Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Rechargeable consumer batteries for applications like a portable radio, remote control, camera, etc.. are like toothpaste in that there are so many choices out there with different mAh ratings, it's really confusing. For those of you who use rechargeable batteries in the applications I have mentioned, how many recharges/uses do you obtain from one battery and what mAh rating and brand do you use? Thank you.
- willthrill81
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Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Eneloop batteries (AA and AAA) are the standard. They can be recharged over 2,000 times. You'll never reach that point.
Be sure to get the ones made in Japan if you buy them on Amazon. Costco sells them too, IIRC.
Be sure to get the ones made in Japan if you buy them on Amazon. Costco sells them too, IIRC.
The Sensible Steward
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
I use Eneloops. I have never had to throw one away because they are still working. For my my bike lights, I recharge every 3 days and those batteries must be at least 5 years old. I have a decent charger La Crosse BC700.
I also have a number of Li-Ion rechargeable devices (headlamps, GPS, power banks). I do not expect them to fail in my lifetime.
I also have a number of Li-Ion rechargeable devices (headlamps, GPS, power banks). I do not expect them to fail in my lifetime.
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
I have a wireless keyboard that uses AA batteries that I use rechargeable's in. I'm pretty cheap and willing to accept lower quality. The power drain from my remote control keyboard is very low. I use the below from Harbor Freight, not going to claim they're the best (don't have much to compare too), but at the price level it's not even something I think much about:
THUNDERBOLT MAGNUM AA High Capacity NiMH Rechargeable Batteries, 4 Pk. ($7.99 current list price)
https://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of-4 ... 97866.html
with
THUNDERBOLT MAGNUM Slim Wall Mount Battery Charger ($5.49 current list price)
https://www.harborfreight.com/slim-wall ... 62154.html
If you go that route, be sure to wait for a sale or a coupon (usually advertised on their facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/harborfreight/
I think there's currently a code for 30% off all items under $10 this week only (but there's a new sale every other week or so)
THUNDERBOLT MAGNUM AA High Capacity NiMH Rechargeable Batteries, 4 Pk. ($7.99 current list price)
https://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of-4 ... 97866.html
with
THUNDERBOLT MAGNUM Slim Wall Mount Battery Charger ($5.49 current list price)
https://www.harborfreight.com/slim-wall ... 62154.html
If you go that route, be sure to wait for a sale or a coupon (usually advertised on their facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/harborfreight/
I think there's currently a code for 30% off all items under $10 this week only (but there's a new sale every other week or so)
"To achieve satisfactory investment results is easier than most people realize; to achieve superior results is harder than it looks." - Benjamin Graham
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
+1 on Eneloops
but be sure to get them from a reliable source since there are counterfeits out there.
but be sure to get them from a reliable source since there are counterfeits out there.
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Panasonic eneloop 2100 cycle 2000mAh. An 8-pack of AA currently can be had for $19 without the charger. The first time I used this brand, there was a noticeable decrease in performance with intense camera usage over a couple of years. I can't remember how long before I got rid of them, but that was a long time ago (> 15 years). Most recently, I've been using a new set for battery operated lights and lower-draw devices without issue for the past two years. I recommend the 3-4 hour charger rather than the 7-8 hour charger.
Perhaps it is unwarranted, but I would not buy just any charger/batteries for fear of a fire hazard, though I suppose even the "good" ones can be faulty.
Perhaps it is unwarranted, but I would not buy just any charger/batteries for fear of a fire hazard, though I suppose even the "good" ones can be faulty.
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
+1, Eneloops are the best, no reason to consider anything else.willthrill81 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 7:34 pm Eneloop batteries (AA and AAA) are the standard. They can be recharged over 2,000 times. You'll never reach that point.
Be sure to get the ones made in Japan if you buy them on Amazon. Costco sells them too, IIRC.
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
I've been thinking about rechargeable batteries for my wireless mouse and keyboard. Rechargeable batteries start at 1.2 volts compared to 1.5 volts for standard batteries. Will this cause any problems with these type of devices?
- willthrill81
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Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
In my experience, only rarely. We have a carbon monoxide detector that only runs a couple of months on Eneloops before it starts chirping. Everything else we have tried Eneloops with works perfectly.
