Rechargeable Battery Not to Be Used to Some Appliance Accessories

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  retiredfeline on 16/10/2017 - 08:53

  +5

  Possibly the voltage, NiMh is about 1.2V.

  But remotes are a poor use case for rechargeables. There's a good chance alkaline cells will outlast the remote and the appliance it controls. Not only that but I often use alkaline cells that have already served must of their life elsewhere.

  You could probably ask family and friends to give you used alkalines from toys and such and they would happily run your remote.

  • 

    BigLeviathan on 16/10/2017 - 12:38

    Yea, saw this 1.2v expalnation in one of the article I searched, but if the remote is working, I suspect it is okay with it, right? OR potentially the remote is trying really hard without us knowing it…haha who knows…

    • 

      abb on 16/10/2017 - 13:58

      I suspect it is okay with it, right?

      Yes.

      OR potentially the remote is trying really hard without us knowing it

      Also possible, but unlikely to be a problem.

      If the remote has some constant-power circuit (the driver for the IR LED might be), it will draw more current (power = voltage times current).

      So at 1V, the circuit will generate a lot more heat than it would at 1.5V (heat is proportional to current squared). But it only operates for fractions of a second, every now and then.

      TL;DR: If it works, it's ok.

• 

  BenK-Oz on 16/10/2017 - 10:26

  Not using rechargeable for low draw devices (e.g. remotes / clocks) used to be good advice before low self discharge rechargeables. Because rechargeables used to lose 1% capacity each day they would go flat after a few months, where an alkalaline might last a few years.
  With low self discharge batteries, they can last a long time in low draw appliances so use those eneloops!

  • 

    retiredfeline on 16/10/2017 - 10:37

    +4

    But it doesn't make financial sense to tie up money in more expensive eneloops when you could use used alkalines.

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 16/10/2017 - 10:49

      +3

      It doesn't make financial sense to have a draw full of Eneloops sitting there doing nothing slowly appreciating in value but here we all are. ;-)

• 

  slow on 16/10/2017 - 10:52

  My logitech remote wont even work with rechargeables, have to use regular batteries. But they last ages so not a big deal

  • 

    BigLeviathan on 16/10/2017 - 12:35

    Wow that's extreme, mine is working fine.

    Just curious why some manufacturer does not like rechargeable batteries

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  toomuchdogfur on 16/10/2017 - 12:10

  I doubt it would hurt to try rechargables in the remote if you desire - the worst thing it can do is not work due to insufficient voltage.

  Is this a fancy remote with an LCD screen or something? Maybe it has some electronics in it that are more sensitive to voltage.

  • 

    BigLeviathan on 16/10/2017 - 12:29

    It's gas heating unit wireless controller

    Yes, it has b/w lcd.

    It has been working with rechargeable battery, until the technician comes and advised me not to use it as the manufacturer manual stated to use alkaline batteries instead, and it might void the warranty

    • 

      retiredfeline on 16/10/2017 - 12:37

      That's rubbish though, a lower voltage won't hurt it and it's working fine. Either continue what you are doing or source some used alkalines. LCD displays (without backlight) are not high drain.

      • 

        BigLeviathan on 16/10/2017 - 12:46

        Exactly my initial thoughts, a potential collusion between appliance and batteries manufacturer

      • 

        retiredfeline on 16/10/2017 - 12:51

        @televisi: Well that's what they would say. Why buck the official line, there's nothing to gain.

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  joungs on 16/10/2017 - 13:14

  Rechargeables are often better as long as the device will work at 1.2v (which it should as akalaines aren't considered flat until 0.75v) because the Ni-MH has a much flatter discharge cycle and basically stays at 1.2vs until it's flat unlike non recahrgables who's voltage is proportional to it's state of charge. This means rechargeables will often last longer assuming of course self discharge isn't a major factor