Survey posted 1999-12-21 05:52 by Andy.

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I replace my batteries about once a year, but I recharge them once a month or more. I am always using it or playing games so much, that it would cost me a fortune to buy that many batteries.

I use the Rayovac-type rechargeable batteries that came with my calc. Because of this, I charge every week, but replace them once every few months. It's a INCREDIBLE savings!

Same here. I've been getting some faulty charges lately, and when I do anything that would make the status indicator move or play an ASM game on my 82 with the contrast at 4 or more, the screen goes completely blank. The batteries are officialy fried, so I guess I'm gonna have to switch to energizer or something because I can't find the rayovac rechargables. Oh well.

Try Target or Wal-Mart. They always seem to have them.

The problem is that the more you charge them, the quicker they lose their charge. Eventually, they'll have mere minutes of usage time. This caused a rather paniked moment for me during a SAT last year...

I'd say every 2 weeks. ASM games eat batteries, and BASIC stuff is worse. But fortunately for me, I have bought some Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries, which last far longer than alkalines, are rechargeable, less harmful than NiCD, and they don't have a memory, so they're harder to destroy. They aren't cheap (roughy $4/battery), but they outlast every alkaline out there.

Which means that should change to roughly every 4 weeks.

Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries are neat. I have some Raovac Renewals and they last for a LONG time

But NiMH batteries last a lot longer. Do NiMH batteries work in TI calculators though? They have a different voltage and when I asked TI they said not to use them.

yeah, they work, but you need to drain them a bit. I used some from my digital camera, they worked OK after the camera drained them a bit. At full charge it was too dark with a contrast setting of 0!

I use them full and they work fine

Rayovac Rechagebles!! One time i used it for two weeks. afterward i had to get'em recharged every week. Then 2 of the batteries started leaking inside the case and at the time i used for about 3 hours/week and they died on me

that happened to me also

The same thing happened to me. A month after I got my 86, the Renewals that came with it started leaking, and leaked all over the inside of my calc. I took them to RadioShack to have them tested, and they said that the only one that was holding a charge was the one that leaked the most! This is after I bought a charger, and the batteries destroyed it. No matter how much more expensive, Alkalines cannot be beat :(

Where did you get your 86?? Mine came with 4 Duracell batteries, not rechargables. I have to change batteries about every month / month & a half -- I am always transfering games to other people at school and playing games.

I got my 86 (from Staples) in September '99. It came with alkalines. A year before, when I got my 89 (from Staples), they were still packaging Rayovacs with their calculators. That should help some. :)

I let people in school borrow my calculator during class, and that helps wear it down. I stopped, because batteries are like $6 for a set of 12. And that is the best deal I found. Also, the students at school don't know how to turn off a calculator, so when I get it back, I open up the case and turn it off. Some people use APD, but I don't.

$6 for a set of 12?????
geez, here in sweden 4 AAA batteries costs $8 for a set of 4!

it's cheaper! do your math!

12/6=2$ a battery for AA
4/8=2$ a battery for AAA

AA should cost more than AAA, so it is cheaper

First of all, work on your math. 6/$12 is $.50, not $2... Also, the calc's run on AAA, not AA, so you messed up there too...;)

Glen

actually, if it were $6 for 12 instead of $12 for 6 then it would be $6/12 = .50, but he was right, $12/6 = $2 :P

whoops, nevermind, I didn't see that he put the numbers in wrong :P. he should put dollar signs where they should be :P

Yes, but you can hook up the calculator (or at least the 83) to use AAs instead of AAAs.

he never said anything about AAA or AA. If you learn to divide right (you do 6/12) you'd see that in America the batteries are $.50 and in Sweden they're $2 a battery. One would expect that you should at least be in geometry to have a ti-calc, yet I wonder how you got there :)

Why don't you people just use rechargebles??

Too lazy to go buy a recharger :)

P.S. I am talking about myself.