Beware of ultra cheap NiMh cells

[Codswallop]

Just bought a two pack of pre-charged 350mAh AAA Eneloop look-a-likes from a £ shop. (White top, no place of manufacture, just marked 'BARUCH ENTERPRISES Ltd LONDON') - the batteries not the shop!.

Stuck them on a five cycle discharge/charge break in at 0.3A/0.3A, and both have leaked just before termination on the final charge. The brand name is 'ULTRA MAX'. That'll teach me! but they'll be having them back in the morning.

 

[kramer5150]

350mah...?? Eneloop AAA are spec'd at 800 IIRC.

Thats a red flag warning to all.

 

[sbelyo]

I got something like that off of ebay one time. They were supposed to be 2500 mah AA NiMh and they turned out to be 150 mah. I cycled a few of them 10 or 12 times then gave up and tossed them

 

[Niconical]

Beware of ultra cheap anything.

 

[Codswallop]

I got something like that off of ebay one time. They were supposed to be 2500 mah AA NiMh and they turned out to be 150 mah. I cycled a few of them 10 or 12 times then gave up and tossed them

I suspect far more of us than will admit to it have been down that route!.

 

[TorchBoy]

Re: Beware of ultra cheap NiMH cells

Just bought a two pack of pre-charged ...

What was their capacity off the shelf?

 

[Codswallop]

Re: Beware of ultra cheap NiMH cells

What was their capacity off the shelf?

Out of the packet they were 1.314v and the pre break in discharge read as 197 mAh.

 

[vali]

I have to say I was lucky with my "budget LSD" cell purchases. Bought 1 pack of 2 cells to check if they did worth it and they did. Then I bought 20 cells more for only 10 €.

I was doing for the last month and a half, refresh & analize, discharges and break-ins. Due storms and such things I was unable to test all of them, but there are only 4 left. Pretty good results and more or less consistent, around 750 mAh (as expected for LSD). If you are interested in those results I will update the "everfast" thread I opened that time.

At first I didnt buy more cells because I thought I dont have enough AAA devices. Then I found 3 things like this wich were bought by my father and had not batteries in it, then I bought a Brother P-Touch 1000 labeler wich uses 6 AAA cells, and a couple of things more that use AAA cells and I realize I have enough places where to use those cheap cells.

The funny thing is today saw again the same packs at 2€ again (twice the price I paid for). They are, probably, the remaining cell I did not buy :naughty:.