Rechargeable AA Batteries

I've got this Korg MR-1000 recorder that uses 8 AA cells. I was thinking of getting some rechargeables for it, but I'd want to get a charger that can take eight at a time (seems like there are two or three of those, $30-$80). But I was reading about the cells and I kept seeing "Shelf life: 12 months" popping up in the specs.

Now I have four NiMH AA cells that I used to use in a camera, but not very much. They're about 3 years old, and I've been using them in my Zoom H2 recorder and not getting much service out of them. Could it be that their useful life is over? I don't figure I'd be using the Korg recorder on batteries very often, maybe 4-5 times per year. If the rechargeables are really only good-as-new for a year, it probably would make more sense for me to just buy alkaline cells. They have a shelf life of at least 5 years and are about 1/5 the price of 2500 mAH rechargeables.

Since I already have a 4-cell charger, I'll probably get a pack of four fresh cells for the Zoom (that uses two at a time) but may hold off for a while on Korg batteries. Any words of wisdom to share about rechargeable AAs in portable recorders?


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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Rechargeable AA Batteries
    ... Now I have four NiMH AA cells that I used to use in a camera, ... Zoom H2 recorder and not getting much service out of them. ... rechargeables are really only good-as-new for a year, ... Since I already have a 4-cell charger, I'll probably get a pack of four ...
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    ... Misfortunately, some devices are specced for 1.5 volts per cell, and peg out when the battery voltage drops significantly below that, despite the fact that there's still quite a lot of energy left in the disposable cells. ... Rechargeables vary between 1.3V-plus when fully-charged, to 1.2V when almost flat; this isn't important when the device they're supplying takes a fairly high current, as rechargeables have very much lower internal resistance than disposable '1.5V' cells, and so the actual voltage delivered by either type is about the same, or even better for rechargeables in the case of very heavy current drain. ...
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  • Re: Rechargeabubbles
    ... Misfortunately, some devices are specced for 1.5 volts per cell, and peg out when the battery voltage drops significantly below that, despite the fact that there's still quite a lot of energy left in the disposable cells. ... Rechargeables vary between 1.3V-plus when fully-charged, to 1.2V when almost flat; this isn't important when the device they're supplying takes a fairly high current, as rechargeables have very much lower internal resistance than disposable '1.5V' cells, and so the actual voltage delivered by either type is about the same, or even better for rechargeables in the case of very heavy current drain. ...
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