NIZN ECO-RECHARGEABLE AA BATTERIES
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Much better than eneloop
I tried these in my power-hungry flash and they work great!! I used to go through sooo many alkaline batteries and then switched to eneloops but found myself charging them more than I liked. I just throw my PowerGenix in and go and then when it came to charging just a little over an hour was enough to get them ready to go again!You also will notice they are are lighter in weight than other batteries and made of more sustainable products, better for the planet!!
Why NiZn? (Nickle Zinc)
About Nickel-Nickel has many uses from construction materials to food preparation, but its many favorable characteristics make it an excellent choice in the use of high powered rechargeable batteries. For more information on nickel, its many uses and its metallurgical properties, visit the Nickel Institute.
Zinc Facts-Zinc’s unique properties allow it to be used in an array of products from cosmetics, to baby powder, to precision parts for automobiles, airplanes and appliances. The International Zinc Association notes that one of the most useful characteristics of zinc is its resistance to atmospheric corrosion.
Recyclability-More than 6.5 million metric tons of zinc slab, oxides, powders and dusts are consumed each year in the Western World, two million of which come from recycled zinc. In the United States, the Bureau of Mines estimates that with enhanced recovery, recycled zinc will ultimately account for more than 40% of the total amount of zinc used
Meanwhile, nickel’s resistance to corrosion means that when most nickel-containing products are eventually discarded, they are still intact and easily identifiable (e.g., a kitchen sink made of stainless steel). This aids in the collection and sorting of nickel-containing products for recycling.
Sustainability-While abundant, both nickel and zinc are finite resources. However, their innate characteristics and recyclability assure environmentally sensitive availability for long-term development. Unlike many other materials nickel and zinc can be recycled again and again while maintaining their physical and chemical properties. There remains the same amount of each element at the end of a particular product cycle as at the beginning.
Getting ready to try them in my electronic gopher and mole mover devise!…great product !
3 Stars Nickel-Zinc battery technology not exactly as advertised
This product (PowerGenix 4-Position Charger with 4 AA High Voltage 1.6v 2500 mWh ZiNc Rechargeable Batteries) contains an ‘one hour’ charger specially designed for Nickel-Zinc AA/AAA cells. But it does not fully recharge to 100% within one hour. If you read the fine prints, it actually says “For maximum capacity from batteries charge up to 2.5 hours”.
Despite its misleading name, this is actually a decent ’smart’ charger. It works from universal input voltage (100-240V), and accepts 1-4 AA cells or 1-2 AAA cells. Each cell is charged individually (not in pairs). The red LED lights up during charging, and the green LED lights up when done. Just remember that you must not use this NiZn charger for NiMH cells, and vice versa.
The batteries are the new Nickel-Zinc rechargeable AA cells. The greatest selling feature of NiZn cell is its higher terminal voltage. The nominal operating voltage of NiZn is 1.65V, which is very close to alkaline and 30% higher than NiMH (1.25V nominal). However, when freshly charged, the NiZn terminal voltage is around 1.85V, which is dangerously high for most battery-operated appliances. So if you like to try those cells in your digital camera, make sure that the latter is still covered by warranty.
Upon closer examination, many of the alleged benefits of NiZn turn out to be just marketing hypes. For examples:
“Higher Energy Density”:
Despite what the confusing rating on the package (”2500mWh”) may suggest, the PowerGenix AA cell does NOT contain more energy than a SANYO eneloop AA cell. This is because its current capacity is much lower at just 1500mAh (based on data sheet of PowerGenix AA cell, and verified by my own testing).
- Energy in eneloop AA cell: 1.25V * 2000mAh = 2500mWh
- Energy in PowerGenix AA cell: 1.65V * 1500mAh = 2475mWh
As an example: Suppose a set of 4 eneloop AA cells can power your external flash unit for 1500 shots, then a set of 4 PowerGenix AA cells will provide roughly the same number of shots. The difference is that your flash unit will recycle about 30% faster with the NiZn cells due to 30% higher battery voltage. On the other hand, this high rate of fire could cause the flash to over-heat and burn out.
“Long Cycle Life”:
PowerGenix claims that NiZn has a service life that ‘meets or beats’ that of NiMH cells. But according to technical data found on PowerGenix web site, the NiZn cell is only rated for 200 cycles at 100% deep discharge. Most NiMH cells are rated for 500-1000 deep discharge cycles.
“Long Shelf Life”:
PowerGenix claims the NiZn cells have longer shelf life than Lead-Acid batteries (which are notorious for high self-discharge rate), but did not compare against NiMH cells. In the “Charging Procedure” section, it says to recharge the NiZn battery every 30 days!
In summary: While the higher voltage offered by PowerGenix NiZn cells sounds attractive, it could damage or shorten the life span of your battery-operated appliances. In addition, NiZn cell does not pack more energy than eneloop NiMH cell, yet it suffers from lower cycle life and higher self-discharge rate. So unless you are desperately looking for higher voltage rechargeable batteries, there are really no reasons to take your chances with those cells.
5 Stars WOW ! AA 1.6v Rechargeable ZiNc Battery -
These batteries are the Next Generation Rechargeable Battery-this is a High Voltage AA NiZn 1.6v vs NiMh that is only 1.2v. Also PowerGenix has improved already efficient NiZn technology by increasing cycle-life, lowering cost, reducing and weight by 30% and improving low temperature discharge behavior. The low internal resistance of PowerGenix NiZn 1.6 Volt Rechargeable AA Batteries enables the delivery of significantly more power during periods of peak demand than a nickel-cadmium (NiCd) or nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery of comparable size.
Many older cameras have issues with minimum voltage and will not turn on after that voltage drops to low on the battery. These PowerGenix start at 1.6v unlike NiMh that starts at 1.2v and goes down from there. Great for Flashlights and Flash devices that are very power hungry.
Another way that PowerGenix NiZn batteries have raised the bar is by their ability to completely recharge in less than two hours and achieve 80% recharge within one hour, a key benefit for electronics and many other applications. These rechargeable batteries are also completely safe, non-combustible and easier on the environment than other comparable technologies. Also although designed as a performance battery they do have the added feature of a slower discharge rate when compared to most NiMh batteries. So after 6 months you have approx 50% residual charge and after one year about 30% -not bad for a High Voltage,High performance battery. Try them you’ll be very pleased with the performance –
