Best rechargeable AA BATTS?
- Thread starter gsteve
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
ChrisGarrett
Flashlight Enthusiast
As somebody that bought a plethora of differing brands back in Feb. of '12, I would tell you now, to just stick with Sanyo/Panasonic Eneloops, either Gen. 2s, Gen 3s, or their higher capacity Pro/XX AA and/or AAA batteries.
They're just engineered to be the best of the best. Low self discharge, 1500/1800 cycle lifespan (500 for the Pro/XX versions, which are higher capacity,) great current handling abilities and with the Gen. 2/3s, $10/4 pack shipped, so not a lot of cash.
Get a good smart charger, like a Maha/PowerEx C9000, Accupower AQ-328, or the LaCrosse BC-700/1000 models and be content.
Chris
I would second Chris on the Eneloop's. I have the following Eneloop sets and all still charge up to a capacity of 2000mAh or more even though one set is a 1st gen Eneloop over 7 years old (granted two of the 7 year old Eneloop's just barely made it past the 2000mAh mark). I recently tested four of each of the following AA Eneloop's on a BC-900 charger for mAh capacity.
1st Gen Eneloop, model HR-3UTG, mfg date May 2006 (Sanyo branded)
2nd Gen Eneloop, model HR-3UTGA, mfg date Feb 2011 (Sanyo branded)
2nd Gen Eneloop, model HR-3UTGA, mfg date Jun 2013 (Sanyo branded)
3rd Gen Eneloop, model HR-3UTGB, mfg date Jul 2013 (Sanyo branded)
4th Gen Eneloop, model BK-3MCC, mfg date Jun 2013 (Panasonic branded)
I would also add a Sanyo NC-MQR06W 4 channel smart charger to Chris's charger shopping list if you need a compact/portable unit (no wall wart)
1st Gen Eneloop, model HR-3UTG, mfg date May 2006 (Sanyo branded)
2nd Gen Eneloop, model HR-3UTGA, mfg date Feb 2011 (Sanyo branded)
2nd Gen Eneloop, model HR-3UTGA, mfg date Jun 2013 (Sanyo branded)
3rd Gen Eneloop, model HR-3UTGB, mfg date Jul 2013 (Sanyo branded)
4th Gen Eneloop, model BK-3MCC, mfg date Jun 2013 (Panasonic branded)
I would also add a Sanyo NC-MQR06W 4 channel smart charger to Chris's charger shopping list if you need a compact/portable unit (no wall wart)
ChrisGarrett
Flashlight Enthusiast
Yep...to your charger recommendation:
I've been tracking this guy for 6-9 months and he seems legit:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110751124760?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
I've already got a BC-700 and Maha C9000, so I haven't pulled the trigger, but I want to buy one just to have it, lol.
Chris
StorminMatt
Flashlight Enthusiast
Another charger to consider is the Maha 808. You don't get the analyzer functions of the 9000. But you get eight charging bays instead of just four. Also, you are not limited to AA/AAA batteries. If you decide to get NiMH C and D batteries, the 808 will also charge Cs and Ds.
as long as you stick to the MADE IN JAPAN batteries, chances are you can't go wrong.
Eneloop makes the best, however as far as i know they can only be bought online, then you run the small risk of getting counterfeits. You can find duraloops, in store, however i'm not sure if they are still being sold. last i heard target was selling them on clearance for next to nothing. Duraloops are just eneloops with a duracell label slapped on em. Another thing to also look for is the amazon basic batteries that have the white top, as i've heard they are also just re-badged eneloop's.
If you shop by store, i recommend the new duracell ion core batteries. walmart has them for 10.97 for a 4 pack. 2400 Mah, plus LSD. there is some suspicion going around that they are just eneloop XX batteries in a duracell label, however i don't think they are. regardless, they are good batteries, and i've heard good words about them, and i own about 10 of them, and i can vouch they are really good, however i don't think they are XX's.
Keep in mind, a battery can only perform as good as the charger does, so to be safe and make sure you get the best out of your batteries plus to keep them in good working order, you should also look into getting a good charger. Lacrosse makes good ones, people also brag on MAHA's. bc-700's are good if you want to get fancy with the numbers and analyzing. however, if you just want a good reliable charger without all the bells and whistles of the 700's and everything, i recommend the lacrosse bc-500. last time i looked you could get them on amazon for about 25 bucks.
