Home use rechargeable batteries.
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bluflaam777
Enlightened
Rechargeable Duracells are ok it seems. I have been using eneloops for about 6 months now in closet/shed/cubby holes and my landscaping lights with no complaints.
There is a gent on utoob that has about 3 or so videos on AA/AAA rechargeables. Use new, after a year and after about 5 years of use along with unused ones that sat on the shelf for a year.
Otherwise, my suggestion would be eneloops.
There is a gent on utoob that has about 3 or so videos on AA/AAA rechargeables. Use new, after a year and after about 5 years of use along with unused ones that sat on the shelf for a year.
Otherwise, my suggestion would be eneloops.
Eneloops are the best. If you have in ikea near you, their ladda cells are rebranded eneloops. And they're much cheaper. If AA, get the 1900 mah ones. They're cheaper and have much better life
bluflaam777
Enlightened
ladda is good but they don't test the same as eneloops.
you should check those vids out
you should check those vids out
MidnightDistortions
Flashlight Enthusiast
+1 for Eneloops.
Schokokeks
Enlightened
So, it turns out they're not exactly the same batteries.
Project Farm on YouTube just released his six year update on using NiMH batteries daily in solar lights, and the Eneloops were the best (by far) cells under a load (there's a thread on here about the video). Ladda batteries have changed country of manufacturer over the years, too.
Okay, so let me just link the video, cause it's a bit goofy to find:
I know people love the idea of "getting the exact same thing for less," but it's rarely true. Now, are Ladda batteries the BEST VALUE? 100%. They work pretty well, and are very affordable.
Eneloops (not from Scamazon) are, by far, the best rechargeable cells, though. They're really not THAT expensive, either, if you buy them in bulk. If you keep an eye on the "starter kit" that Eneloop sells, sometimes Target, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy have those for under $50 (they tend to not carry it when the price is high, so when they get them, they tend to sell them below $50, I've noticed). It's currently under $50 on BatteryJunction, and it has the BEST charger (BQ-CC17), 8x AA, 2xAAA, and C and D adapters, with a storage case. Buying in bulk makes it only about $3/cell if you need more. And, they last longer than their competition, so they "pay for themselves" over the next decade.
Likely, if there was ever "rewrapping" going on, I'd suspect they were buying seconds from Panasonic's Eneloop line (not that I think that's an inherently bad practice). In manufacturing, you often get products that are made that are not quite perfect, but still reasonably good, and selling off those for a cheaper cost is WAY BETTER than scrapping them. This is a pretty common practice. MOST PEOPLE do not NEED top tier performance and tolerances, so a MUCH CHEAPER second rate product is "just as good" in practice. Companies can then buy those much cheaper cells, package them, and sell them at a very competitive cost. I can never say it enough; QC is the primary driver of cost in manufacturing. It costs money to monitor QC, and every rejected part or component drives up the end cost. The fastest way to save money is to cut QC, and the best way to lower QC costs is to find a market for the "still okay" rejects.
If you want the best performance, and the longest life cells, pay for genuine Eneloops. Don't risk getting fakes from Amazon. Buy them from a Big Box store or BatteryJunction, or a specialty retailer that doesn't do weird supplier shenanigans like Amazon (I wouldn't buy them from the Wal-Mart marketplace, either) - even if/when "Sold by Amazon" or "Sold by Panasonic/Eneloop" or whatever.
If you need a "good enough" battery, and would rather save money and maybe replace them in a few years, 100% stop at an Ikea.
I have both cells, and for remotes and stuff, the cheaper Ladda cells are just fine.
Of course, if you want extra capacity at the cost of longevity, Eneloop Pro cells exist, too.
Wait, is this another thread about people NOT using Eneloops? Please let me 
and tease somebody about that.
Let me also pitch in on Panasonic Eneloop (formerly Sanyo Eneloop), and how good they are.
Eneloop white for low current devices like remotes, and the black Eneloop Pro for high-drain devices like flashlights.
Duracells are good, no question about it, been using them for years, but in the end they are alkalines. And even Duracells will eventually leak and ruin things.
and tease somebody about that.Let me also pitch in on Panasonic Eneloop (formerly Sanyo Eneloop), and how good they are.
