Eneloop real or fake?

[Bones]

Mine have no date printed on them at all, however I didn't keep the cardboard packaging so it could have been on there.

Got mine from direct from www.amazon.co.uk, so most likely are genuine.

I agree, especially if your order was fulfilled by Amazon. However, they really should have a date code as well.

As noted by Mr Happy, it can be difficult to discern though, so perhaps the example depicted in this image provided by forum member Russel will be of assistance:



You will note the code is situated along the longitudinal axis of the cell just above the seam.

For those not familiar with the Sanyo's protocol, it's also comprised of four digits followed by two additional characters. The first two digits denote the year and second two the month of manufacture.

 

[tigervyh]

Hey guys,

with all these fakes/authentic eneloops that may or may not be easily recognizable, anyone had any problems/issues with using them? I mean for the people who knows that they got some fake ones, did any of them experience any over heating / leaking , etc.

thanks.

 

[vali]

The problem is not they are dangerous, but AFAIK all of the fakes are cheap noname non-LSD NiMH.

 

[brianp6621]

I agree, especially if your order was fulfilled by Amazon. However, they really should have a date code as well.

As noted by Mr Happy, it can be difficult to discern though, so perhaps the example depicted in this image provided by forum member Russel will be of assistance:



You will note the code is situated along the longitudinal axis of the cell just above the seam.

For those not familiar with the Sanyo's protocol, it's also comprised of four digits followed by two additional characters. The first two digits denote the year and second two the month of manufacture.

So I'm assuming that is a fake because that code doesn't look like any genuine Eneloop and there is not 14th month.

My eneloops have something like 09-09SP

 

[Bones]

So I'm assuming that is a fake because that code doesn't look like any genuine Eneloop and there is not 14th month.

My eneloops have something like 09-09SP

Hi Brian,

If you take another look at my statement as to Sanyo's protocol for setting down the date of manufacture, you will note it's actually determined by the first four digits, with the first two denoting the year and the second two denoting the month of manufacture.

Accordingly, the referenced cell was manufactured in August of 2006, and its code is therefore not itself indicative of a counterfeit cell.

It's generally presumed the last two characters, which can be either numerals or letters, are a batch code. However, I've never seen this presumption substantiated.

 

[tigervyh]

The problem is not they are dangerous, but AFAIK all of the fakes are cheap noname non-LSD NiMH.

So, for a guy like me without any testing tools, if the eneloops I bought recently, which looks authentic but may still be fake, if it acts like a authentic eneloop should, i.e. retain charge after few weeks/months, are readily charged from the pack - can let me take 100+ photos, etc., then they should be authentic?

 

[brianp6621]

Hi Brian,

If you take another look at my statement as to Sanyo's protocol for setting down the date of manufacture, you will note it's actually determined by the first four digits, with the first two denoting the year and the second two denoting the month of manufacture.

Accordingly, the referenced cell was manufactured in August of 2006, and its code is therefore not itself indicative of a counterfeit cell.

It's generally presumed the last two characters, which can be either numerals or letters, are a batch code. However, I've never seen this presumption substantiated.

Sorry, it is just from the picture, the 06 looks like a C6 so I thought the format was completely different from what I've seen and you describe. It still looks like C6 to me but that must either be the picture or the stamping on that particular cell.

 

[Rod911]

Many thanks for the update Rod911, and please do let us know what DX replaces their counterfeit cells with.

Got my replacement cells from DX, and guess what? Yup, fake - well, at least they look like the same old fake ones that I bought from there.

I'm currently running it through a discharge cycle. I'll edit this post to report back what the out-of-the-box capacities are.

edit 1: One cell has already finished discharging (took only 49 minutes). Its capacity? Only 375mAH.
edit 2: Oh wait, another one just finished. This one took 55 minutes to discharge. Capacity of 414mAH.
edit 3: Left the cells to their own devices overnight and the other two cells read 570mAH (75 minutes) and 598mAH (80 minutes). Now that they've been discharged, I've put them through a break-in cycle. Hopefully I can get the results before Saturday evening when I go on my holiday.

 

[don.gwapo]

I'm off topic about this but is this good: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IV0RKE/?tag=cpf0b6-20. I think this is older than the eneloop that sanyo offer. Anyone who have experience on this batteries? I've got 4xAAA eneloop that is rated at 800mAh and i'm willing to try this for longer runtime if it's good. Any inputs are welcome. Thanks.

 

[vali]

So, for a guy like me without any testing tools, if the eneloops I bought recently, which looks authentic but may still be fake, if it acts like a authentic eneloop should, i.e. retain charge after few weeks/months, are readily charged from the pack - can let me take 100+ photos, etc., then they should be authentic?

