Sorry! Which rechargeable AA's for Fenix L2D Q5?

[milese]

Sorry for I'm sure this is a very common question! I've searched but not found anything relevent.

I've just ordered a Fenix L2D Q5 to use on my mountain bike.

I've got some 2500 Ni-MH ones that came from ebay for a RC car a year or so ago, from www.haopengbattery.com, think this is them http://www.haopengbattery.com/en/pics/big/1158631854.PDF

Are these any good?

Anyone recommend the best thing to use?

I have seen then Eneloop's have been recommended, but they're only 2000 Ni-MH?

Are the ones sold as being 2800 Ni-MH on ebay any good? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/8-X-BATTECH-2...ryZ14951QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Again, sorry for being a pathetic knowledgeless fool and thanks for your help!

PS I'm in the UK.

 

[WildChild]

The best will be low self discharge NiMH like the Eneloop, Rayovac Hybrid, Duracell Pre-Charged etc... Those off-brand cells found on eBay have often much inflated written capacity. Also, take note that batteries from 2500 mAh and higher are much more fragile and are prone to high self-discharge rate. Anyway, with any NiMH batteries the performance will be much better than with alkaline! Enjoy your purchase, it's a nice light.

 

[saildude]

Your existing batteries should work just fine - I have some NiMH 2500's that I use part of the time in my L2D - they work fine I just don't like the fact that they self discharge sitting on the shelf - but if you use the light on a regular basis that should not be an issue -

I have changed to mostly Enloops but that was to get away from the self discharge issue that is a problem for some of my uses and the 2000 mah is not an issue for most of my uses.

mb

 

[UnknownVT]

I've just ordered a Fenix L2D Q5 to use on my mountain bike.
I've got some 2500 Ni-MH ones
Are these any good?
I have seen then Eneloop's have been recommended, but they're only 2000 Ni-MH?

If you're going to use the light frequently and reasonably long duration - then the higher the capacity the better.

However beware that that not all NiMH batteries are rated "equally" - but not to the point where they are worth a lot more money.

So I would say your 2500mAh even if it is not of the highest rating - should be more than adequate - use them until you feel they aren't?

See SilverFox's -

NiMH Battery Shootout

for a comparison - he has included the eneloops - which probably are currently "marginally" the "best" LSD (Low Self Discharge), but just about all the LSD have had favorable reports.

eneloop and other brands of LSD are worth considering if the light is little used, and left for months.

The approximate crossover point of LSD (like eneloop) to show advantage over a conventional 2700mAh NiMH (Sanyo) was about 1 month.

 

[Zenster]

I'd like to reinforce the comment that, for "constant on" use, the 2600mah would be great simply because of the higher capacity.

BUT, and I do mean a big BUT, for the 99% of the time when your light is used intermittently, any of the 2100mah low-discharge batteries such as the Eneloops, Hybrio's or RayOvacs will trump the higher rating (but not low-discharge) batteries every time.

Loss through self discharge of the standard rechargeables over only a month or so will leave them likely at a lower charge then the low-discharge types.
What this means, simply, is that if you don't use up a set of batteries within a couple of weeks on average, you will actually get more useable capacity out of the low-discharge types due to their holding a charge longer.

 

[rizky_p]

i use sanyo 2700mah and it fits actually.

 

[hopkins]

Hey milese - since you can afford a Fenix might as well place a smart NimH battery charger next to your mtn bike, in the garage, so you can pop the AA cells into it when you return from a ride.

:green:Convenience when you're bonked makes a big difference!

That way you AA NimH;s will be at max charge when you start riding
with the Fenix in turbo mode:thumbsup:

 

[RecycledElectron]

I've had good luck in high drain flashlight applications with Duracell 2650's. They check out when formed on my Maha Wizard One to be actually about 2650 mah. I've had 4 for at least a year now, charged at least 30-40 times and still hold their charge and capacity well.

