AA hybrids and LSD harder to find.

[blackwaterstout]

I've been away from CPF lately and admittedly haven't kept up with new lights and new batteries. October '07 I took my first forray into hybrid batteries by purchasing Rayovac hybrids, Kodak Pre Charged and Enelope battiers. I've been thrilled with all of their performance in my Cree.

So I ordered a few new handheld GPS units at work and told my boss that I'd pick up some of those good hybrid batteries to use in the GPS units. My first stop was the local Wal Mart up the street. They did not sell the Rayovac hybrids any longer. The clerk told me they no longer carry them. So it got me to thinking, is there some issue that I'm not aware of with LSD batteries that caused Wal MArt to stop carrying them.

For the record I later ran to Target and picked up 2 packs of them but that was after stopping at Best Buy and KMart only to find out they didn't sell them either.

 

[ltiu]

Walgreens sells Duracell Pre-charged LSD batteries. These are repackaged Eneloops.

Circuit City sells Eneloops.

 

[Marduke]

My walmart still sells hybrids, kodak precharged, eneloops, and duraloops.

 

[Gator762]

Walgreens sells Duracell Pre-charged LSD batteries. These are repackaged Eneloops.

Not all are, it seems they recently switched to a manufacturer in China. Look at the packaging for country of origin. FWIW, I have owned Rayovac Hybrid cells for over a year. Very good cells, almost every one is still over rated capacity. The ones that are under are only so within 50 MAh.

 

[smopoim86]

I believe Circuit City has cleared themselves of all the Eneloops. (been clearancing) Also, Kodak pre-charged are the only lsd cells i've seen at any of my 3 local wallyworlds.

 

[PhotonBoy]

I'm getting a feeling that LSD cells and their advantages are not well understood by many consumers.

 

[Niconical]

I recently tried to sell a family member on eneloops.

She uses her camera infrequently, a few pics maybe every 3 or 4 weeks.

She owns 4 x AA 2700s, 2 in the camera, 2 out, and is in the habit of just charging and/or topping up when needed.

Not for lack of trying, but I just couldn't convince her of the benefits of 4 eneloops instead. People have years of ingrained marketing stamped on the brain. Anything with a big number on the pack and words like super turbo ultra digital hi-power, or whatever, must surely be better than something with a smaller number on the pack.

What makes it worse is that I wasn't even trying to get her to buy any, I was offering 4 of my own eneloops for free.

 

[TorchBoy]

So it got me to thinking, is there some issue that I'm not aware of with LSD batteries that caused Wal MArt to stop carrying them.

Yes. They're so good people don't come back to buy more. And as PhotonBoy said - people buy according to claimed capacity, so Energizer 2500 mAh cells are the ones they buy, not LSDs with only 2000 or 2100 mAh. **** Smith Electronics in this country has stopped selling Eneloops.

 

[Gator762]

I recently tried to sell a family member on eneloops.

She uses her camera infrequently, a few pics maybe every 3 or 4 weeks.

She owns 4 x AA 2700s, 2 in the camera, 2 out, and is in the habit of just charging and/or topping up when needed.

Not for lack of trying, but I just couldn't convince her of the benefits of 4 eneloops instead. People have years of ingrained marketing stamped on the brain. Anything with a big number on the pack and words like super turbo ultra digital hi-power, or whatever, must surely be better than something with a smaller number on the pack.

What makes it worse is that I wasn't even trying to get her to buy any, I was offering 4 of my own eneloops for free.

I think there is extremely poor marketing regarding the LSD cells. Probably because for the large names, there isn't money in it, and they would rather keep selling tons of alkalines.

Isn't it crazy? I had a camera that used AA cells. Granted I had 2200 MAh Energizers, but the discharge rate was so bad, they wouldn't power up the camera in less than a week after charging. I think the LSD cells are simply awesome.

 

[blackwaterstout]

Anything with a big number on the pack and words like super turbo ultra digital hi-power, or whatever, must surely be better than something with a smaller number on the pack.