Eneloop white for low current devices like remotes, and the black Eneloop Pro for high-drain devices like flashlights.
Duracells are good, no question about it, been using them for years, but in the end they are alkalines. And even Duracells will eventually leak and ruin things.
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Character: 1. High CRI White Deep Red Emitters: The D25LR headlamp utilizes dual LED Emitters. One of which is the LH351D 5000K CRI 90 High for a nice comfortable white beam. The other LED Emitter is the SST20-DR Red LED, which produces red light in the wavelength of 660nms which helps to...www.sofirnlight.com
Hold my beer😉....Wait, is this another thread about people NOT using Eneloops? Please let me
I've mainly switched over to 1.5 V Li-ion 14500s for flashlights. They've become much better and cheaper in recent years. The advantages out weigh the negatives at this point. For me, anyhow. I've tried Hixons, Xtars, Fenix USB rechargables, and recently some cheaper EBLs. Too early to endorse anythig, though the experneicne has been good enough fo me to say that I won't be primarily returning to NiCads for torches.
NiCads still have a place in my home. For one, the charger options are way more developed, they're still cheaper, and have other advantages as covered in this kinda' technical video. Secondly, I have an large arsenal of Eneloop AAs that is slowly getting smaller as they loose their max voltage potential.
For NiCad replacements, I don't know if I'll continue with Eneloops. While the reputation may have been well earned, there's been a lot of testing done to suggest that the competition has come a long way. Here is a play list by a guy who's done a lot of testing, over the years.
First hand experienc is that Eneloops have been the tried and true for a long time, but they do still lose voltage, capacity, build resistance, and die. Some faster than others even when careful to get the Japanese ones.
Considering my deminishing reliance on NiCads in general, I may be going with soemthing else.
I enjoy that guy's videos. His tests do show that the Eneloops retain their original capacity and voltage longer than other NiCads under load (for years), but also that the original capacity and voltage factors in. Other tests he's done indicate Li-ion rechargeables do better when performance is concerned and when considering not just drop in performance, but actual output/capacity.
Basically, the Eneloops retain their capacity and voltage longer, but they don't have much capacity or power to begin with. Ater years of greater declining performance from other options, they still may beat out Eneloops on account of the initial disparity.
Having used Eneloops for a long time (all sourced from Japan), I've also come to regard them as inconsistent when regularly using them in high drain devices such as camera gear, mobile speakers, and many flashlights. Their life span falls far short of the the thousands of cycles they might get in something like a smoke alarm that isn't being constantly set off. His test results may have been different if using a high-drain device.
bluflaam777
Enlightened
Oh, their rechargeable ones not their alkalines.
Schokokeks
Enlightened
It seems like you might be conflating NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) with NiMH (Nickel metal hydride).
Eneloops are the latter (NiMH), but with lower self-discharge capabilities. NiCd are the much older rechargeable batteries, and most of the "problems with rechargeable batteries" are attributed to those. Eneloops are still fighting the poor reputation of rechargeable battieries that NiCd batteries created. I don't think anyone here who uses AA batteries would recommend using NiMD batteries. If you already have them, use them, but if you're buying cells in 2025, just skip NiCd.
No battery maintains brand new performance over their lifetime, but eneloops do very well from my long experience with them, and I'm not alone. Even the video I linked shows they're holding their 1.2V with a 1.25 amp load. That seems like exceptional performance for cells that have been constantly cycled daily for 6 years (6 years is 2,190 days of turning on at night, and recharging during the day, and Missouri has very hot summers, and can even get snow). They're not cells for 10A drain devices, so the test and usage he put them through seems completely fair.
Honestly, I think you're the first person I've ever seen say otherwise (but you may be talking about NiCd...to which I'd agree with most of the criticisms).
I'm going to again disagree with your characterization. Eneloops are kind of famous for maintaining their voltage under load. They're so good at it, you can run lights direct drive, and they perform as if they're regulated. There's lots of talk and graphs about that if you browse through INFRNL's Malkoff runtime thread. Several people were getting into running super long runtime tests with Eneloops that had dropped out of regulation and were just running direct drive.
