Recharging household batteries

Discussion in 'Back to Basics' started by Amatore1, Apr 2, 2017.


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  1. Amatore1

    Amatore1 Monkey

    Many of you made know this already (couldn't find anything posted in SurvivalMonkey) but regular household batteries (AAA AA C D 9 volt) can be recharged. I stumbled across a few short articles about it and decided to try it myself. I picked up a simple charger for AA & AAA batteries for a few bucks, and stuck in a few alkaline batteries that were dead and they came back to like.

    So now I collect batteries that other people were going to discard and charge them up! It's nice not having to keep buying batteries all the time, and it's good for the environment.
     
    UncleMorgan likes this.
  2. UncleMorgan

    UncleMorgan I like peeling bananas and (occasionally) people.

    Yep--the trick with recharging Alkaline batteries is to do it in slow steps so they don't overheat.
     
  3. Cruisin Sloth

    Cruisin Sloth Special & Slow

    If you want to play this way !!
    Charge outside in a old tin garbage can so if it blows or catches fire , YOU & many more live .
    Sloth
     
  4. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    Yeah they can be recharged some what but they also tend to explode a little.
    The problem lies in the difference between the primary cell and secondary cell.
     
  5. T. Riley

    T. Riley Monkey+++

    I have done this with a charger that has a "ALK" setting. I have been disappointed in the results as the recharged batteries seem to have a rapid discharge rate. And, it does take a long time.
     
  6. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    You won't catch me attempting to recharge a lithium 3v Surefire, that's for sure.
    I've actually seen them explode under normal use in a flashlight. Not cool.

    The only advice I can give is to use rechargeable batteries for recharging.
     
  7. Oltymer

    Oltymer Monkey++

    Europeans have access to alkaline battery rechargers which are not sold in the States but circuits are available online to build your own if you are handy with soldering and electronics. Otherwise in Amerika - Consume & watch lots of TV.
     
  8. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    Some of us recycle our used batteries. We also buy rechargeable batteries which last longer, too.
    Recharging alkaline batteries is still not practical or entirely safe, but to each his own.
     
  9. Altoidfishfins

    Altoidfishfins Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Don't know if they still make them, but alkaline rechargeable batteries used to be available. Seemed to remember trying them, but they didn't hold much of a charge after 2 or 3 cycles. They were really pretty useless.
    I've never had a whole lot of luck with any rechargeables in the "standard" AA, AAA, D sizes. I guess if you don't need reliability they're ok.
     
    Homer Simpson likes this.
  10. azrancher

    azrancher Monkey +++

    Brokor, please send me all your "used up" lithium 3v Surefire batteries, I run a used battery disposal service and will be happy to take care of yours... free of charge!

    Back in the dark ages (the 60's) I think batteries were in short supply, they must have been because my parents would treat them like gold, batteries for toys, forget it, make believe it has a motor... Recharge alkaline batteries, they didn't exist, remember carbon zinc batteries, you only had two battery companies, Ray-o-vac and Energizer, if your Ray-o-vac batteries leaked inside a flashlight, you could send it in and get a new flashlight, and a nice one too! Yes we recharged the carbon-zinc batteries, yeah only 2-3 cycles more at a lower energy level, but then again batteries didn't grow on trees, or so my parents said, so anything was better than nothing!

    Rancher
     
    Brokor likes this.
  11. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    You can still get rechargeable alkaline batteries in AAA and up.
    In Europe disposable batteries are likely heavily taxed in most countries so their best option is rechargeable.
     
  12. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    When things were thin, I recharged off my solar system several times , but they don't last long .
    but for the situation better than nothing.
     
  13. Tevin

    Tevin Monkey+++

    This a variation on the the old legend that dry cell batteries can be recharged by placing them in the freezer, which is complete bull pies.

    Trying to recharge alkaline batteries is at best a gimmick and at worst a fire hazard. Yes, they will take a charge, up to a point. You might squeeze a little more juice out of them. But they will never really work well enough to be a useful power source.

    From a survival perspective, trying to recharge a disposable battery will result in a lot of power in for not much power out. There are much better uses for energy that will be in limited supply during a SHTF situation.

    @Brokor is right: If you want a rechargeable battery, then go buy one with the appropriate charger. There is no practical reason to fool around trying to reinvent the wheel.

    The European "alkaline rechargeables" are a tax dodge. They market ordinary disposable batteries as "rechargeable" and sell a baloney charger to go with it. No one actually uses the charger. It's just fluff (and doesn't really do anything anyway). The batteries are used once and tossed as usual.
     
    Altoidfishfins likes this.
  14. T. Riley

    T. Riley Monkey+++

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