How are Radioshack Enercell AAs and AAAs?

[tracerit]

They're on sale for 40pack for $10 for both AA or AAA. I'm thinking about picking up a pack and using them with a lowend $20 light from DealExtreme or possibly the Eagletac P100A2.

I plan on just having the lights around the house, when i go out to take the trash out weekly, walking downstairs at night, light quick stuff.

 

[ifoxbox]

I have never used the cells myself, but a friend of mine says that they are great. At $0.25 a cell, you really can't go wrong. :thumbsup:

 

[jchoo]

I use them all the time for general-use applications. IIRC, they are made by Rayovac. They have the same shelf life, useful capacity, and build quality as any other premium alkaline cell - but the same pitfalls (leakage, sensitivity to cold, etc.) as well. For that price, I'd certainly say to stock up if you need them. Remember, most of the toys that your kids/nieces/nephews will get for birthdays etc. will take AAs, so it never hurts to have a bunch on hand.

 

[Light Sabre]

I ran a lot of battery tests a few years ago. Mostly alkaline, some NMH's, and Energizer AA & AAA lithiums. From looking at my data sheets, it looks like they're pretty much equivalent to Costco's Kirkland brand. Ok prefromance, not stellar by any means. At that price go for it, but I wouldn't buy them at the RS regular price.

Additional Comment: after seeing jchoo's message I looked back over the data sheets and would agree that they could be Rayovac alkalines.

Now Radio Shacks D Enercell batteries would be the best alkalines for search and rescue where you need the longest run time. They outlasted all the other D cells that I tested by 2 hours at .75A, when they're run continuously until they reach 0.8V.

 

[lights-out]

I have used them for a long time, and have never had any issues with them at all. They all say made in the US, and US batteries are MUCH better than foreign batteries. $10 for 40 batteries? Can't go wrong.

 

[tracerit]

should i use these Radioshack enercells or just fork over $30 for some eneloops?

 

[MidnightDistortions]

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but since Radioshack is closing down many stores i picked up some AA and AAA cells for dirt cheap. Anyway since Enercell has a strange 2AA package i got one from 2011 and another one from 2013. Since both are relatively new (as in never been used) i figured i could use them in a midrain device or at least for a little while in a USB charger (or other high drain device). Upon my purchase i discovered that the 2011 cells have either gone up in high IR or they set off the -dV on my La Crosse charger. Since i am assuming these cells are in desperate need of a break in.. i cranked up the current to 1800mA so they'll trickle charge on 100mA. Not an effective means of a break-in (considering i'm using the Maha charger for the AAA cells which seem to perform well) but good enough to break the cells in for a little bit to run a few refreshes. I'm going on a trip so i'm taking the La Crosse charger with me (i'm only taking one and the La Crosse is a better size) so i can finish breaking in the cells.

I haven't tested the 2013 ones, but i do have a question about breaking in (once the refreshes are done i shouldn't have any issues doing a proper break in with the Maha charger, or at least i want to try) should i use the capacity reading of the battery and what effects would i have if i added another 100mAh or less? Or should i just round off whatever capacity the charger gives me?

 

[Grijon]

I thought they were alkalines..?

 

[alpg88]

I thought they were alkalines..?

the brand makes both, alkalines and nimh.

 

[MidnightDistortions]

I thought they were alkalines..?

No these are rechargeables. They DO make alkaline cells, but i got the recharge ones. If they were alkalines they would have an existing charge on them. It seems these cells are HSD, around 0.6 volts out of the package.

 

[alpg88]

It seems these cells are HSD, around 0.6 volts out of the package.

it seems like they are not hsd, but "one foot in a grave", 0.6v resting is not a good thing, nimh should not be lower than 0,9v under load. i do not think they will last thru many cycles.

 

[Grijon]

Thank you, gentlemen.

I would enjoy hearing how they turn out!

 

[MidnightDistortions]

it seems like they are not hsd, but "one foot in a grave", 0.6v resting is not a good thing, nimh should not be lower than 0,9v under load. i do not think they will last thru many cycles.

I don't know what is typical for HSD cells at resting after 4 years since they are 2011 cells. I couldn't imagine there would be much charge on them to begin with. I thought HSD cells would self discharge to around 0 volts over a course of several years. Also after letting them sit on the charger for 12 hours (100mA trickle charge) they appear to hold at least 1.37 volts. I'm going to do the same process (for at least 8 hours) when i get to the place i am staying at then put it through a slow discharge/recharge cycle.

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

I don't know what is typical for HSD cells at resting after 4 years since they are 2011 cells. I couldn't imagine there would be much charge on them to begin with. I thought HSD cells would self discharge to around 0 volts over a course of several years. Also after letting them sit on the charger for 12 hours (100mA trickle charge) they appear to hold at least 1.37 volts. I'm going to do the same process (for at least 8 hours) when i get to the place i am staying at then put it through a slow discharge/recharge cycle.

Yes, HSD cells several years old will be almost completely drained, so 0.6v doesn't surprise me at all.

1.37v for a peak voltage after charging seems a little low, but it's a slow charge, so perhaps that's the reason. They sound like they still have life in them, so you may as well use them.

 

[alpg88]

. Also after letting them sit on the charger for 12 hours (100mA trickle charge) they appear to hold at least 1.37 volts. I'm going to do the same process (for at least 8 hours) when i get to the place i am staying at then put it through a slow discharge/recharge cycle.

now let them sit fully charged for a week, see what voltage they will show, if they are good cells they will still have over 1,2v, bad ones, will be anywhere between 1,2 and 0.

 

[MidnightDistortions]

now let them sit fully charged for a week, see what voltage they will show, if they are good cells they will still have over 1,2v, bad ones, will be anywhere between 1,2 and 0.

I probably won't let them sit for a week unused but we'll see what happens when I put them to the test. I know from some EBL reviews that they could be anywhere from decent to completely dead but I think they stay charged longer than a week. These cells were cheap so I'm not complaining.

 

[MidnightDistortions]

A quick update, I'm about an hour in discharging one of the cells and so far I'm impressed the cell is still holding at 1.3volts. Its better than when I first ran the La Crosse AA cells which dove down to 1.2 volts quicker. Seems leaving these batteries sit on the charger for 15 hours does the trick, but they can still fall short near the end but so far they are doing well. Dont know why the other cell is still charging though as I recharged them again after leaving them sit on trickle charge for another 3 or 4 hours. Hope that cell is ok.

 

[MidnightDistortions]

So far as of Feb 25th i was only able to get 1776mAh out of the 2011 set while i got 2033mAh out of the 2013 sets. Since they discharged well and didn't show any signs of high IR i decided to put them into service and they hold up pretty well. Even after a week they still show a full charge and no signs of high IR. The AAA Radioshack cells are holding up even better.