super batteries?

[Titan]

My Digicam takes 4 AA batteries and I was pressured to get batteries in it for my dad, so last night, I stopped by the local radio shack last night and picked up four 2000mA NiMh AAs for 20 bucks. I expected this kind of price from radioshack, and hoped they would hold up. I have a Kodak 4-cell charger at home.

While I'm waiting for the regester to be ready I chat with the guy who got me the batteries and we start discussing how you should try to prevent memory effects even in the supposedly memoryless NiMh units.

Maybe my experience with batteries has been bad in the past, but after about 20 or 30 pictures from my camera with flash seems to drain the batteries, maybe 50 tops. Plus I have had cheap batteries die out on me before only after a few uses, (they were 1800 mA)

So I'm driving home, and taking pictures of everything, with flash. I'm trying to drain my new batteries before recharging them. I fill up the 256 slots on the card when I get home. I format the card, and fill it up again, taking pictures of my floor while watching TV. I do this with the LCD viewfinder on trying to drain as much power as possible.

These things are still going strong and the battery meter is still on full. It is "on" in the car now.

Are RadioShack batteries awesome, or have my past experiences just been unusually abysmal?

 

[RadiclDreamer]

As a former employee of RS, I can tell you that their batteries are one of the few good products they carry. They are swesome

 

[IronWing]

I have been using two sets of those batteries in my digital camera for four years now. They work great. Always carry an extra set though because when they are drained, they're drained. The meter will go from full charge to dead within a couple shots.

EDIT: 4 years and ~20,000 pictures.

 

[oboeguy]

Thanks for the tip. I want to put some rechargeables in my backup bike light. The only problem is that it takes three AA batteries and you buy the rechargeables in 4's. Can I rotate the batteries in and out or would that be stupid and no0bish?

 

[Train]

Originally posted by: oboeguy
Thanks for the tip. I want to put some rechargeables in my backup bike light. The only problem is that it takes three AA batteries and you buy the rechargeables in 4's. Can I rotate the batteries in and out or would that be stupid and no0bish?

Probably better to keep the same 3 in all the time, toss the 4th one in the fridge as a backup, you might need it somewhere else

 

[oboeguy]

Originally posted by: Train

Originally posted by: oboeguy
Thanks for the tip. I want to put some rechargeables in my backup bike light. The only problem is that it takes three AA batteries and you buy the rechargeables in 4's. Can I rotate the batteries in and out or would that be stupid and no0bish?

Probably better to keep the same 3 in all the time, toss the 4th one in the fridge as a backup, you might need it somewhere else

Thanks! Fridge??

 

[Train]

Originally posted by: oboeguy
...
Thanks! Fridge??

Yes, batteries will last longer in the cool, dry, and stable temp air of a fridge. Leave it on a shelf in a closet and it will likely degrade or even leak its acid within a year.

 

[Titan]

Originally posted by: Train

Originally posted by: oboeguy
...
Thanks! Fridge??

Yes, batteries will last longer in the cool, dry, and stable temp air of a fridge. Leave it on a shelf in a closet and it will likely degrade or even leak its acid within a year.

Whatabout the freezer? Or outside during the winter? The latter is abad idea probably, since car batteries freeze up here in VT overnight if it drops below -10 degrees F. Both bad ideas?

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: oboeguy
Thanks for the tip. I want to put some rechargeables in my backup bike light. The only problem is that it takes three AA batteries and you buy the rechargeables in 4's. Can I rotate the batteries in and out or would that be stupid and no0bish?

Does your charger let you charge single batteries? My damn quick charger ONLY lets you charge in pairs for some reason, so I can never use an odd number.

 

[Bassyhead]

I have a couple of NiMHs in my digicam and they seem to last a long time, better than alkalines.