Wireless keyboards and Mice and Batteries

[apsman]

Hello this is my first time and i am wondering if anyone else has had
this problem with batteries? I have a Microsoft Wireless Keyboard and
mouse! Well after about a month i had to change the batteries that came
with the set! So i went to the local Store and looked at the batteries
and decided on those "Heavy Duty" Batteries! Well in a week i was
prompted to change the batteries again. I was like i just changed the
betteries. i shruged my shoulders went to the store last night and was
about to grab another set of Heavy duty batteries. Then i began to
think what if it was that these batteries were really that bad and
couldnt hold that much charge. So does anyone else think that Alkaline
batteries are much better than those cheap Heavy Duty batteries?
Because if i have to replace them ever week i end up paying double than
i would with Alkaline Batteries.

 

[Mark Fergerson]

Hello this is my first time and i am wondering if anyone else has had
this problem with batteries? I have a Microsoft Wireless Keyboard and
mouse! Well after about a month i had to change the batteries that came
with the set! So i went to the local Store and looked at the batteries
and decided on those "Heavy Duty" Batteries! Well in a week i was
prompted to change the batteries again. I was like i just changed the
betteries. i shruged my shoulders went to the store last night and was
about to grab another set of Heavy duty batteries. Then i began to
think what if it was that these batteries were really that bad and
couldnt hold that much charge. So does anyone else think that Alkaline
batteries are much better than those cheap Heavy Duty batteries?
Because if i have to replace them ever week i end up paying double than
i would with Alkaline Batteries.

"Heavy Duty" = "Advertising Hype".

I use alkalines. They need changing maybe every other month.

Mark L. Fergerson

 

[CWatters]

"Heavy Duty" = "Advertising Hype".

Yeah the only reliable guide would be the capacity in mAH and I've never
seen that marked on an Alkaline battery. Personally I wish consumer laws
were introduced to make capacity marking mandatory. I mean can you imagine
what would happen if a gas station tried to sell gas without telling you how
much you were getting

Best switch to NiMH rechargables for your keyboard & mouse.

 

[Jerry G.]

You should be using a good quality Alkaline battery, or investing in a few
sets of chargeable batteries, and the proper charger.

--

Jerry G.
======


Hello this is my first time and i am wondering if anyone else has had
this problem with batteries? I have a Microsoft Wireless Keyboard and
mouse! Well after about a month i had to change the batteries that came
with the set! So i went to the local Store and looked at the batteries
and decided on those "Heavy Duty" Batteries! Well in a week i was
prompted to change the batteries again. I was like i just changed the
betteries. i shruged my shoulders went to the store last night and was
about to grab another set of Heavy duty batteries. Then i began to
think what if it was that these batteries were really that bad and
couldnt hold that much charge. So does anyone else think that Alkaline
batteries are much better than those cheap Heavy Duty batteries?
Because if i have to replace them ever week i end up paying double than
i would with Alkaline Batteries.

 

[Tomi Holger Engdahl]

Yeah the only reliable guide would be the capacity in mAH and I've never
seen that marked on an Alkaline battery.

Generally alkaline batteries have few times more capacity than
"Heavy Duty" batteries. Calling zinc chloride batteries heavy duty
became misleading once alkaline batteries
(with 300% more capacity than zinc chloride batteries) became available.

The actual capacity depends on how the battery is used. Alkaline bateries
do not give their best when very havily loaded. Alkalines do not have
a fixed capacity rating because where the discharge rate of
rechargeable batteries is a straight line, the discharge rate for
alkalines slopes depending on the current drain. The higher the
current drain, the faster the battery discharges. In alkaline
batteries, the sloping discharge curve makes it impossible to
accurately provide a mAh rating; the rating would vary depending on
discharge rate and temperature.

Here are some general battery figures collected from various sources:
http://www.epanorama.net/links/psu_battery.html

Personally I wish consumer laws
were introduced to make capacity marking mandatory. I mean can you imagine
what would happen if a gas station tried to sell gas without telling you how
much you were getting

As you can see above, givign exact mAH rating for alkalines
is hard. If soembody wants to make capacity marking mandatory,
then there needs to be also some standardized means to
define it from power source that varies in capacity
when discharged differently!

Best switch to NiMH rechargables for your keyboard & mouse.

That will definately save money on long run...

 

[Watson A.Name - \Watt Sun, the Dark Remover\]

Yeah the only reliable guide would be the capacity in mAH and I've never
seen that marked on an Alkaline battery. Personally I wish consumer laws
were introduced to make capacity marking mandatory. I mean can you imagine
what would happen if a gas station tried to sell gas without telling you how
much you were getting

Best switch to NiMH rechargables for your keyboard & mouse.

Might work, and then it might not work. Depends on whether or not the
mouse or keyboard was made to accept the lower 2.4V of NiMHs instead of
the normal 3V alkaline voltage. Don't assume that it will. Check the
instruction manual to see.

 

[[email protected]]

I have had the same problem with the cheap heavy duty batteries in my
MP3 player. I felt like I was changing my battery every hour. I guess
you get what you pay for. Alkaline is my first choice now. I dont like
rechargeable since I am always on the go and it would be a pain for me
to remember to charge them.

 

[[email protected]]

I agree crazy.... Ive also switched to alkalines in my mp3 player for
the gym!!! Nice to get a workout in without my batteries dying haha

 

[Watson A.Name - \Watt Sun, the Dark Remover\]

I have had the same problem with the cheap heavy duty batteries in my
MP3 player. I felt like I was changing my battery every hour. I guess
you get what you pay for. Alkaline is my first choice now. I dont like
rechargeable since I am always on the go and it would be a pain for me
to remember to charge them.

I bought a Rayovac 2 hour charger, it works good but it's heavier than
usual and uses a wall wart. I save a _lot_ of money by using
rechargeable cells. Once I got used to putting chargers in different
places, such as home, work, and in the car, it wasn't too much hassle
keeping them charged. It's about $15 a charger with a set of four Ni-MH
cells.

If you're going to keep using alkalines, you should go to
www.cheapbatteries.com and order a large supply of alkalines. I've
found that the 40 cell brand name 'bricks' such as GE/Sanyo sell locally
for 37 cents a cell, and as low as 25 cents on sale. Or you may be able
to get off-brands such as Ultralast for even cheaper. I checked
www.cheapbatteries.com and they have Rayovac AA Alkaline cells for $.25
if you buy 50. Of course you have to count the cost of shipping, also.

BTW, by locally, I mean I can get them at Fry's electronics.

 

[boombombap]

totally use alkaline batteries. anything else is a waste of money. i
am not a fan of anything else myself really. be smart. go alkaline.
have a happy new year

jolly george

 

[boombombap]

totally use alkaline batteries. anything else is a waste of money. i
am not a fan of anything else myself really. be smart. go alkaline.
have a happy new year

jolly george

 

[[email protected]]

Heavy Duty are the cheapest you can find for a reason. And that's
because they suck. Alkalines last about 4 times longer. Heavy duty are
terrible because they lose there charge over time while alkalines keep
the same charge the whole time. So with heavy duty your keyboard and
mouse will become less and less responcive over time until the cheap
heavy dutys die while with alkaline it will be the same as the first
day you put the battery in until it finally goes out. I'll never buy a
heavy duty battery again.