The Sensible Steward
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Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
In my experience, sometimes. For those devices, I bought some AA batteries that are USB rechargeable. What is unique about these is that internally they are 3.5 or 5 volts (I forget) and they have a voltage regulator inside to deliver 1.5 volts. They last longer between charges and work well for sensitive devices, like the wand controllers for my VR headset I used to have. These batteries have a port on the side and plugged into a special USB cable. They do not use a separate charger that you put the batteries in like regular rechargeable batteries.
Search for "rechargeable aa batteries USB" and you'll get some hits. The ones I use aren't made anymore. But still work fine. Sorry I can't recommend any of the newer ones since I haven't used them.
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Do eneloop batteries need a specific "eneloop" type battery charger or will any Ni-MH battery charger (such as one that might have been included with a big name brand digital camera) effectively charge eneloop NI-MH batteries?
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Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Eneloops come with their own charger, but any charger that’s for the right chemistry should work.
Big name digital cameras usually come with proprietary sized batteries. You’ll either have to get an OEM battery from the manufacturer, or the right sized knockoffs from Amazon. I’ve had good luck with Wasabi brand.
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
These are low draw devices and the best type of application for the lower voltage nimh rechargeable.
There was/is a big battery community that used to geek over sanyo/panasonic/eneloops, and then it was the right color of amazonbasics, and then the heuristic was anything made in japan because its supposed to be the same factory that manufactures the above…
But you know what, ikea ladda are fantastic and well priced
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Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Eneloops are the easy choice. Unless you really need the 20% longer runtime per charge, stick with the standard capacity versions (750-800 mAh for AAA and 1900-2000 mAh for AA). Not only is the rated cycle life longer, but they're more tolerant of use differing from the nominal test conditions than the high capacity cells .
The Ikea rechargeable are also made in Japan and another good choice if you want to save money.
Don't stress if you can can't find made in Japan cells. Even the made in China cells are still a far better value than alkaline cells.
The Eneloop brand chargers bundled in kits are usually good, although rather slow, like the BQ-CC75. The current Ikea charger (Stenkol) also looks good, whereas some of their older chargers were dumb chargers.
With that said, they also usually work fine in low drain applications, too. I've had a set of Eneloops in a wireless mouse for close to a decade, I believe, with no issues. I just charge them when the LED indicator starts blinking red, and otherwise don't have to think about them.
The Ikea rechargeable are also made in Japan and another good choice if you want to save money.
Don't stress if you can can't find made in Japan cells. Even the made in China cells are still a far better value than alkaline cells.
You should get a smart charger that monitors and controls the charging of each cell individually. The labels don't always give clear details, but in general, they will be labeled as supporting any number of cells, and don't care if you charge AA or AAA at the same time. If they require you to charge 2 or 4 cells at a time, it is almost certainly a dumb charger that will routinely overcharge the cells. Standard capacity low self discharge cells are pretty tolerant of this, but it's not ideal.
The Eneloop brand chargers bundled in kits are usually good, although rather slow, like the BQ-CC75. The current Ikea charger (Stenkol) also looks good, whereas some of their older chargers were dumb chargers.
Under most conditions, a 1.2V (approximate average over the discharge of the cell) NiMH cell has a higher voltage than a 1.5V (when almost fully charged) alkaline cell, and the NiMH cells will outperform alkaline in high drain applications due to the voltage not sagging as much under load. They're also far, far less likely to leak and damage your device under high loads than alkaline cells.
With that said, they also usually work fine in low drain applications, too. I've had a set of Eneloops in a wireless mouse for close to a decade, I believe, with no issues. I just charge them when the LED indicator starts blinking red, and otherwise don't have to think about them.
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
I decided to purchase the Panasonic K-KJ17MCA4BA Advanced Individual Cell Battery Charger Pack with 4 AA eneloop 2100 Cycle Rechargeable Batteries.iamlucky13 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 09, 2022 5:57 pm Eneloops are the easy choice. Unless you really need the 20% longer runtime per charge, stick with the standard capacity versions (750-800 mAh for AAA and 1900-2000 mAh for AA). Not only is the rated cycle life longer, but they're more tolerant of use differing from the nominal test conditions than the high capacity cells .
