Energizer Quick Battery Charger - The Greener Solution for your Battery Needs
Written: Sep 08 '09
Product Rating:
Pros: Environmentally friendly, easy to use and power when you need it
Cons: Charge time is 8.5 hours. Charge does not last as long as Alkaline batteries.
The Bottom Line: I highly recommend Energizer Rechargeable Batteries for most people. It is convenient and reduced trash that goes into our landfills which can contact toxic chemicals.
viper1963's Full Review: Energizer & Quick Charge Battery Charger (CH15MNCP...
Today we have all kinds of electronic appliances that require some form of battery to operate. When the battery dies, you are stuck running around looking for replacement batteries. More often than not, we do not have spare batteries available and we have to make a run to the local retail store to buy more. In my case, it is my camera’s flash. Buying “AA” batteries can be expensive even if you buy them in bulk from Costco or Sam’s Club.
We are now in the middle of a GREEN wave meaning that we want to be more conscious of how our purchases is affecting our environment and how we are a disposable society. This past year I stopped buying disposable batteries in favor of rechargeable batteries. While shopping at a local store, I found Energizer Compact Charger which came with four rechargeable “AA” NiMH batteries. It was on closeout so I snapped this up real fast.
ENERGIZER COMPACT CHARGER
What comes in the plastic clamshell packaging:
• The Charger
• Four “AA” Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The charger itself is about the size of an average cellphone. You pull down on charger to expose its charge ports. You insert your “AA” batteries in one direction (+) at top. If you are charging “AAA” batteries, you must pull down a simple tab and then insert your “AAA” battery.
To fully charge a set of batteries, you must charge the batteries for at least 8½ hours. Generally, the batteries do not reach full potential until it has been recharged 3-4 times. To do this, all you have to do is recharge the batteries as usual. Use the batteries until they are exhausted and recharge them.
ACTUAL USE IN THE FIELD
The Energizer Compact Charger was designed for digital cameras but I have been using it for my external flashes for my photography business. On a typical charge, I can get about 1,100 to about 1,300 flashes depending upon the strength of the flash output I set for the exposure.
Unlike Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) batteries, the NiMH batteries do not form a memory and can be recharged many times. Of course, you must care of the batteries too. I always allow the batteries to fully discharge before recharging it. It is not necessary to use a battery discharger to discharge the batteries.
Rechargeable batteries generally lose power over a period of time. This is the drawback over standard alkaline batteries we are used to purchasing at your local retail store. But remember, you will save money in the long run and will keep those disposable batteries out of the landfill. Some of those disposable batteries we use contain lithium which is toxic to our wildlife and oceans. It may also contain mercury which can be ingested by marine life (fish, crabs, lobster) which transfers onto us when we consume that fish.
HELPFUL HINTS THAT CAN SAVE YOU TIME
Most people will buy several sets of “AA” or “AAA” batteries. I always mark my batteries in sets as I buy them. For example, if I buy 4 “AA” rechargeable batteries, I mark those with a tag with 05/2008. This tells me to charge these batteries at the same time. If I buy a second set of batteries in June, I place a tag on them as 06/2008. You will always know the age of your batteries and approximately how many times you have recharged the batteries.
If you are traveling, charge your batteries before you go on your trip. After spending a day taking photos, your batteries will be near exhausted. Place them in your charger when you return to your hotel room. Leave your wallet or keys or even your purse near the outlet your batteries are charging so that you do not forget to unplug and remove the batteries. This will also remind you to insert the batteries into your camera so that you can take more pictures.
THE BOTTOM LINE
This is my second year of using the Energizer Rechargeable batteries. Previously I was not too keen on their use but they have been very reliable and have saved more than a few dozen batteries from being disposed of in our landfills.
I also use it in a portable CD player I use while mountain biking. It lasts about 12-15 hours on continual use. In remote control units for your TV, expect it to last several weeks if you are channel flipper like me who averages 3-4 hours of watching sports on TV almost every day.
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