Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. Who is PowerGenix?
2. What is NiZn?
3. Why should consumers consider purchasing rechargeable batteries instead of disposables?
4. What makes PowerGenix batteries better than other rechargeable batteries?
5. Is Nickel-Zinc recyclable?
6. How can I recycle my PGX batteries?

Tech Questions

1. What features should consumers consider before purchasing a rechargeable battery, and how does PowerGenix stack up to the competition?

Applications Questions

1. In what kind of products can I use my PowerGenix AA batteries?
2. What does a higher voltage mean for my electronics?
3. Does more power mean that the batteries will also last longer?
4. Do you make consumer batteries in other sizes?
5. My digital camera eats up batteries – why is that? Will PowerGenix batteries make a difference?

The Fine Print

1. Can I use my old battery charger or do I have to invest in PowerGenix’s?
2. How quickly do PowerGenix batteries charge and do they come pre-charged when I purchase them?
3. How quickly do NiZn batteries self-discharge?
4. I keep hearing about mAh and mWh. What do these things mean and why do they matter?
5. What is the typical pay back time for rechargeable batteries versus disposable batteries?
6. Will PowerGenix Batteries work with all devices?

General Answers

1. Who is PowerGenix?

   PowerGenix is an environmentally friendly advanced battery company based in San Diego, CA. We have developed and patented a high-power and low-cost Nickel-Zinc battery for power intensive electronics, toys, power tools and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), providing an effective and environmentally friendly recyclable alternative to existing battery technologies.

2. Edison with the NiZn powered Bailey Electric car

   What is NiZn?

   Nickel Zinc is a battery chemistry first introduced by Thomas Edison almost a hundred years ago. Originally, the technology was put to use in electric vehicles until the combustion engine emerged as the technology of choice for automobile propulsion. However, with new breakthroughs in engineering, NiZn has become the new cost effective, safe battery solution for everything from consumer AA batteries to power tool packs to high-power motor driven vehicles.

3. Why should consumers consider purchasing rechargeable batteries instead of disposables?

   Rechargeable batteries provide a lower total cost of ownership over the product lifetime. And, seeing as over 2 billion alkaline batteries end up in landfills each year, rechargeables are clearly the better choice for the environment.

4. What makes PowerGenix batteries better than other rechargeable batteries?

   PowerGenix’s batteries are a great choice for consumers because they provide the higher power performance of a disposable battery, the environmental benefits of rechargeables, and the peace of mind that comes from being nontoxic. In short – they’re the best of all battery worlds.

5. Is Nickel-Zinc recyclable?

   Nickel-Zinc is the most recyclable battery chemistry on the market. Unlike many other materials, both nickel and zinc can be recycled again and again while maintaining their physical and chemical properties, because the same amount of each element remains at the end of a product cycle as at the beginning.

6. How can I recycle my PGX batteries?

   

   PowerGenix batteries are certified as recyclable by the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Coalition (RBRC), a nonprofit public service organization (founded in part by a PowerGenix executive) which is dedicated to recycling rechargeable batteries. The batteries can be recycled at more than 50,000 RBRC collection sites in the U.S. and Canada.

Tech Speak

1. What features should consumers consider before purchasing a rechargeable battery, and how does PowerGenix stack up to the competition?

   It is important to look at how the various battery chemistries perform on a number of different fronts before making a decision about which type to choose. In terms of safety, cost, shelf life, cycle life and environmental impact, PowerGenix’s batteries stack up well against the competition. Here’s how:
   • Power: PowerGenix’s batteries deliver 1.6 volts of power, allowing users to get full performance out of their devices. To put this in context, most electronic devices are designed to perform optimally with disposable alkaline batteries, which deliver 1.5 volts of power. However, traditional rechargeable batteries (NiMH and NiCd chemistries) deliver only 1.2 volts, which causes devices to under-perform. This meant that consumers had to choose between performance and the environment when choosing a battery. With PowerGenix, for the first time there is no penalty for using rechargeables.
   • Safety: NiZn is 100% safe, completely non-toxic (unlike NiCd) and non-combustible (unlike Li-ion).
   • Capacity: Capacity is the amount of energy contained in the battery and traditionally has been one of the key differentiators in rechargeable batteries. PowerGenix batteries have excellent capacity, provide equivalent, and often superior, runtime in a variety of devices compared to traditional rechargeables. It is important to recognize that low voltage limits the ability of some batteries to access all of their stored energy. For example, although some NiMH/NiCd rechargeable batteries may have higher capacity than PowerGenix’s NiZn, as they operate and discharge at 1.2v, the operating voltage begins to fall. When the battery voltage falls below the minimum level required for an electronic device to function (the “cutoff voltage”), the device to shuts off. With PowerGenix’s 1.6 volts of power, the batteries are able to discharge a much larger portion of their stored capacity before reaching the device cutoff limit. This means that a PowerGenix battery with lower capacity can in many cases deliver significantly more performance (pictures, flashes, runtime, etc.) than NiMH batteries with higher capacity.
   • Environmental Impact: What makes PowerGenix’s NiZn chemistry so unique is that it is nearly 100% recyclable. Better yet, the performance characteristics of zinc don’t break down during recycling, so it can be turned into valued products when it is done being a battery. While both NiMH and Li-ion are also recyclable, care needs to be taken during shipping and handling of these battery systems due to flammability of the constituent parts.
   • Cycle life: PowerGenix AA batteries are fully competitive with the cycle lives of other rechargeable battery technologies.
   • Shelf life: PowerGenix batteries last for one year if batteries are stored at room temperature outside of an application or inside of the charger.

