Question on AA Output in D10?

Okay, I'm looking hard at the Nitecore D10. I like the size and the idea, but have some questions on the output with AA, and the stated tech details.

Can I expect the same level of output from a quality alkaline as i would with other AA types? If I am going to have to step up to pricier AA for performance, I may decide to go 123 instead.

What should my expectations be with a D10 and normal alkaline batteries?

Recommendations, hints or tips?

Thank you all for your time and info in this forum!

I have a D10, but I always use NiMH AAs in it. First Energizers, now Eneloops.

Conventional wisdom (and I haven't tested this personally) is that alkalines have difficulty supplying sufficient current in 1 x AA lights on their highest settings. NiMH cells can provide higher current than alkalines. The voltage of alkalines also drops more quickly, causing the light to fall out of regulation earlier on the highest setting. This would probably not be as apparent on lower settings, where the draw is less.

Alkalines are also more likely to leak if left in the light for long periods of time, such as an EDC light that is rarely used. I've never had an NiMH cell leak.

Another advantage of NiMH cells is that you can top them off frequently. I use my D10 every single day, but almost always for short periods. I can pop in a freshly-charged Eneloop, and always leave the house with a fully-charged light. No need to try to remember how much use a given alklaline cell has seen, and no chance of being caught with a discharged cell when I really need the light. You can always carry alkalines as spares, but use the NiMH for routine use.

In a severe emergency (I live in California, so I think earthquake), you can scavenge AA cells from clocks, remote controls and many other common devices for your D10. You won't be able to scavenge CR123s. A D10 on low draws very little current, and will likely run for a time on a discharged alkaline cell.

NiMH are rechargeable, correct? I know these come in different "power levels" for lack of a better terminology. What should I look for?

Speaking of batteries in the D10...

I'm primarily running Energizer e2 Lithiums in mine. Will I get more output with Eneloops or ther Nimh cells?

Switching to NIMH is a step down in price, not up. They are around 100 times cheaper in the long run over alkalines.

Long story short, get a smart charger and Eneloops and you won't be disappointed.

prisoner6 said:

NiMH are rechargeable, correct? I know these come in different "power levels" for lack of a better terminology. What should I look for?

Click to expand...

Yes, Eneloops are rechargable. Eneloop is a brand name of (arguably) the best rechargable NiMH cell on the market today. Look for that specific brand. They can be a little hard to find sometimes, but Costco sometimes has them, some of the camera stores, and I have bought some of mine on Amazon.com. If you get a starter set of 2 x AA cells and a charger, then you have what you need for a D10. One cell in the light, one charged up as a spare, and a way to charge them.

The advantage of Eneloops is the low self-discharge rate over time. They don't discharge as much as other rechargeable by just sitting in your light or drawer. If you use your light often and change and recharge often or need longer runtime in one use, you could choose other 2700 mAh AA NiMH rechargeable batteries.

If you want a brighter output (at the cost of run time), you'd have to go with 14500 LiIon cells, but that's a whole different ball game.

Nickyan said:

The advantage of Eneloops is the low self-discharge rate over time. They don't discharge as much as other rechargeable by just sitting in your light or drawer. If you use your light often and change and recharge often or need longer runtime in one use, you could choose other 2700 mAh AA NiMH rechargeable batteries.

If you want a brighter output (at the cost of run time), you'd have to go with 14500 LiIon cells, but that's a whole different ball game.

Click to expand...

LSD is an advantage. There are many others which make them desirable.

You ought to have a look at some of selfbuilt's reviews and runtime graphs. I was just looking at his Quark review, and he happens to include the D10 as one of the many comparisons for that particular review.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/234960

I don't have a D10, but from reading his review (which you can read for yourself and draw your own conclusions), here is a rough summary of what you can expect from the D10 in various battery/power setting combinations:

1xAA Eneloop NiMH - Max output of 56 (see NOTE below) (59min to 50% output), Medium output (~50%) of 32 (2hrs 19min to 50% output)

1x14500 Protected Li-Ion - Max output of 76* (1hr 12min to 50% output), Medium output (~50%) of 35 (2hrs 39min to 50% output)

* drops to 62 in ~18 mins, then stays mostly flat

1xL91 Energizer e2 Lithium - Max output of 56** (1hr 39min to 50% output)

** stays in mid 50's for ~1hr, then drops quickly and steadily to zero for ~1 more hour

1xAA Duracell Alkaline - Max output of 56*** (23min to 50% output)

*** drops sharply to ~8 in ~30 min's, then gradually and steadily to zero over ~90 min's


NOTE: selfbuilts power output numbers are just relative numbers; they don't have any absolute meaning (e.g., they are *not* lumen ratings). Rather, he uses a consistent scale for his light metering equipment across *all* his reviews, which is handy because it allows you to make relative power output comparisons across all of his reviews.

FWIW, just my own personal opinion is that the Eneloops look like the winner to me. Yes, you will get more output initially from a protected 14500, but it drops pretty quickly to about the same output of an Eneloop, and the overall runtime is very similar. Given the safety margin of NiMH's over Li-Ion's, I would probably run LSD NiMH's in the D10, especially if I was unfamiliar with the safety issues associated with Li-Ions.

Good luck.

I am running eneloops in my D10 while I am on the road. This is basically a safety measure since the Li-ion batteries are more unstable. Don't want a fire in my back pack due to an accidental activation.

The Li-ion goes in when I get home and I top off the eneloop. I could easily just run eneloops all the time, but I like really bright, shiny stuff.

Since I travel for a living, I bring Lithium primaries for a back up to the eneloops in case I wear one out. All my 3 travel lights are AA.

Welcome to CPF prisoner6.
I've been using a D10 for about 5 months everyday as my EDC. It's great. The advice of the posters above is spot on. Use Eneloops if you can get them. I use them or another good quality low self-discharge NiMH cell, a RayOVac Hybrid. The Eneloops or Hybrids work better in the long run than the higher capacity rechargeables. An alkaline will work ok for a short while on all power levels, and then ok on the medium and lower levels if you need to use them while the NiMH's are being recharged.

I've had a few good lights gummed up by leaking alkalines, and I really appreciate the fact that NiMH's don't leak. I also like not having to throw out so many batteries.