Eneloop makes the best, however as far as i know they can only be bought online, then you run the small risk of getting counterfeits. You can find duraloops, in store, however i'm not sure if they are still being sold. last i heard target was selling them on clearance for next to nothing. Duraloops are just eneloops with a duracell label slapped on em. Another thing to also look for is the amazon basic batteries that have the white top, as i've heard they are also just re-badged eneloop's.
If you shop by store, i recommend the new duracell ion core batteries. walmart has them for 10.97 for a 4 pack. 2400 Mah, plus LSD. there is some suspicion going around that they are just eneloop XX batteries in a duracell label, however i don't think they are. regardless, they are good batteries, and i've heard good words about them, and i own about 10 of them, and i can vouch they are really good, however i don't think they are XX's.
Keep in mind, a battery can only perform as good as the charger does, so to be safe and make sure you get the best out of your batteries plus to keep them in good working order, you should also look into getting a good charger. Lacrosse makes good ones, people also brag on MAHA's. bc-700's are good if you want to get fancy with the numbers and analyzing. however, if you just want a good reliable charger without all the bells and whistles of the 700's and everything, i recommend the lacrosse bc-500. last time i looked you could get them on amazon for about 25 bucks.
Throw aways, like the Energizer Lithium will last longer than any rechargeable. So for a light you don't use often, in the cr for instance they are a better choice. For daily use rechargeables are more cost effective. I too have excellent results with the new Duracell rechargeable AAs made in Japan. Their 15 minute smart charger with fan cooling also impressed the heck out of me.
Treeguy
Enlightened
What about using a non-fancy cheapo charger with Eneloops? If you are going the Eneloop route, do you really need a $75+ smart charger?
(Edit: Sorry, missed the part of the post above that spoke to this issue.)
(Edit: Sorry, missed the part of the post above that spoke to this issue.)
Last edited:
Ohhhh hmm the garbage can may have some good batteries in it now !
StorminMatt
Flashlight Enthusiast
On the other hand, most devices designed for alkaline batteries are designed to take into account th fact that voltage drops with use. Most devices designed around alkaline batteries are designed to work with voltages down to 1.0V per cell. Given the fact that NiMH batteries are also considered discharged at 1.0V per cell, you should be able to get full life from NiMH in most everything.
tripplec
Enlightened
I don't know why someone would want to use rechargeable in a remote control. As stated they draw extremely little. I have alkaline batteries in all my remotes from various makes and they last for years. Why tie up rechargables for them is a waste.
Power Me Up
Enlightened
Because alkalines have a tendency to leak and wreck whatever they're installed in!
It's cheaper for me to put Eneloops into all of my remotes than to pay to replace even just one remote.
It's cheaper for me to put Eneloops into all of my remotes than to pay to replace even just one remote.
That was what I always thought and was corrected. The 1.5V are no-load condition measurements. Apply it to a load and it will dip drastically at close to 1.2V. It's probably a bad 1.2V rechargeable vs a good 1.2V rechargeable that you should be concerned with.
That's why I stipulated that the particular load was high impedance, a remote does not impart a load capable of loading down an alkaline cell until said cell is near end of life.
The point made about leakage is a good one, I use old nicads because I had some laying about and their low capacity / high self discharge isn't bad enough to keep them from operating for about a year between charges. I've only had one remote and one camera that was voltage sensitive enough to operate poorly on 1.2 volt cells, the camera was a P&S that indicated low battery but would still operate, the remote was pretty unusable. One option for the low load uses is to use a carbon zinc cell, they have lousy energy density but that wont matter much in a remote - and they won't leak.
Russel
Enlightened
Of the dozen or so remotes we have in the house I've never had a problem using Eneloops over the last several years.
Some of the cheap quartz wall clocks seem to have a problem with the lower voltage of Eneloop NIMH rechargeable batteries. The clocks will run for a few weeks on the NiMH cells, then begin to lose time. I won't use Alkaline batteries because the leak too often. So, I use Lithium primary batteries in the wall clocks. Other than that, I've had no trouble with the lower voltage of Eneloop AA cells.
