20 Duracell AAs, ?7.50

[wakka]

In Selfridges Oxford St, of all places. Go down to the technology floor with all the gadgety crap for Christmas (by Muji I think), and they're selling those RC helicopters again. Because they're presumably such battery whores, they're also offering 20 Duracell loose AA batteries for ?7.50, but you don't actually need to buy the toy to take advantage.

[Btang84]

I've seen 8 Duracells in Asda for ?2. Saw an advert in the paper for it.

[moonwhistle]

Why not just get rechargeables? These things should have been banned years ago.

[charlesr]

Or 100 for £35, but yeah. Reckyo GP batteries for me now (here. With kids leaving their toys on all the time, rechargeable is on the only sane option.

[abigsmurf]

Why not just get rechargeables? These things should have been banned years ago.

Rechargeable have their own issues. The lower voltages can affect some uses, they're very expensive, they're hopeless for low drain long term usage.

There are safety issues too, current reversal (which occurs when you put batteries with different charge levels in a circuit) does huge damage to them. There are lots of cases of people putting rechargables in their pocket, their keys rubbing against them and shorting them and the cells discharging in a couple of seconds into the keys, causing them to go red hot and burn through the pocket onto the leg. NiMH doesn't explode like Li- cells but they still have their issues.

[Asholay]

I've always had problems with rechargeables as well, although it's prob just me - they tend to lose efficiency after a relatively short amount of time, and never appear to suit the applications I use them for.

Maybe the Tech has advanced over the last decade mind.

[paulus]

Good for the Earth?

I bought a cheap set of 2700 MAh's with charger from Play. Found out why when they arrived, takes 23 hours for a full charge!!!!

[charlesr]

I've always had problems with rechargeables as well, although it's prob just me - they tend to lose efficiency after a relatively short amount of time, and never appear to suit the applications I use them for.

Maybe the Tech has advanced over the last decade mind.

It has. GP Reckyo's for example come ready charged and even after months have only lost a small percentage of their charge. I use them in everything, from kitchen scales, to GPS, to kids toys that go on forever, to my high intensity ledlenser (important that one cos son keeps leaving it on in the drawer) etc. 1-2 hour charge time. The charger is great - keeps an eye on each one individually and turns off the charge to each when ready.

[Womble9]

It has. GP Reckyo's for example come ready charged and even after months have only lost a small percentage of their charge. I use them in everything, from kitchen scales, to GPS, to kids toys that go on forever, to my high intensity ledlenser (important that one cos son keeps leaving it on in the drawer) etc. 1-2 hour charge time. The charger is great - keeps an eye on each one individually and turns off the charge to each when ready.

Another vote for these from me too, I use 'em in my 360 pads and they last an age and indeed unlike most rechargables do indeed hold their charge when not in use, spot on .

[Spatial]

Another vote for using rechargeable batteries in 360 pads.

I've lost count of how many official MS recharge packs I've retired. In next to no time they either refuse to charge or just won't hold it. Switched to rechargeable a few months ago and aside from the 360 not being able to gauge when they're about to run out (when the flashing light starts on the pad I've probably got less than ten seconds left) I'm getting waaaaaay more use out of them. I'd estimate about three to four times more playtime in between charges - it really is that big a difference.

Wished I'd started using them ages ago.

[Budge74]

Does the play'n'charge cable charge standard AA rechargables in the pad?

[Spatial]

edit: ... never mind, wrong end of the stick