The Ikea rechargeable are also made in Japan and another good choice if you want to save money.
Don't stress if you can can't find made in Japan cells. Even the made in China cells are still a far better value than alkaline cells.
You should get a smart charger that monitors and controls the charging of each cell individually. The labels don't always give clear details, but in general, they will be labeled as supporting any number of cells, and don't care if you charge AA or AAA at the same time. If they require you to charge 2 or 4 cells at a time, it is almost certainly a dumb charger that will routinely overcharge the cells. Standard capacity low self discharge cells are pretty tolerant of this, but it's not ideal.
The Eneloop brand chargers bundled in kits are usually good, although rather slow, like the BQ-CC75. The current Ikea charger (Stenkol) also looks good, whereas some of their older chargers were dumb chargers.
Under most conditions, a 1.2V (approximate average over the discharge of the cell) NiMH cell has a higher voltage than a 1.5V (when almost fully charged) alkaline cell, and the NiMH cells will outperform alkaline in high drain applications due to the voltage not sagging as much under load. They're also far, far less likely to leak and damage your device under high loads than alkaline cells.
With that said, they also usually work fine in low drain applications, too. I've had a set of Eneloops in a wireless mouse for close to a decade, I believe, with no issues. I just charge them when the LED indicator starts blinking red, and otherwise don't have to think about them.
I have used them in my portable AM/FM/Cassette player (yes, you're probably laughing, but there is out of print music only on cassette) and fancy remote that controls many devices.
For some reason, the batteries don't last that long in the portable cassette player about 8 hours over 3 days or 4 hours over a 2 week period. If I use the portable cassette player for 4 hours one day and then don't use it for another 2 weeks, then the batteries will show up in the yellow zone on my battery tester and the batteries will not have enough power to power on the device for more than 1 minute.
I have not had any issues after 1.5 months with using these batteries in a fancy remote control.
Could it be that these Panasonic Eneloop's don't have enough mAH to power a portable cassette player and that the Pansonic Eneloop Pro is better suited for that application?
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
I use EBL rechargeable batteries that are sold on Amazon. I am using the D-cells.
https://www.amazon.com/EBL-10000mAh-Rec ... 607&sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.com/EBL-10000mAh-Rec ... 607&sr=1-1
- nisiprius
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Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Anyone have any idea what the name "Eneloop" is supposed to suggest? "Ene-" for "energy," I guess, but what is "loop" for?
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Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Here is a page that I found from the eneloop wikipedia page:
https://web.archive.org/web/20141129145 ... eloop.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20141129145 ... eloop.html
eneloop archived page wrote:eneloop – Clean Energy Loop
eneloop creates a clean „Energy Loop“ by being pre-charged at the Japanese factory with clean, renewable solar energy, which makes eneloop even more environmentally friendly.
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
I have Panasonic Eneloop , Fujitsu, Tenergy, and Rayovac rechargeable batteries.
All the Tenergy ones fell apart. I bought 8.
I sent them an email and they accused me of mistreating them by forcing the batteries into place.
Nevermind that the Panasonic and Fujitsu ones did not have the same problem when used in the same portable lights.
The Rayovac ones leaked.
I bought them at Walmart. They are made in China.
I sent them an email and they wanted me several photos from different angle of the batteries.
From what I can tell, that is their delay tactic.
All the Tenergy ones fell apart. I bought 8.
I sent them an email and they accused me of mistreating them by forcing the batteries into place.
Nevermind that the Panasonic and Fujitsu ones did not have the same problem when used in the same portable lights.
The Rayovac ones leaked.
I bought them at Walmart. They are made in China.
I sent them an email and they wanted me several photos from different angle of the batteries.
From what I can tell, that is their delay tactic.
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Nyc10036 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 8:27 am I have Panasonic Eneloop , Fujitsu, Tenergy, and Rayovac rechargeable batteries.
All the Tenergy ones fell apart. I bought 8.
I sent them an email and they accused me of mistreating them by forcing the batteries into place.
Nevermind that the Panasonic and Fujitsu ones did not have the same problem when used in the same portable lights.
