Duraloops taunting me!

OCD · May 4, 2010

So I was killing time at Walgreens yesterday waiting for my passport photo

and ran across a 4 pack of white-top Duraloop AA's on sale for $10. I haven't been able to find any locally so I bought them. I really wanted to get set for my Quark AA Turbo, but since getting my RRT-0, my Quark has been relegated to bedside duty. For this limited use role, I bought some L91's for it. I told my wife I bought these Duraloops for our digital camera.

Long story short, they are sitting here next to my computer, in the package, screaming "put me in a light and enjoy some guilt-free lumens!" :party:

But if I do, the wife will tell me (with loads of sarcasm) "I thought those were for the camera!

Oh the anguish! :sigh:

SilverFox · May 4, 2010

Hello OCD,

You simply have to inform your wife that all the time spent on CPF has taught you about rechargeable batteries. You have learned that in order to take care of your batteries, you first need to break them in, then to keep them vibrant, you need to use them often.

One way to break them in is to use them in a flashlight. You are trying to get some charge/discharge cycles on them, and using them in a light is a good way to do that.

Also, tell your wife that you want to make sure that the batteries used in the camera are well matched. You don't want the camera crapping out at a time when you are trying to record a significant event. This requires running 30 - 50 cycles through your flashlight, and then some run time tests will help you match a set of cells for use in the camera.

Finally, when she sees through this thin veil of an argument, tell her that I put you up to it. That may take some of the heat off of you, but I think she probably knows that there is a little kid inside just wanting to play...

Good luck.

Tom

Lynx_Arc · May 4, 2010

you need to buy a few backup sets for the camera

MarioJP · May 5, 2010

SilverFox said:
Hello OCD,

You simply have to inform your wife that all the time spent on CPF has taught you about rechargeable batteries. You have learned that in order to take care of your batteries, you first need to break them in, then to keep them vibrant, you need to use them often.

One way to break them in is to use them in a flashlight. You are trying to get some charge/discharge cycles on them, and using them in a light is a good way to do that.

Also, tell your wife that you want to make sure that the batteries used in the camera are well matched. You don't want the camera crapping out at a time when you are trying to record a significant event. This requires running 30 - 50 cycles through your flashlight, and then some run time tests will help you match a set of cells for use in the camera.

Finally, when she sees through this thin veil of an argument, tell her that I put you up to it. That may take some of the heat off of you, but I think she probably knows that there is a little kid inside just wanting to play...

Good luck.

Tom

I thought you do not have to break them in with duraloops when you first use them??. I just started using them without breaking them in. Although they do undergo full discharge/charge cycles as I use them as the application I use these cells are very demanding. So does this counts?? lol.

SilverFox · May 5, 2010

Hello MarioJP,

It is not totally necessary to break cells in if you get them right after they are manufactured. Initially, we saw very little difference with Eneloop cells if we simply used them or ran a break in on them. However, once they have been in storage for awhile, a break in is beneficial.

Tom

cckw · May 5, 2010

SilverFox said:
Hello MarioJP,

It is not totally necessary to break cells in if you get them right after they are manufactured. Initially, we saw very little difference with Eneloop cells if we simply used them or ran a break in on them. However, once they have been in storage for awhile, a break in is beneficial.

Tom

And White top Duraloops are older stock.

Locoboy5150 · May 5, 2010

cckw said:
And White top Duraloops are older stock.

What color are the tops of the latest Duraloops?

kramer5150 · May 5, 2010

cckw said:
And White top Duraloops are older stock.

I don't think so... all AA Duraloops are white topped. The date code stamped into the cell is the only way to tell their age.

OCD · May 5, 2010

IIRC, only the "made in Japan" Duraloops are white tops. The newer, "made in China" ones are black topped.

kramer5150 · May 5, 2010

OCD said:
IIRC, only the "made in Japan" Duraloops are white tops. The newer, "made in China" ones are black topped.

... but those (with the black top) technically are not Duraloops.

Lynx_Arc · May 5, 2010

kramer5150 said:
... but those (with the black top) technically are not Duraloops.

those are Durabrids

Locoboy5150 · May 6, 2010

OCD said:
IIRC, only the "made in Japan" Duraloops are white tops. The newer, "made in China" ones are black topped.

Ah yes. Those black topped ones from China are Ray-o-Vacs with Duracell wrappers and, as Lynx Arc said, are referred to as "Durabrids." The white topped ones from Japan are Sanyo Eneloops with Duracell wrappers and are hence referred to as "Duraloops." Only the rewrapped Eneloop batteries are called "Duraloops."

fishinfool · May 6, 2010

I finally found some of these Duracell (white top made in japan) pre-charged lsd nimh rechargeable batteries everyone calls Duraloops. Have these actually been PROVEN to be Sanyo Eneloops in Duracell's clothing? Or are they Duracell's own version of an Eneloop? :thinking:

Lynx_Arc · May 6, 2010

fishinfool said:
I finally found some of these Duracell (white top made in japan) pre-charged lsd nimh rechargeable batteries everyone calls Duraloops. Have these actually been PROVEN to be Sanyo Eneloops in Duracell's clothing? Or are they Duracell's own version of an Eneloop? :thinking:

try HERE

cckw · May 6, 2010

Locoboy5150 said:
Ah yes. Those black topped ones from China are Ray-o-Vacs with Duracell wrappers and, as Lynx Arc said, are referred to as "Durabrids." The white topped ones from Japan are Sanyo Eneloops with Duracell wrappers and are hence referred to as "Duraloops." Only the rewrapped Eneloop batteries are called "Duraloops."

Yes, those names are what the in crowd has dubbed them. But it is not on the label.

So to normal folks the ones with white tops are the ones to try for. But as stated above those have been in stock for a while, and would benefit from break-in. Black tops are the typical China stock.

fishinfool · May 6, 2010

I recently bought a set of Duracell 2450 NiMH Rechargeables that were made in Japan but didn't have the white top. They're more like a milky dark bluish top and also weren't lsd's but so far a pretty good set of batteries. :twothumbs

UpChUcK · May 7, 2010

$10 is a good price for a 4-pack. They are usually $15 in the stores by me. Even for the 4-pack of AAA's!!! :sigh:

To the OP:
If your wife is giving you grief on a 4-pack of batteries, how the heck did you get the RRT-0 and Quark by her?

I actually have more DuraLoops than Eneloops. And these 2 are the only MiMh cells I use now.

OCD · May 7, 2010

UpChUcK said:
To the OP:
If your wife is giving you grief on a 4-pack of batteries, how the heck did you get the RRT-0 and Quark by her?

Christmas (Quark), birthday and side job money (RRT-0)!

Buying the Duraloops for the "camera" made it o.k. to buy them (her logic, not mine!). And truth be told, the batteries we're currently using in the camera are starting to decline in performance. So I've been wanting to get new batteries for a while anyway.

I bought an 8pk of L91's for the Quark and since it doesn't seem much use normally, those should last for quite a while.

WildChild · May 8, 2010

For those in Canada, Duraloops are on sale at Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix at $7.77 for a 4 pack.

cckw · May 8, 2010

Rereading this thread it appears some folks think Duracell is still getting some batteries from Sanyo. Anyone have a newer date code on white tops? I have never seen newer then 07.

Edit to take it a bit further. I recently bought a couple CEF23 chargers on closeout that had white tops included. In break-in mode they turned out numbers like 1910-1920, my 09 dated eneloops turned out 1960+. remembering the rule of thumb on this forum is when they reach 80% of capacity you throw them out, that difference would matter at least a little bit

Duraloops taunting me!

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