Ansmann Energy Battery case review

[Echo63]

for the reviews subforum, i didnt know where else to post it (as you cant start a post in the reviews forum)

I found these at my local electronics store - Jaycar Electronics www.jaycar.com.au
they are an australian shop, but you can find them here ansmaan uk
or here ansmann homepage

These cost me 4 bucks each, i have been looking for battery carriers for a while, and these will hold a full reload for my "speedbrick" Flash power supply so i grabbed three of them

here is what they look like before you remove the label (which sticks well, but doesnt leave gunk when its removed)

the other side has instructions

they dont jjust hold AA cells either, the hold AA, AAA,Cr123 and CF memory cards
i didnt have any AAA cells floating around, and they would probably rattle a fair bit. the AAs are a little loose and rattle a bit, the CR123s are held pretty firmly

the boxes also clip together using the dovetail in the middle

Pros
Label sticks well, but is easily removed without leaving gunk behind
holds 123s so they dont rattle
cheap
link together
hold multiple battery types
has "instructions" printed on the side
Holds Cr123s Firmly


Cons
Latch looks a little flimsy, will see how it holds up in my camera bag, and report back in a few months
Has big "ANSMANN" across the top
doesnt hold cards or AAs firmly, they will fall out if the box is inverted whilst open

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Echo,

Nice find.

In a family situation or other situation where several people are using cells, you could have one person in charge of charging the cells and this would allow clear definition of which cells were discharged. Of course, if all the cells fell out you would have a bit of a problem...

After thinking about this for a little bit, it seems a waste to have half the case empty while traveling. Perhaps a method could be worked out to manage 3 sets of 4 cells.

Oops, I just took another look at the label. Nipple up for charged cells and nipple down for discharged cells. I originally thought that the left side was for charged cells and the right side was for discharge cells. Please ignore my previous thought.

I like the idea that you can link them together.

Keep us advised on how well the latches hold up in use.

I will move this over to the reviews section and the discussion can continue over there.

Tom

 

[Turbo DV8]

I didnt have any AAA cells floating around, and they would probably rattle a fair bit. the AAs are a little loose and rattle a bit, the CR123s are held pretty firmly...

I'll bet you could fit two, or maybe even three AAA cells quite firmly within a single AA slot.

 

[MiniLux]

I'll bet you could fit two, or maybe even three AAA cells quite firmly within a single AA slot.

They do only fit two AAA cells firmly in a single AA slot.

MiniLux

 

[Cuso]

Man this is sweet!! and it holds CF cards too?? This is perfect , where can i find this cases in america???

 

[Echo63]

They do only fit two AAA cells firmly in a single AA slot.

MiniLux

great to know, the only thing in my house that uses aaa size is my tv remotes (which i only just remembered)

Man this is sweet!! and it holds CF cards too?? This is perfect , where can i find this cases in america???

i dont know, you should be able to order them from the links in the first post, i just bought them in Jaycar's B+M store, so i dont know

 

[optodoofus]

Man this is sweet!! and it holds CF cards too?? This is perfect , where can i find this cases in america???

Thomas Dsitributing has them:

http://www.thomasdistributing.us/ANSMANN_8_Cell_Battery_Box_p/an-4000033.htm

optodoofus

 

[Tomcat!]

I've been using these Ansmann cases for years now and they've held up well. I get them from work and have them in my camera bag, and also around the house at home. Their construction is of a slightly flexible plastic, what I call 'nylon' as opposed to the really rigid 'acrylic' plastic which cracks on impact. (I don't actually know if these are nylon or not. It's just my description.) Because of the flexibility, the cases withstand knocks and bangs well. I guess I've used about 14 so far and not yet broken one. The catch seems to work just fine and I have not had one wear out, though this could be because I have so many that the wear and tear is not concentrated on only one or two units. Although I've never had one fly open on me, I ought to mention that as a matter of procedure, I always put a strip of gaffer tape across the catch (as I do with all containers) when traveling or anticipate hard impacts or vibration. The ones I use at home, without gaffer, have never given me a problem.

I've found the clip together feature far more useful that I had originally thought, and really like the convenience of being able to carry around a secure interlocked 'brick' of cells as required. The cell up, cell down, method of visually denoting the ready state of a battery is so stupidly simple that when I first got these cases I wondered why the devil I'd never thought of it myself. Now I use this method with all of my cell containers, regardless of brand, and have made it official policy at work so my staff can keep track of cells.

All in all the Ansmann Energy cases are a worthwhile buy and handle the job of cell organisation well, with the added versatility. I wish I could have the same boxes scaled up to take my larger li-ion 17mm and 18mm rechargebles.

 

[Turbo DV8]

The cell up, cell down, method of visually denoting the ready state of a battery is so stupidly simple that when I first got these cases I wondered why the devil I'd never thought of it myself.

Then it's comfirmed... I am a born genius, since I've done this with my PowerEx and TD cases for years. :grin2: Those cases also allow you to stash the cells left to right, if desired. In that case, since I am right handed, I store the fresh cells with positive tip pointing right, and spent cells pointing the "wrong" way. :whistle:

 

[zipplet]

Hi,

I think the idea is you put the batteries in upside down to show they are empty rather than using only one half of the case :)

I just ordered 2 of these.

Edit: Doh, someone else already stated that >_<