• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Alkaline battery disposal/recharge?

AmpedSilence

AmpedSilence

Feb 2, 2012
837
68
L'ville, GA
#1
I figured this might be the most correct forum to ask this since I've gotten some good advise from sound guys here!

What do you guys do with your "used up" batteries? I was reading on the Duracell website and they wrote that its ok to throw away alkaline batteries. At my church we go through a lot of the AA Procell batteries and it feels wasteful to me. I know its necessary I use them on my line 6 g30 transmitter and appreciate their use but can regular alkaline batteries be recharged at all?
 
#2
Yes you can find chargers for Alkalines, The charges are designed so the batteries don't explode. But alkaline are not designed to be recharged.

It may be hard to believe but it may be more wasteful to recharge a battery not designed to be recharged.

Consider that you have to waste a lot of power to charge a battery that isn't designed to be recharged. That is wasteful in itself. Energy isn't free, and lot comes from burning fossil fuels.

It is safe for the environment to throw out alkaline batteries. They are made mercury free.
 
#4
Here in Austin there is a household waste disposal facility near my home. I have a box where I collect used up alkaline batteries, burned out CFLs, depleted printer ink cartridges, etc. When the box gets full I dump the contents into a garbage bag and take it there.
 
#5
Dallas also provides a place to drop off used batteries.

I agree that they are very wasteful. Rechargeable batteries have gotten very good. I recommend a smart charger and modern niMH batteries for balance between cost and performance. I buy them when they're on sale.

I have kids, and batteries are a big part of our life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SteveCS
#6
Great suggestions! I looked up a place to recycle batteries and I found a battery shop nearby that takes them.

I'll look into the rechargable niMH batteries for myself though. I'm a bit unsure about it since I've read that the battery level indicator on the Line 6 G30 doesn't read rechargeable batteries properly. They are working and then just stop, unlike alkaline.
I guess its a bit of an evil trade off..
 
#7
Rechargeable batteries will not work well in some applications. I have seen documentation for some devices which specifically says not to use them. I have always assumed that they can't deliver the same amount of maximum current needed as the other types without heating up.
 
#8
AmpedSilence said:
I'll look into the rechargable niMH batteries for myself though. I'm a bit unsure about it since I've read that the battery level indicator on the Line 6 G30 doesn't read rechargeable batteries properly. They are working and then just stop, unlike alkaline.
I guess its a bit of an evil trade off..
Click to expand...
Yes, there are trade-offs. I have a supply of spares on the smart charger. They don't have "memory" like the NiCad, so it's not a problem if you recharge them before they're fully discharged.
 
#9
ggunn said:
Rechargeable batteries will not work well in some applications. I have seen documentation for some devices which specifically says not to use them. I have always assumed that they can't deliver the same amount of maximum current needed as the other types without heating up.
Click to expand...
Yes, some types of batteries have lower voltage, like 1.2V instead of 1.5V.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rechargeable_battery#Types
 
#10
Our church does rechargables, AA and 9V. We've had good luck with the following batteries and chargers...

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-BK-...e=UTF8&qid=1421120026&sr=1-7&keywords=eneloop

Link Removed

We have heard good things about these batteries and we've ordered some to check out...

Link Removed

We get 9 hours in Shure UHF-R handheld mics and Sennheiser IEM packs. We use Lectrosonics belt packs for the lapel mics and headset mics (and I use one with my bass for wireless). The Lectrosonics RF line is broadcast-industrial-strength RF gear and very solid, but battery-hungry. We get 7 hours of use in those.

I haven't run the number on what the cost is at the end of the year, but going through 56 or so batteries every Sunday and 40+ on Wednesday, it's a lot better than tossing that many batteries every week.

I bought one recharger and 8 batteries for myself.
 
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
#11
I have 16 rechargeable NiMh AA's that I use for my G90 beltpack and my Carvin (IEM) EM900 beltpack.
They are rotated regularly and I CAN get more than 1 gig out of them, but change them out at every gig and discharge the discards so they recharge fully.
Am about to upgrade to Eneloop's - haven't decided on regular vs pro yet..
 
  • Like
Reactions: Geri O
#13
s0c9 said:
I have 16 rechargeable NiMh AA's that I use for my G90 beltpack and my Carvin (IEM) EM900 beltpack.
They are rotated regularly and I CAN get more than 1 gig out of them, but change them out at every gig and discharge the discards so they recharge fully.
Am about to upgrade to Eneloop's - haven't decided on regular vs pro yet..
Click to expand...

When I started at the church, they had a combination of the regulars (the white ones) vs the pros (the black ons). The black ones were used in the Lectro belt packs that I mentioned we use for the lapels and headsets (and again, what I bought for my bass).

However, they re-upped on new batteries as the last set had 2 1/2 years on them. Our tech guy found a deal on Amazon where the pros were only $.50 cents more than the regulars, so we are all pro now. When I bought my pros, they were almost $2.00 more. Wish I had seen that...:D

The regulars served us quite well, no doubt. I went with the pros because of that same belt pack. My Sennheiser IEM receiver doesn't mind...:laugh:
 
#14
Geri O said:
However, they re-upped on new batteries as the last set had 2 1/2 years on them. Our tech guy found a deal on Amazon where the pros were only $.50 cents more than the regulars, so we are all pro now. When I bought my pros, they were almost $2.00 more. Wish I had seen that...:D

The regulars served us quite well, no doubt. I went with the pros because of that same belt pack. My Sennheiser IEM receiver doesn't mind...:laugh:
Click to expand...
Amazon pricing on Panasonic Eneloop regulars vs pro's is crazy.. $23 vs $40 for 8-pack.. I can get 16 Eneloop regulars for the price of 8 pro's !!
They are also, ONLY 1.3v 2100mAh rated... the PRO XX are 1.2v, 2500mAh and $40 for FOUR !! o_O

I'm looking at others, but considering going with something that is "high capacity" (2500mAh+) and possible "off brand".
EBL or even sunlabz (fingers crossed) !1
 
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
#15
I may have mentioned this earlier, but the church got a 16-pack of the EBLs to evaluate. So far they are working out pretty well.

When I started at the church, I was taken aback by those 1.2V ratings on the pros. But I gotta say, they are serving me quite well whatever they are.

I want to try the EBLs as soon as I can. They look really promising.
 
#16
I bought a battery charger that can recharge most battery types, including alkaline. I'll test it out on the Procells and see if we do get extra use from them.

If only our soundguys were aware enough to check battery levels and change them frequently we could go for rechargables! I'll personally give them a shot though.
 
#17
Nursing homes. Lots of the seniors have and use portable cassette players in their rooms. A battery that won't power your wifi system will still power MP3 players, the old cheap cassette players, and old portable radios - even some small cheap flashlights. Believe it or not you will find them being used all day in nursing homes.
 
#19
AmpedSilence said:
Great suggestions! I looked up a place to recycle batteries and I found a battery shop nearby that takes them.

I'll look into the rechargable niMH batteries for myself though. I'm a bit unsure about it since I've read that the battery level indicator on the Line 6 G30 doesn't read rechargeable batteries properly. They are working and then just stop, unlike alkaline.
I guess its a bit of an evil trade off..
Click to expand...

It is not a fault with the line 6 as a characteristic of NiMH and the old NiCad cells - the drop of from peak current to nothing is very short thanks to low internal resistance. Some effects units, e.g. MS60-B from Zoom, allow you to select the type of battery you are using and it will display more accurately. Check the manual as the Line 6 might also have such a feature. However, it cannot change the fact that the end of a NiMH is quite abrupt so you might want to carry a set of charged-up spares just in case.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back