The Rayovac ones leaked.
I bought them at Walmart. They are made in China.
I sent them an email and they wanted me several photos from different angle of the batteries.
From what I can tell, that is their delay tactic.
In addition to portable lights, did you use the Panasonic Eneloops in any other devices?
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Not really. I use them in motion-activated LED lights throughout the house.
I have about ten of them. Some purchased at Walmart and others purchased elsewhere.
Some of the lights take AA and others take AAA.
The Eneloops and the Fujitsu ones are terrific.
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Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Enelopes: we use for heavy flash photography applications . . heavy current drain.DTalos wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 7:33 pm Rechargeable consumer batteries for applications like a portable radio, remote control, camera, etc.. are like toothpaste in that there are so many choices out there with different mAh ratings, it's really confusing. For those of you who use rechargeable batteries in the applications I have mentioned, how many recharges/uses do you obtain from one battery and what mAh rating and brand do you use? Thank you.
Be sure to get the proper charger for them as well.
Ours have lasted for many years.
j
** However, for critical use, always have a box/handful of brand new Duracell/Energizer/etc, batteries as backup.
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Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
That's a good starter kit. The BQ-CC17 charger it includes is rather slow (~7 hour charge time), but is a reliable smart charger.DTalos wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 5:56 pmI decided to purchase the Panasonic K-KJ17MCA4BA Advanced Individual Cell Battery Charger Pack with 4 AA eneloop 2100 Cycle Rechargeable Batteries.
I have used them in my portable AM/FM/Cassette player (yes, you're probably laughing, but there is out of print music only on cassette) and fancy remote that controls many devices.
For some reason, the batteries don't last that long in the portable cassette player about 8 hours over 3 days or 4 hours over a 2 week period. If I use the portable cassette player for 4 hours one day and then don't use it for another 2 weeks, then the batteries will show up in the yellow zone on my battery tester and the batteries will not have enough power to power on the device for more than 1 minute.
I have not had any issues after 1.5 months with using these batteries in a fancy remote control.
Could it be that these Panasonic Eneloop's don't have enough mAH to power a portable cassette player and that the Pansonic Eneloop Pro is better suited for that application?
You should expect about 20-25% longer run time if you use Eneloop Pro's.
Battery testers designed for alkaline batteries don't give a very accurate reading for NiMH rechargeables, because even mostly full their voltage makes them appear half empty, and they'll continue to appear half empty until they're nearly depleted. But the fact that your device will only run for a minute after sitting for a couple weeks makes it more or less clear that they are empty.
Are you using them in a little Sony Walkman type device that only runs on batteries and requires headphones, or one of the bigger cassette player/recorders a lot of offices used to have that can run on batteries or powered by an AC adapter, and has a built-in speaker?
The fact that your batteries will last 8 hours of frequent use versus 4 hours of intermittent use makes me suspect your cassette player has some standby drain. That's not typical of cassette players in my experience, but it's also not typical of Eneloops to lose charge while sitting. I would check to see if there is separate power switch to be sure to shut off when not in use. I think some cassette players seem off when you push "stop," because the motor is not running, but the electronics could remains on, amplifying the sound of nothing (maybe some static audible if the volume is turned all the way up) unless the power switch is moved to off.
Do you have an idea how long the cassette player runs on alkalines? A device that does not draw much current, but is sensitive about minimum voltage, might run longer on alkalines than Eneloops, but probably leaves a lot of charge unused in either battery. If this is the case, you'd probably get the best overall performance from the Energizer Ultimate Lithium disposable batteries, but those are expensive, so I wouldn't bother unless frequently charging the Eneloops is problematic.
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Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
Off the top of my head, I use mine in a bunch of different flashlights and LED candles, a camera flash, a Logitech Harmony remote, a Roku remote, a wireless mouse, a label printer, and a couple cheap motorized toys for my kids.
They work fine for me in all these applications, but the Roku remote seems to leave quite a bit of charge unused when it stops working (still around 1.2V). Since that takes 6 months or so, it's not a worry for me.
Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
We have been using Eneloop (now Panasonic) NiMH batteries for more than 15 years. We have over 200 AA and over 50 AAA batteries and after all these years, not one of them has ever failed.