My TV remote has a screen, and lights up when picked up. It goes through alkalines in a few weeks (I never watch ads, I always channel flick so that might not help). It controls the TV, the Topfield, the BluRay and the stereo set up it all runs through. So I find it easier to use rechargeables. Until I found out about LSDs I used to keep a batch of alkalaines as emergency batts while I charged the nimhs. Now I just run a couple sets of LSD instead.
Rosoku Chikara
Enlightened
Just another thought on this subject. I still use some older non-LSD Evolta NiMH in many applications where they get recharged often (they are still good batteries, so I don't want to throw them away). But, I also have a large number of Eneloop Pros scattered throughout my home in various applications where they might seem to be "a waste."
But, I have never understood the seeming reluctance of some "Flashaholics" to spend money on good batteries. I know guys with literally thousands of dollars in flashlights, and they are still apparently worried about spending (or wasting) a few dollars on batteries. I don't see it that way at all. In fact, maybe I am a "Batteryaholic" (or perhaps a "Cellaholic"), but I see batteries as the true lifeblood of my flashlights, or any of my many portable electronic devices. With the advent of good quality LSD cells, those so-called "wasted" rechargeables in your remote controls are all potential back-up batteries for some real emergency. So long as you charge them up occasionally (once or twice a year) they are always going to be very near to peak performance.
I have an ample supply of various sized adapters, so if need be, I could pull AAAs out of remotes, put them in to AAA->AA adapters, and then put three of those into 3xAA->D adapters... (I also have some AA->C adapters around.) That way, I know that I will always have some kind of batteries around that can power all the common cell sizes.
People used to stock up on alkalines for emergency use. And, some people still do. To me, that is a true waste. I have read on this forum of people discovering that their alkalines did not have any juice left in them, even though they were not yet past their expiration date. And, regardless, we know they are certainly losing their charge while they sit around. So, I say, "Why not power everything you own with good Eneloop Pros, whether they need it or not?" That way, you know you will always have good batteries to rob, in an emergency.
(As it happens, in Japan, the Eneloop Pros are actually a bit cheaper now than the Standard Eneloops. So, it makes sense to go for the higher capacity. But, even when the Eneloop Pros were a bit more expensive than the Standard Eneloops, I still preferred the Pros due to their higher capacity. I am not at all worried about their "limited" number of recharge cycles. I don't expect to recharge many of them, all that often. But, I like knowing that I am never going to purchase or dispose of another alkaline again. And, since I am thinking of them in terms of "back-up" batteries for an emergency, I want the LSD rechargeables that I use around the house to all have the highest possible capacity.)
Edit: I think another example is that of guns and ammo. I sold my Model 59 to my nephew when I moved back to Japan about 25 years ago (after having lived in the US for a period of time). And a few years ago, I suggested that he might want to seriously consider purchasing a large quantity of ammunition. He has enough money to do so, and I even suggested that it would likely end up being a good long-term investment. I know it may sound crazy, but at the time, I suggested 5,000 rounds. That may seem like an awful lot for a single pistol, but if you do the math, it is not all that ridiculous. It is not very easy to hunt a rabbit with a handgun. If you were to seriously rely on it to procure food, you would need to be ready to expend several shots a day. Anyway, you can do the math. Depending on how long you think you might want to be "self-reliant" it adds up to being a large quantity. (As it happens, this was just prior to the big run on ammo, and it would have been a great investment.) But, my point is that a gun is pretty useless without ammo. Just as a flashlight is pretty useless without batteries. And, like ammo, batteries are always useful and provide a convenient medium of exchange in an emergency. Sorry that this post has gotten so long, but the subject is "dear to my heart." Don't skimp on batteries!
Last edited:
AA batteries
Hello all. I just purchased a fenix TK41 light. I am now looking for the best batteries.
I recently also purchased a fenix TK 60 and bought tenergy D cell rechargeable batteries with the maha 808M charger as recommended.
What batteries should I get for the TK41 that would work best and work with the same charger?
thanks
also, a link or name to a reputable vendor would be awesome.
Hello all. I just purchased a fenix TK41 light. I am now looking for the best batteries.
I recently also purchased a fenix TK 60 and bought tenergy D cell rechargeable batteries with the maha 808M charger as recommended.
What batteries should I get for the TK41 that would work best and work with the same charger?
thanks
also, a link or name to a reputable vendor would be awesome.
