Eneloop batteries are among the batteries that the world will live to appreciate. Since their development in the late 20 th century, they have been advancing to date. They are known to be generated from the globe’s most environmental friendly metals. These batteries have been developing because of their pretty high energy densities when weighed against other types of batteries. It is expected that their densities will be increased because of their potential to accommodate more densities. Unfortunately, this will lead to more negative effects.
However, they are not considered to be the most durable batteries in the market. This is because of some challenges that they are exposed to with regards to poor maintenance and usage. For example, if you cycle using these batteries under heavy loads, you will be reducing on their service life. The same case happens when they are stored under high temperatures. Now, this is fairly disadvantageous because there are some batteries such as Power sonic that can be used in any environment and they do not have to be maintained in order to last. What is more, their rate of self-discharge is fairly high.
Merits
Eneloop batteries are high in capacity. Research shows that when weighed against standard batteries, they have between 30 and 40% more capacity. This makes them a nice alternative for individuals who use appliances that require a lot of battery power.
Also, these batteries are not prone to memory effects when compared to their counterparts. As such, you do not have to frequently take them through periodic exercise cycles. As a result, you will be saving on time and resources.
It is simple to store and transport these batteries. You must have heard of batteries that cannot be ferried either on land or water or certain climatic conditions. Well, you can freely move with your portable batteries because no regulations have been set so far to limit their storage and transportation.
As mentioned earlier, these batteries are highly environmental friendly. Ideally, they only contain mild toxins. These are highly profitable when recycled. Nevertheless, it is expected that some individuals will carelessly dispose of their used battery. In this case, they will not be causing adverse harm to the environment as would otherwise have been the case.
Demerits
Like other batteries, eneloop batteries also have their weaknesses. For example, they require a pretty complex charge algorithm. This is because these batteries tend to generate heat during the charging process. As a result, they have to be charged for quite long durations. Since the trickle charge is very critical, it has to be carefully controlled.
They are also quite costly. This price is justified by the high current that the batteries supply and you should be willing to pay for the same. There is the need to frequently completely discharge these batteries. This is a maintenance procedure that helps to minimize the formation of crystalline. It is probably the worst disadvantage of these batteries because they take long to charge and their rate of self-discharge is also high.