Tested: AmazonBasics is NOT eneloop

The white version of AmazonBasics, internal impedance is 35m‎Ω, when charged. (Manufactured in 2016)

The Eneloop typical impedance is 22-25m‎Ω, when charged. (For 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation)

Conclusion is:AmazonBasics is not typical Eneloop, they have higher impedance as measured.

I agree with you. They are also rated for less cycles, and according to the AACycler site, they actually do far less cycles than regular Eneloops. However, those white Amazon Basics are outdated... the design has changed (they are not black with a green ring on top), so there may now be different batches built to different specifications, and we don't know how close to Eneloops those new ones are.

I've had 2-3 different batches of Amazon basics. Really have no idea who the oem is now...

gunga said:

I've had 2-3 different batches of Amazon basics. Really have no idea who the oem is now...

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If they still say Made in Japan, I guess they are still made by FDK, the company that also makes the Japanese Eneloops... the question is, to which specifications...

I have these green-gray 2400mAh ones incoming today, so will measure impedance and let you know.

and how different impedance gives us different batteries? what's the practical difference between 2 batteries, one with higher impedance of the others?

Cekid said:

and how different impedance gives us different batteries? what's the practical difference between 2 batteries, one with higher impedance of the others?

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Lower battery internal resistance means less energy lost to heat build up in the cell and thus also more light and/or longer runtime.

Just measured these new 2400mAh AA's, green-gray label. Resistance is around 26-32 milliohms. Measured using Miboxer C4, no other tools available, so not sure, whenever reading is correct. Voltage on all cells initially was 1.308 volts. Engraved manufacturing date says 11 2016.

OK, now... the 2400 mAh ones are yet different cells to the black-green ones. The green-gray ones are equivalent to what was previously the black ones, or the Eneloop XX, Eneloop Pro, Fujitsu Black, Ikea Ladda 2450, Duracell Recharge Ultra and probably others, so they should be compared to those cells, not to regular white Eneloops or the previously white Amazon Basics. As from what I've read in the tests, they match those cells more closely than the white Amazon Basics matched the regular Eneloops.

I gave it try, as is, directly from the packaging, into Nissin 622 mk 2 camera strobe. Recycle at full power took only 2.7 seconds, which is way better than Rayovac platinum (4 seconds) and Xiaomi ZI5 (3.7 seconds). But still is far from external power pack, which gives 0.5 second recycle time

Further discharged batteries, by giving about 10 full power flashes, and put them into BC-700, set current to 200mA. Left for overnight. In the morning, I've got very interesting readings:
871 mAh
897 mAh
1292 mAh
1299 mAh

So it looks like, despite same date of manufacture, blister contained cells from two different batches?

redbus are you talking about AA or AAA?
AAA have roughly 40m (Ohm enter funny sign here) and AA 25m (Ohm)

redbus said:

The white version of AmazonBasics, internal impedance is 35m‎Ω, when charged. (Manufactured in 2016)

The Eneloop typical impedance is 22-25m‎Ω, when charged. (For 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation)

Conclusion is:AmazonBasics is not typical Eneloop, they have higher impedance as measured.

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Curious, how do you check the internal impedance on a cell with a multi meter? is there something more i need than those two?

It takes some very accurate circuitry that is carefully calibrated to measure resistance that small. Most multimeters are not capable of doing so. I don't know if there might be some external box one could plug into the multimeter that would enable such a reading.

Timothybil said:

It takes some very accurate circuitry that is carefully calibrated to measure resistance that small. Most multimeters are not capable of doing so. I don't know if there might be some external box one could plug into the multimeter that would enable such a reading.

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Multimeters cannot do that, you need specialized impedance testers or chargers that can measure internal resistance (Most chargers that can do that are not very reliable).
I wrote an article about impedance testing here: http://lygte-info.dk/info/Internal impedance UK.html

HKJ said:

Multimeters cannot do that, you need specialized impedance testers or chargers that can measure internal resistance (Most chargers that can do that are not very reliable).
I wrote an article about impedance testing here: http://lygte-info.dk/info/Internal impedance UK.html

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I knew it would take special circuitry to be able to measure that small of a value, the same as it takes specialized circuitry to read the high resistances found in things like ground rods, etc. If I remember correctly, those are commonly called 'meggers'. I remember reading about them is some articles on guaranteeing a good ground to comply with our National Electrical Code, and for amateur radio operators.

Timothybil said:

I knew it would take special circuitry to be able to measure that small of a value, the same as it takes specialized circuitry to read the high resistances found in things like ground rods, etc. If I remember correctly, those are commonly called 'meggers'. I remember reading about them is some articles on guaranteeing a good ground to comply with our National Electrical Code, and for amateur radio operators.

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The main reason DMM's cannot be used it because the battery have a voltage, most DMM's cannot handle any voltage when measuring ohms.
The small values do also give some problems.

Ground rods do not have high resistance, but requires 4 terminal measurements.
A megger measures with high voltage (from 50 to 5000 volt), this is used to check between mains and earth in equipment and installations. This is great to show if there is some water in the installation or old failing cables.

HKJ said:

Ground rods do not have high resistance, but requires 4 terminal measurements.
A megger measures with high voltage (from 50 to 5000 volt), this is used to check between mains and earth in equipment and installations. This is great to show if there is some water in the installation or old failing cables.

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I always wondered why a high resistance measurement device was used to test earth grounds, which should have very low resistance.