By making it easier to recharge batteries, it means fewer disposable batteries get made and thrown away, and so is better for the environment.

Eco-friendly USBCELL Battery won the 2007 National Energy Efficiency Awards for consumer products.

300 million batteries are thrown away into landfills in the UK every year - accounting for 20,000 tonnes of waste, and many containing harmful and toxic chemicals. Use rechargeable batteries and make a difference.

The advantage of these innovative rechargeable batteries:

• Charge anywhere from any accessible powered USB.
• No need for a separate charger or cables when travelling.
• Easily charge cells in your game station and just swap over to continue play.
• Charging for just a few minutes provides extra hours of instant use for most input devices.

Charge your USBCELL before first use.
You can recharge a USBCELL in any accessible powered USB socket; for example in computers or USB hubs. Once connected, you will see a small green light comes on at the USB plug end of the battery. This shows that the battery is charging. The built-in intelligent charger controls the charging process: When the battery is nearly full the light will start flashing (top up mode) and then will switch off when the battery is fully charged.

In a powered USB socket, USBCELL should take about 5 hours to charge to over 90% of capacity, sooner if the battery was only partly depleted.

It's OK to top up; or just partially charge USBCELL if you need the power in a hurry: Ni-MH batteries aren't affected by partial charging or 'memory' problems, unlike Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) batteries.

As with most rechargeable NiMH batteries, you may find that maximum capacity is reached only after a few full charge and discharge cycles.

Suitable USB sockets
Most USB sockets are suitable, but occasionally a device will have a recessed or difficult-to-access USB socket: If the battery doesn't plug in easily, don't try to force it. Some (un-powered) USB hubs don't provide enough power to fully charge more than one USBCELL at a time. Use powered USB sockets or connect directly where possible.

Can be used with ordinary NiMH chargers
The preferred charging method is via USB, however with the cap on USBCELL works just like a normal Ni-MH battery and can be charged in an ordinary AA Ni-MH charger.

Do not charge with super-fast chargers (rated over 600mA) that charge batteries in less than 2 hours. The USBCELL is not designed to work with these chargers. Check your charger’s manual before charging.

Make sure that the batteries are properly connected: the positive terminal (green cap) must be at the correct end. It is normal for the USBCELL to get warm during charging but should never get so hot that it cannot be touched; If they seem to be getting too hot disconnect the charger.

Not what you're after?
View all the eco products in our batteries and chargers section, or click on any of the links on the left hand side to see more.