We have both the Sanyo charger which requires them to be charged in same pairs and the Panasonic charger which lets you charge them individually. Initial ones were purchased at Costco, others at Newegg and the bulk at Amazon.
Can't say enough good things about them. We have a Sony portable AM/FM/Cassette Deck that uses 6 D-Cells and we use the AA Eneloop with the D-Spacer and it works for a long time. Every once in a while when we open something that has batteries in it we're surprised it has the Eneloop in it. Even my DSLR camera which uses 4 AA's in the flash and 4 C's (AA's with spacers) in the flash assembly and a pair of AA's in the Canon A14 Powershot.
We have both the Sanyo charger which requires them to be charged in same pairs and the Panasonic charger which lets you charge them individually. Initial ones were purchased at Costco, others at Newegg and the bulk at Amazon.
Can't say enough good things about them. We have a Sony portable AM/FM/Cassette Deck that uses 6 D-Cells and we use the AA Eneloop with the D-Spacer and it works for a long time. Every once in a while when we open something that has batteries in it we're surprised it has the Eneloop in it. Even my DSLR camera which uses 4 AA's in the flash and 4 C's (AA's with spacers) in the flash assembly and a pair of AA's in the Canon A14 Powershot.
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Re: Rechargeble Consumer Batteries
iamlucky13 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 3:27 pmThat's a good starter kit. The BQ-CC17 charger it includes is rather slow (~7 hour charge time), but is a reliable smart charger.DTalos wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 5:56 pmI decided to purchase the Panasonic K-KJ17MCA4BA Advanced Individual Cell Battery Charger Pack with 4 AA eneloop 2100 Cycle Rechargeable Batteries.
I have used them in my portable AM/FM/Cassette player (yes, you're probably laughing, but there is out of print music only on cassette) and fancy remote that controls many devices.
For some reason, the batteries don't last that long in the portable cassette player about 8 hours over 3 days or 4 hours over a 2 week period. If I use the portable cassette player for 4 hours one day and then don't use it for another 2 weeks, then the batteries will show up in the yellow zone on my battery tester and the batteries will not have enough power to power on the device for more than 1 minute.
I have not had any issues after 1.5 months with using these batteries in a fancy remote control.
Could it be that these Panasonic Eneloop's don't have enough mAH to power a portable cassette player and that the Pansonic Eneloop Pro is better suited for that application?
You should expect about 20-25% longer run time if you use Eneloop Pro's.
Battery testers designed for alkaline batteries don't give a very accurate reading for NiMH rechargeables, because even mostly full their voltage makes them appear half empty, and they'll continue to appear half empty until they're nearly depleted. But the fact that your device will only run for a minute after sitting for a couple weeks makes it more or less clear that they are empty.
Are you using them in a little Sony Walkman type device that only runs on batteries and requires headphones, or one of the bigger cassette player/recorders a lot of offices used to have that can run on batteries or powered by an AC adapter, and has a built-in speaker?
The fact that your batteries will last 8 hours of frequent use versus 4 hours of intermittent use makes me suspect your cassette player has some standby drain. That's not typical of cassette players in my experience, but it's also not typical of Eneloops to lose charge while sitting. I would check to see if there is separate power switch to be sure to shut off when not in use. I think some cassette players seem off when you push "stop," because the motor is not running, but the electronics could remains on, amplifying the sound of nothing (maybe some static audible if the volume is turned all the way up) unless the power switch is moved to off.
Do you have an idea how long the cassette player runs on alkalines? A device that does not draw much current, but is sensitive about minimum voltage, might run longer on alkalines than Eneloops, but probably leaves a lot of charge unused in either battery. If this is the case, you'd probably get the best overall performance from the Energizer Ultimate Lithium disposable batteries, but those are expensive, so I wouldn't bother unless frequently charging the Eneloops is problematic.
Thank you for the comprehensive reply. I am using them in a digital Walkman that probably does have some standby drain because there is a clock and memory presets, so that might explain the faster battery drain. The same Walkman would run about 16 house on alkaline batteries. Single use alkaline batteries have really increased in price this past year, so the Eneloops are a better value.