Your battery stash- how many cells do you keep on hand?

I moved to a new house not too long ago; while I was rummaging around trying to find batteries for my computer mouse I discovered that a fair amount of them either didn't make it to my new place or got stashed in a box I can't find. The solution? A trip to the BatteryJunction.com website, of course! Figured I might as well make my primary annual purchase of CR123A's for my lights and some assorted batteries for other stuff in the house (eg. remotes, smoke alarm, thermometers, clocks, etc). That kind of got me wondering- just how large is the battery stash of the average CPF'er?:devil:

Most of my lights run on CR123A cells. I do of course have some that run on AA, AAA and even one oldie that takes C's (I don't use the latter much but it's a decent beater light). I opted to get a fresh set (runs on three) while I was placing an order to help reach the level required for free shipping, a not-trivial issue when buying lithium cells online. Since they're so compact I do have a few AAA lights that I use for EDC, exclusively powered by Lithium batteries. So I wound up ordering 30 x CR123A, 12 x Alkaline AA, 2 x Lithium AAA, 3 x Alkaline C and 3 x Alkaline 9v. That brings my own stash up about 55-50 CR123A (almost all Panasonic), 12 Lithium AAA, 6 Lithium AA and a decent assortment of coin cells. The one notable things I forgot was a couple of the CR2 cells that power my Aimpoint PRO.

So what's your "stash" sit at? For simplicity you can list the total number of batteries you keep on hand or just the number you keep for your most used type. For example if you mostly use AA lights feel free to list just the number of AA you keep.

This could be 'illuminating'!:devil:

Yeah just a few really, wouldn't mind more. I've got a nice little solar panel though too.
I'd skip the alkaline AA,
No that's not right. ..
I mean that I'd de-prioritize alkaline and lithium AA after achieving a basic stock of them. Same withe CR123, don't actually Use Them, but put them with the lithium AA into stable cool storage.
Get NiMH and lithium for the $, and focus on 18550, rotating, updating a set or two yearly.

eh4 said:

Yeah just a few really, wouldn't mind more. I've got a nice little solar panel though too.
I'd skip the alkaline AA,
No that's not right. ..
I mean that I'd de-prioritize alkaline and lithium AA after achieving a basic stock of them. Same withe CR123, don't actually Use Them, but put them with the lithium AA into stable cool storage.
Get NiMH and lithium for the $, and focus on 18550, rotating, updating a set or two yearly.

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I'm looking to dabble in rechargeables down the road but I don't expect to jump in feet first. Reliability is my #1 priority, ahead of economy. Some makers like Elzetta recommend against using them in their lights as the protection circuitry can fail if the battery is subjected to a lot of shock. In order to try to prevent this from spiraling down into a big debate over primaries vs rechargables I'll refrain from comparing their pro's and con's. I say count them in your total count if you like.

CR123A's power all my main lights. But I will always need AA/AAAs around. I think alkalines make the most sense for AA. After all they last pretty well in stuff like computer mouses (mice?) and remote controls. I don't think it's worth buying Eneloops for every remote and mouse I have. Sure, it might save money and recoup the initial cost after a few years but it's not really worth the time and effort for me. My alarm clock runs for a few years on a pair of alkaline AA's, that's fine for me. Ditto for my big pile o' remotes.

I checked the 50/60 box. I really don't know the actual number of batteries I have. But do know that when the light starts to flicker I have replacements. When the smoke alarm chirps I have 9 volts, when the remote requires repeated presses to work I have aaa's and when the wall clock starts running slow I have aa's.

Between my son and I we have 4 honda preludes and all can use the same style battery. So there's a spare one on a battery tender for when one of the cars battery dies. We've used it twice so far. Next time one fails the now spare will go in that car and a new spare will be acquired.

On my last count I have 4 spare 18560's, 2- 16340, 24 CR123's ( I got them in a sale and with a 10 year shelf life, figured I couldn't really go wrong even if only as a back-up) and 10 AA/AAA's eneloops for keyboard/ various remotes.

Disposables?

I always have 5 or 6 dozen SF CR123, 20 L91 AA Lithium, a dozen D alkalines.

I have new batteries and I have old batteries and as newer releases are released, I'll have more batteries.

