wquiles
Flashaholic
The USB programmer is very user friendly. Here I am using it to reprogramm my early MagnetoDrive prototype (battery in the body powers internal board to allow 6-pin communication possible):
Will
How green are you with your "used" AA cells?
- Thread starter wquiles
- Start date
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Will
jasonck08
Flashlight Enthusiast
This is how green I am with AA cells: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Gs2mKNjV0 
LOL... Just kidding.
I very rarely use AA primary cells. I have tons of eneloops. I basically only use primary cells if they came with some new electronic device / flashlight I buy. I sometimes put "low" cells in a AA lights with boost driver to run them flat.
LOL... Just kidding.
I very rarely use AA primary cells. I have tons of eneloops. I basically only use primary cells if they came with some new electronic device / flashlight I buy. I sometimes put "low" cells in a AA lights with boost driver to run them flat.
wquiles
Flashaholic
This is how green I am with AA cells: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Gs2mKNjV0
LOL... Just kidding.
I very rarely use AA primary cells. I have tons of eneloops. I basically only use primary cells if they came with some new electronic device / flashlight I buy. I sometimes put "low" cells in a AA lights with boost driver to run them flat.
I have seen that video some time back, but it is always fun to watch again. Thanks!
I actually need to finally get some Eneloops so that I can replace my older/aging "normal" rechargeable cells. I stopped by the local Fry's (who normally carries a great cell/battery selection), but could find none. I can of course buy online, but I wanted to find a local retailer first to play/test them. Do you know who else carries Eneloops at retail?
Will
Just do what a lot of us did that don't have local access to eneloops, buy white topped Japan made duracell precharged batteries.
wquiles
Flashaholic
Where can I get/buy the white topped Japan made duracell precharged batteries?
Do you know eneloops or good high capacity NiMHs charge a high power flash much faster than alkalines?
Last longer, too.
And, obviously, your company or whoever pays for the batteries could save money.
USACelt
Newly Enlightened
I have seen them at Target and Best Buy for sure. But I'm sure most places that sell Duracell rechargable batteries will have them, Walmart, ect. The packages are marked, "precharged" and will of course have white tops. I have found a few white tops in with chargers. I'm personally watching to see when the newer Sanyos get sent out as Duracells.. The older versions have a white top, the new 1500 charge batteries have a grey top. No luck so far finding them.
wquiles
Flashaholic
Thank you sir :bow:
Up until recently in my LED flashlight I used two good batteries (1.30+V) and one that is nearly dead (I don't have a battery tester, so I just use a voltmeter). This way the flashlight uses much less power, up to 10 times less because LEDs are not linear devices, light output is reduced, but that's not a problem because I have a good night vision and some of my flashlights are even too bright for me at full power. The down side is that I have to check for leaks often because low quality batteries that I'm using always leak when they get sucked up dead. When they die I have no choice but to throw them away in garbage because I live in Serbia.The good thing about Serbia is that you can buy three cell 600 mAh NiMH pack for about 2$ so I'm in a process of switching to rechargeable batteries.
An idea would be to put a resistor in the light to throttle down the current so you can worry less about half used batteries. I had an 8LED light that I put a resistor in the tailcap and used nimh in it and the output was good and runtime tripled.
czAtlantis
Enlightened
Omg, I thought alkalines are used in cameras, flashes etc only in battery commercials! Why do you use alkalines in this? Buy eneloops or any other ni-mh and it will last much longer and will be much cheaper.
Actually if the flashes are used daily, high capacity cells are better than eneloops, they will last noticeably longer per charge.
Eneloops are good if you don't want to worry about your batts. Charge them up, come back 12 months later, they're ready to go.
czAtlantis
Enlightened
Yes it can be truth but even eneloops will last much longer than alkaline
I personally have bad experience with high capacity cells - they have high internal resistance and their capacity falls quickly with daily use.
I personally have bad experience with high capacity cells - they have high internal resistance and their capacity falls quickly with daily use.
There is too many people that have had bad luck with ~2500mah+ nimh cells and since you can get higher capacity LSD cells in the range of about 2300mah I see little reason to bother with non LSD cells with the exception of perhaps initial cost.Yes it can be truth but even eneloops will last much longer than alkaline
I personally have bad experience with high capacity cells - they have high internal resistance and their capacity falls quickly with daily use.
There is too many people that have had bad luck with ~2500mah+ nimh cells and since you can get higher capacity LSD cells in the range of about 2300mah I see little reason to bother with non LSD cells with the exception of perhaps initial cost.Yes it can be truth but even eneloops will last much longer than alkaline
I personally have bad experience with high capacity cells - they have high internal resistance and their capacity falls quickly with daily use.
wquiles
Flashaholic
Finally!
Cells came at 80% charged per ZTS battery tester, and voltage was 1.31 volts per my La Crosse BC-900U AA/AAA 4-bay charger. I am giving them a full charge now
Also in the store was an almost identical package from Duracells, but with the dark grey tops (instead of white), but with the same identical part number (DX1500) but the marketing/package was different (plus they were more expensive as well). The dark grey package said "stayed charged longer" vs. the white tops that are branded "StayCharged" - again, they both had the same part number!
Are the dark grey ones the new 1500 cycles model and the white top the older 1000 cycles model? (that would/could explain the price difference)
Will
tandem
Enlightened
I wonder if the dark grey cells could even be the Chinese made non-eneloop cells. If so they are not nearly as good as a real, original, eneloop. In Canada at some stores you can find them both on the same rack at times.
calipsoii
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2010
- Messages
- 1,412
Looks like you already found them wquiles, but in case you decide you need more, Costco (at least in Canada) sells a big pack of the Duraloops as well. They might be bundled with a charger but I've seen them without.
tandem
Enlightened
Sorry for the OT but how much are a "big pack" of Duraloops at Costco in Canada?
I need to score some more packs of AA (apparently over a hundred are not enough for my family) and am waiting for Shoppers to have a decent sale on them again.
Duraloops / Eneloops and MAHA C9000 - more than paid for themselves over the years. Just. Keep. On. Working.
I need to score some more packs of AA (apparently over a hundred are not enough for my family) and am waiting for Shoppers to have a decent sale on them again.
Duraloops / Eneloops and MAHA C9000 - more than paid for themselves over the years. Just. Keep. On. Working.
fyrstormer
Banned
I only use lithium AA/AAAs so they last next to forever, then I toss them in a coffee can with my used printer cartridges to drop off at the local Best Buy when I remember to make the trip.
I once built a charger that would accept four used AAs as input and drain them into two rechargeable AAs as output. It was a very simple device, just using diodes to prevent backflow. Now that I know about driver circuits, I should probably revisit it with a more elegant and flexible design.
I once built a charger that would accept four used AAs as input and drain them into two rechargeable AAs as output. It was a very simple device, just using diodes to prevent backflow. Now that I know about driver circuits, I should probably revisit it with a more elegant and flexible design.
