Are NiMH batteries bad for use in things like clocks, remote controls, etc?

[BillGates]

I would like to get a new battery charger and AA/AAA batteries and have found that most of them are now NiMH. I have used the Alkaline Renewal system in the past and had luck with it for years, but my charger has finally called it quits due to a bit of oxidation/corrosion on the contacts.

I looked into NiMH systems such as this one and this one and think they'd do the trick. However, some of what I've read is that NiMH systems are optimal for things like digital cameras due to the way they discharge (and that Alkaline is bad for digital camera usage).

I mainly need these batteries for remote controls, wall clocks, stuff like that. My S230 has its own proprietary battery, so I'm not worried about that aspect. Would those batteries be okay for this type of low drain, long term usage? (I read something yesterday that said they lost 1-2% of their charge every day)

 

[gopunk]

yes, because they will lose charge quickly just sitting there... you're really better off with alkalines imo because those are really low drain devices and you'll have to change batteries less often.

 

[sillymofo]

Man.. why do you care, you can afford one time use NMiH batteries... so go for it.

 

[Mr N8]

They would work, but you won't get the number of recharges out of it that you want to, because they won't fully discharge while being used in those devices. Most likely it will be cheaper to get trow-aways, anyway, as batteries will last a long time in those devices.

 

[Mark R]

NiMH batteries have a high rate of self-discharge. Leave them 2 or 3 weeks and they'll be exhausted due to internal discharging. It's fine if you want to buy expensive batteries and recharge them once a fortnight but, given that alkaline batteries can last several years in remote controls[*] or clocks, it seems like they are by far the best option.

[*]My TV remote is still going strong and it has some duracell batteries in it which are labeled 'Install by Mar 1999'.

 

[edro]

My NiMhs work great in everything. I have around 20-25 NiMh AAs and AAAs and I use them in EVERYTHING. I can't tell a difference between Alkaline and NiMh...

 

[BillGates]

Cool, thanks for the info all! I guess I'll just hit Sam's and get some regular throwaway Duracells.

 

[0roo0roo]

my wall clocks have had nihms in em, and they go for atleast 6 months, i don't really remember how long since its quite a damn long time in between changes.

only thing nihms aren't good for are emergency supply batteries that you store.. or for stuuff like fire detectors.