Welcome here, tgo! :wave:
I don't know if Li-Ion is an option (..)
NO. According to product page & manual, the Nitecore MT1A does NOT support Li-ion batteries. For
other lights that do support 14500 size Li-ion (same size as AA), it mostly serves to increase peak output. The energy contents of a 14500 Li-ion is comparable to an AA NiMH (both around 3 Wh) so in terms of runtime there's no gain in using AA sized Li-ions.
I'm not actually sure what a regular alkaline AA even is in mAh
A
bit more mAh than NiMH's, but only at low discharge current. For higher discharge currents, the
useable capacity is often higher for NiMH's. Then there's non-rechargeable lithium primaries which are better in several respects, but a) expensive and b) non-rechargeable.
For an in-depth look, see here:
https://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/CommonAAcomparator.php
However, it doesn't hurt to invest in some Pros either. Extra 20% or so more capacity but the trade off is they have a shorter lifespan than the original ones.
Note that "lifespan" refers to charge/discharge cycles, not longevity. For an application that eats batteries wholesale, lower capacity means more cycles. If batteries are discharged at a low current, higher capacity means longer time between recharges. So in terms of how long before you need to replace the rechargeables, it might be a wash (can be >10 years with good NiMH's if you don't abuse them).
Many here (including myself) will recommend the regular Eneloops which are 'good enough' and more cost-effective compared to the -Pro's. Or the Eneloop Pro's if cost doesn't matter much but the extra capacity does. For both the regular Eneloops and the Pro's there exist other batteries in the market which are
suspected to come from same factories, or built using the same technology / quality control.
Essentially the same thing just with a different wrapper (and price tag
). For example some Duracell branded ones ("Duraloops"), from what I've read perhaps even Amazon Basics too, and for myself I ordered some
Fujitsu Pro which I
suspect to perform similar to Eneloop Pro's (if not from the same factory
), only cheaper. I already have some 'white' Fujitsu branded NiMH's, which afaict behave the same as Eneloops.
In any case you want to get
low-
self-
discharge NiMH's. Things to look for: "pre-charged", "ready to use", "85% charge after 1 year" and similar claims on the package. These are generally higher quality than the non-LSD NiMH's of the old days, and yes... don't discharge themselves as quickly. Only exception might be if you want a few extra mAh's and you have an application where the batteries are recharged literally on a daily basis. But even then the Eneloop Pro's might be a better choice.
Bottom line: Eneloops! :bow: Eneloop Pro if you don't mind the higher cost. Or do some research if you want similar quality for fewer $.