They should. When DX started to sell fakes the first thing people noticed were they came empty from the package or with a very low charge. That's the only way, without waiting a couple of months to test LSD capabilities, people without testing equipment ala C9000 are able to know if their cells are fake or not. At least I am not aware of another way without testing for the real capacity.

Got my replacement cells from DX, and guess what? Yup, fake - well, at least they look like the same old fake ones that I bought from there.

I'm currently running it through a discharge cycle. I'll edit this post to report back what the out-of-the-box capacities are.

edit 1: One cell has already finished discharging (took only 49 minutes). Its capacity? Only 375mAH.
edit 2: Oh wait, another one just finished. This one took 55 minutes to discharge. Capacity of 414mAH.

Ouch, that's a really big dissapointment. The first fakes were about 2400 mAh. Not LSD, but you could find some use to them. Try doing a few cycles to check if they improve a bit. Last time I found a NiMH cell somewhere in my home I got 316 mAh, but with a second try the capacity were around 1650 mAh and continued there for the next 5 cycles.

I'm off topic about this but is this good: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IV0RKE/?tag=cpf0b6-20. I think this is older than the eneloop that sanyo offer. Anyone who have experience on this batteries? I've got 4xAAA eneloop that is rated at 800mAh and i'm willing to try this for longer runtime if it's good. Any inputs are welcome. Thanks.

These are regular NiMH, not LSD. If you want maximun capacity and be charging your cells just before usin them, they can be good. The drawbacks are the self-discharge and will probably need to be disposed way before the eneloops show any sign of weakness (eneloops are surprisingly tough).

 

[Rod911]

Ouch, that's a really big dissapointment. The first fakes were about 2400 mAh. Not LSD, but you could find some use to them. Try doing a few cycles to check if they improve a bit. Last time I found a NiMH cell somewhere in my home I got 316 mAh, but with a second try the capacity were around 1650 mAh and continued there for the next 5 cycles.

Yup, my first batch of fakes first had capacities of genuine eneloops when I did a break-in cycle. However, after doing a two month self-discharge test and charging the cells back up again, they got to between 2100 and 2450 mAH.

Updated my earlier post with the results from the other two cells. Now they're all going through a break-in cycle.

 

[Mr Happy]

That's the only way, without waiting a couple of months to test LSD capabilities, people without testing equipment ala C9000 are able to know if their cells are fake or not. At least I am not aware of another way without testing for the real capacity.

All the counterfeit cells I have seen pictured look completely different from genuine Eneloops. If you put one of the fake cells next to a genuine Eneloop the differences should be obvious.

 

[ThunderDuck]

Just purchased 6 x AA eneloops from an established Korean ebay seller. Came in sealed retail packs with plastic cases included. They appear to be 100% genuine and a big saving on inflated Australian prices.

 

[constipated]

Just purchased 6 x AA eneloops from an established Korean ebay seller. Came in sealed retail packs with plastic cases included. They appear to be 100% genuine and a big saving on inflated Australian prices.

Do you have any way of testing like the Maha C9000 and doing self discharge testing.

Also do you mind sharing the ebay seller so that if your experience is good can buy from the same seller. (am also from Oz)

 

[ThunderDuck]

Apart from the visual inspection I checked initial and first cycle voltage and did a run time test to compare result with a known genuine enloop.
Will send you a PM with the sellers name ...

 

[wildbill1]

Will send you a PM with the sellers name ...[/QUOTE]
Me too if you can't post a link - thanks

 

[mfm]

Just check for some korean sellers:

http://stores.ebay.com/whatuneed4baby
http://stores.ebay.com/camera-girl

I bought korean Eneloops before and they were authentic.

 

[constipated]

Just check for some korean sellers:

http://stores.ebay.com/whatuneed4baby
http://stores.ebay.com/camera-girl

I bought korean Eneloops before and they were authentic.

Knowing sellers is one thing.

Knowing the eneloops are genuine, tried and tested and verified through self discharge testing is another.

Ebay is not a safe place to buy batteries.

Genuine sellers are few and far between. Finding a good Genuine eneloop Ebayer is striking gold.

 

[vali]

I got my last eneloops in a German Ebay seller and they were legit eneloops. At least the external appearance is the same, and the results after a refresh and a break-in were consistent with the real ones. Unfortunately they only ship to Europe.

4xAA for 9 €. They buy them in bulk and sell them in small 4xAA plastic boxes (same boxes as some reputable stores give you for free when buying batteries). That way they probably get better prices and can sell the cells a bit cheaper.

Since I couldn't get cheaper eneloops anywhere, is this suitable for adding in the "good deals" section in the CPF marketplace? (9 € is not that good in the US, but here is almost a bargain).

 

[mfm]

Finding a good Genuine eneloop Ebayer is striking gold.

Let me know when you find the first fake eneloops in korean retail packaging.