I've also had good luck with the Kodak Precharged LSD batteries from Walmart. At 2100 mah, they have slightly more tested capacity than the Eneloops I have but hold a slightly lower voltage. My oldest 4 are only about 2 months old but have at least 15 cycles on them and appear to be holding up well. Eneloops are narrower than the Kodak so fit narrow flashlights better.

If they'd fit the L2D I'd use the Duracell's, I get max brightness and runtime from them.

Good luck.

 

[William_H]

eneloop and other brands of LSD are worth considering if the light is little used, and left for months.

The approximate crossover point of LSD (like eneloop) to show advantage over a conventional 2700mAh NiMH (Sanyo) was about 1 month.

meaning that if the light is used more often and charged every week or so, the Sanyo 270mAh would be a better bet than the eneloops?

 

[Rzr800]

That is basically the meaning from what I have gathered over my short period of time here at CPF (and the great people who have helped me out also).

 

[jirik_cz]

meaning that if the light is used more often and charged every week or so, the Sanyo 270mAh would be a better bet than the eneloops?

Yes, I agree with this. I use sanyo 2700 in my lights, but I have eneloops prepared as backup.

 

[UnknownVT]

meaning that if the light is used more often and charged every week or so, the Sanyo 270mAh would be a better bet than the eneloops?

Yes.

Let me give you a slightly OT example -
I have a dSLR - Pentax K100D - in all respects pretty wonderful -
except it is really fussy about batteries (uses a set of 4x AA).

Alkalines are not recommended except for checking the camera or emergencies - they're spec'd to last all of 60 shots in that camera.

Whereas 2500mAh NiMH are spec'd for about 300 shots.

However if I shoot some, then not use the camera for awhile - I can return to the camera a few weeks later to find the batteries low - or even to the point where I cannot shoot.

Along comes LSD batteries - I bought the Kodak Pre-Charged because they were $7.88/4 at WalMart, I now also have eneloops - they last pretty well in the dSLR - perhaps not as high number of shots as regular 2500mAh NiMH if just fully charged. But when I come back to the camera some weeks later - there isn't that low battery problem.

So my strategy for the Pentax K100D - is to charge up a set of 2500mAh NiMH on the day (or night before) a shoot and use those, with 2 sets of LSDs as backup.

When the camera is not used, I change the batteries to the LSD set - so should I need to grab the camera, it is always ready (remember I have a second set of LSDs as backup to those....).

I "maintain" the LSDs - by doing a topping up charge about once every 4 months or so - or if I've used them for a good number of shots.

Reference to Pentax K100D sensitivity to batteries see Post #49 (link) in the thread - K100D - "Low-Battery" Problem

 

[Sarratt]

Yes.

Let me give you a slightly OT example -
I have a dSLR - Pentax K100D - in all respects pretty wonderful -
except it is really fussy about batteries (uses a set of 4x AA).

Your OT example is actually pretty informative for me.
I just bought a Canon PowerShot S5 IS and am using Eneloops. I think I'm getting about the same number of shots as you --- though at this stage I'm not counting , simply clicking and experimenting.
If people think flashlights are complicated with batteries they should look at the myriad of ways a good camera can vary in the energy they use. (Autofocus, Image Stabilization, flash, video and on and on)

*sorry for the further diversion*

 

[UnknownVT]

Your OT example is actually pretty informative for me.
I just bought a Canon PowerShot S5 IS and am using Eneloops. I think I'm getting about the same number of shots as you --- though at this stage I'm not counting , simply clicking and experimenting.
If people think flashlights are complicated with batteries they should look at the myriad of ways a good camera can vary in the energy they use. (Autofocus, Image Stabilization, flash, video and on and on)

Thank you for kindly "legitimizing" my post

Although I do agree with what you've said -
I just wanted to point out that Canon digicams are generally very tolerant and frugal with batteries
- esp. the A-series.

But eneloops are a very fine choice in your Canon S5-IS
- I hope they give you lots of trouble free shooting.

 

[etc]

The best non-slow-discharge cells is Maha Powerex 2700 mAh. Amazing cells. In its category, they are the slowest discharging cells you can find.

Excellent results with L2D CE Q4.