Batteries and Wireless Mics and Recycling
Tuesday, January 2, 2007 at 6:17PM 
We tried something a little different this past year with the batteries we have been using in the wireless mics. It has always been the case that rechargeable batteries were too flakey to use in a show. I never trusted them. However, I had the opportunity to try some rechargeable AA batteries, and was actually impressed. Energizer's line of NiMH rechargeable batteries are quite impressive. In a Sennheiser 5212 transmitter we were able to get 7 to 8 hours of operating time using the 2500mAh model. We have been using them in shows for 6 months without incident. 4 batteries can be purchased for between $10 and $15, making them very cost effective. We have gone the route of replacing them every 3 to 4 months, as they do start to loose some of their performance. NiMH batteries are also easier to recycle than standard alkaline and don't contain the highly toxic cadmium like NiCad rechargeable.
Regardless of weather you use rechargeable or disposable batteries, please recycle. There is a company called Toxco that handles a lot of Federal, State and HazMat recycling contracts. Toxco has a program called The Big Green Box For a purchase price of $58 you get a UN rated corrugated container that is 13"L X 13"W X 8.5"H that has a 43-pound weight capacity. Once The Big Green Box is purchased, all shipping, handling, and recycling fees are included. The Big Green Box includes a UN approved, pre-labeled container, pre-paid shipping to and from the recycling facility, and of course, all recycling fees. You simply buy it, fill it, seal it, and call UPS. The Big Green Box can be used to recycle batteries, such as alkaline, lithium, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, lithium ion, and other household batteries as well as cellular telephones, pagers, wireless communication devices such as PDA's, MP3 players, chargers, portable tools, laptops, and any other devices that are designed to operate on battery power.
Jason Pritchard
4 Years on an we're still using the rechargeables.
Get this: AA battereirs cost about $.50 to $.70 each, meaning that for a show like the one I am on the cost for batteries would be roughly $4300 (16 mics x 1 AA per mic x 450 shows/year).
I can buy 4 Energizer Rechargeables for about 10 bucks.
I alternate 2 sets and get 8 to 12 months out of them.
Even if they only last 6 months, the math: 32 x $2.50 for 6 months = $80 or $160/year.
Savings $4140...
You should still recycle the used batteries.... Big Green Box $63 for 43Lbs for used batteries.
Reader Comments (2)
I use chinese alkaline bateries for 17 cents each (harbor freight tools). They're reliable for about eight hours. Probably as green as the NiMH. In your example above it comes out to $1200 per year. That will leave you with $2400 for a great night out on the town.
In the example above, you would be throwing away 7200 used batteries per year at a cost of $1200 instead of recycling 64 batteries a year at the cost of $160.