Lithium Ion Batteries

Nickel Metal Hydride Battery Pack

Energizer NIMH Batteries

Lithium Ion Button Battery

Buying a battery for your portable device can be very confusing. More times than not consumers are unaware of the differences between the different batteries available. Comparing apples to apples is very important in the battery world. Consumers get so caught up in comparing the price that they don’t understand the different types of batteries. When I say apples to apples, I’m referring to the exact same battery in size, chemistry, manufacturer and milliampere-hour (MAH). The size generally speaking is correct, however the consumer don’t thoroughly understand the chemistry and Mah side of the equation. The old saying that all batteries are created equal couldn’t be further from the truth.Battery technology has come so far over the last decade alone to squash those beliefs. We here at BestBatteryTips.com want to provide some insight to consumers on purchasing the right battery for their portable electronic device.

One of the first steps to purchasing a battery is knowing what your battery model number is. The model number on a battery represents everything about that exact battery. The battery model number tells us what electronic device the battery will fit in, MAH capacity, and chemistry. You will find that while shopping online some battery websites have cross-reference search engines for battery model numbers to take you right to the battery you are needing. Once you find the replacement battery you may have several selection options. Two of the primary selections will be MAH and Chemistry. You can always go with more MAH, it will allow your electronic device to last longer on a charge. However, you will have to pay for more available power. Depending on whether your comfortable with your existing MAH will depend on if you want to upgrade or not. Chemistry is also a very important consideration. Generally speaking I would stay away from any Nicad chemistry batteries if at all possible. These batteries suffer greatly from the so called memory effect. Nicad batteries as compared to Nickel Metal Hydride and Lithium Ion, don’t have the capacity of their superiors. When we talk about purchasing a battery for your power tool, its difficult to buy anything but Nicad. There is some new power tools out there using Lithium Ion technology, but it seems Nicad is in most. Lithium Ion also called Li-ion is what consumers are most familiar with. They are in most phones,cameras, watches, and camcorders. They don’t suffer from memory effect and also have a excellent available capacity. When purchasing a new battery, you can’t go wrong with Lithium Ion. Nickel Metal Hydride also known as Nimh, is also a excellent choice. Nimh can be charged and discharged thousands of times without deteriorating over time. No need to worry about memory effect with Nimh. With Manufacturers its hard to tell whats going. Consumers are gonna be hard pressed to find a portable electronic battery made here in the USA. 99% of all the batteries for these Gizmo and Gadgets are made over seas. Now that doesn’t mean you can’t get a quality product. However its hard to know what you are buying, and sometimes may feel like a crap shoot. Your best bet is to purchase the battery from a retailer who stands behind the product they sell.

So when we speak of comparing apples to apples, be sure to look over the batteries stat sheet. What chemistry am I looking at? How much MAH does this battery offer? Does this retailer stand behind their product? What will this battery cost me? These simple steps will help your battery buying experience, and will make sure you get the right battery for your needs.

Duracell NIMH Batteries

Duracell Alkaline Battery

Alkaline are the most common used batteries in households. The number one reason for this is because of the cheaper price that alkaline batteries have over their competition. Consumers seem to buy the alkaline batteries thinking they are saving money at time of purchase, when they are really spending more money over time. Alkaline batteries are not designed to be recharged, and are generally discarded once the the battery is exhausted of its stored power. The only advantage that alkaline batteries have over NIMH batteries is cost and discharge rate. The NIMH batteries cost 2 1/2 times more than alkaline batteries, and have a high discharge rate as compared to the alkaline battery. People who keep equipment stored for emergency purposes, such as flashlights when the power goes out. NIMH batteries do not store well over long periods because of their high discharge rate. When the flashlight would need to be used, you could possibly only have 65 to 70% of stored power depending of course on length of time stored. Alkaline batteries have a very slow discharge rate, and are a excellent choice for these applications. Now with that being said its time to take a look at what NIMH batteries have to offer over alkaline batteries. NIMH batteries have a much higher capacity than alkaline. Bottom line, NIMH batteries have a lot more power to offer for high drain devices such has digital cameras. NIMH batteries are rechargeable batteries, and consumers can expect to get 750 to 1000  or more charge discharge cycles out of them. That’s a huge advantage over alkaline batteries for applications such as remote controls, wireless controllers, and kids toys. NIMH batteries can also be recharged to full capacity in less than a hour. As we mentioned above, the NIMH batteries have a higher initial cost than alkaline batteries. Consumers can expect to pay around 29 dollars for a 15 minute quick charger and 4 AA NIMH batteries included. Keep in mind you get 750 to 1000 recharge cycles with that purchase. A pack of alkaline batteries will cost you almost 5 dollars a pack. So you can recharge your NIMH batteries 5 times and you get your money back on the alkaline batteries, and still have 750 to 1000 recharge cycles left! The NIMH batteries are also good for the environment because they have no cadmium in them as opposed to NICAD.

