James Sweet wrote:

Eeyore wrote:
Ken Weitzel wrote:
BE wrote:

I have an electronic scale that uses a 9v battery and it says "use alkaline
batteries only". I prefer to use rechargeable NiMH batteries. How can the
product tell the difference (or can it) and what would be the problem, if
any, of using non-alkaline batteries in such a product.


Hi...

The voltage of a brand new alkaline is 1.5 volts. The
voltage of a freshly charged nimh or nicd is 1.2 volts.

The likelihood is that your scale will see the 1.2 volts,
and decide that the battery is due for replacement - at worst
refuse to operate; at best tell you to change the battery.


According to Duracell, an alkaline battery isn't dead until it reaches 0.75V !

Incidentally, you can get '9V' alkalines with 7 or 8 cells ( 8.4 or 9.6 V ).

You mean NiCd? Most "9V" rechareables are 7.2V. 9V alkaline batteries
consist of 6 1.5V cells which add up to an even 9V.

NiMH. I don't know what made me type alkaline !

I have one right here that I recharged a month or two ago and its current terminal
voltage is 8.99V.

Graham