Battery Charger
Rechargeable batteries are great for electronics. They not only save you money from buying disposable batteries, but they can power a new digital camera for a couple of days before having to recharge them.

Disposable Batteries

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If you don't want to spend all your time researching about batteries and battery chargers then disposable is the best option for you. Disposable batteries are a great overall battery that are good for about everything.

There isn't a wide selection of disposable batteries in the world for everyday use, the two common types of disposable batteries used are Alkaline batteries, and Lithium batteries.

Alkaline Batteries

Alkaline batteries, the most common type of disposable battery, are commonly used in everyday electronic devices, such as remote controls, MP3 players, and digital cameras.

Disposable Battery
  • No memory loss. As you can't charge them.
  • They have a very slow self-discharge rate.
  • Once they run out of their charge, you have to throw them away and replace them with new ones. Which can be bad for your money if you're replacing them on a regular basis, as the prices will add up.

Alkaline batteries last for a long period of time, with a shelf life of 2 years, keeping about 90 percent of their original capacities. They can perform well at high temperatures as well as low temperatures. There are two available types of alkaline batteries, standard alkaline and premium alkaline.

Standard Alkaline batteries are generally used in low to moderate power draining devices such as portable scanners and remote controls.

Premium Alkaline batteries are generally used in high power draining devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players, CD players, and video cameras.

Lithium Batteries

Lithium batteries, not to be confused with Lithium Ion batteries, which are the rechargeable form of Lithium batteries.

  • They are about the same as the alkaline batteries in almost every way.
  • They are able to store and supply much more energy then their alkaline counterparts.
  • They are more expensive then alkaline batteries, but they will last longer.
  • They are about 33% lighter than the average Alkaline battery.

Lithium batteries, able to last for a long period of time, with an average life span of 10 years, are becoming the popular choice for disposable batteries, with about double the capacity of Alkaline batteries, they are able to effeciently power high energy draining devices such as MP3 players and digital cameras.

Battery Care and Safety Tips

Batteries are durable, but you still have to take care of them or you can shorten their life span, harm yourself, or damage your electronic items. So here are some Do's and Don'ts for your batteries.

The Do's

  • Some electronics can only handle certain types of batteries, so it's important to see what batteries are able to be used with your electronics.
  • Make sure to put the batteries in correctly, with the positive (+) and negative (-) on the appropiate sides.
  • Make sure each the ends of the batterys are clean, which allow a complete connection with the electronic.
  • Remove batteries from an electronic if you know you won't be using the device for a while, as it will preserve the battery life.
  • Store batteries in a cool, dry place, usually at normal room temperature, to maximize their shelf life.

The Don'ts

  • DO NOT throw or leave batteries in hot places, such as outside in the sun, or in a fire. This can cause the batteries to leak dangerous chemicals, or explode.
  • DO NOT tamper with the batteries in anyway, such as trying to puncture or crush them. This can also cause the batteries to leak dangerous chemicals, or explode.
  • DO NOT carry loose batteries with metal objects of any sorts, such as coins, paper clips, etc.
  • DO NOT mix old and new batteries, or different types of batteries, this can cause the battery to leak battery acid, or explode.