Last set of batteries purchased, a set of four Orbtronic 3500mAh, 10A, high drain, 18650s.

I voted just a few.

For rechargeables I have a couple extra of each size that I rotate through my lights as I need to.

For primaries I have a handful but they get used a lot less.

50+
Wait, are we counting batteries IN flashlights or not? I prob have 20 batteries currently IN flashlights, then between 50 to 100 ready to go.

Pack of unopened D's for two big maglights with malkoff bulbs, 6 batteries currently in those maglights.
6ish P60 type lights, with AA and 18650's in them. BLF A6, Kronos X5/X6, Nightcore tube light, some MTE lights, assorted other AA and AAA lights. So, bunch of batteries in those lights.

3 packs unopened energizer lithiums AA. 24 unopened CR123. Couple packs AAA. 3 spare 14500 IMR, maybe 9 18650s charged not in flashlights.

Ok, maybe closer to 100?

50/60 or more.

I've been wondering when there will be further crackdown on shipping Li-ions. So I've overbought. Yeah some will probably be dead when I go to use them. The ones I use as pairs (2x18350) I run through them in pairs.

10x AA, 10x AAA, 4 AA Lithium, 4 AAA Lithium, 1x18650, 6x RC123a

I currently have 10x Panasonic CR123A; 12x AA; 12x AAA; 2x Fenix ARB-L18 3500 18650.
EDC though will only ever be the 2 Fenix ones and a case with 6 CR123A in my car.

Just one or two for each light and a pack of primaries for backup. With rechargeable cells there is no need to have a whole collection. I really dont get people that have dozens of rechargeable cells. They will just wear out from time long before they wear out from cycle life. Its just wasteful and hard on the environment. That was the main reason rechargeables were inverted after all(to be eco-friendly).

Tachead said:

Just one or two for each light and a pack of primaries for backup. With rechargeable cells there is no need to have a whole collection. I really dont get people that have dozens of rechargeable cells. They will just wear out from time long before they wear out from cycle life. Its just wasteful and hard on the environment. That was the main reason rechargeables were inverted after all(to be eco-friendly).

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This is so true. The lifespan of a lithium cobalt battery is supposedly like 5 years. So buying hundreds of them doesn't make any sense. I like to have about (6) each of 18650's and 16650's. That's it. Eneloops are a different story. Those last forever - stock up.

20-30 rechargeable cells mostly laptop pulls. I do what I want.

nonetoo said:

50+
Wait, are we counting batteries IN flashlights or not? I prob have 20 batteries currently IN flashlights, then between 50 to 100 ready to go.

Pack of unopened D's for two big maglights with malkoff bulbs, 6 batteries currently in those maglights.
6ish P60 type lights, with AA and 18650's in them. BLF A6, Kronos X5/X6, Nightcore tube light, some MTE lights, assorted other AA and AAA lights. So, bunch of batteries in those lights.

3 packs unopened energizer lithiums AA. 24 unopened CR123. Couple packs AAA. 3 spare 14500 IMR, maybe 9 18650s charged not in flashlights.

Ok, maybe closer to 100?

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Lol...I considered 'in lights' as well. But figured "stash" to mean "extra"....otherwise I need to change my vote to "yikes". lol

eneloop AA x18 CR123x 48 18650 x10,plus all my camera gear needs there own back up battery's!i'd would say i have to much for one guy on this earth.:shakehead

For my little rechargeables (10180) I have one in each light so that's five and then I have four four spares charged and ready to go.


So just a few...

Totals

8 AA flashlights (scattered around house, cars, and personal EDC) = 17 batteries in use in these flashlights (3 of these lights require 4 batteries each, the others require a single cell)
32 Total Rechargeable Batteries = Eneloop (#24) and Eneloop Pro (#8) batteries in supply = which after loading the eight flashlights leave 15 AA batteries in reserve.

I also purchased a couple of solar chargers that each charge 4AA batteries for just in case.

Not excessive IMO, but more than enough batteries for my general needs.

A dozen AA Eneloops, 8 AAA Eneloops, 4 each IMR/ICR/LiFePO4 RCR123s, 2 14500s, 2 18650s.

That's the spares list, ready to go for about twice that many in lights and other devices.