AA rechargeable batteries
- Thread starter Merlin5
- Start date
Tentavolt look interesting - safety is paramount with Lion and this guy showed they maintain reasonable temperatures during charging (ev manufacturers take care) https://youtu.be/Tin8nLnl0GQ?t=1034
Off the back of this thread, I'm after a new charger that'll do 18650's, AA's and AAA's. Is the XTAR VC4H any good, rather than the usual Chinazon rubbish?
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Caporegime
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I like my Xtar charger a lot, slightly different model to that but it's been solid.
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Anyone seen some good deals lately?
Not used rechargeable batteries since I was a young lad, (many moons, don't hate the old guy) So they always put me off as they didn't last long.
Just need 4/8 aa and 4 aaa, max, at any one time.
Spec me please
Or maybe some good makes I can keep a look out for.
Please and thank you
Not used rechargeable batteries since I was a young lad, (many moons, don't hate the old guy) So they always put me off as they didn't last long.
Just need 4/8 aa and 4 aaa, max, at any one time.
Spec me please
Or maybe some good makes I can keep a look out for.
Please and thank you
Anyone seen some good deals lately?
Not used rechargeable batteries since I was a young lad, (many moons, don't hate the old guy) So they always put me off as they didn't last long.
Just need 4/8 aa and 4 aaa, max, at any one time.
Spec me please
Or maybe some good makes I can keep a look out for.
Please and thank you
Not seen any deals but the best AA/AAA Ni-MH batteries are the Japanese-made Panasonic Eneloop. Can be difficult to get hold of in the UK and more expensive than other brands but well worth it. Still have my first Sanyo Gen2 cells from 2011 going strong. The other strong option is the Ikea LADDA batteries. Also Japanese made and similar performance to the Eneloops. If you already are on a trip or ordering something from there these are very cheap for what they are. Beyond that you get a lot of (old) reports of Amazon batteries being made in Japan, rather than China, but having bought some cheap Amazon batteries last year they certainly are Chinese-made cells now (so in theory not as well made).
Charger wise you want a smart charger that will not overcharge batteries. Most also come with the ability to refresh low-voltage cells that have zero volts in them and otherwise no longer respond (i.e. so accidently thrown away as bad cells). The XTAR VC4x or Nitecore UMS2/4 series are good chargers. These run from 2.1-2.4 to 3A via USB so are dynamic in their power needs. Given your use case you probably won't want to spend more on a battery tester style charger.
If you just need something for non-urgent uses like TV remotes or toys you can probably get by with some Amazon or EBL batteries (with a charger) but they aren't that much cheaper, or enough to warrant, than buying a good smart charger and Eneloop/LADDA imo.
Hope that helps.
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Based on actual data I would be considering the Duracell staycharged 2000 or varta 1600 for nimh , NOT the Ladda 2450 which provide very few recharge cycles
www.pocketnavigation.de
(and kentli's for lion AA rechargeable - rediscovered above link since earlier post )
Mignon NiMH AA-Akkus im Vergleichstest › pocketnavigation.de | Navigation | GPS | Blitzer | POIs
Was leisten AA-Akkus?
www.pocketnavigation.de
(and kentli's for lion AA rechargeable - rediscovered above link since earlier post )
The LADDA 2450 are generally considered to be a 'cheaper' Eneloop Pro equivalents, so less recharge cycles ( the same 500 cycles) but higher capacity for things like camera flashlights. The LADDA 1900mah version is probably a better 'allrounder' with double the number of charge cycles. The strength of the LADDA's is their price, here in the UK they are £5 for 4 for the 1900 version. Which is 2-3 times less than the cost of the standard Eneloops and generally amongst the cheapest you can buy. But one of the few made in Japan (FDK factory).
I can't find detailed specs for those Durracells Staycharged linked above (seem to be an old branding). But one of the reasons the Eneloops are considered the very best Ni-MH cells is in part because it is one of the few that have very detailed specifications available; BLF forum Eneloop overview page links to all of that Eneloop101 and data sheets.
In terms of recharge cycles (I've seen a number of these tests over the years) in my experience it isn't the recharge cycles that kill Ni-MH cells or indeed make them useful. I've got some Eneloop Pros manufactured in 2018 which even if I charged them twice a week 'might' be able to last for nearly 5 years. In my experience cells are more likely to die from not being able to accept a charge, time or can't be rescued from a low voltage situation. And I guess 'overcooking' them is probably a bigger risk too, particularly if put in a cheap or 'dumb' charger. I'd put more stock in the low discharge rate, something Eneloops and LADDA's seem to excel at. I've owned a number of different rechargeables over the years and the Eneloops are by far and away the best at storing a charge, long lasting or most durable. I've not had my LADDA 2450 long enough to comment on durability although so far they generally seem to match my Eneloop Pros in day-to-day use.
But again in something like a TV remote where batteries can last ages even the budget rechargeables are probably fine.
I can't find detailed specs for those Durracells Staycharged linked above (seem to be an old branding). But one of the reasons the Eneloops are considered the very best Ni-MH cells is in part because it is one of the few that have very detailed specifications available; BLF forum Eneloop overview page links to all of that Eneloop101 and data sheets.
In terms of recharge cycles (I've seen a number of these tests over the years) in my experience it isn't the recharge cycles that kill Ni-MH cells or indeed make them useful. I've got some Eneloop Pros manufactured in 2018 which even if I charged them twice a week 'might' be able to last for nearly 5 years. In my experience cells are more likely to die from not being able to accept a charge, time or can't be rescued from a low voltage situation. And I guess 'overcooking' them is probably a bigger risk too, particularly if put in a cheap or 'dumb' charger. I'd put more stock in the low discharge rate, something Eneloops and LADDA's seem to excel at. I've owned a number of different rechargeables over the years and the Eneloops are by far and away the best at storing a charge, long lasting or most durable. I've not had my LADDA 2450 long enough to comment on durability although so far they generally seem to match my Eneloop Pros in day-to-day use.
But again in something like a TV remote where batteries can last ages even the budget rechargeables are probably fine.
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Been using my LADDA 2450s in a flashgun and performance seems solid. They retain charge over long periods of not being used so recharge cycles of 500 or so is no problem as that will last me years lol. Far as I'm concerned these are pretty amazing for the price! I have Eneloop whites and Eneloop Pros (black) as well and they all seem much of a muchness.
Caporegime
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I got the same charger @mrk has but no Li-ion rechargables....what brand do people get for those?
off your good website seems duracells can be eneloop too ... my nearby rear bike light has a white top in it
DURACELL STAY CHARGED BATTERIES
Yep, there has been Eneloop's in 'other clothing' over the years (eneloop101 lists some of them) but based on recent purchases I'd be pretty confident Duracells are made in China at this point in time. Worth noting that's a pretty old thread.
As mentioned before for years Amazon Basics have been mentioned as being cheap Eneloops 'in disguise' and whilst they may have been Japanese made, for sale in a particular region at it certain at a point in time, I don't think they are anymore. The Amazon Basic rechargeables I purchased last year are made in China and don't behave exactly like Eneloop/LADDA's. I've also managed to kill 3 of them by leaving them in a toy and no amount of refreshing in the OPUS charger could bring them back.
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