NiMH in a Game Boy?

[SonicIce]

I read that NiMH cells could be used to replace Alkaline in any device. But the Gameboy users manual says do not use nicad or nimh to avoid battery leakage.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

I use NiMH rechargeables in everything now, from low-drain TV remotes to high-drain digital cameras. I can't imagine why the Gameboy would be any different.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

thats like saying not to mix old ones and new ones- i've been doing that since I was like 5, never had any problems. The only thing I'd check on is that it can run sufficiently on two 1.2V batteries- thats usually what rechargeables are, and why devices say not to use them.

 

[Roguestar]

Originally posted by: SonicIce
I read that NiMH cells could be used to replace Alkaline in any device. But the Gameboy users manual says do not use nicad or nimh to avoid battery leakage.

High drain appliances always say that. Good rechargeables are fine.

 

[zig3695]

not always though. some things, like FM transmitters, programmable remotes, and remote-start keypads for cars do not like NiMH or any rechargeable because of their 1.2v max output. my harmony remote takes 4xAAA batts, so in alkaline mode thats 6v, in rechargeable mode thats only 4.6. big big difference. for the most part though, i find everything works but doesnt last very long even with good NiMH because their voltage is being sucked dry too fast. there is a reason rechargeables are only 1.2v but ill get into that later, i gotta go to work

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

might be 2x2 series-parallel. Thats one hell of a remote if all four are in series. a lantern battery could power that thing! lol
Lower voltage doesn't usually necessitate higher amperage draw. the load on most devices is constant, so the only reason why the batteries don't last long is they are older or don't that high of a ma rating (>2000 is good for AA). 1.2V is chosen because the cells are very delicate to heat, and warp if they get to hot. This is the main reason why they originally had to be charged over a long time period, and all the rapid chargers have fans. 1.2V charging creates less heat, plus things almost always overcharge rather than undercharge. Plus Alkalines lose voltage as they age and reach the end, so 1.2-1.5V is usually fine....

 

[natto fire]

Umm, no. A Ni-MH is 1.2v because that is the voltage produced from the chemical reaction. Just as Li-ion batteries have a nominal voltage of 3.6v, it is all in the chemistry of the cells. That being said, I have never had a problem using rechargeable batteries even in things that said not to use them, including my cordless mouse.

 

[zig3695]

actually i think youre both close but i have another point (2x2 parallel might very well be true, but it is a USB remote (5vdc) so who knows, ive never tested it) its all about charging them and making them universally usable. pretty much all consumer electronics in the world are based off of 12vdc (car batteries) or single-phase atlernating current (houses). so, since were speaking 12vdc, you need a couple volts higher then its standard voltage to charge, so thats why the alternator is 14.4v, (and theyre not going to use transformers where they dont have to, too big and costly). 10x1.2v batteries to get 12v, or 8x1.5v batteries to get 12v. or 12x1.2 gets 14.4. also, the power packs for alkaline devices are usually always 3v, 6v, 9v, or 12v. if you play around with the numbers, its quite interesting how everything fits. then, say a radio uses two AA's, and can charge from the power pack, you would need a 5v charger to get 1.5v batteries to charge- not readily available. so they make the rechargeable 1.2v, and use the same transformer packs they have been making since the dawn of time to save a ton of money (standardizing, cough hack cough HIGH DEF HOLLYWOOD)

 

[natto fire]

Originally posted by: zig3695
actually i think youre both close but i have another point (2x2 parallel might very well be true, but it is a USB remote (5vdc) so who knows, ive never tested it) its all about charging them and making them universally usable. pretty much all consumer electronics in the world are based off of 12vdc (car batteries) or single-phase atlernating current (houses). so, since were speaking 12vdc, you need a couple volts higher then its standard voltage to charge, so thats why the alternator is 14.4v, (and theyre not going to use transformers where they dont have to, too big and costly). 10x1.2v batteries to get 12v, or 8x1.5v batteries to get 12v. or 12x1.2 gets 14.4. also, the power packs for alkaline devices are usually always 3v, 6v, 9v, or 12v. if you play around with the numbers, its quite interesting how everything fits. then, say a radio uses two AA's, and can charge from the power pack, you would need a 5v charger to get 1.5v batteries to charge- not readily available. so they make the rechargeable 1.2v, and use the same transformer packs they have been making since the dawn of time to save a ton of money (standardizing, cough hack cough HIGH DEF HOLLYWOOD)

Whoah, you are all over the place with this one. To reiterate, the cell technology determines the voltage, that is it. Batteries are chemical energy storage devices, they can only create a potential difference of the chemical reaction they create.

Yes cells can be put in serial configurations to up total voltage, but each cell still has a nominal voltage for the potential difference it's particular chemical reaction can create.

On the automotive bit: Wet-cell lead acid batteries which are used in pretty much all cars, actually have a nominal cell voltage of 2.1v (again, this is because of chemistry) and each battery has 6 of these cells wired in series to produce a total potential difference of 12.6 volts.

An alternator on a car actually produces alternating current, but it uses a rectifier bridge, as well as wiring tricks (delta or wye, with the former being more common) to "make" the AC DC. Your voltage argument is completely moot because there is a voltage regulator that controls the voltage, and yeah, it should be in between 13.5 and 14.5 volts (as you correctly noted to create a potential difference in the battery which reverses it's chemical reaction to charge the battery), but it is not any magic number, and it fluctuates quite often.

 

[soccerballtux]

I thought my NiMHs (and my NiCads are for sure) were 1.25v? Anyhow both were fine for the Gameboy. Also something I found lately in labs was that the Duracell batteries are actually 1.65v not 1.5v as they say on the label. Interesting.

Consumer Reports did a study and found that the real world battery life difference between different mAh ratings on the NiMHs was minimal, on the order of 15% IIRC between the lowest/highest rating. However that was ~2 years ago and things might have changed.

If you have a NiCad charger (non turbo charger) and Energizer batteries (but not Duracell) you can get away with recharging those for around 15-20 recharges. Has to be the trickle charge over 14-16 hours, those speed chargers will cause the batteries to burst. The Duracells aren't cased nearly as well and are only safe to recharge ~3 times, 5 at the most.

Wish I could provide links the the last 2 paragraphs will just have to be hearsay.

 

[Oyeve]

I use NiMH on everything that still uses batts. I fing the higher capacity ones are the best. 2500mah or so, use em in my wiimotes and they last MUCH longer than lower ones.

 

[soccerballtux]

Originally posted by: Oyeve
I use NiMH on everything that still uses batts. I fing the higher capacity ones are the best. 2500mah or so, use em in my wiimotes and they last MUCH longer than lower ones.

Interesting. Good to hear there's a difference.