I mean, this is pretty impressive: https://eneloop101.com/wp-content/uploads/Battery-Test.png
I also wouldn't characterize Eneloops as having poor capacity or power. If you're not running a light at a very high voltage, they have pretty good capacity. At lower outputs (<150 lumens) they have runtimes about on par with ~800mAh 14500 Li-ion cells. I know everyone's use case is different, but probably 90%+ of the my flashlight/headlamp lumen needs fall under that 150 lumens.
And no, a 14500, after years of regular use, is NOT going to outperform an Eneloop. An Eneloop has about 4X the recharge cycle lifespan, and as I noted, an Eneloop is similar to an 800mAh 14500 (within an equivalent power band).
Honestly, I'm wondering if you've just been using Eneloops in devices without a low voltage protection, designed to fully discharge a primary cell. Fully depleting any cell regularly is going to destroy its performance.
If you think Eneloops hold up poorly to that, you should try over-discharging a Li-ion cell. I've definitely had cells catch a bit of the permadeath from a single whoopsy.
And, I think there are additional benefits of Eneloops over Li-ion:
-BECAUSE they have less energy, they aren't as dangerous (significantly less likely to explode or catch fire)
-They're easy to give to a random person without having to give warnings or explanations (especially kids)
-Significantly longer recharge lifespan (less waste)
-Consistent sizing (Do I need a flat top or button top 14500? Is it too large of a diameter? Too long? Who knows!? Better keeps half a dozen different Li-ion cells on hand to swap for whatever light I get!)
-You don't need to keep track of voltages and battery states
-They hold their charge very well in storage
-You don't need protection circuits (not always, but mostly)
-They're cheaper than Li-ion cells, ESPECIALLY on a "per charge" basis
-You can buy them in BULK
-They work with zillions of different devices
I have had a 4-pack of Duracell Ultra AA once. Utter trash. All of them refused to take a charge within 2 years.
This was when I was new to rechargeables in general, and I tried different brands. I had found Sanyo Eneloop, but they were much more expensive at the time. But after the Duracell disappointment, I shelled out for a 2-pack, and one of those 2 still works many years later. Albeit at performance measured in a couple minutes, down from 30+ (would throw it away, but I managed to mix it in with 8 others...).
So Duracell rechargeables don't exist to me.
Yes, apologies. NiMH. I confuse the letters all the time. My mistake
Gonna clarify some things.
I'm not hating on Eneloops. I've gone through hundreds of Eneloop AA cells since they came out. They maintain voltage under load and hold onto their capacity better than any other NiMH. When used in low-draw devices, they last a very, very long time.
But it's 2025, not 2010 or 2015. The calculus is different. The relevant questions to me now (and my current answers) are...
Are AA Eneloops better/more appropriate than rechargeable 1.5V Li-ion 14500s for use in high-draw devices? - NO, THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE.
Are AA Eneloops better/more appropriate than rechargeable 1.5V Li-ion 14500s for use in flashlights? - I'M LEANING NO, BUT NOT 100%.
Are AA Eneloops better/more appropriate than rechargeable 1.5V Li-ion 14500s for use in low-draw devices? - YES, I THINK.
Are AA Eneloops better/more appropriate than other NiMH rechargables for use in low-draw devices? - QUESTIONABLE
High-draw devices
Eneloops are not my primary go-to AA size battery for high-draw devices. They were always better than other NiMH or alkaline for that, but Li-ions now just seem to be better at pushing amps than NiMH. I don't have the numbers, but am I wrong about that? What's an Eneloop AA rated at vs a Vapcel 1.5v AA? Would like to see the stats.
In 2025, they're not my primary go-to for flashlights either. I still use them, but reach for Li-ions more and more often.
Flashlights and V under load
Eneloops have marginally less voltage than the new Li-ion rechargeables. Sure, they hold their (original) voltage under load. But it's still just 1.2V. Good rechargeable Li-ions are about 1.4V under load. How long until that degrades? I don't know. Time will tell.
I experience the benefit of that extra voltage as less step down when the battery is nearing the last half of its capacity. For example, I can run a ZL A with a rechargeable Li-ion on it's highest setting until the heat stops it down. With an Eneloop, the PID will kick in and for the last 35% of the battery, it will step down more and more. It also seems that the lights run a bit brighter, but that might just be in my head. I don't know. It feels like I can run it on H2 and get the same brightness as H1 with an Eneloop.
