Lost Battery Power

[Davey]

If only I could save all the power that I have to throw out in
batteries because I have no way of using it.
We use two portable radios, both of which decide on their own that
their AA battery power level has dropped below what they will accept,
and they shut off. But there is plenty of power still in the batteries.
The only use we have for AA batteries, other than the radios, is
MiniMaglite torches, but they are used only on rare occasions, so the
supply of useable batteries is getting bigger and bigger. Considering
the cost of batteries, we are throwing away lots of pounds'-worth of
battery power.
How can I make sensible use of this lost power? Over a year, it must
add up to a quite considerable amount. I hate to throw it all away.

 

[bm]

If only I could save all the power that I have to throw out in
batteries because I have no way of using it.
We use two portable radios, both of which decide on their own that
their AA battery power level has dropped below what they will accept,
and they shut off. But there is plenty of power still in the batteries.
The only use we have for AA batteries, other than the radios, is
MiniMaglite torches, but they are used only on rare occasions, so the
supply of useable batteries is getting bigger and bigger. Considering
the cost of batteries, we are throwing away lots of pounds'-worth of
battery power.
How can I make sensible use of this lost power? Over a year, it must
add up to a quite considerable amount. I hate to throw it all away.

Change radio channel (quit the heavy rock)? Buy a few dozen clocks? Build a
coffee table? Take zillions of pictures? Bird table?
I know what you mean though. My mice die prematurely but I usually stuff the
batts into clocks/bin. Must cost thousands per kWh.

 

[meow2222]

If only I could save all the power that I have to throw out in

batteries because I have no way of using it.

We use two portable radios, both of which decide on their own that

their AA battery power level has dropped below what they will accept,

and they shut off. But there is plenty of power still in the batteries.

The only use we have for AA batteries, other than the radios, is

MiniMaglite torches, but they are used only on rare occasions, so the

supply of useable batteries is getting bigger and bigger. Considering

the cost of batteries, we are throwing away lots of pounds'-worth of

battery power.

How can I make sensible use of this lost power? Over a year, it must

add up to a quite considerable amount. I hate to throw it all away.

go rechargeable, less than 1p per batteryful

 

[Mike Tomlinson]

How can I make sensible use of this lost power?

I use them in wall clocks. A battery that won't power a device like a
radio will keep a clock going for a year or more.

 

[Bill Wright]

How can I make sensible use of this lost power? Over a year, it must
add up to a quite considerable amount. I hate to throw it all away.

Wait until you've got enough then feed the power into the mains and
claim the FIT.

Bill

 

[Tim+]

If only I could save all the power that I have to throw out in
batteries because I have no way of using it.
We use two portable radios, both of which decide on their own that
their AA battery power level has dropped below what they will accept,
and they shut off. But there is plenty of power still in the batteries.
The only use we have for AA batteries, other than the radios, is
MiniMaglite torches, but they are used only on rare occasions, so the
supply of useable batteries is getting bigger and bigger. Considering
the cost of batteries, we are throwing away lots of pounds'-worth of
battery power.
How can I make sensible use of this lost power? Over a year, it must
add up to a quite considerable amount. I hate to throw it all away.

I suspect that you're using a digital radio on batteries, which,
considering their relatively high power consumption, isn't terribly wise
unless you really want to listen to a digital only channel and need
portability.

An analogue radio would make more sense if you don't need a digital
channel.

Tim

 

[Martin Brown]

If only I could save all the power that I have to throw out in
batteries because I have no way of using it.
We use two portable radios, both of which decide on their own that
their AA battery power level has dropped below what they will accept,
and they shut off. But there is plenty of power still in the batteries.

This is quite common. Digital cameras on AAs are the worst for this.

The only use we have for AA batteries, other than the radios, is
MiniMaglite torches, but they are used only on rare occasions, so the
supply of useable batteries is getting bigger and bigger. Considering
the cost of batteries, we are throwing away lots of pounds'-worth of
battery power.

If you have any digital clocks, handset remotes or other low drain
devices they will happily work on half dead cells. I have a little gizmo
to test my "dead" batteries and keep any with life left in.

I only ever use primary single use cells if I have to replace something
urgently and do not have any rechargeables available to swap in.

Non critical clocks and the like get replaced from the half dead stock.

