plethora of battery questions

[The Jinx]

I started to really get involved in flashlights and noticed that the cost of batteries will soon be a problem. This led me to look toward rechargeable batteries and here lies the majority of my questions.

General Battery Questions

1. Please clarify, from my understanding mAh relates to how long you can run a certain device (in our case flashlights) . The higher the mAh rating, the longer it should run. Correct or Incorrect?

2. When using a flashlight, does it matter what the mAh rating is? Does a higher mAh rating result in a shorter lifespan of the LED and/or Incan bulb? Does a battery with a lower mAh rating damage anything in a flashlight?

3. What is the mAh rating of standard Duracell batteries?

4. What is the mAh rating of enloop batteries?

5. Any specific places (online or B&M) where you purchase enloop batteries?

Rechargeable Battery Questions

1. When using a charger, does the mAh rating of a battery matter? Meaning do certain charger only work with batteries with a certain mAh rating?

2. Does something like this mean you can charge your AA while camping? http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 It did say something about replacing with 400mAh batteries, does that mean it can only recharge 400mAh batteries

3. Are there special charger for Lithium batteries, NiMh, NiCd or can you charge any type of battery with the same charger?

4. Can you use a standard duracell/energizer charger to recharge enloop batteries?

5. Can you charge 14500 with a AA charger?

6. When dealing with rechargeable Lithium batteries what is the threshold you should not let the battery fall under? I recalled reading somewhere you should not let the trustfire 14500 to fall below 2.8v or risk damaging the cell?

7. With NiCd or NiMh do you have to worry about not allowing the batteries to fully drain like Lithium batterie?

Thanks,
Jinx

 

[Mr Happy]

I started to really get involved in flashlights and noticed that the cost of batteries will soon be a problem. This led me to look toward rechargeable batteries and here lies the majority of my questions.

General Battery Questions

1. Please clarify, from my understanding mAh relates to how long you can run a certain device (in our case flashlights) . The higher the mAh rating, the longer it should run. Correct or Incorrect?

Correct.

2. When using a flashlight, does it matter what the mAh rating is? Does a higher mAh rating result in a shorter lifespan of the LED and/or Incan bulb? Does a battery with a lower mAh rating damage anything in a flashlight?

No, it makes no difference.

3. What is the mAh rating of standard Duracell batteries?

It depends on how fast you drain them. With low drain devices like remote controls it can be up to 3000 mAh. With high drain devices like flashlights it can be less than 1000 mAh.

4. What is the mAh rating of enloop batteries?

About 1950 mAh. Unlike alkaline batteries, this does not depend on how fast you drain them.

5. Any specific places (online or B&M) where you purchase enloop batteries?

Many, many places. Have you looked at Amazon?

Rechargeable Battery Questions

1. When using a charger, does the mAh rating of a battery matter? Meaning do certain charger only work with batteries with a certain mAh rating?

With good chargers, it doesn't matter. And you only want to buy good chargers. Cheap chargers are a false economy.

2. Does something like this mean you can charge your AA while camping? http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 It did say something about replacing with 400mAh batteries, does that mean it can only recharge 400mAh batteries

No, those things do not really work as general purpose battery chargers.

3. Are there special charger for Lithium batteries, NiMh, NiCd or can you charge any type of battery with the same charger?

Yes, lithium ion batteries need special chargers. They are a specialist item best avoided in first purchases. Also NiCd batteries are no longer in common use. Your first consideration should be NiMH batteries.

4. Can you use a standard duracell/energizer charger to recharge enloop batteries?

Yes and no. Few Energizer chargers (if any) can be recommended. Duracell have made some good chargers in the past, but they keep discontinuing the good ones. Beware of cheap "value" chargers of any brand and avoid them religiously.

5. Can you charge 14500 with a AA charger?

Absolutely not, see question 3.

Thanks,
Jinx

If you want a good starting point, look to the AA/AAA format and investigate one of the Eneloop/charger bundles. Keep reading around and you will soon learn more.