EDIT: Customer Service at Sentry Safe recommends Duracell or Energizer; see comment section

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Orbital Select Battery

Spiral Cell Technology

The Orbital battery is Exides version of the Optima. Among the patent race in North America for the lead acid spiral cell wound technology was Optima, and Exide. Optima got the North American patent, while Exide gained their patent in Spain. There is not much difference between the two, expect that the Orbital tends to be cheaper to buy than the Optima. Exide offers 2 versions of the spiral cell wound technology. Black and Blue as they are referred to out in the market. The Black is a starting battery like the Red Top that Optima offers. The Blue Orbital is a deep cycle battery, and can be used for starting applications as well. The Blue Exide Orbital is like the Optima Yellow top, which is a dual purpose spiral cell technology battery. A big miss conception about these batteries is that people tend to think of them as gel batteries. The batteries are a conventional lead-acid battery that uses an AGL (lead paste absorbed into fiberglass matting) design that eliminates the problems of vibration and shock that would break down a ordinary lead acid battery. The tightly wound grids resist vibration which in turn stops plate shedding. This design is also very resistant to high temperatures and sub zero temperatures as well. The Orbital is also completely and permanently sealed. When the battery is in use, hydrogen and oxygen inside the battery are captured and reunited to form the water supply within the existing electrolyte. This technology does away with the need to ever add water to the battery. Another  nice feature of this battery is that it can be installed in any position sense it is completely and permanently sealed. The Optima and Orbital are also better for the environment because the batteries due not leak when they are cracked or punctured. There is no doubt that this technology is hands down better than a conventional lead acid battery. The battery life expectancy is close to 10 years on these batteries. The only issue people have with these batteries at this point in time is the price of them. You can expect to spend anywhere from 125 dollars to close to 200 dollars depending on where you purchase them.

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Optima Battery Line

Everyone is familiar with or has at least heard of the Optima battery line. Referred to as the Red Top, Yellow Top, and Blue Top colors of batteries. The colors represent different types of Optima batteries, Red Top Optima being a starting battery. The Yellow Top Optima being a Dual Purpose battery, starting and Deep Cycle. The Blue Top Optima being a Heavy Duty Deep Cycle marine battery. The Optima battery is also well known for its ability to out perform all batteries in its category in cranking power. The Optima battery line is proven to be vibration and shock resistant, as well as leak free even after structural damage. Optima batteries are said to last 3 times longer than ordinary batteries with over 12,000 start cycles. The Optima battery is not impacted as much by cold temperatures as ordinary batteries due to their spiral technology design and composition of lead paste absorbed into fiberglass matting. The opposite is true as well, Optima batteries are more resistant to heat than ordinary batteries. The Optima battery is also resistant to corrosion. The numbers tell the story with the battery life of Optima batteries, ranging near 10 years. Considering other types of batteries, which have a average life of roughly 40 months. For people who keep there vehicles for 10 years or more, a optima battery is a must. Also if you are into professional audio equipment, a Optima is the only way to go. Sitting with the ignition in the accessory position, and listening to the radio for long periods of time, the optima battery will charge back up 75% faster than other auto batteries. That’s a sizable benefit when high drain professional audio systems are involved. The rock crawling crowd enjoy the benefits of the Optima battery. The Optima battery allows you to mount the battery sideways with no worries of leakage, making it easy to put the battery anywhere you want. The Optima battery has found the race tracks, because of its ability to be punctured and not leak acid. The Optima battery is truly superior over all others, and you should consider one during your next battery purchase.

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Deep Cycle Batteries

Deep Cycle Batteries

A deep cycle battery also referred to as a marine battery can be placed in a large amount of various applications, where long sustained power is required with the ability to discharge and recharge over and over again. Electric Wheelchairs, Floor Scrubbing machines,Trolling boats, Electric Fences, UPC Backup, Sump Pump backup, and Golf Carts are just to name a few. Because of the design of Deep Cycle batteries, they are able to be deeply discharged and then recharged again. A typical deep cycle battery has a cycle life of around of at least 200 charge, discharge cycles. A SLI (Starting, Lighting, Ignition) battery when put in applications requiring a deep cycle battery, don’t last long because they can only handle 10 or less of charge, discharge cycles. Ever notice how much heavier a deep cycle battery is over a car battery? Deep cycle batteries have much thicker plates inside of them which allows them to be cycled many times. Deep cycle batteries run in the neighborhood of 50 to 350 dollars depending on size for the application. The number one reason for premature failure of a deep cycle battery is electrolyte level. Electrolyte levels deplete with the constant charging and discharging cycles, due to heat and evaporation. This is why it is important to always check the electrolyte level, and top off with distilled water when needed.  The number two reason for short life is excessive discharging of the battery. Never let the battery die down till there is nothing left. We’ll use a example of running a trolling motor on a fishing boat. Don’t use the battery until the boat won’t move anymore. Once you notice a noticeable difference in performance charge the battery back up. Following these guide lines will extend your deep cycle battery life dramatically.

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A battery is a device that stores power for a later use. The battery supplies power to a automobile to start and run electrical powered items. A automobile battery is referred to as a SLI battery, which stands for Starting, Lighting, and Ignition. A 12 Volt car battery is made up of 6 cells in a series. Each cell of a automobile battery provides 2.1 volts for a total of 12.6 volts at full charge. A 12 Volt Lead Acid battery has lead plates, and separate plates of lead dioxide which are in a electrolyte solution containing 35% sulfuric acid, and 65% water. This combination of items creates a chemical reaction that releases electrons, making them flow through conductors to produce power. As the battery discharges, the acid of the electrolyte reacts with the materials of the plates, changing their surface to lead sulfate. Once the battery is recharged again, the chemical reaction is reversed: the lead sulfate reforms into lead oxide and lead. When the plates are restored to their original condition, the process may now be started all over again. A SLI 12 volt battery is capable of producing a large amount of power for a short time, where as a marine deep cycle is capable of producing a smaller amount of power for a longer period of time.

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Inside view of SLI Battery