Where to find new (1500 cycle) Sanyo Eneloops in the USA

[brycenesbitt]

I'm seeking a source for the new (as of 2010) Eneloop or Eneloop Tone batteries in the USA. I've read here on the forums that Costo stocked them, but only bundled with a poor quality charger (http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=287231).

Specifically I mean the Model HR-3UTGA / HR-4UTGA with 1500 rated charge cycles (See http://www.eneloop.info/home/the-new-improved-eneloop.html noting the captions are in German, or the press release ).

Thomas Distributing does not seem the have them, nor does Amazon. The only place I've found is one of those questionable direct-from-Hong-Kong retailers, and I fear those will be cheap knock offs. Is there a known reason for the slow penetration into the USA? Where can I get some?

 

[noisebeam]

If you have access to costco, why not get the pack? You don't need to use the charger.

 

[Meku]

If you can't find them from States you can always order them from Europe. Shipping really isn't too bad here and price competitive.

 

[Mr Happy]

Unless you really want the colors, I'd snap up some of the old ones while they are available. Remember that the primary goal of the marketing department is to take good product and spoil it by making changes. Preliminary testing shows that the original Eneloops might perform better than the new ones.

 

[brycenesbitt]

If you have access to costco, why not get the pack? You don't need to use the charger.

Reason 1: no access to costco, no desire to.
Reason 2: no desire to buy then immediately discard a piece of junk electronics: that will just encourage Sanyo to produce more of the same packaged product.

Is the new Eneloop withheld from the wider USA market for some reason at this time?

Ah. Someone just posted:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=290188

 

[noisebeam]

1. yeah, i don't have a membership either. but my friends will buy for me.
2. reasonable, hopefully sanyo is just unloading them to make room for the improved version. this is a special pack, not done by sanyo, but by 'diversified re-packaging'

 

[Bapman]

Preliminary testing shows that the original Eneloops might perform better than the new ones.

Mr Happy could you thoroughly explain it :thumbsup:

Thanks.

Ben.

 

[Mr Happy]

Mr Happy could you thoroughly explain it :thumbsup:

Thanks.

Ben.

One of the positive traits of Eneloops is their high current discharge performance. They do better than most ordinary cells at maintaining their output voltage when discharged at currents up to 5 A or even higher.

Some early testing of the new Eneloops suggests that they do not do as well at this. Since hardly anyone has complained about inadequate cycle life in the original Eneloops and yet many people have praised the high load performance, the new Eneloops would seem to be a poor bargain.

 

[noisebeam]

I think I saw that test result. Wasn't the difference so tiny as to be near insignificant, or perhaps not telling until more samples are tested and tested over a longer lifetime usage of cell?

 

[filibuster]

Actually Amazon does have them and was one of the first online sources I've seen in the US for the new eneloop 1500 cycle multi-color versions..


The new eneloop packs listed above are the same as those available at Costco though Costco's prices are better.
The new packs are different from the older eneloop packs in that they don't include the C and D cell adapter sleeves.

 

[Coyote302]

Oveready has them. I got some AA and AAA a couple weeks ago.
http://www.oveready.com/batteries-chargers/nimh-1-2-1-5v-/cat_66.html

 

[Battery Guy]

I think I saw that test result. Wasn't the difference so tiny as to be near insignificant, or perhaps not telling until more samples are tested and tested over a longer lifetime usage of cell?

You might be referring to this set of tests here.

The difference is small.

I actually really wonder if the new eneloops are any different from the old ones (besides the label). The 1500 cycles is a hard claim to test.

Quite frankly, I don't see a need to buy the new ones. I will stick with the white-label "Gen 1" eneloops until I can get my hands on the new XX 2500 mAh cells.

Cheers,
BG