Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Are Energizer Rechargeable "D" Batteries "AAs" In Disguise? [Mysteries]

 
 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 
 

via Consumerist by Carrie McLaren on 8/26/09

Ever notice how rechargeable batteries seem weak and barely hold a charge? Mike Adams, a blogger for Natural News made an interesting discovery about his Energizer Rechargeable "D" batteries. The "stated capacity of the battery is just 2500 mAh - the same capacity as typical AA batteries." So if they seem weak, it's because they are weak.

But let's give Energizer the benefit of the doubt: perhaps there are technical reasons that reasons that rechargeables are weaker. In fact, at 1800 mAh, Rayovac D batteries are even weaker than Energizers.

But that can't be it. A number of rechargeable D batteries are available online at comparable costs with up to 10,000 mAh.

Adams discovered that if you take the Energizer "D" battery apart, you'll find a surprise:

The Energizer "D" battery is actually just a cheap plastic shell surrounding a much smaller, low-capacity battery similar in size and capacity to an "AA" battery.

Batteries with the higher capacity are, unsurprisingly, significantly heavier than the Energizers.

So there you go. Adams sees this ploy as a concerted effort by battery manufacturers to dampen consumer interest in the rechargeable market, thus maintaining profits from a lucrative throwaway product. But whether you buy into the planned obsolescence theory or not, it's probably a good idea to shop around for your rechargeables, and to compare stated capacities.

Energizer "D" Battery Exposed [Natural News] (Thanks to Jamie Hodges!)


 
 

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