Regarding flashlights and capacity...
Is 1900mAh bad? No, but also isn't great. As you note, many good reachargable 1.5V Li-Ions have the same or more. How long will it take for those Li-ions capacity to degrade? Time will tell I guess. At best, seems like a draw on that front.
I haven't seen any run-time tests done comparing Eneloop AAs with a good Li-ion rechargeable 1.5v AA. Anyone know of one? Would be curious.
Low-draw devices are the place where I think NiMH cells still make more sense than Li-ions. But because I'd only need them for low draw and probably lower voltage uses, capacity becomes more appealing. I think the Ladda 2450 would be the better choice.
Low-draw devices and voltage under load
Eneloops retain their voltage under load for a very long time if used in low-draw devices like the solar lights in that test video. I don't know how much the solar light is pulling, but perhaps the extra .2 V after seven years is enough brightens to make the Lada less appealing than the Eneloop for that purpose.
Low-draw devices and capacity
Eneloops still have significantly less capacity than many of the other rechargeables even after the others have degraded more. In that video, how many years are they going to run that test before the Eneloop beats the Ladda? 10 years? 20 years?
Some more responses.
Yes,they last a long, long time when used in low-draw devices (like a solar light). Less so when regularly discharged at higher rates. Far, far less than the 2000 cycles. This is anecdotal, but I've been using them in high-drain devices for many years, (audio, video, and photography use). The internal resistances build up to a point where they're not even usable in remote controls, the voltage under load falls to .5V, and the capacity drops to less than 1000mAh.
Will the Li-Ions AAs do better? Time will tell.
Yes, they do great at holding 1.2V under load, especially compared to other NiMH cells. But So do Li-ions, don't they? There's another video from that guy showing rechargeable Li-ions holding 1.4V under the same 1.25A load.
I'm not so sure about this, but maybe. As I mentioned earlier, Eneloops have not held up to the lifespan claim for me. Maybe if only used in low-draw devices.
It may have happened a couple times. Not ruling it out but nothing comes to mind. Nothing regular.
Seen it happen. Scary stuff. Protected on the 1.5V Li-ion is the way to go
Agree with most of your laundry list of other pluses.
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bluflaam777
Enlightened
Schokokeks "Likely, if there was ever "rewrapping" going on, I'd suspect they were buying seconds from Panasonic's Eneloop line (not that I think that's an inherently bad practice)."
If they work, even at a diminished capacity, then they work. There's plenty of times that I just need for 'the thing' to work and I'm not concerned about breaking any usage records. lol
That's why I will often buy a good used car as a second/alternate vehicle. As long as it gets what I want done without loss of life or limb.
Besides, my Camaro doesn't haul lumber very well.
If they work, even at a diminished capacity, then they work. There's plenty of times that I just need for 'the thing' to work and I'm not concerned about breaking any usage records. lol
That's why I will often buy a good used car as a second/alternate vehicle. As long as it gets what I want done without loss of life or limb.
Besides, my Camaro doesn't haul lumber very well.
Schokokeks
Enlightened
I think we should specify that someone asked about batteries for remotes and household things.
I don't doubt the preference for Li-ion in high drain devices, but we're specifically talking about low drain devices. Honestly, most "around the house" flashlights are still low drain devices. Of course, blasting out eneloops at several amp loads is going to toast them. They're not meant for that. Sitting in a remote? Driving a flashlight at 1 amp? That's where they shine.
Most any review of dual fuel lights shows Li-ion vs. NiMH.
T3: https://1lumen.com/review/skilhunt-h150/#performance
H150: https://1lumen.com/review/skilhunt-h150/#performance
If you want a small, compact light, the AA/AAA size is really hard to beat, and if you are looking for <200 lumens, they perform great. There are still many of us out there that have Eneloops as our preferred cell.
It's just like cars. Sure, turbos and superchargers make more energy per cubic foot, but that doesn't mean there's not a place for naturally aspirated engines, even in performance cars. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Li-ion cells are not categorically, always, in every way better. There are always tradeoffs.
