>> AAA/AA NiMH Capacity CPF Member Tested - Please Participate - Now with Summary <<

EngrPaul

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>> AAA/AA NiMH Capacity CPF Member Tested - Please Participate - Now with Summary <<

Let's have one place to put all capacity test results for various AAA and AA cells. It will be interesting how different brands test vs. their rated capacity.

As you get new results, add them to the end of the thread.

Please use 0.2C discharge rate, after a 1-hour rest, post-charging. Also be sure to use a break-in regimen if the cells are new, or have been sitting idle for a while.

One report per cell please. Use the best value achieved.

SUMMARY AVERAGE of all posts:
(Updated 21 Jan 07 - Thru Post #66)
Green indicates a newer "Low Self Discharge" battery
Note that lower capacity standard-self-discharge cells are probably older cells, and may perform poorly due to their age.

"AAA"
Assia 1250: 938 [75%] (C9000); 1030 [82%] (BC-900)
Duracell 1000: 973 [97%] (C9000)

Energizer 700: 556 [79%] (C9000)
Energizer 850: 750 [88%] (C9000)
LaCrosse 700: 650 [93%] (C9000); 689 [98%] (BC-900)
LaCrosse 800: 648 [81%] (BC-900)
Powerex 1000: 938 [93%] (C9000)
Rayovac Hybrid 800: 805 [101%] (C9000)
Sanyo 900: 879 [98%] (C9000)
Sanyo 1000: 946 [95%] (C9000)
Sanyo eneloop 800: 803 [100%] (C9000); 816 [102%] (BC-900)
Tenergy 1000: 825 [83%] (C9000)

"AA"
Accupower 2900: 2440 [84%] (Duratrax ICE)
Duracell 2650: 2713 [102%] (BC-900); 2451 [92%] (Duratrax ICE)
Energizer 1850: 1627 [88%] (C9000); 1930 [104%] (BC-900)
Energizer 2100: 1736 [83%] (Triton)
Energizer 2200: 2117 [96%] (C9000)
Energizer 2300: 2043 [89%] (C9000)
Energizer 2500: 2268 [91%] (C9000)
GP 1700: 1506 [89%] (C9000)
LaCrosse 2000: 1689 [84%] (C9000); 1861 [93%] (BC-900)
Lenmar 2000: 1404 [70%] (BC-900)
Powerex 2300: 2013 [88%] (C9000); 2370 [103%] (BC-900)
Powerex 2700: 2682 [99%] (C9000); 2492 [92%] (Duratrax ICE)
Rayovac Hybrid 2100: 2125 [101%] (C9000)
Sanyo 2500: 2443 [98%] (C9000)
Sanyo 2700: 2629 [97%] (C9000)
Sanyo eneloop 2000: 1951 [98%] (C9000); 2080 [104%] (BC-900)
Tenergy 2600: 2099 [81%] (C9000)
Titanium LSD 2100: 2048 [98%] (C9000)

MY PERSONAL RESULTS

Test device: Powerex MH-C9000 charger/analyzer

AAA Cells:

Energizer
850 mAh: 695, 772*, 737, 796*. ; *=charge termination failure

Powerex
1000 mAh: 962, 936, 924, 931, 918, 926, 955, 921.

Sanyo
1000 mAh: 975, 996, 989, 988.
eneloop 800 mAh: 780, 779, 790, 777, 788, 802, 797, 796, 789, 804, 786, 803, 792, 804.

AA Cells:

Energizer
1850 mAh: 1644, 1609.
2300 mAh: 2025, 2027, 2067, 2030, 2090, 2093, 2002, 2013.
2500 mAh: 2225, 2180, 2192, 2194.

Powerex
2300 mAh: 1997, 2013, 2018, 2024
2700 mAh: 2645, 2656, 2651, 2657, 2630, 2654, 2672, 2663.