High drain torches, cameras and the like need fresh cells every time as
does the remote monitor in the loft since it is a PITA to get to.

How can I make sensible use of this lost power? Over a year, it must
add up to a quite considerable amount. I hate to throw it all away.

Unless you are into building electronics realistically you can't. The
sort of circuits that will extract every last joule tend to cause the
batteries to leak eventually which is why consumer items don't risk it.
Joule thief is one such to power an LED from a single cell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joule_thief

(and also the basis of many garden LED lights)

You could buy some decent quality long life rechargeable batteries that
would give you a long term saving. Aldi/Lidl sometime have bargain NiMH
ones that actually hold charge very well (and some poxy ones too).

 

[Martin Brown]

I suspect that you're using a digital radio on batteries, which,
considering their relatively high power consumption, isn't terribly wise
unless you really want to listen to a digital only channel and need
portability.

Digital radios are basically a crap design badly implemented and with
programme material cobbled together at an inadequate bitrate. I have
several digital radios one high end and none of them work when there are
leaves on the trees and heavy rain. Radio4 announcers sound like the
subterraneans on Stingray as they burble along with bits missing and the
occasional ultrasonic squawk. If anything the most recent digital radio
is the worst of the lot it now streams R4 from the net.

An analogue radio would make more sense if you don't need a digital
channel.

Tim

Or a mains power adaptor for the digital radio that is being used.
Digital radios are virtually useless on batteries.

 

[Dave Liquorice]

I've moved almost entirely to Eneloop-type batteries - even in things
like remotes - over the past couple of years. I haven't noticed any
particular problem as yet.

Rechargeables is probably the way to go with the low self discharge NiMH
ones(*) and decent charger. The Lidl batteries and charger fall into that
category.

The snag might be with the kit as rechargeables have a lower voltage and
the kit might think they are "flat" way before they are. Decent kit that
does shutdown based on battery voltage may have an option to select
between ordinary and rechargeable batteries.

(*) Distinguishable in store by being marked "ready to use" and
"rechargeable". I add the last bit as I've noticed some primary cells
jumping onto that marketing band wagon...

 

[DerbyBorn]

(and also the basis of many garden LED lights)

You could buy some decent quality long life rechargeable batteries that
would give you a long term saving. Aldi/Lidl sometime have bargain NiMH
ones that actually hold charge very well (and some poxy ones too).

I get wound up about the amount of metal (zinc) that gets thrown away.
Worse are poor quality batteries that have been shipped half way around the
planet only to give poor performance and fill our landfill sites with
contamination.

 

[charles]

Digital radios are basically a crap design badly implemented and with
programme material cobbled together at an inadequate bitrate. I have
several digital radios one high end and none of them work when there are
leaves on the trees and heavy rain.

so you are saying you live in a poor reception area. Does your high end
radio have an outside aerial? The "burbling" is not a fault of DAB, it's
due to an inadequate signal being received; similarly a poor FM signal
would result in a high level of hiss.

 

[polygonum]

Or a mains power adaptor for the digital radio that is being used.
Digital radios are virtually useless on batteries.

We got a Pure several years ago. The original battery (rechargeable)
worked but only needed it occasionally. When even half an hour of use in
bathroom (I like radio when in bath!) ran battery flat, we contacted
company. Got a replacement Li unit which has been fine and hardly notice
anything.

But what I don't like is that the radio has a sound which seems to miss
out a lot of the high end even with the tone control right round. The
bass is quite good. That poor high end clashes with my hearing deficit
and makes some things unpleasant to listen to.

 

[Geoff Pearson]

We got a Pure several years ago. The original battery (rechargeable)
worked but only needed it occasionally. When even half an hour of use in
bathroom (I like radio when in bath!) ran battery flat, we contacted
company. Got a replacement Li unit which has been fine and hardly notice
anything.

But what I don't like is that the radio has a sound which seems to miss
out a lot of the high end even with the tone control right round. The bass
is quite good. That poor high end clashes with my hearing deficit and
makes some things unpleasant to listen to.

DAB is a poor quality transmission - just listen to the same programme - eg
Radio 2 on DAB and FM. I use a Videologic DAB tuner; FM is always better.
I use DAB only for Radio 4 Extra (which should be called Radio 7) as there
is no alternative. I would listen on DTT but there is no BBC radio on DTT
in Scotland in the evenings.

