Re: Using rechargeable batteries?

Leonard Cavalier (cavalier@oasys.dt.navy.mil)
Tue, 7 Feb 95 23:41 PST

Another problem with rechargeable batteries, at least NiCads, is that
their voltage declines little through most of the discharge but then
plummets quickly at the end. This gives the user very little warning
of impending doom, and it is easy to lose all your data. Some palmtops,
such as the HP200LX have battery monitor programs that are designed
to anticipate the end of the charge with NiCad batteries and therefore
give the user good warning. I suppose you could use NiCads in the Zoomer,
but you'd have to be very careful about anticipating their end of charge,
and willing to lose data easily!

The output voltage of a fully charged NiCad is around 1.3 volts, which
may trigger the low battery warning constantly on a device expecting
alkalines. At 1.3 volts, alkalines are usually on death's doorstep.

I find that alkalines last long enough in my Zoomer to not make the
hassle of changing NiCads frequently worth the hassle. I also found
that when the low battery warning annunciates on the Zoomer, there is
plenty of time to change batteries.

>The recommendation to use alkaline batteries is because rechargeables,
>typically NiCads, have poor voltage stability as they discharge. Other types
>of rechargeables may have better voltage performance.

>On Mon, 6 Feb 95 12:23 PST Domingo Chang wrote:
>> Howdy,
>>>
>> Is anyone out there using rechargeable AA batteries in their zoomer? If so,
>>is
>> performance OK?
>>I bought some when I first bought my zoomer and now I find in the manual that
>> they don't recommend using rechargeables! Frankly I don't see the harm but
>> would welcome any input out there.