Wiimote docks apparently unsafe - but rechargeable batteries safe?

[glennok]

Hi. I am aware of numerous accounts of the wiimote charging stations overheating, some destroying wiimotes.
I am also aware that officially Nintendo warns against using rechargeables.

I'm just wondering if using normal NiMH rechargeable batteries, with an external charger, is known to cause any problems?

 

[rukus]

no probs for me or anyone i know. i use energizer NiMH with an external charger. it works great

 

[sremick]

As long as you're using a good-quality charger with good-quality batteries, you shouldn't have a problem.

Cheap batteries are prone to overheating and/or premature failure.

Cheap chargers can over-charge batteries, causing overheating and/or premature failure.

You get what you pay for.

 

[eddiemon]

If you are useing apopular brand rechargeable battery and use the correct battery charrger, then it will be fine. I use Sanyo and Panasonic rechargables on a Panasonic quick charger.

 

[glennok]

Cool, thanks.

I bought an good brand charger with batteries included. It all looks high quality so hopefully will be fine as you say.

 

[gidget]

i charge these all weekend sometimes and they never feel warm:

Read about my awesome rechargeable battery solution.:yesnod:

After Shipping: 2 batteries cost $16 / 4 batteries cost $30

These batteries. Here is what makes this rechargeable battery solution 10 times better than CHARGING STATIONS:

• Pros:
  • Cheapest!
  • Less bulk and clutter!
    • i.e. no charging station, disassembled Remotes or loose batteries.
  • Batteries will always be charged
    • no one has the chore of disassembling each Remote
    • no one has the chore of removing the Jackets so the Remotesfit into a Charging Station
      
  • Remote Jacket NEVER needs removed.
    • I cut a small hole on the Jacket for the charging cable to poke through.
  • NO AC ADAPTER... batteries get power from Wii's USB ports even when the Wii is in standby mode.
    • Have you read that 3rd party charging stations have ruined Remotes? It won't happen with USB-powered charging solutions because the there is no high powered AC adapter to contribute to over-voltage

• Cons:
  • I have found no cons... REALLY!

.

 

[Jaylar]

I use the Nyko (sorry if its spelled wrong) dual charging dock and I've never had a problem with it. Its sometimes a pain to get the Wii-mote to conect to the charger but a little jiggle fixes that.:yesnod:

 

[Marioman]

^Exactly what I use...no problems here

 

[AutumnWind]

Oh jeez....

Just go to Target or Walmart, get a charger (a normal one is $10, a really nice Duracell or Energizer one is $20), then get some Duracell AA batteries. They're not expensive at all (about $3 each, it'll probably run you less than ordering random things online), you don't have to pay shipping, and Duracell batteries are almost perfect in their quality and life. The charger will probably come with 2 AA rechargeables (and 2 AAA), so you can buy another 4-pack of AA for les than $15... it totals out to $30 or less for enough batteries and a charger good for 3 Wii remotes.

 

[hencam[uk]]

Another vote for standard NimH rechargables, and a standalone charger.

I use 2700ma batteries, and the batteries last *much* longer - quite a few weeks of heavy use.

I have 4 sets (4 controllers) so if I ever run out in the middle of a game I just swap controllers and recharge the batteries overnight (so hopefully it won't ever happen in the middle of a 4 player mixed-double tennis match!)

I'm not sure I'd trust a 3rd party docking charger - and don't they stop fitting when a wii jacket is on?

Neil

 

[sremick]

I'm not sure I'd trust a 3rd party docking charger - and don't they stop fitting when a wii jacket is on?

Yeah you'd have to poke a hole in the jacket or something. And that charger that idjut pimps in every thread has horrible battery life compared to what you can get from standard rechargeable AAs. A single one of your AAs has more power than her entire battery pack.

Plus there's no mention of NiMH/NiCad, which means for that price and capacity it's most-likely NiCad, which means it'll stop holding much of a charge after not too long.

 

[gidget]

you'll never catch on, sremick... you're so absorbed in specs to dollars... i'm posting about convenience to dollars. i'm sure you'll post "removing the jacket and loose batteries is not inconvenient" and that's what i mean by you'll never catch on...

doesn't matter what your play time is on a 50,000mAh battery... if it's dead out of laziness or forgetfulness to charge, it's a dead battery. my solution just makes it simple for younger children compared to your responsible and i-do-the-nitty-gritty-detail mentality.

 

[sremick]

Never catch on? I'm well-aware that you value an artificial perceived "convenience" above actual cost (long-term cost), performance, quality, etc.

My rechargeable AAs are very convenient and they last much longer between recharges and I won't have to replace them in a year because they won't charge anymore. If you have to keep rebuying that made-in-China $30 battery pack every year, you're hardly saving time or money. Tell us: how many years have you been testing this pack to vouch for its long-term quality and value?

I'm using the same charger and AA NiMH batteries I've had for several years now. Still going strong.

I can also use them in any of my dozens of other devices that take AA batteries. I didn't blow all that money just for Wii-only batteries. Your suggested device sacrifices a lot for the sake of just plugging in a cable to charge. Considering I only need to swap out my batteries every few weeks to recharge them, I hardly feel troubled by the task.

I also don't get a warm fuzzy feeling from that fly-by-night website you suggest buying them from, which can't even keep itself running (once again, it's down as I write this).

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