Sanyo
2700 mAh: 2513, 2506, 2527, 2565.
eneloop 2000 mAh: 1909, 1938, 1880, 1913, 1954, 1898, 1902, 1900, 1946, 1908, 1907, 1898, 1920, 1897, 1957, 1889, 1891, 1873, 1897, 1927, 1895, 1919, 1874.
 
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bfg9000

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

This is a great idea now that so many of us have the same charger/analyzers! I only wish I'd recorded my results somewhere...

Remember the C9000 waits an hour after charging before beginning the capacity test + discharges to 1.0v, while the BC-900 doesn't wait and discharges to 0.9v. So we should expect to see higher numbers from the BC-900.
 

jtr1962

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

It's going to take a long time to test all my cells but here are some results for eight Assia 1250 mAh AAAs:

Code:
MH-C9000 capacity	BC-900 capacity
924			 1028
940			 1011
949			 1034
949			 1034
934			 1017
936			 1033
933			 1034
969			 1041
For the BC-900 results I let the cells charge normally at 500 mA then trickle charge for about 6 hours after they finished. I then restarted the charge cycle to repeak them, rest another 5 minutes, and then did a charge/test.

The MH-C9000 results were done with the break-in cycle (capacity = 1000 mAh). The BC-900 results are about 10% more due to both instrument error and not waiting an hour between charge and discharge.

I'm working on a spreadsheet with all my results but I have 24 Assia 1250 mAh AAAs, 24 Assia 3000 mAh AAs, 64 Nexcell AAs (50 1800s and 14 2300s), plus a bunch of assorted Nicads. I'm getting another MH-C9000 to speed up my testing.
 

Erasmus

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

Newuser01 said:
BC-900
La Crosse 800 mAh AAA = 541, 706, 657 , 689

Cant even get a matched set!:awman:
Hmm that's weird, I remember the La Crosse batteries I got were all above rated capacities and each set of 4 were the same capacity. Maybe you can try to refresh them?
 

NiOOH

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

Good idea!
I will post my results as soon as I get to my office tomorrow.
However, 'd ask all the participants to indicate mode of operation and charge/discharge currents. Without this information, the results er a bit ambigous.
 

not2bright

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

I will add more cells as they go through the C9000 on "Break In" mode (entered cell capacity rating from the label).

AA

Rayovac Hybrid 2100 (made in China):

(set 1) 2126, 2124, 2135, 2130
(set 2) 2093, 2132, 2140, 2116


Sanyo 2500 ("HR" made in Japan):

2438, 2430, 2449, 2453


Energizer 2500 ("HR" made in Japan):

2335, 2331, 2342, 2346


GP 1700:

1544, 1498, 1455, 1525


AAA

Rayovac Hybrid 800 (made in China):

810, 806, 809, 793


Sanyo 900 (made in China):

884, 881, 907, 894
 
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Newuser01

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

Erasmus said:
Hmm that's weird, I remember the La Crosse batteries I got were all above rated capacities and each set of 4 were the same capacity. Maybe you can try to refresh them?
It has run thru 3 cycles with slow charge before I tested them on test mode on BC-900. I can try refresh, but really don't think it would improve!
I'm running them now and if they change I'll post the results.

Regards.
PS. I'm charging up the AA LA Crosse cells on test setting with 500 d/1000 C now. Soon as these are done.
 

bwm

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

Used the Break-In setting on my C9000.

Titanium 2100 (low self discharge): 2010, 2073, 2082, 2096, 2032, 2034, 2024, 2032

Additional info: prior to running the Break-In on this battery I did a discharge run and came up with 1717mah. The batteries were last charged as a set in July of this year. This battery remained unused during the intervening time.

Edited Post: added 3 additional batteries.
Edited again to add the last 4 Titanium 2100's

Brian
 
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gdhumphreys

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

I've been running tests on several different battery brands with various capacities the last few months. The last batteries I tested were some Accupower AA 2900 mAh NiMH batteries.