Eneloops definitely hold up to regular use, and I think his solar lights are the perfect example of that. Most of us have a plethora of devices around the house (x10 for people with kids) that primarily need a battery that holds its charge, and is cost-effective over a long lifespan. Eneloops are designed to replace alkaline batteries.
It sounds like you put them in a poor use-case scenario and wrecked them. That doesn't make them bad batteries, it just means you need to be mindful of what cells you're using in what devices.
AA/AAA has never been the battery size of crazy, high performance devices. It's the kind for handheld devices because they allow for such a perfect form factor. Non-lithium cells are perfect when safety and not-earth-shattering performance is what you're after. Eneloops up the ante with a great ability to maintain their charge.
I think that's why Eneloops actually are great. 1.2V. That's it. What can you do with that? I'm much more impressed with a light that runs on an Eneloop well vs. one that dumps 10 amps into an emitter for 20 minutes of overheating hot rod fun. The latter just isn't my cup of tea.
If you don't think it's capable, spend $15 and order a Convoy T3/T5/T6. It's quite impressive what you can do with one of those. I have an T5 with a deep red SST-20 I bought last Autumn, and I use it every night. I still haven't recharged the battery once. The Nitecore H11 is another single AA light that impresses. It's so small, compact, and bright enough. And, because it's not Li-ion, it's a whole lot safer. I can give these out to friends and family - even if they're kids.
I don't think every device needs to be a high power hot rod. My most used Malkoffs are the MDC AA and a 16340 with a M61WLL. Why? Cause around the house, more then 100 lumens just isn't necessary. I have a single mode M31 that I run on an AA, and that's awesome, too.
Like I said, if you just want to best value, and performance is secondary, Laddas are just fine. I use them in remotes and things for when I just needed 2-4 more batteries than I had. But, otherwise, I just buy 12+ Eneloops, and they hold up so well, the cost difference isn't such a big deal.
True. Sorry if I broke a rule, but a challenge was issued by Paladino and I couldn't help bite!
He brought up flashlights (this is a flashlight forum) and high draw devices, and I think I've been pretty good about distinguishing between high and low draw usage. Perhaps not.
I'm looking for just for a 1.5V Li-ion to NiMH comparison. Haven't seen any. You?
For sure.
It makes sense to me to use Eneloops in AA flashlights. I just think the new generation of 1.5V rechargeable Li-ion AA cells are probably a marginally better option. They are protected, have more capacity, slightly higher voltage, are faster to charge, etc. Disadvantages are there, but I believe we're gone over the tipping point and the scale is just going to continue dropping in Li-ions favor.
I rarely use lights on high or turbo, valuing the low settings more than the high. Still, I like having the high setting available to me when the cell is towards the end of it's charge. The 1.5V Li-ions allow that to happen better than Eneloops. I don't know if they provide a longer run time compared to Eneloops, but would love to see some tests for endurance. It seems it would be comparable, at least on paper.
Well, I'd never call Eneloops bad batteries. And my whole point earlier was that I absolutely believe it's best to choose the right cells for the right devices.
As for not using them appropriately, or that AAs have never been employed in high performance devices, I gotta take issue.
There are currently many high performance devices that use standard AA cells, and there used to be many more. For a long time, Eneloops were not a poor option, but the very best option. I really don't know what else I would have used from 2006 until maybe 2020. No better alternative existed. Perhaps when the Eneloop Pros came out, they were better for some ues, but the 1.5V Li-ion AA cells have completely supplanted those, IMO.
Easiest specific example I can think of is speedlight strobes for SLR cameras. They were, and still are, powered by standard AA cells. Before Eneloops came out 20 years ago, alkaline AAs or lower quality NiMH AAs were the only real options. There were external battery packs available, but they were pretty poor consolations. When Eneloops were introduced, they quickly became the professional go-to for powering speedlights. The recycle time was way better than anything else available. Energizer Lithium cells soon improved and worked comparably, but they were way too expensive when one could expect to cycle through 12 or 16 AAs on a single job.
Did using Eneloops in such a device negatively impact the life cycle of the cells? Absolutely! But for a fifteen year period, I truly don't know what would have been more appropriate to use.
In 2025 there are better alternatives for specific use cases and I now use those better alternatives. Eneloops are no longer the only game in town. This is the crux of what I'm saying.
