FAQ About The Rechargeable XTAR 1.5V Lithium AA Batteries

The rechargeable 1.5V lithium AA and AAA batteries are relatively new to the market. They are becoming increasingly popular due to their high capacity and longer lifespan compared to traditional alkaline batteries. The typical manufacturers of this battery are XTAR, Tenavolts, Keepower, EBL, etc. Many customers learned about this type of battery, but they hesitate to invest in it. In this article, we’d like to list some frequently asked questions about the rechargeable XTAR 1.5V lithium aa and aaa batteries, in the purpose of helping you in your buying decisions.

What devices are the rechargeable 1.5V lithium aa and aaa batteries mainly used for?

Rechargeable 1.5V lithium batteries have a high discharge rate, thus even when used in high-drain applications, they can deliver a continuous and reliable power supply.

And, the low self-discharge rate of rechargeable 1.5V lithium batteries enables them to maintain their charge for longer periods of time when not in use. For of this, they are perfect for emergency backup power systems and other uses that call for a dependable power source.

Therefore, rechargeable 1.5V lithium batteries can be used mainly in four types of electric devices.

Devices that require a steady and stable high-voltage output over a long period of time are good candidates for these batteries, such as:

• medical devices – blood pressure meters, insulin pumps
• Toys and games – game controllers, xbox comtrollers, RC cars like mini-z series/mini 4wd.
• Home garden gadgets – electric razor, insecticide and herbicide sprayers
• Household appliance – milk frother, baby monitor, blink security cameras, AA flashlights, electric toothbrushes, shavers
• Makeup – skin care, facial cleanser

For devices that require multiple batteries, such as trail cameras, guitar amplifiers, and children’s toys, these 1.5V rechargeable batteries may be a more cost-effective solution. XTAR 1.5V rechargeable batteries have over 1000 times of cycle life.

These batteries are also good for home emergency preparedness gears, as they have a low self-discharge rate and can be stored for extended periods of time without losing their charge.

Another application where 1.5V rechargeable batteries can be suitable is for camping gadgets. These batteries are lightweight and easy to carry, making them an excellent option for reducing the weight of a backpack. Some examples of camping equipment that can use these batteries include portable camping lights, two way radios, bubble machines, portable water pik, cordless water flosser, and GPS devices.

Compared with 1.2V NIMH AA and AAA batteries, what are the advantages of this rechargeable 1.5V lithium batteries?

Compared with rechargeable 1.2V NiMH aa and aaa batteries, this kind of cells mainly has five advantages.

– Higher voltage output: Rechargeable 1.5V lithium batteries have a higher voltage output than 1.2V NiMH batteries, which makes them more compatible with devices that require a 1.5V output.

– Performance: Rechargeable 1.5V lithium batteries provide a more stable and consistent power output than 1.2V NiMH batteries, which makes them ideal for devices that require a constant power supply.

– Longer lifespan: These batteries can be recharged many times more than 1.2V NiMH batteries, which makes them more cost-effective in the long run. XTAR 1.5V lithium AA batteries have more than 1000 times of cycle life, while 1.2V NiMH AA batteries have only 500 times.

– Safety: Built-in multiple protections, such as over-temperature protection, and over-charge protection. Besides, rechargeable 1.5V lithium batteries are less prone to leakage and environmental damage than 1.2V NiMH batteries.

– Fast charging: the charging time of the XTAR rechargeable 1.5V AA and AAA batteries is much faster than the typical 1.2V NiMH AA and AAA batteries. It only takes 1.7hours to fully charge four XTAR 1.5V AA batteries.

– No memory effect: due to the characteristics of the battery, Ni-MH batteries have a memory effect, and after long-term use, the battery capacity will become smaller and smaller.

How is the discharging performance of the rechargeable XTAR 1.5V lithium aa and aaa batteries?

The rechargeable XTAR 1.5V lithium batteries provide constant voltage output of 1.5 volts. Here is one of the reviews:

“The battery maintains a very constant voltage during the full discharge test. Output voltage is 1.460 V at 500mA, 1.475 V at 300 mA, 1.490 V at 100 mA…no change from start to end of test or between cells.”

And here is the review video by a LEGO set enthusiasm RacingBrick on YouTube. He fully tested the battery performance.

