|
Home
Battery
Articles
Battery Charger Options
By Bobby George
When rechargeable batteries were first introduced, the
technology was unpolished and the applications seemed few and
far between. Since that time, this technology has been refined
and reinvented to allow application in many useful settings.
With rechargeable batteries quickly becoming the norm in many of
the devices we use every day, it is only appropriate that we
examine some of the different options available for recharging
batteries.
Charging a battery may seem like a simple,
necessary task that does not require a lot of explaining. The
average person usually gets home, pulls out their cell phone, and
plugs it in before going to bed. Or some may use their laptop with
the AC adapter connected at all times. In both of these cases,
batteries are being recharged. However, these charging practices may
be less than ideal. That being said, here are some options available
for charging your rechargeable batteries.
For
camcorders, many people simply use the
AC adapter that came with the camera to charge the battery through
the camera itself. What many people do not realize is that external
chargers are available for most camcorder batteries. The benefits of
these external chargers are numerous. For instance, it is always
possible to buy more than one battery so that one can charge on the
external charger while the other is being used, ensuring backup
power is always available. Also, these chargers are usually able to
be used with both a standard wall outlet and a car's cigarette
lighter, meaning the battery can be charged on your way to where you
will be filming. All of the above information applies to
digital
camera batteries as well.
Surely, the average
cell phone user is quite
familiar with two of the most common cell phone chargers: a home
(travel) charger and a car charger. These chargers meet the needs of
a large majority of cell phone owners. However, these are not the
only charging options for these phones. Some phones have optional
charging bases that allow the phone to charge while another battery
is charged externally and simultaneously. Other desktop chargers
serve a double purpose by charging the battery and syncing the cell
phone to a computer. Finally, portable "chargers" are becoming more
popular for cell phones as they allow the use of common batteries
such as AA's to be used to quickly put a charge on the cell phone
battery for an emergency call.
Lastly, we can see that, as
laptops become
more common, affordable, and powerful, the need for adequate power
is a huge one. Since many laptop batteries are only able to power
the computer for about 3 hours or less, many users find themselves
always tethered to a wall somewhere so they can use the laptop on AC
power. However, portability is an overwhelming necessity for those
who rely on their laptops on photo shoots, business trips, etc. In
these cases, it is always an option to purchase a second battery and
swap them out when needed. A battery just like the one included with
the computer may be the best option if a dual charger is available
for your laptop model. These chargers charge one or two batteries
externally by plugging into a standard wall outlet. If this type of
charger is not available, then an
external
laptop battery may be
appropriate. These batteries charge on their own when connected to a
standard wall outlet. Then, the battery may be plugged into the
laptop's charger port in order to power the laptop for extended
periods of time that the internal battery cannot handle.
With all of these charging options
available, no one should ever be left in the dark, disconnected, or
cut off in the middle of a project. Keep your devices up and running
with one or several of the many charging options available for your
device.
|