Cut Your Utility Bills

Q. My children have a lot of battery-operated toys and I have several battery devices, too. Are rechargeable batteries a good buy and is much electricity used to recharge them? — N.M.

A. For most of your battery-operated toys and devices, rechargeable batteries are your best buy. The amount of electricity used to recharge them in the small charger is negligible.

Although a rechargeable battery costs more initially than a standard throwaway (“primary”) battery, it can be used and recharged up to 1,000 times. This is equivalent to buying hundreds of primary batteries and years of daily use. Also, less old batteries end up in landfills.

Rechargeable batteries also perform better in many devices. They are capable of providing much higher current output than standard primary batteries. This is an advantage for high-power-usage toys and devices.

As rechargeable batteries are used, the voltage remains fairly constant until they are almost completely discharged. This gives very consistent and predictable performance by the toy or device. With standard batteries, the voltage gradually drops affecting performance as they wear out.

Most rechargeable batteries are nickel-cadmium cells, called “ni-cad.” They are best for frequently-used toys, walkman-type radios, TV’s, etc. Since they gradually discharge over several months when not used, they are not suitable for seldom-used emergency items, like flashlights.

Not all rechargeable batteries are the same, so just don’t buy based on price. Some new high-efficiency ones have a 30 percent higher output capacity than others. This means they operate 30 percent longer between recharges.

Some ni-cad batteries are designed for rapid recharging. These recharge in three hours as compared to overnight for older ni-cad batteries. After it is totally charged, the charger automatically switches to a trickle charge.

A long warranty is important since a ni-cad battery should last for a very long time. Some new ni-cad batteries have a lifetime warranty. Every several years when it wears out and won’t recharge, return it for a new one.

There are new solar-rechargeable batteries. These are made of clear plastic with a solar cell built inside. You set them in the sun and they recharge for free. These are ideal for outdoors use, like on a beach or camping, where an electric charger is not available. You can also get a clear flashlight so they recharge inside it during the day.

You can write to me for UTILITY BILLS UPDATE No. 273 listing the manufacturers of rechargeable batteries, output capacities, recharging time, warranties, and information on the new solar-rechargeable battery. Please include $1 and a stamped self-addressed BUSINESS-SIZE envelope.

Q. I am trying to protect the environment as much as possible and to reduce my utility bills. Does it use more or less energy to wash my dishes by hand or in the dishwasher? — I.E.

A. Eighty percent of the energy used in operating a dishwasher is for heating the water. Reducing the water consumption is the key to saving energy with any dishwashing method.

According to studies, cleaning a load of dishes in a dishwasher uses 37 percent less water than hand washing, if you leave the water run. If you fill wash and rinse basins instead, you’ll use half as much water as a dishwasher.

Readers may send questions to James Dulley, c/o Bangor Daily News, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244. Dulley studied energy management at the doctoral level at Harvard.