[photo-3d] Re: Ni-MH for Viewers

[wes@xxxxxxx]

--- In photo-3d@xxxx, Linda Nygren <lnygren@xxxx> wrote:
> 
> 
> Mark Shields wrote:
> > 
> > I've not had good results with Renewals except for short-term
> > standby applications. They don't self-discharge, which is good.
> > But they have only about half the capacity of ordinary,
> > non-rechargeable alkalines. Also, while you can get 25-50 charges
> > if they are discharged lightly (about 10% of rated capacity),
> > if you discharge them deeply their capacity drops off very 
rapidly.
> 

With all the recent discussion of various cell chemistries, I thought 
the results on some recent AA cell tests I performed might prove 
useful.  With the introduction in just the past year or so of the new 
Duracell "Ultra" (blue band), and the new Energizer "Titanium" cells, 
all the choices available nowadays made my head spin a bit, and I 
wondered whether the performance of these new alkaline formulations 
was worth the considerably higher price.  So, I committed several 
days and wasted several of these cells (two of each kind shown) just 
to see how they really stack up for myself.  Just for fun (and here 
is more of the relevance) I threw in a couple of the new Panasonic 
1600mah NiMH cells into the mix (fully charged).  I chose a drain of 
300 ma. as it is fairly stout, yet not as great as a portable DAT 
recorder or perhaps a camcorder.  Yet, it's greater than a light 
bulb.  What's more, I didn't want to be into this project for more 
than eight hours at a whack!  Admittedly, I didn't address the matter 
of the "renewable" alkalines, or nicads this time.  It looks like the 
NiMH's win the race of greater current capacity per area over nicads, 
but I believe that under very heavy current requirements (such as car 
racing) they won't match what the nicads will deliver.  In a lighted 
stereo viewer, though, the NiMH cells have a lot to offer.

Anyway, for what it's worth I'm uploading a low rez version of the 
JPEG chart I made of those results.  Since the performance changed so 
rapidly in the first hour, I took readings every fifteen minutes.  
Have fun!

Wes