Eneloop Pro short life

[lwknight]

Am I the only one with numerous eneloop pro ( the black ones ) dying off?
I recently picked up a Nitecore EA81 that was stored with fully charged cells and it would only run in low/medium low and when I went to charge the batteries, the Maha Powerex charger rejected 6 of them ( HIGH ) was the fault code. Out of more than 24 of these only 6 remain in use.
The white cells never have failed me under any circumstances and I have probably 60 of them for several years. I can't definitively blame the flashlight because other applications had the same demise. The same devices never killed any white eneloops.

I tried searching for previous discussions on this topic but with no luck, sorry if it's digging up bones.

 

[hsa]

The general consensus is that "black" eneloops are problematic and fragile. I am only one person and I only use the Panasonic charger but I have had no such problems.

 

[GadgetGeek]

The general consensus is that "black" eneloops are problematic and fragile. I am only one person and I only use the Panasonic charger but I have had no such problems.

Same.

 

[WC8KCY]

For what it's worth, the ~US$35 Opus BT-C2000 and BT-C2400 chargers will charge problematic cells that other smart chargers reject. As long as there's measurable voltage in a cell, an Opus will charge it.

If a cell is completely flat, five minutes in a dumb charger will revive it enough for an Opus to charge it. Even reversed cells can sometimes be saved by bringing them barely back ro normal polarity with time in a dumb charger, then transferring the cells to an Opus.

As you have 18 eneloop Pro cells out of service already, and perhaps more cells sitting around that the Maha won't touch, it might make sense to get an Opus.

 

[Schokokeks]

I don't mean this in a snide way, but EVERY Eneloop problem ALWAYS includes a bit about how they aren't using the Eneloop charger.

BQ-CC17 is life. It's cheap, it's reliable, it's easy to use.

But also, the Pro ones are good for 500 charges? While the whites are good for 2000? Depending on what you do with them, you COULD reach the lifespan of the Pros in a few years.

 

[aznsx]

I don't mean this in a snide way, but EVERY Eneloop problem ALWAYS includes a bit about how they aren't using the Eneloop charger.

BQ-CC17 is life. It's cheap, it's reliable, it's easy to use.

But also, the Pro ones are good for 500 charges? While the whites are good for 2000? Depending on what you do with them, you COULD reach the lifespan of the Pros in a few years.

Some will laugh, but...

I use a SkyRC MC3000 and nothing less now for everything else (which is what I use most), but for Eneloops? BQ-CC17, x3, for years (since I started using Eneloops). Just sayin;-)

 

[Schokokeks]

Some will laugh, but...

I use a SkyRC MC3000 and nothing less now for everything else (which is what I use most), but for Eneloops? BQ-CC17, x3, for years (since I started using Eneloops). Just sayin;-)

Yeah, I have fancier chargers, but for Eneloops, I just use the good ol' BQ-CC17. My very first one died earlier this year, finally (well, it turns on, but just won't charge cells), haha.

 

[WC8KCY]

I also have a BQ-CC17 and agree that it is excellent. I use it to charge eneloop AAs, and most of my AAA cells.

I have about 40 AA and 4 AAA cells that the BQ-CC17 won't charge, though. The Opus chargers mentioned above works with all of them, and I have a RadioShack 23-335A battery conditioner/charger for reviving flat and reversed cells.

 

[MidnightDistortions]

Am I the only one with numerous eneloop pro ( the black ones ) dying off?
I recently picked up a Nitecore EA81 that was stored with fully charged cells and it would only run in low/medium low and when I went to charge the batteries, the Maha Powerex charger rejected 6 of them ( HIGH ) was the fault code. Out of more than 24 of these only 6 remain in use.
The white cells never have failed me under any circumstances and I have probably 60 of them for several years. I can't definitively blame the flashlight because other applications had the same demise. The same devices never killed any white eneloops.

I tried searching for previous discussions on this topic but with no luck, sorry if it's digging up bones.

How old are they? You can check the date code on them. The black Eneloop (Pro) won't last as long as the regular white Eneloop does. Generally all my high capacity cells (Eneloop or non Eneloop) fail in about 5 years or so. I ended up killing one of my EBL 2800 AA's to where there is no longer voltage and even charging them in this Rayovac charger won't bring it back, gets warm but 0 voltage.

Really I'd only use the higher capacity batteries in devices I need the extra run time for and expect a 5 year life from the manufactured date. Anything beyond that they're on borrowed time.

As others have said they generally will charge in other chargers but you may have reduced run time or lower performance.

 

[lwknight]

I did not have any flat dead cells. Several times when the flashlight would only run low and medium I figured it was time to recharge the cells. 1 or 2 of the 8 would charge just fine in the Maha C9000 and the rest were rejected. I have never had a white Eneloop rejected.

These are 5 plus years old but not too many cycles on them. At first only 1 or 2 would reject then as time went on the majority went bad. I'm pretty much convinced that the Pro Eneloops are just for camera flash units or things that you plan to just run the battery for all it is worth and not for any " stand-by" type equipment like the night stand flashlight that rarely gets used unless there is a power outage or bump in the night type situation.

I guess the Pro Eneloops are like tires in that after 6 or 7 years, the tread looks good but don't plan any long trips with them.