What kind of battery-batteries to choose?

How do battery batteries differ from conventional ones? All batteries are divided into two basic types - primary and secondary. Usually, the word "battery" refers to primary batteries, which are galvanic cells. The role of electrolyte in them is most often alkali, so The usual name for such batteries is alkaline (from English alcaline - alkali). They can not be recharged.

Secondary batteries are batteries that are capable of recharging. They are more expensive than conventional batteries and can havebut many prefer to use them precisely because of the possibility of repeated use: it is easier to buy battery-batteries and a charger once than at the most inopportune moment to run to the stores in search of batteries.

Both primary and secondary batteries can be of different sizes. The most common types of batteries are cylindrical AA batteries (the usual name is "fingered") and AAA (the usual name is "mizinchikovye"). Batteries type AA and AAA can be either alkaline or rechargeable. Moreover, the battery-batteries are further divided into different types within one standard size.

The most common type of rechargeable batteries is nickel-metal hydride (NiMH). Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries-Rechargeable Batteriesthere are both "finger" and "little fingers". One of the main characteristics of such batteries is capacity (measured in milliampere-hours - mAh). However, it is not always worthwhile to buy battery-batteries with large capacity.

The fact is that NiMH batteries tend to self-discharge. This means that unused batteriesgradually discharged. Therefore, the purchase of expensive high-capacity batteries for rarely used appliances, which also consume little energy, is simply unjustified.

It makes sense to use NiMH high capacity batteries (1500 to 3000 mAh for AA batteries) indevices that consume a lot of energy for a short time and are often used. This, for example, players and cameras. And for toys, walkie-talkies, hand lamps, GPS-navigators, etc., are quite suitable low-capacity batteries (300 to 1000 mAh for AA-batteries).

There are also NiMH batteries with low self-discharge, they are called LSD NiMH (LSD - short for low self-discharge, lowself-discharge). Such batteries-accumulators keep the charge longer, have a longer lifetime (withstand more charge-discharge cycles), and have a number of other advantages. Their main disadvantages are a little less capacity than conventional ones, and a higher price.

It is also worth mentioning that NiMH batteries have a so-called "memory effect" (although to a lesser extent than their moreimperfect predecessors - nickel-cadmium batteries). This means that if you charge a battery that is not fully discharged, there may be a loss of capacity: the battery seems to "remember" that last time its capacity was not fully used, and when discharged it will not give all the current, but only to the "memorized boundary".

Modern NiMH batteries have a "memory effect"is kept to a minimum. This means that not fully discharged batteries can be charged only if they have not been stored in this state for several days. If the battery should lie in a partially discharged state, it must be completely discharged before charging.

A more perfect type of battery is considered lithium-ion. They have high energy density, low discharge, are not subject to the "memory effect". Unlike nickel metal hydride, it is undesirable to completely discharge them. but because of the high production cost, batteries of this type are practically not manufactured. Sometimes on sale you can find Li-ion AA batteries, but this is more likely an exception.

In order to avoid confusing the battery-batteries with the usual alkaline batteries, pay attention to the inscriptions: on the batteries should be written "Rechargeable" - Rechargeable. On batteries with low self-discharge, there may also be an inscription "Pre-charged", which means that they are already charged.