Alkaline Battery Shoot Out

[radellaf]

So, if I'm running one of the new MiniMag Krypton bulbs (350-390mA) and buying Ray-O-Vac 30-packs for $10 (Lowe's), Duracell Ultra 16-packs for $10 (BJs), and E2 Lithium 12-packs for $20 (Sam's), the Ray-O-Vacs are cheapest, the Ultras will give me 15-20% more life for 2x the cost (1.6x the price per minute), and the lithiums 250% more life for 5x the cost (2x the price per minute).

Something that drew an amp would give me 39% more life (1.44x cost, 1.40x cost per W/h) or 341% life (1.47x cost per minute, 1.29x cost per W/h). A Tec20 with Xe MagNum Star might come close to this.

So for most of my flashlights I'd say the Ultras aren't worth the trouble, and the Lithiums might be worth half again to twice the price for the higher brightness and substantially increased run-time and shelf-life.

What I intend to find out is how long the new krypton minimag bulbs will last running off the lithium cells. Given the experiences with xenon vs. krypton 3-cell lamps in a Tec 40 with 4 NiMHs (33% over-voltage), I'd expect the krypton to tolerate the up-to-50% over-voltage better than the MagNum Star or Brinmann NexStar bulbs.

The MagNum Star OTOH would probably pull down the voltage pretty fast, but my Tec20 is presently hosting an EverLED and 2x2300mAh NiMHs and will probably stay thusly configured.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Radellaf,

Using your purchase prices and the performance at the 500 mA rate, I come up with Ray O Vac's costing $0.33/cell or $0.002/minute, Ultra's costing $0.63/cell or $0.003/minute, and Lithium's costing $1.67/cell or $0.004/minute.

With the improved performance of the Lithium's, I would tend to go with them even though they cost an additional $0.002/minute to use.

Tom

 

[LEDmodMan]

I have missed this thread up till now. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

There is some GREAT data here! Thanks SilverFox!

I want to ask if there is any way you could test the Costco branded AA alkaline batteries?

Many of us here use them, and previous testing by large firms show them to perform similarly to the duracell ultras. I would be really interested to know if that is true or not, so much so that if you can't get some batts locally, I will ship you some (however many you need up to 4) for free for the test. I would love to see an independent test of those done. Knowing Costco, it won't surprise me if they're close to the best, if not the best battery while being the best buy to boot. It that doesn't hold true, it will be my first real disappointment with Costco.

Let me know if you need the batts. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif Thanks!

 

[SilverFox]

Hello LEDmodMan,

I have some Kirkland's around here, but am not sure how fresh they are. I'll get some new ones and see how well they do.

I also plan to pick up some e2's and see how they do.

Tom

 

[Filament]

Thanks again SilverFox. On the "economic" analysis, I completely agree that it would be next to impossible to come up with an all-inclusive price comparison. My Dad, like alot of people, buys alkalines strictly on price, based on an article in Consumers Reports some years back. I've recently gone with Ni-MH for my kids Gameboys. Again, thanjs for all the great work!

 

[SilverFox]

I am in the middle of testing some Kirkland AA's. Those of you that were thinking that Costco simply was putting their label on Duracell Ultra's may be disappointed. Early results indicate that they are falling short of the Ultra's.

Tom

 

[SilverFox]

I have added the Costco Kirkland AA results to the Duracell comparison graphs. It is commonly held that the Kirkland batteries are simply re-labeled Duracell Ultra's. I am sorry to announce that the Kirkland cells, while still very good, fall a bit short of the Ultra's.

Tom

 

[Lynx_Arc]

The biggest problem to trying to find the best bang for the buck is only the name brand cells can be store bought everywhere easily.... a lot of the cheaper generic alkalines are not available, we don't have a costo within 200 miles of here that I know of so kirkland means nothing to me unless they are cheap enough to have mailed here compared to generic brands offered at walmart and other dollar/budget stores.

another concern is *generic* cells that are independantly made and sold by other than manufacturer can suddenly change makers and runtimes etc if economics change. Kirkland cells etc could suddenly change to a different manufacturer if they get a better deal on cost per cell.

 

[Doug S]

Tom, on the Duracell Ultra/Kirkland 0.5A chart there is something fishy about the Whr figures. The Ultra value should be higher than the Kirkland.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Doug,

I seem to be having a problem with my Watt Hour numbers. Have no idea where that number came from, but thanks for catching it. I had the correct number in my totals spreadsheet, but I must have copied something else into the graph legend.

