Which NiMH AA Batteries/Charger?

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Mike89

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Been thinking about taking the plunge and getting some recharable AA batteries and charger, especially since I now have my TK40. I have always just used alkalines.

If I do this, I think I want the low discharge ones. So far I've come up with this:

Delkin 2300 mAh batteries here: It was the highest mAh low discharge batteries I could find:

http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/...ml?SP_id=75&osCsid=tefpolc4p0f5rjo4ebj63avmg1

and this Maha MH-C800S charger: Seems like a pretty high tech charger:

http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/...-p-424.html?osCsid=tefpolc4p0f5rjo4ebj63avmg1

Seems like a good combo.

What do you guys think?
 
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LSD (Low Self Discharge) NiMH like Sanyo Eneloops are good.

There are good Maha and LaCross chargers out there.

But I like the Sony NiMH charger (Sony BCG-34HRMF4 Battery Charger with LCD Display). It doesn't have the bells and whistles like the Maha and LaCross, but it is a smart charger. Each cell is charged individually and there is a rejunvination feature.
 
i have the larger (supports C and D) version of that maha charger. its great. just remember to hold the soft charge button when you put batteries in, for the sake of battery longevity (assuming you have the extra time to wait for them to charge).

as for the batteries... if you really need LSD, i think most of them are roughly the same, so i buy whatever is cheapest. on amazon the duracell branded ones are the cheapest i could find. if the capacity on those ones you mentioned is legit (search for it) then those would be a good choice as well.

i dont use my lights that much (i know, wtf), so i use LSD batteries mostly. im planning on buying a lantern soon to use while camping, and since i wont need that to be ready any time i need it, only on specifically planned outings, ill buy standard NIMH batteries for it because they are cheaper (you can find tenergy nimhs by the truckload online relatively cheap).
 
This seems strange. You've posted there many times before. Oh.. well. I'm sure it'll get moved.
Click to expand...

It was a brain fart, I wasn't paying attention when I decided to post. I probably still wouldn't have caught it if it wasn't for the second post.


On that maha charger. I liked it specifically because it could charge 8 batteries, being the TK40 has 8. Could do it all at once instead of having to do two separate charges. Seemed like the best one for that many batteries.

On those batteries, it was 2300 mAh, not 3000. I thought the bigger capacity the better regardless if it was slow discharge or not. Two different things. After I posted that, I read some negative views on that particular brand. Just kind of looking at my options. Lots of different batteries to choose from. Seems the eneloops get the best overall recommendation.

I wonder what the difference would be in performance/run times/brightness, etc between running the TK40 with alkalines vs the eneloops. As I said, I don't have any experience with rechargables.
 
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I would get Powerex or Eneloop batteries. The Powerex have been highly rated by the camera sites and have lasted pretty good for me. I just got a set of Eneloops to try for the LSD.

In other words, I would pick between the two. I had bad luck with the Energizer 2500's.
 
UNIROSS started making rechargeable batteries first, in the 60's, in Bristol(UK) so that inspires me with confidence, have stack loads of them, just ordered some LSD ones tonight.
Can you get this brand in the US ?
I use a TECHNOLINE charger, same as lacrosse BC900, but a, being told by someone that they are actually of german manufacture, how true I don't know, but the writing is in german and english on mine, maybe just because it is sold there.
tabetha
tabetha
 
Egsise said:
Think again.
Could it be possible that the numbers are just numbers?
Try search "delkin 2300".
Click to expand...

I did and came up with this. Subsequent cycles showed more promise (see later posts), but they never even came close to 2300 mAh. So what we have here is just a case of severe marketing… And what about the voltage, is it as high as with eneloop? Voltage is underrated. In unregulated torchlights, higher voltage means more output. In regulated (constant power) torchlights, higher voltage means higher runtime even when the capacity is the same, as energy is voltage integrated over capacity (until cut-off) on the input side, and power integrated over time on the output side.

Maybe I should put that more simply. :whistle:

I have a Fenix LD01 (1xAAA). At high mode, the rated runtime is one hour. Given that Fenix runtimes are typically based on high-capacity NiMH batteries, I assumed this to mean on a 1000mAh rechargeable. My 600mAh batteries ran for 42-43min. until brightness decreased visibly, so my assumption was fairly plausible until then. However, I just tested runtime on an eneloop (800mAh) yesterday which had been last charged about two weeks ago. The runtime was 70 freaking minutes. :goodjob:

Bottom line… a) you can hardly go wrong with the original, and b) it's easier to promise than to deliver so be careful.
 
I am also getting a TK40, and I went with Eneloops and a Maha C9000.

It takes maybe a few hours to charge a set of 8 eneloops, and I will always make sure I have backup eneloops, as well as alkalines if needed.

To me, the 8 battery capability wasnt essential, as I just have to wait 1 or 2 more hours to charge a set. The break in function was more important to me.
 
Mike89 said:
I wonder what the difference would be in performance/run times/brightness, etc between running the TK40 with alkalines vs the eneloops. As I said, I don't have any experience with rechargables.
Click to expand...

It will be brighter, and have a runtime several times longer.
 
I use the Titanium Smart/Fast charger (I got mine from Battery Junction, but, I'm sure they are available elsewhere, too) that will charge up to 8 AAs or 8 AAAs at a time. I use the RayoVac Hybrids I buy from Target for about $9.95 or so for 4. Works quite well for my puroposes, as most everything we use at work or around the house uses AA or AAA batts. If you are gonna feed the TK40. you might want to invest in 16 (or 24, depending on your amount of usage) of the batts. of your choice, and keep 8 in the light and 8 on the charger at all times. As I mentioned, it's a smart charger with a meter for each individual cell. You can charge one or all eight at a time, and it maintains a trickle charge on the ones you leave on it (it has over-charge protection as well). The best part about it is it can be bought for under $30 plus shipping. Good luck! :grin2:
 
MAHA MH-C800S is nice, specially with its soft charge pulse charging feature, the delkins ?? no comment :) thomases sells enloops :) 16 of them and that charger and the soft charge mode, would be a nice combo.
TK-40 nice too, if we can say that here :)
 
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