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Rechargeable Battery?

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CheshireCat150
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« on: June 28, 2011, 11:19:44 pm »

There are very few downsides to buying an NXT. In fact, I can only think of three...

1. They cost a lot of money
2. They are extremely addicting and sometimes keep you from doing more important things- like homework
3. They use a lot of batteries

There is hardly anything you can do about the first two. I think it is worth the money, and I am patient enough to wait until after I'm done with my homework to use my NXT (and building with the NXT is educational). However, there is another option for the third problem- the rechargeable battery.

Is the rechargeable battery worth the price?

This obviously depends on how often you use your NXT. If you use it often enough, the amount of money you usually spend on AA's will eventually pay for it. I have two NXTs, and only one rechargeable battery. I use the rechargeable battery with every project, and I only use regular AA's whenever the rechargeable battery is charging, or I'm making a project which uses two NXT bricks. If you're trying to decide whether or not to buy the NXT rechargeable battery, I suggest you refer to the algebra formula I devised below...

How long to pay off rechargeable battery (in weeks) = price of NXT rechargeable battery ÷ [(6 x price per AA battery x hours you use your NXT each week)/(life of AA batteries in hours)]

Other things to consider...

Another thing to remember if you're thinking about buying the rechargeable battery is the difference in size and weight. Personally, I think that the small amount of extra space the rechargeable battery takes up is worth how much less it weighs. The rechargeable battery weights approximately 1.8 ounces (51 grams) less than 6 regular batteries, which is significant for creations that need to be low weight.

Disclaimer: the formula above should be accurate, although I'm not completely sure because I wrote it in a very short amount of time. Also, this formula does not take into account the electricity you use for charging the rechargeable battery, and also the fact that the battery may eventually stop working over time.

But what do you think? Do you use a rechargeable battery with your NXT?
« Last Edit: June 28, 2011, 11:26:55 pm by CheshireCat150 » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2011, 12:25:12 am »

We actually use rechargeable AA batteries in Mak's NXT.. but I am starting to think the weight would be worth the cost.
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« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2011, 12:27:42 pm »

Right, I forgot about the rechargeable AAs.  How much would it cost for six of those?
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« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2011, 04:32:12 pm »

That depends on the brand and quality you choose.. You can get started for less than $7 with a if you shop well, less than $12  if you also get a small rapid charger. I already had a multi charger, so I wait for sales and buy large packs of the best. I use them for everything but my thermostat, which doesn't like them.
For the quality and weight the Mindstorms battery still looks like a very good deal.

One important thing about rachargables, in most cases you can shorten the battery life if you "top them up" before they are empty.
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« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2011, 09:46:38 pm »

Rechargeable AAs might be the best choice for those that don't want to spend too much money on the LEGO battery + shipping, and don't care about the weight difference.

Another advantage of the LEGO battery is that you can charge your NXT without having to remove the battery. This results in you- and I read this in a books somewhere, or on a website- being able to build a charging station for your NXT, so it can go and charge whenever it is low on battery. I don't know if NXT-G has a block for battery reading, or if you would have to time how long the NXT is on, but I thought building a charging station would be fun.  Smiley
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