Solar charger for alkaline batteries

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does anyone know where to get a solar battery charger for alkaline alkaline batteries. Would appreciate any information. Thanks. Deane

-- Deane Western (dwest10011@aol.com), May 17, 1999

Answers

Hi, Deane, I don't recall ever seeing a solar alkaline recharger, but I do seem to remember a discussion of rechargeable alkalines vs. NiCads a while back--it might be in the "Utilities" section of the Archives (use your find button to locate "batteries"). If not, try the "Misc" or "Don't Know" sections. I think NiCads came out the strong favorite, so if you decide you want to stock up on them and a good solar NiCad recharger, look at CCraneco.com. (Or maybe CCrane.com.) Sweetie and I just placed another order with them; they're very reputable. Among other nifty radio stuff, they also have Baygen wind-up radios and have modified one to take a light.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 17, 1999.

Realgoods.com/products/batteries, has what you are looking for, This info. was given on Gary Norths site. $50.00 (product # 50-194) just ordered! North recommended rayovac rechargeble alkaline, stressing the alkaline, he even went so far as to recommend only using them down to 40% capacity and keeping track of usage.

-- David Butts (dciinc@aol.com), May 17, 1999.

Here ya go Old Git:

C. Crane Co.

I've dealt with them a few times. Feel free to ask questions. A very friendly bunch of people. If ya have the Baygen radio, you may want to get the solar battery charger (nicad only) that also runs the radio.

-- Bingo1 (howe9@pop.shentel.net), May 17, 1999.


Thanks, Bingo. It's on my list for the next order. Need two more of those solar battery chargers too--they only do two batteries at a time and I use a lot for my police scanners. We've got solar panels but only two so far. Need more! Still, they're enough to run a few small appliances--and the waterbed heaters, which will keep us from freezing if we lose power again this winter (or at Y2K).

By the way, Deane, I use scanners almost constantly in my job, heavy battery usage. I've got some rechargeable AA batteries (Radio Shack and Millennium brand!) I've been using for six years now, and I've never bothered to baby them the way experts say you should. With their longevity and four $15 solar battery chargers, I won't worry about running out of scanner power.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 17, 1999.


Why bother? Alkaline cells aren't designed to recharge. The "rechargeable" ones may last more than ten recharge cycles, with capacity dropping rapidly. Ordinary ones won't last more than a few cycles. Unless you've got access to supplies of lots of free used alkaline cells, get Ni-Cad or NiMH cells and chargers, both good for hundreds of cycles. (Use factory-new alkaline cells in emergency equipment, because they'll keep their charge for 5+ years whereas rechargeables go flat by themselves in a few months).

-- Nigel Arnot (nra@maxwell.ph.kcl.ac.uk), May 18, 1999.


Thanks to all that responded. I appreciate all the info! Deane

-- Deane Western (dwest10011@aol.com), May 18, 1999.

Old Git,

Where'd you get (git?) your solar panels? Thanks.

Jeannie

-- jhollander (hollander@ij.net), May 18, 1999.


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