Pogue puts Panasonic's Oxyride batteries to the test
posted Apr 7th 2005 11:49AM
The good news: Panasonic is finally going to bring their new Oxyride AA and AAA batteries, which are supposed to cost the same as regular alkaline batteries yet deliver twice as much juice, to the States beginning in June (you may recall some gimmickiness about Panasonic using the batteries to power a singler person vehicle). The bad news: they don't exactly live up to the hype. David Pogue actually tested some Oxyride batteries, which have been out in Japan since late last year (where they've already grabbed 10% of the market) and discovered that while Oxyride batteries do make flashlights flash brighter and fans spin faster (they pump out 1.7 volts compared with the 1.5 volts of regular alkaline batteries), in head-to-head rundown tests they failed to outlast both Duracell Ultras and regular alkaline Duracells. So Panasonic's full of it, right? Not quite, because Pogue went on to test how Oxyride batteries performed in a digital camera (the sort of thing Panasonic claims the batteries were designed for), and found that he was able to eke out 2.4 times as many photos using the Oxyride batteries as he was using just regular alkaline batteries.
I have been using sets of NiMH for years without having to buy new batteries. To not use rechargeable batteries in this day and age is short of immoral for an environmental standpoint.
I DEFINITELY agree with you, #1
Chalk me up in agreement about the NiMHs too. They last longer per charge than alkalines (legitimately), and they get you 1,000 or more charges for about $10 a set. Why the hell would you buy non-rechargeables these days?
If your fan is spinning faster or your flashlight is brighter then the Oxyride battery is providing more power per hour than the alkaline. This is why they didn't 'last longer' by your definition. They did last longer in the digital camera since it has a regulated power circuit, which tries to keep the voltage constant. P=VI, power = voltage x current.
Because joe & josephine 6-pack aren't techo-geeks. Just a lot easier to stock up on triple-a's at home depot.
well i buy alkaline for storage/emergency use. I have nimh for daily use. alkalines have a much longer lasting people, so they dont drain out when there on the shelf. nimh cant compete with alkaline on shelf life. I wonder how long the shelf life is for the oxyride.
I agree, rechargeable batteries should be everyone's primary choice. Also, like was mentioned, if a battery is putting out more power for the same time period, then it is in fact superior. "Dumb" devices like flashlights take that 1.7 volts as is, while "smart" devices like digital cameras probably manage the voltage better and thus last much longer on such batteries.
alkalines are also less inclined to give you third degree burns if you put them in your pocket and they dicharge and they short against your keys
thanks for the INCREDIBLE insight alan... [/sarcasm] but the fact is, that if you pop these into your flashlight, you're not even going to get (150% x (1.5^2)/(1.7^2) - 100% = ) 17% more life out of them.
If costco sells them 48 for $10 I'll buy em.
Actually, many alkalines start at 1.7 volts or so fresh from the box. I know that Energizer Industrial, the "pro" alkalines from Energizer, generally start at about 1.77 on average. I can't compare them to standard release batteries, since I use the industrial in my work as a touring sound engineer, but it shouldn't be much lower.
--A
The big difference is the voltage. I totally agree with #1 when it makes sense to do so. My problem with NiMh is the low voltage. NiMh are great if you are using something that does not require a lot of juice. I have a Garmin 295 GPS(6-AA's) and if I use NiMh, the GPS is dead by the end of my flight (this is not good thing). I have tried several brands of NiMh but none of them can get much more than 1.4 volts. 6 X 1.4 = 8.4V for NiMh and 6 X 1.7 = 10.2 volts. Big difference.
If anyone finds a seller or knows when these things are supposed to hit the shelf, please share.
Holy crap, I just looked at the fine print on these Energizer 2500 mAh NiMh AAs I just bought, and it says 1.2 volts! Cripes that's low. Of course the large print says "HIGH ENERGY." I can still return these if I need to. What kind of AA rechargables do people recommend?
The Oxyrides are specifically designed to last long in digital products that require a high initial charge and drain. While rechargeables might make sense in certain scenarious, when you are taking your camera and want to take alot of pictues (and/or flashes) you can't bring a recharger with you.
Also, don't forget lithiums for items that are used infrequently. The minimal drain means that they will power the item over a longer period than standard alkalines. You don't want to use the new Oxyrides or Lithiums in an item like a TV remote that is used every daily for many repeat uses. Cheaper alkalines or rechargeables are best there.
The Oxyrides and Lithiums are best for something where you won't remove the batteries but don't want any drain over weeks or months of non-use: smoke detector, flashlight, summer appliances, electronics, hand-held items, etc.
The good thing about the Oxyrides is they cost the same as alkalines. Lithiums cost almost double regular alkalines so you definitely want to be judious about where you use them.
There is much talk on this thread about the voltage when new. Captain Java's GPS doesn't run out quickly and Lagom shouldn't take his NiMH's back because of the 1.2 starting voltage - "ordinary" alkalines have lower voltage than this after some use. It's the overall wattage that is the key, so #1 is right about NiMH. Also, even if you're not a techno-geek, its easier to stick a dud battery in the charger than to waste time, money and the environment going to the store and buying a new set. A dishwasher or TV is much more complicated than a battery charger, but you're not considered a techno-geek to use one! Only for emergency equipment, or things like my weather station console which takes a whole year to use one battery would I use alkalines due to their holding charge on the shelf for a long time.
Do you people relly talk about diferent types of batteries?
NiMH and NiCd batteries both produce an output of 1.2 Volts. Their current capacity is what distinguishes them from alkaline, lithium, and carbon-zinc batteries. High capacity NiMH batteries have superior capacity to all the others. I have a set of AA NiMH that are rated at 1600mA/hr. I've seen AAs rated as high as 2000mA/hr. They will produce an output voltage of 1.2 Volts much longer than most batteries, including some alkalines. Tha advantage, of course, is that they will do this even after having been recharged hundres of times (provided they are run down completely nearly every time). In a device that does not regulate the voltage from it's power source (as many digital devices do), the power consumed will be proportional to the voltage produced by the source. If Oxyride batteries have a higher initial output voltage, a flashlight or fan will draw more power than from a battery with a lower initial output voltage. Therefore, the ability of the Oxyride battery to outlast alkaline batteries should be tested in the type of device it was intended to power. For the person who puts batteries in his pocket, along with coins, I don't recommend doing this with alkalines any more than with NiMHs. The NiMH battery might burn your leg - the alkaline might explode!