Batteries: Lithium vs. Alkaline... a danger to your gear?

[M4Fundi]

I prefer pony-up and pay the extra duckets to use lithium batteries in most things, I get the extra battery life, better cold resistance and less likely to decompose and leak, but I have read on instruction manuals sometimes that the use of lithium batteries due to their different volts or amps or something could damage an electronic device as "it was not designed for use with lithium batteries", so what is the issue and how do you know when you can or cannot use lithium (other than the manufacturers "written in Chingress" instructions) so that I don't nuke some electronic.... my MSA Sordin instructions say to use Duracell Alkaline and SRS Tactical says that lithium is safe, but they aren't sure why... any electrical engineers here have the definitive answer?

[Rmplstlskn]

All I know is that I have had alkaline batteries leak out in storage and in equipment many, many times over the many years... Usually some vinegar will clean it up enough that the device is saved, but not always... Really pisses me off when it does that, and not always cheap, house-brand either. But I have NEVER had a LITHIUM battery leak, ever...

Lithium is all I use on stored equipment and stuff I want to work when I need it. Others, I now keep alkaline batteries stored outside the device, including my Sordin's... I just load the batteries when heading to the range...

Not an answer to your question, just some further info...

Rmpl

[Voodoo_Man]

I use Enelope Pro batteries (http://goo.gl/2PyHMc) now a days for pretty much everything. Never had them break.

Have had plenty of standard energizer's break.

[Auto-X Fil]

Lithium AA batteries (LiFeS2 chemistry) have an open-circuit voltage of about 1.8V. When loaded even very lightly, the voltage drops to about 1.5V, making them completely compatible with most electronics. If the electronics are very poorly designed, it's possible to have LiFeS2 batteries produce damage - immediate or long-term - by exposing the silicon junctions in certain components to higher voltages than they were designed for. This is more likely when the device uses several 1.5V batteries in series. However, it's pretty unlikely - and maybe never actually happens. I'm certain it never happens with well-made electronics.

NiMH, like the Eneloop Pro, are great. Being rechargeable, they are very affordable long-term, and less wasteful. They have excellent energy density, and huge discharge rate capability. This makes them excellent for high-power devices like electric motors. The downsides are higher weight, 1.2V voltage - which can trip off low-voltage protection and make them not work on some devices - and self-discharge. That means that while Enloop Pro and other new high-end NiMH batteries are "low-self-discharge" compared to older NiMH batteries that would die within weeks, they still should not be used for devices that may sit for years, and be expected to work at that point. Cold performance is also comparable to alkaline, not nearly as good as Lithium.

Summary:

NiMH: great for high-discharge applications like kid's motorized toys, frequently used lights, electronics that kill batteries quickly (games). Avoid for locks, low-drain optics, etc.

Lithium: Really awesome for ice-climbing headlamps, which is where I discovered them. When you are trying to rappel down a cliff in the dark, and it's -20, you want your frickin' headlamp to work. Alkaline won't. Plus, the Lithium batteries are lighter, and last longer! Also great for lights where max brightness and reliability are key.

Alkaline work fine for other applications - low-drain, long-term use in controlled climate conditions. Smoke detectors, electronic locks, range-toy optics, etc.

Hope this helps.

[ballsagna]

Good info there.

Sent while driving 80mph on the freeway