AA Cells

Accupower

Test Procedure: Forming charge of 0.1C for 16 hours on a Sirius Pro Former, then 4 discharge/charge cycles on a Duratrax IntelliPeak ICE charger using 0.2C for the discharge and 0.5C for the charge. One final discharge, then charged at 0.6C with a 0.05C trickle charge for 4 hours. Waited one hour after pulling off the charger, and discharged at 0.2C. I did several other test cycles using the same charge procedure but discharging with a CBAII--the test results from the CBAII were very close to the results from the ICE charger. EDIT: I forgot to mention that my discharge tests were performed to 0.9v per cell.

2900 mAh NiMH: 2440

Powerex

Test Procedure: I used the same procedure described for the Accupower tests above.

2700 mAh NiMH: 2492

Greg
 
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Newuser01

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

Duracell 2650 mAh. AA (Green and black cells). About 10 cycles on these cells. BC-900 - test mode 1000C/500DC.

2.72 , 2.76 , 2.64 , 2.73

Good!
 

EngrPaul

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

Nice results on the Duracell, Noob1
 

EngrPaul

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

Oops, I read my charger at the wrong time (charging, not discharging). :ohgeez:

Results will be reposted above.
 
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gdhumphreys

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

EngrPaul said:
So far MAHA Powerex cells are the only ones testing better than their rated capacity!
goodjob.gif
It is interesting to see the different ranges at which the various cells test. I have tested 4 Maha Powerex 2700 mAh NiMH cells on the CBAII, and they averaged in the mid 2400 mAh range, even at 0.2C. On my BC-900, they averaged in the mid 2700 mAh range.

These tests were performed before I got the Pro Former and ICE charger, so I am going to put these same cells through a forming charge and 4-5 discharge/charge cycles, and then retest them. I'll post the results in this thread when I'm finished.

Greg
 

not2bright

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

EngrPaul said:
So far MAHA Powerex cells are the only ones testing better than their rated capacity! :goodjob:

Just after your post I updated my findings from the ROV Hybrid cells from Wally World. They all came in above the stated 2100 mAh capacity. I'll start the second set tonight and in a quick 39 hours have the results from 4 more of them.

As they are priced well below the eneloop I'm hoping these things hold their charge for 9 months as advertised!
 

EngrPaul

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

I had to retract my Powerex 2700 measurements. I was used to coming home twice a day to analysis results.

I was doing a 36+ hour break-in on these cells. I just happened to pick off values during charging, thinking it had already discharged and results were available on the screen. But the actual discharging is happening now!

4 Powerex 2700 results will be posted tomorrow.
 

evan9162

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

Energizer 2100mAh NiMHs, 3.5 years old.

Cycled on a Triton, one cell at a time (took a couple days)
Charge and discharge rate were both 1A,
charge termination dV/dT = 3mV
discharge to 0.9V

Code:
cell	Chg	Dsch	Vavg	datecode
1	1854	1740	1.12	0305
2	1929	1832	1.13	0305
3	1884	1789	1.11	none
4	1869	1764	1.10	none
5	1789	1657	1.16	0305
6	1748	1634	1.11	0305

These cells were used intermittently in a Lux V mag mod at 750mA, often stored in a hot or cold garage and allowed to self discharge for a few weeks at a time on a regular basis. As you can see, the output voltage is quite low, indicating high internal resistance. These cells are probably at the end of their useful life.
 

EngrPaul

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

EngrPaul said:
4 Powerex 2700 results will be posted tomorrow.

The results were consistently 98% of their rated capacities (first post updated).

These Powerex batteries are excellent!
 

piper

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Re: >> AAA & AA Capacities as Tested - Please Participate! <<

These results are from my first set through my MH-C9000.

Energizer AA 2200 (these live a tortured life of high usage followed by months of idle time):

2111
2134
2113
2108

Energizer AAA 700 (oldies but seem to be ok)

532
565
537
589
 
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