Don't forget the two biggest "catch words" of the last decade............TITANIUM and PLATINUM!

Stick those two words in front of a turd and people would be buying them left and right.

 

[ltiu]

I believe Circuit City has cleared themselves of all the Eneloops. (been clearancing) Also, Kodak pre-charged are the only lsd cells i've seen at any of my 3 local wallyworlds.

Sad thing I notice is that when Circuit City says "Clearance", their prices are still higner than other retailers.

Circuit City has had Eneloops on clearance for so many months now and yet they still sell them. Just a marketing gimmick I think to get people to buy.

 

[Black Rose]

I think there is extremely poor marketing regarding the LSD cells. Probably because for the large names, there isn't money in it, and they would rather keep selling tons of alkalines.

The only company I have seen advertising (print and TV) has been Duracell.

I honestly can't recall what they were emphasizing in the advertisement....I don't think it was the LSD characteristics.

 

[Illum]

I've gave up on the stores around here and only order my eneloops from Thomas distributing

4AAs for $9.95 and includes a AA/AAA carrying case, beat that
http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/...extra-4-cell-battery-case-p-287.html?SP_id=50

I have since ordered 30 cells from this place, excellent shipping for the price.
I've never really understood why they are harder to find, if someone made a simple comparison just runtime and storage longevity alone the verdict would have been obvious:candle:

 

[Jackson]

I'm getting a feeling that LSD cells and their advantages are not well understood by many consumers.

The sales clerks don't know the advantages. I once sold some Eneloops to a clerk at HHGregg as I was checking out. He had no clue.

 

[ltiu]

if someone made a simple comparison just runtime and storage longevity alone the verdict would have been obvious:candle:

Very few people have time to do such a thing, sadly

 

[ltiu]

4AAs for $9.95 and includes a AA/AAA carrying case, beat that
http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/...extra-4-cell-battery-case-p-287.html?SP_id=50

Very good regular price indeed.

Unless Walgreens has a $10.99 Duracell Pre-charged sale on plus the $2 off coupons.

I just got a few packs of 4AA and 4AAA Duracells (Eneloop rebranded) for $8.99 each from a local Walgreens.

 

[Curious_character]

Interesting. I went to Fry's just a few days ago to pick up some AAA Eneloops. All I found was a few ROV Hybrid LSD cells, which I got. In the past, they've carried both Eneloops and Sony Cycle Energy cells, but didn't have either recently.

I'm afraid that the vast majority of consumers are more swayed by inflated capacity claims than by LSD and actual performance. If that's the case, then LSD cells won't have much of a future unless the manufacturers join the game of inflating their capacity claims. I can hardly wait - 10 AH AAA cells! Just what I need for my 12 watt, 500 lumen AAA cell flashlight.

c_c

 

[phenwick]

I'm afraid that the vast majority of consumers are more swayed by inflated capacity claims than by LSD and actual performance. If that's the case, then LSD cells won't have much of a future unless the manufacturers join the game of inflating their capacity claims. I can hardly wait - 10 AH AAA cells! Just what I need for my 12 watt, 500 lumen AAA cell flashlight.

c_c

Plus, one has to wonder how many consumers got burned by the performance of cells like Energizer 2500's and just assumed all rechargeables performed as such, and abandoned the recharging platform and returned to primaries.

 

[SafetyBob]

So are th Energizer rechargeables (2450's) and the Duracell (2500's) that I saw at Best Buy tonight rebadged eneloops. BOTH had Made in Japan on them. The AAA Energizers had made in China.....left them alone.

Wanted to check here first before I try some.

Bob E.

 

[Black Rose]

I'm afraid that the vast majority of consumers are more swayed by inflated capacity claims than by LSD and actual performance. If that's the case, then LSD cells won't have much of a future unless the manufacturers join the game of inflating their capacity claims.

What would be needed is for the manufacturers to stop producing non-LSD cells.

Then the consumers would know the LSD advantage...because they'd have no other choice.