PORTABLE ELECTRONICS BATTERY COMPARISON | BUYING TIPS

Feb 26
2010
Lithium Ion Batteries

Lithium Ion Batteries

Nickel Metal Hydride Battery Pack

Nickel Metal Hydride Battery Pack

Energizer NIMH Batteries

Energizer NIMH Batteries

Lithium Ion Button Battery

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.

How to buy a car battery | Mailbag Mondays Q&A

Dec 18
2009
Battery Group Number

Battery Group Number

James from New York

Hi, I recently had to go and buy a battery for my car. I had no idea what to buy and pretty much had to rely on someone else to tell me what it was I needed. I don’t like feeling like I might be taken advantage of because I don’t know anything about what it is I’m after. I want to be more prepared next time. Could you explain to me what I need to be thinking about when buying a battery for my car?

Which Battery to buy?

Which Battery to buy?

Bestbatterytips.com

James, a lot of people have no idea what it is they need when it comes time to purchase a new battery. More times than not, they end up spending more money than needed.

Buying a battery for a car for the most part is pretty straight forward. However, if you don’t know what your after it can be very tiring. The four most important things are (Battery Group Number) (Cold Cranking Amps or CCA) (Reserve Capacity RC) and (Free Replacement Warranty).

Battery group size indicates the battery size that will fit the physical dimensions of your vehicle. Many vehicles can accommodate more than just one group size. However, that is where CCA and RC come into to play.

CCA is critical for good cold weather starting ability. It’s the number of amps a battery at 0 degrees can deliver for 30 seconds and maintain a voltage of 1.2 volts per cell or higher. Generally speaking, the more Cold Cranking amps the better.

RC is the power available to run electrical accessories if the alternator fails. It indicates the number of minutes a fully charged battery at 80 degrees can be discharged at 25 amps and not fall below 1.75 volts per cell. The higher the Reserve capacity the better.

Free Replacement battery Warranty is the amount of time you can use the battery and when it fails receive a new replacement at no additional cost. Keep in mind James that the national average for auto battery life is 40 months.

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