Battery Capacity Ripoff

[DeepThought]

Here's something that's been bugging me for YEARS:
If you shop for rechargeable batteries, their capacity (i.e. the maximum charge they can store) is always clearly labelled on each cell in milliAmp-hours (mAh).
So how come the manufacturers of alkaline batteries appear not to be obliged to declare how much charge THEIR batteries contain??? If, for example, there was no regulation over the size of milk containers - and supermarkets weren't obliged to declare how much milk was in their cartons, there'd be an outcry from consumers. So why do we tolerate vague claims like "D***cell batteries last longer" ... which mean nothing?
Someone put me out of my misery, quick!

[kempie]

Unlike NiMH rechargeable batteries, alkaline batteries are normally not sold with a nominal capacity. Alkalines have a high internal resistance, and a high thermal coefficient of resistivity - the faster you drain an alkaline, the higher percentage of the load it dissipates as heat. Therefore, the capacity of an alkaline battery is strongly dependent on the load, even at moderate loads. An AA-sized alkaline battery might have an effective capacity of 3000 mAh at low power, but at a load of 1000 mA, which is common for digital cameras, the capacity could be as little as 700 mAh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkaline_battery

[RATTER15]

Thats what I thought!!! :-(