What happens when the rechargeable 1.5V lithium batteries run out?

For the XTAR 1.5V rechargeable lithium batteries, if you buy the version of blue-white wrap, your electric device will just suddenly stop working without warning when the battery runs out. But if you use the green wrap version, as XTAR adopts built-in accurate voltage control IC, the battery voltage will drop to around 1.1V, then your electric device will remind you of power out, if it has a lower battery reminder function (such as doorlock). You can also find the change after voltage drop. For example, if you use AA flashlight, then the lighting would be dim when the power is used up.

What chargers do the XTAR 1.5V rechargeable lithium batteries need?

Rechargeable 1.5V lithium AA and AAA batteries require a specific charging method that is different from traditional rechargeable batteries. So, we recommend using special chargers such as XTAR BC4 or BC8, instead of the standard li-ion or NiMH battery charger.

The standard 3.6 or 3.7V li-ion rechargeable batteries typically use a constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) charging method, while these 1.5V batteries require a constant current charging method. This method ensures the battery would not be overcharged or damaged.

Why the discharge time is not as long as NiMH AA and AAA batteries?

That’s because the discharge voltages of the two batteries are different. For example, the XTAR 1.5V AA battery has a capacity of 2000mAh, and it will last for at least 1.3 hours under 1.5V continuous output, while a 1.2V AA battery of 2200mAH has max output of 1.2V, which means it can persist 1.8 hours even with continuous output. And the discharge voltage of the Ni-MH battery will continue to drop.

What’s the difference of the two rechargeable XTAR 1.5V lithium AA batteries?

XTAR 1.5V lithium batteries have two version. The blue-white wrap version and the green wrap version. The biggest difference of the two batteries is the green wrap version has unique low-voltage indicator function. If your electric devices have low-power remind function, then they will remind you in time when the power is insufficient.

The second difference is the battery capacity. The blue-white wrap version has 3300mWh, while the green wrap version has 2700mWh.

What’s the max continuous discharge current of the rechargeable XTAR 1.5V AA batteries?

The max continuous discharge current is 2A. Note that the XTAR 1.5V battery with indicator has built-in over-temperature protection and over-current protection, when the discharge current exceeds 2-2.5A, it will stop power output.

For rechargeable 1.2V Ni-MH batteries and disposal batteries, the larger the discharge current, the larger the voltage drop, and there is no protection problem While the 1.5V rechargeable lithium battery continuously outputs 1.5V. In order not to damage the cycle life of the battery, it must have over-temperature and overcurrent protection. Due to these protections, XTAR’s 1.5V rechargeable lithium battery with indicator is not suitable for electrical equipment with an instantaneous input current exceeding 2.5A and a continuous input current exceeding 2A, such as some headlamps and weather instruments that use AA or AAA batteries.

Some flashlights use linear drive without current limiting treatment, and can output 300lm or greater brightness instantly. Their battery output current is 2.5A or higher. This kind of flashlights is only suitable for unprotected batteries and disposal batteries, otherwise it may cause a short run time or even not work at all.

For NiMH batteries, if the output current exceeds 2A continuously, even the cycle life of the Eloop battery will be very short. The cycle life of Ni-MH AA batteries is generally about 500 times, while the cycle life of XTAR’s 1.5V rechargeable lithium battery with indicator is as high as 1200 times, more than double! Therefore, when choosing which battery, you need to make some trade-offs based on your focused needs.

Why the capacity of this rechargeable 1.5V battery is rated with mWh instead of mAh?

Rechargeable 1.5V lithium batteries are rated in mWh (milliwatt-hours) instead of mAh (milliampere-hours) because the voltage of these batteries remains constant until they are almost completely discharged. This means that the energy stored in a rechargeable 1.5V lithium battery is proportional to the product of the voltage and the capacity, which is expressed in mWh.

On the other hand, other types of rechargeable batteries, such as NiMH and NiCd batteries, have a variable voltage during discharge, which makes it more appropriate to express their capacity in terms of mAh.

Using mWh to rate the capacity of rechargeable 1.5V lithium batteries allows for a more accurate representation of the amount of energy the battery can store and deliver, regardless of the voltage level. This information is particularly important for devices that require a stable and consistent power supply, such as medical devices and high-performance electronics.