Absolute Best Ni-mh Rechareable On The Market?

[thelaw]

Hello,

I am new so please excuse my newbishness.

I am looking into a project that will require 1.2V of power. I thought I'd use an Ni-MH rechargeable as well because they output 1.2V.

I am looking to use a single AA battery as I already have a charger for AA sized batteries. The longer, non-AAs will not work.

So what is the best Ni-MH rechargeable AA on the market. (Highest mAH, low power leakage, overall quality). I've heard Japanese built batteries are typically superior to Chinese. This is true for a lot of things in electronics, especially things like capacitors. But is this a myth or legend?

Thanks alot.

 

[jasonck08]

Most people on CPF like the Sanyo Eneloop. Because of its Low self discharge properties, and mid-high current discharge properties. Eneloops are rated at 1900-2000mAh, so they are not the best in terms of power density.

If you want the most capacity, I'd say go with the Sanyo 2700 industrial AA batteries.

 

[Aquanaut]

Eneloops for sure. Also Duracells made in Japan, which are Eneloops repackaged for Duracell:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=218481

 

[LuxLuthor]

It depends entirely on the application, as higher amp demands will result in lower delivered voltage. There are high current output cells that have lower capacity.

For most applications, I would take the 2,000mAh Eneloop over 99% of the 2500+mAh cells.

 

[Monocrom]

Yup, Eneloops. Or, rebranded eneloops wearing Duracell labels. (Those Duraloops as we like to call them are sometimes a bit easier to find. They're white-tops that are Made in Japan. Watch out for rechargeable Duracells with black-tops which are Made in China. Those aren't nearly as good.)

You're basically going to end up with a ton of posts saying "Eneloops."

 

[thelaw]

Wow thanks.

I have heard good things about Sanyo Eneloop. I believe I even read an article in Consumer Reports about them.

But I do have a question about these batteries called the IMEDIONs which are made by MAHA/PowerEx. I have heard good things about those too. I see they are rated at 2400mAH and some reviews show them actually running at about 2200mAH which still isn't terrible. I think they are very similar to Eneloops in power leakage and dropout.

Thanks again. What are you thoughts?

 

[thelaw]

Oh and one more question. What are your opinions on the Energizer Ni-MH charger? I really don't want to buy another one, but you'll have to convince me whether I do or do not have to get a new one.

 

[Robin24k]

The absolute best would be the new Sanyo Eneloop HR-3UTGA (AA) and HR-4UTGA (AAA). These are different from the HR-3UTG and HR-4UTG in that they have 500 more cycles, less self-discharge, and operate at lower temperatures.

The new improved Eneloops are a bit difficult to find, I know Costco has a 12-pack (8xAA and 4xAAA with charger) and there are a couple on Ebay.

Oh and one more question. What are your opinions on the Energizer Ni-MH charger? I really don't want to buy another one, but you'll have to convince me whether I do or do not have to get a new one.

Which charger are you referring to? I would recommend independent channel chargers as they make sure each battery is charged properly (they are a must when batteries aren't used in pairs). A good budget independent channel charger is the Duracell CEF23 Mobile Charger (check Ebay for it). Most, if not all, Energizer chargers charge in pairs.

 

[Battery Guy]

Wow thanks.

I have heard good things about Sanyo Eneloop. I believe I even read an article in Consumer Reports about them.

But I do have a question about these batteries called the IMEDIONs which are made by MAHA/PowerEx. I have heard good things about those too. I see they are rated at 2400mAH and some reviews show them actually running at about 2200mAH which still isn't terrible. I think they are very similar to Eneloops in power leakage and dropout.

Thanks again. What are you thoughts?

I have tested the Imedion 2400 cells and posted the results on my AA Ragone Plot thread here.

The Imedion 2400 cells definitely have higher total energy: 2925 mWh compared to 2560 mWh for the Eneloops. They also have very good high current discharge capability (see a comparison between Eneloop and Imedion 2400 for constant current discharge up to 5 A here).

At extremely high power drains, the Eneloops win, but that is expected because there is generally a trade-off between total energy and power capability given battery chemistry. Also, the power drains where the Imedion 2400 cells begin to fail (>8 W per cell) are unrealistically high for most applications where these cells would be used.

As far as reliability, cycle-life, longevity, etc....the verdict is still out on the Imedion 2400 cells. They simply have not been available for very long compared to the Eneloops. The Eneloops on the other hand have an extraordinary track record.

So if you want tried and true, go with the Eneloops. If you want ~20% more capacity/energy, but are willing to risk the possibility of less reliability (or maybe even better reliability, who knows?) give the Imedion 2400 cells a try.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
BG

 

[mrartillery]

As Lux said, for most all setups, definitely Eneloops! :thumbsup:

 

[thelaw]

Thank you very very much!