The Dish on Applications

1. In what kind of products can I use my PowerGenix AA batteries?

   

   PowerGenix batteries get positive reviews from customers who use them in devices ranging from digital cameras to GPS units to handheld game controllers. While you can use your PowerGenix batteries in any devices that require AA batteries, our product is especially suited for high drain consumer electronic devices. Because of the high voltage level, the batteries provide optimal performance throughout their lives – it’s like the difference between using high-octane gasoline in your car and regular unleaded.

   For example, many photographers use PowerGenix batteries because of the increased power they provide for camera flashes. PowerGenix AA batteries also have a much shorter recharge time than traditional rechargeables, which is a great benefit for active photographers. Not only will their cameras work faster, but when the batteries do drain out, they can be fully recharged in under two hours.

2. What does a higher voltage mean for my electronics?

   In a nutshell, higher voltage means more power and better performance from your electronic devices. This is especially important in digital photography, when rapid flash performance can make the difference in getting the perfect shot.

   PowerGenix’s NiZn batteries have a voltage of 1.6 Volts, which is higher than NiMH and NiCd at 1.2 volts. With a higher cell voltage, the NiZn technology delivers energy quicker and this is why it can outperform other technologies in rapid flash applications: 65% faster compared to NiMH, 115% faster than consumer AA consumer lithium, and 150% compared to fresh alkaline batteries.

3. Does more power mean that the batteries will also last longer?

   As discussed above, increased power can translate to longer battery life. Whether or not PowerGenix batteries last as long or longer than traditional rechargeable batteries, they always provide greater functionality and a better user experience for high drain devices.

4. Do you make consumer batteries in other sizes?

   PowerGenix’s AAA consumer battery will be available for purchase in early 2010.

5. My digital camera eats up batteries – why is that? Will PowerGenix batteries make a difference?

   Digital cameras need batteries that can meet high power surge needs, a requirement that drains most batteries quickly. PowerGenix batteries are ideal for cameras because they have excellent power density – the measurement of how much usable power can be called up quickly from the battery when required at any moment at a given voltage. This is a key requirement for high drain devices like cameras. In essence, PowerGenix batteries pack a superior power punch compared to disposables and to traditional rechargeables.

The Fine Print

1. 

   Can I use my old battery charger or do I have to invest in PowerGenix’s?

   PowerGenix batteries need to be charged in the specially designed AA charger packs that can be purchased along with the batteries. Because NiZn chemistry is new to the AA market, traditional battery chargers will not operate with PowerGenix’s product. PowerGenix’s chargers operate with both the company’s AA and AAA batteries.

2. How quickly do PowerGenix batteries charge and do they come pre-charged when I purchase them?

   PowerGenix offers two different charges that recharge at different rates. The PowerGenix Quick charger recharges anywhere from 1 to 4 AAs at a time. It takes approximately 1-½ hours to fully charge 1 to 2 AA batteries, and about 2 ½ hours to charge 3 to 4 of the batteries at one time. The Quick charger is equipped with special features such as temperature sensors to prevent batteries from overheating damage, reverse polarity protection and bad battery sensors.

   The PowerGenix Fast charger recharges either 2 or 4 AA’s at a time. It takes approximately 3 hours to charge 2 AA batteries and about 5 hours to charge 4 AA batteries. The Fast Charger is equipped with a smart channels feature, which prevents charging if batteries are inserted incorrectly.

3. How quickly do NiZn batteries self-discharge?

   The self-discharge rate is the natural loss of battery power or energy capacity when the battery is standing idle and not in use. PowerGenix batteries have a self-discharge rate equal of approximately 8 percent per month at room temperature. This is comparable to other rechargeable batteries.

4. I keep hearing about mAh and mWh. What do these things mean and why do they matter?

   Battery capacity is measured as a product of the battery’s current and time rating and is often represented as amp hours (ah) or milliamp hours (mAh). However, this measurement omits a valuable gauge of battery performance: voltage. To address this, battery functionality is often measured in milliwatt hours (mWh), which is the product of mAh and voltage. This approach provides a more informative and precise measurement of the amount of energy contained in the battery and the battery’s ability to deliver that energy to a product. This is often necessary to analyze and compare today’s differentiated battery market.

   From a practical perspective, this means that because NiZn delivers greater mWh capacity, it is able to provide optimal performance over a larger portion of the system discharge. This correlates to not only more shots or flashes per charge, but also more responsive electronic performance. In the case of a digital camera this translates into quicker flash recharging and processor speed to allow for shorter recovery time between shots.

5. What is the typical pay back time for rechargeable batteries versus disposable batteries?

   Payback time really depends on the device in which you’re using PowerGenix batteries. Devices like digital cameras are referred to as “high drain rate applications”, meaning that they use a lot of battery power to function optimally. For these types of devices, it’s important to have a more powerful battery, and PowerGenix is ideal for this kind of application. Let’s put it this way – you would go through four sets of traditional alkaline batteries in the same time that you would use just one charge cycle of a set of PowerGenix batteries.

6. Will PowerGenix Batteries work with all devices?

   The manufacturer does not guarantee compatibility and functionality of Nickel Zinc batteries with any device. Prior to use, please read user manual of each device to determine if restrictions exist as to which battery types may be used.