PowerGenix NiZn battery chargers (12-14$)

Batteries and Chargers Chargers
1

I have noticed that the NiZn chemistry is becoming more available, with lower prices both for the batteries and the chargers.

Now, we can get AA/AAA NiZn chargers for 12$ (slow charge) and 15$ (fast charge)

Slow charge: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/powergenix-4-x-aa-2-x-aaa-nizn-batteries-charger-black-ac-100-240v-2-flat-pin-plug-151204?r=43033281

Fast charge: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/powergenix-4-x-aa-2-x-aaa-nizn-batteries-quick-charger-white-ac-100-240v-2-flat-pin-plug-151202?r=43033281

This chemistry will compete now with the traditional NiMh as the prices are becoming lower?

2

Didn’t PowerGenix step out of the consumer battery industry due to quality issues? I feel like NiZn is dying…

3

Has anyone had experience with these?

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__25025__Turnigy_AA_Ni_ZN_1500mAh_High_Voltage_ready_to_use_.html

4

I think PowerGenix consumer products have been discontinued for a few years, so this is probably old stock. This is probably a dead end, and completely unnecessary anyway since LSD NiMH’s can hold a charge and undergo a lot more cycles.

Don’t know about the Turnigy cells. Maybe there is some demand for replacement NiZn cells?

5

The only advantage to NiZn is the higher nominal voltage of about 1.6v vs 1.2v of Ni-mh. For example I’ve used NiZn cells in a Xeno E03, and it provided a nice increase in output over regular eneloops.

I picked up a charger and 4x NiZn cells at biglotts a while back for only $6.

6

Yes, the conclusion should be that LSD NiMh would be better, talking about capacity and self discharge… and they are not as delicate as the NiZn

7

fran at $20 shipped the nitecore sysmax looks a better deal with so many batteries/chemistries it does :slight_smile:

8

I agree, but I am talking about NiZn which the sysmax cant charge…

But I agree with the fact that NiZn today… is someway a nonsense…

9

They are useful when you have consumer electronics that normally only work with lithium AA primaries, for example.

Overall I don’t think they are destined to become much more than a footnote, historically speaking.

10

OK, I agree. But the batteries are too delicate. I have read that if you discharge below a certain voltage (much higher thant the 0,9volt of the nimh) the batteries die instantly, not as the NiMh or Li-ion, that you can use them… but the batteries will not be at 100% health

11

I don’t see how that could possibly be the case. Where did you read this?

12

If I remember well, a guy at this forum posted an issue (if I remember well) that he killed the batteries due to over-dischargue and the batteries refused to charge again

13

It seems far more likely that it was just a case of the charger refusing to charge the battery because the voltage was too low. This can even happen with NiMH, and it doesn’t automatically mean that the cell is completely dead.

I’m not saying that you can’t kill a NiZn cell by over-discharging it (or any other type of cell for that matter), only that you’d typically have to do a lot more than discharge it below 1 volt or so just once.

14

No, I can verify that they are easily killed. A couple of them I don’t think I even discharged too much, but they simply stopped working. I had 12 of them and every time my SC51 accidentally came on and discharged them, the cell was dead. I have a few left but no longer use them. A shame since they really kick out the current when new.