Schokokeks
Enlightened
No worries. Most of my lights are low amperage ones, but I would agree on Li-ion for any hot rod lights.
Fundamentally, I don't think anyone here is saying only use Eneloops, what we're saying is, "For everyday AA/AAA replacements, Eneloops are - by far - the best choice." Specialty, niche uses will require specialty batteries. That's kind of universally true. It's more of a continuum, which them being BEST suited for some things, FUNCTIONAL for other things, and then not great at other things.
I think some devices can get away with AA format, but not be great for Eneloops because they don't factor in cell lifespan. If you're using alkalines, you're throwing them away, so who cares if you need to draw amperage from them at a rate that would destroy a NiMH?
I mean, if it was cheaper to burn through Eneloops than use alkalines, then it is what it is (maybe buy Laddas, haha), but then it's not really fair to say Eneloops don't hold up. I think everyone understands the lifespan is going to be negatively impacted by how hard you run them (this is true for all rechargeable batteries). And, again, if they were cheaper to use than alkalines, they were still a better option. I understand we might long for perfect options, but such is life...We still use lead acid batteries in cars. They're kind of the worst battery chemistry technology out there, overall, but boy, it's been sub-zero the last few mornings, and I'm pretty glad I've got my old timey, amp cannon, haha. That's to say, sometimes, a bad option is still the best option for a situation.
There are some threads around here on the 1.5V Li-ion cells.
The issues are:
-Poor capacity
-Radio interference
-Specialty chargers (for ones without USB ports)
Overall, due to the electronics, you essentially end up with mediocre capacity. If you DON'T have a specialty charger, and use the USB port, it's even worse.
If you poke around YouTube, there are some reviews of 1.5V cells, which highlight the issues. They're really ideal for devices that NEED 1.5V (or 3), but that won't mind radio interference. Otherwise, Eneloops end up really just being better. For things like lights, .3V isn't really going to generate enough of a lumens difference to be noticeable (25% increases aren't as impressive as we'd think; 200 vs 250 lumens is pretty much indistinguishable from the same light).
The charger compatibility issue is a big problem right now. My biggest. Hope it improves, and I expect it will. Radio interference may always be. Not sure there's a way around that one.
I'd add in questionable longevity. Time will tell.
Price too. It's coming down, but still co$t more.
Yeah, 200 vs 250 Lumens is perceptively marginal, though it does let one set a ZL to H2 to significantly improve high runtime.
Poor capacity though? I gotta question that one. The last gen of premium 1.5V Li-ion rechargeable cells (Hixon and Xtar) seem to do better than most premium NiMH cells. While I have no hard use data in flashlights (still looking), personal experience tells me they're at least doing ok.
Check out these threads on CPF:
Anyone tested 1.5V 14500 AA Lithium-ion batteries?
I've been looking at 1.5V 14500 AA lithium-ion batteries for a while but haven't found any with good reviews. I need a few for low discharge applications that don't work well with NiMh batteries, i.e. they cut off at 1.25V because of poor circuit design. I hate to keep using alkaline batteries...
www.candlepowerforums.com
Comparisons - 1.5V AA Li-ion batteries from XTAR, ANSMANN, Hixon, EBL, Delyeepow
In this video and article below, TechTest test 1.5V AA Li-ion batteries from XTAR, ANSMANN, Hixon, EBL and Delyeepow. To test these AA lithium batteries, he used the SkyRC MC3000 charger/test device. With it, he discharged the batteries with 0.1A, 0.4A and 1A. There are results as below. More...
www.candlepowerforums.com
XTAR 2500mAh 1.5v AA batteries
I was really impressed by the Soshine 3300mWh (2200mAh)1.5v Li-Ion AA batteries when I tested them, and I have been using them in place of NiMh AA ever since. Now Xtar have sent me some sample of their 2500mAh Li-Ion AA along with a dedicated charger to test. Xtar are well known for their...
www.candlepowerforums.com
Personally, last year this USB-C rechargable Fenix Li-ion has become my go-to for AA camping/hiking and travel. Rechargeable in the field, in the car, from a lap-top, and fits in every AA light I own. No complaints on capacity.
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