 

[Martin Brown]

so you are saying you live in a poor reception area. Does your high end
radio have an outside aerial? The "burbling" is not a fault of DAB, it's
due to an inadequate signal being received; similarly a poor FM signal
would result in a high level of hiss.

The analogue signal is 58dB on radio (max is 60) this isn't a low signal
area except for DAB when it is raining and the trees are in leaf. The
digital portable radios are not connected to the main aerial and are
generally operated on VHF channels except in mid winter.

The quality of VHF for perfomance of music is way better than DAB and
the pecking order for simulcasts is something like satellite HD,
satellite radio, TDTV, FM and DAB bringing up the rear by a long way.

The only thing DAB does well is the quiet bits in between records.

Today is particularly bad with very heavy rain and high winds.

 

[Martin Brown]

I get wound up about the amount of metal (zinc) that gets thrown away.
Worse are poor quality batteries that have been shipped half way around the
planet only to give poor performance and fill our landfill sites with
contamination.

You are supposed to put them in the waste battery containers that are in
supermarkets and recycling centres all around the country.

I made some 3W LED path lamps for the Jubilee last year to allow people
to walk home. We considered solar powered but the sums didn't stack up.

In the end they were powered using Poundshops finest 12/£1 batteries and
to my amazement they did work perfectly well. The lights were all still
going the next morning when I went to pick them up.

 

[Geoff Pearson]

Ummm, no. Just because the broadcasters have chosen quantity over quality
does not make DAB in and of itself "poor quality".

OK - but there is only one DAB station which ever broadcasts at 192k - Radio
3 which as I write is on 160k - 10.15 am. Radio 7 is 80k mono, which is
like the medium wave for which many of its programmes were made.

 

[Brian Gaff]

The issue is of voltage drop when onload as the resistance increases inside
the battery I feel. I wonder if one could get a configurabble device with a
power lead for the portable item so you just use some form of invertor to
make the required voltage from any input voltage, that way you could have
several batterins and still get the same voltage out till the internal
resistance increases beyond the ability to work. You could tell which
batteries are suffering by them getting warm.
I notice modern electric chavers seem to use some kind of management like
this to preserve the torque and speed of the motors for ages after one
might expect the batteries to die, sadly though they tend to just stop
without warning under this arrangement... grin.

Brian

 

[polygonum]

I notice modern electric chavers seem to use some kind of management like
this to preserve the torque and speed of the motors for ages after one
might expect the batteries to die, sadly though they tend to just stop
without warning under this arrangement... grin.

Brian

In the spirit of "grin"...

Is that what chavs use to get rid of facial hair?

 

[polygonum]

DAB is a poor quality transmission - just listen to the same programme -
eg Radio 2 on DAB and FM. I use a Videologic DAB tuner; FM is always
better. I use DAB only for Radio 4 Extra (which should be called Radio
7) as there is no alternative. I would listen on DTT but there is no
BBC radio on DTT in Scotland in the evenings.

The alternative of internet for R4X? That is what I usually use for it.
Partly due to circumstances and choices.

 

[Davey]

If only I could save all the power that I have to throw out in
batteries because I have no way of using it.
snip

How can I make sensible use of this lost power? Over a year, it must
add up to a quite considerable amount. I hate to throw it all away.

Coming back to this this morning, I am amazed at the number of
replies, which is great.
Trying to answer the questions and assumptions made:
-The two radios concerned are several-year-old analogue Yacht-Boys,
both with Short-wave abilities. The bigger one uses (6) AA
batteries, and when it decides that they have no power left, the
smaller radio can still run on them, and it uses (3) at a time.
-There is no DAB radio here, from all accounts, why would I bother with
a radio that sounds worse than what I have now?
-Reading the comments about whether DAB as a system, or DAB radios as
sold, are the cause of bad quality, why don't we just agree that the
implementation of DAB radio is flawed? Then the cause can be bypassed,
for a different discussion.
-I like the idea of the Joulethief, but as I said earlier, I have little
use for such lighting.
-And finally, I have some rechargeable batteries for the radios, but
their low voltage just means that the minimum voltage is reached sooner
than with plain batteries.

Thanks for all the thoughts and ideas.