It is corrected now. I even double checked my double check... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Tom

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Lynx Arc,

Good points.

I put a date in my original post. I plan to re-check the tests from time to time to see if there are any significant changes in the generic brand cells.

Do you have any Rite Aid drug stores in Tulsa?

If you find a specific generic brand that you are interested in, send me some cells and I will run them through the test.

Tom

 

[snakebite]

any clues to the oem of the rite aid cells?

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Snakebite,

No idea.

The package simply states:
Distributed By
Rite Aid Corporation
Harrisburg, PA 17105

and on the batteries is added:
Made in USA

Tom

 

[Lynx_Arc]

[ QUOTE ]
SilverFox said:
Hello Lynx Arc,

Good points.

I put a date in my original post. I plan to re-check the tests from time to time to see if there are any significant changes in the generic brand cells.

Do you have any Rite Aid drug stores in Tulsa?

If you find a specific generic brand that you are interested in, send me some cells and I will run them through the test.

Tom

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, never heard of Rite Aid till I got in this forum, I think Walgreens and Mays are our *equivelents* of them about the only generics we have are walmart and walgreens brands here, I suspect if you have a sample of the generics you could probably guess if they changed vendors by comparing packaging methods. I see packaging of generic walmart batteries that is identical to rayovac and confirmed it when they left a cardboard holder on an 8 pack of D cells I bought that said on the bottom something like made by rayovac for walmart. I suspect either they ran them on the same line or perhaps in testing culled out the slightly lesser cells for them to sell or changed the formulae to a slightly less powerful version.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Lynx Arc,

I did test some Wal Mart batteries. They are listed as EverActive on the charts.

Tom

 

[LEDmodMan]

Tom,
Thanks for the Costco data! While not quite as good as the Duracell Ultras, they're still pretty darn good! I recall the cost per cell being right down there with some of the cheapest. Good to know they performed so well overall. Right up there with the Rite Aid cells at 0.5A, and slightly better at 1A. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Thanks for all of this GREAT info!!! Keep up the good work! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/clap.gif

 

[Lynx_Arc]

[ QUOTE ]
SilverFox said:
Hello Lynx Arc,

I did test some Wal Mart batteries. They are listed as EverActive on the charts.

Tom

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I saw that. I bought an 8 pack of everactive D cells there awhile back, they were the cheapest I could find of any around here in alkalines for my few 2D flashlights I have as backup kitchen drawer type lights and toolbox truck light, lights that sit for years sometimes without much use.

What gets me is the price disparity between heavy duty and alkaline batteries. I don't recall any runtimes on cpf for them and don't think it worth doing a *shootout* but it would be interesting to know if they have any value to them as far as throwaway lights or kiddie lights since a lot of stuff comes with them for free. I almost find it annoying to get them with a nice light and have to figure out what to put them in to run them down to get rid of them.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Lynx Arc,

The Ray O Vac Heavy Duty cells that I tested only lasted a little over 30 minutes at a 500 mA draw. The 1000 mA load only had a run time of just a bit over 5 minutes.

The Heavy Duty batteries may work better in very low current draw applications.

Tom

 

[snakebite]

i found a hint as to why they performed so well.
look at the - end and notice 2 spotwelds for 2 cathode rods.
lower internal resistance.
i didnt have time to look further but i bet they are from 1 of the big 3.
likely duracell ultra or energizer e2?

[ QUOTE ]
SilverFox said:
Hello Snakebite,

No idea.

The package simply states:
Distributed By
Rite Aid Corporation
Harrisburg, PA 17105

and on the batteries is added:
Made in USA

Tom

[/ QUOTE ]

 

[Lynx_Arc]

[ QUOTE ]
SilverFox said:
Hello Lynx Arc,

The Ray O Vac Heavy Duty cells that I tested only lasted a little over 30 minutes at a 500 mA draw. The 1000 mA load only had a run time of just a bit over 5 minutes.

The Heavy Duty batteries may work better in very low current draw applications.

Tom

[/ QUOTE ]

One thing I have noticed when I was draining batteries on my night light is all of them sag more and more as they get closer to death. I had some drained down to .4v and a day later they were at 1v or so. Have you tried any of these batteries a day after to see if they recovered any?

Oh, thanks for the Heavy Duty review.. seems they are even worse compared to alkaline than I thought. Maybe under 100ma loads they fare better but I quit buying them years ago, I keep getting free ones when I buy a cheap light and was wondering if giveaway lights would be ok with them.
From what I see they should outlaw heavy duty batteries as polluting since run time is rediculously pitiful compared to alkalines.