow parasitic drain when off. Depending on the flashlight, unscrewing the battery cover slightly (like 1/8 turn) when stored, may break the circuit and stop the parasitic drain.


I've been using the EBL 2800mAh rechargables - I like how they come in a handy storage case. eneloops are supposed to perform better years later but I suppose it depends what you're using them for. I would rather have the higher initial capacity, lower price, and replace as they wear or get lost etc

If I'm going camping or something I want my headlamp and devices fully charged but I would hate to replace 70% non-rechargeable batteries. Higher capacity mAh means they should last longer into the trip but you can also easily pack a USB charger that can charge off any vehicle with USB or adapter

Surprisingly the cheaper amazonbasics were chosen over both eneloop and EBL here


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## GreatLaker (Mar 23, 2014)

I have seen the EBL 2800s but have not tried them. I have some Eneloops that are ~10 years old and still working well. I just bought some Amazon Basics Hi Cap 2400 mAh rechargeable but have not had them long enough to know how good they are.

High capacity (mAh) is at odds with low self discharge and high number of recharge cycles. Compare regular Eneloops to Eneloop Pro, or Amazon Basics standard vs. Hi Capacity to see the differences. So yeah, depends on your use and what you want. 

Have you seen HKJ's battery site? He does very detailed tests, but does not rank batteries. Take a look at Energizer Ultimate Lithium. Wicked performance, but really high price. I bought some for the emergency flashlight I keep in my car since they have high capacity especially at high current, very long storage life and function well in freezing temperatures. 
http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/CommonAAcomparator.php
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/30711


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Besides the performance lithium is just noticeably lighter. You can even get rechargable lithium ions (like in your phone, tablet, laptop, powerbank, tools etc etc)

My torch flashlight at highest setting will still drain a high capacity lithium ion in a few hours. I got tired of finding the CR123 $$ batteries and the rechargable lithium has been great

For things that use a lot of power I doubt alkaline batteries are even worth the price vs lithium anymore with all the discount rebrands (probably made in the same chinese factory)


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## GreatLaker (Mar 23, 2014)

m3s said:


> For things that use a lot of power I doubt alkaline batteries are even worth the price vs lithium anymore with all the discount rebrands (probably made in the same chinese factory)


Very true.

If you go to the battery comparator site I linked to upthread and compare the White Eneloop AA 1900s to Duracell Ultra Power AA (or any alkaline battery) you will see the alkalines outperform the Eneloops slightly at 0.1 Amps, at 0.5 Amps the alkaline voltage drops much faster than the Eneloop, then at 1 Amp or higher the alkaline batteries are just awful.

Here's the link again (unfortunately I don't think I can preselect the above batteries and current levels):
http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/CommonAAcomparator.php


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