Best AA Nimh Rechargeable Batteries

[Chewing Grass]

Have used 2900Mah Vapextech ones for many years but have now switched to 2500Mah Duracell ones as the Vapex ones have become more flaky than they used to be.

Can anyone recommend other possibly better brands.

[Carl Fimble]

These Eneloop (Panasonic) rechargeable batteries get amazing reviews, and come ready charged :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-Eneloop-Rechargeable-4BE-Batteries-Black/dp/B00JWC40JY/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1539251540&sr=1-3-spons&keywords=rechargeable+aa+batteries&psc=1

I have not tried them myself, but fancy a set for my camera (AA), and maybe another set for my headtorch (AAA).

Only thing I can see which is less than brilliant is the "Recharge up to 500 times" bit on the packaging, I'm pretty sure most rechargeable batteries can take more cycles than that.

[Chewing Grass]

On 29/10/2018 at 21:27, Rave said:

NiMH, low self discharge rechargeables on sale in Lidl from this Sunday (4th), £2.99 for four (or one PP3):

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/MiddleofLidl.htm?articleId=17398&ar=1

Got a dozen (3 packs), tested 4 of them in a high power led torch manufacturer tested with 2500mAh eneloops to run for 2:45.

Gave them a top up out the pack (all read 1.28V prior) 3 took 500mAh to 1.45V other took 1200mAh to 1.47V.

Torch ran for 3 hrs before dropping off high.

Batteries then read 0.91V, 0.92V, 0.97V and 1.11V and were charged at 200mA to:-

1.46V - 2.59Ah
1.46V - 2.57Ah
1.46V - 3.11Ah
1.47V - 3.47Ah

So I think there is one not so good one in the pack.

Overall pretty impressed with them for the money as they performed excellently, will see if the odd one plays up.

[One percent]

41 minutes ago, Carl Fimble said:

These Eneloop (Panasonic) rechargeable batteries get amazing reviews, and come ready charged :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-Eneloop-Rechargeable-4BE-Batteries-Black/dp/B00JWC40JY/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1539251540&sr=1-3-spons&keywords=rechargeable+aa+batteries&psc=1

I have not tried them myself, but fancy a set for my camera (AA), and maybe another set for my headtorch (AAA).

Only thing I can see which is less than brilliant is the "Recharge up to 500 times" bit on the packaging, I'm pretty sure most rechargeable batteries can take more cycles than that.

I bought some eneloop because of the reviews. Not had much use as yet, but buy my batteries here 

https://battery-force.co.uk/

[spygirl]

I dont thinks theres a lot in the diffrent battery brands.

However, there is in the chargers.

Go for one of the fancier chargers that allow you to charge/charge to get rid ofthe battery memory.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SYM-Discharge-Refresh-Channels-Batteries-multi-colored/dp/B07HQG1J6G/ref=zg_bsnr_431408031_7?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=93G3DACV6G5X0Z8D7E51

[onlyme]

23 hours ago, Rave said:

I just use Lidl's NiMH batteries, and have done for years. Never tested them against any other brands, but they work OK, and are literally half the price of proper brands. For the last few years they've been doing low self discharge ones. Keep an eye out at Christmas, they've done packs of 8 in funky graduated sparkly colours for the last couple of years for £5.99 (AA or AAA), and I daresay they will again this year.

Alternatively, for the true skinflinterati, have a grub through the battery recycling bins by the tills, people quite often throw rechargeables in them, might be able to get a functioning set together for nowt  .

Hmm, good shout, the green duracell rechargeable (just a green ring round them) are easy mistake for a start.

[onlyme]

Another worth a look GP - used to buy them before Vapextech came on the scene and GP are still around and seem to have moved over to low discharge and cheep too.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8-x-GP-Recyko-AA-2600-mAh-Rechargeable-Batteries-NiMH-Stay-Charged-HR6-Prev-2700/292395160153?epid=28008314465&hash=item44141c1259:g:ZsIAAOSwaSZaTheg:rk:3:pf:0

 

[Bus Stop Boxer]

+1 for Eneloop. I use the black ones. 

[Rave]

By pure coincidence I stopped by the battery bin in Aldi today, and pulled out a 'Tronic' Lidl D-Cell and 2 AAs. Looked for another D-Cell but couldn't find it. When I got home my charger refused to do anything with the D and one of the AAs, it reckoned the other AA was 90% full oddly. I will do my usual and give both the dead ones a rude awakening with 12V from my old dumb car battery charger, a quick 10s blast quite often gets them into a state where the smart charger will then attempt to stick a charge in them, apparently it burns off internal shorts if they're small enough (and I guess undoes any reverse charging they've suffered if they're the weak one in the pack, the charger obviously refuses to do anything if it thinks the battery is in the wrong way round).

I have loads of knackered AAs already, I ought to have just left these, but they're usually OK for wall clocks if you don't mind the clock stopping every 3-6 months.

[onlyme]

7 hours ago, Carl Fimble said:

These Eneloop (Panasonic) rechargeable batteries get amazing reviews, and come ready charged :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-Eneloop-Rechargeable-4BE-Batteries-Black/dp/B00JWC40JY/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1539251540&sr=1-3-spons&keywords=rechargeable+aa+batteries&psc=1

I have not tried them myself, but fancy a set for my camera (AA), and maybe another set for my headtorch (AAA).

Only thing I can see which is less than brilliant is the "Recharge up to 500 times" bit on the packaging, I'm pretty sure most rechargeable batteries can take more cycles than that.

Not quite as high capacity as some and not sure about maximum discharge/charge rates. Used to buy Vapextech a lot a few years back as they seemed the best bang for buck. Amazing how many manufacturers have dropped Nimh so there doesn't seem to be anywhere near the same number of sources. See that BTI? are still going as a brand, avoid those as they were rubbish.

[onlyme]

2 hours ago, Chewing Grass said:

Got a dozen (3 packs), tested 4 of them in a high power led torch manufacturer tested with 2500mAh eneloops to run for 2:45.

Gave them a top up out the pack (all read 1.28V prior) 3 took 500mAh to 1.45V other took 1200mAh to 1.47V.

Torch ran for 3 hrs before dropping off high.

Batteries then read 0.91V, 0.92V, 0.97V and 1.11V and were charged at 200mA to:-

1.46V - 2.59Ah
1.46V - 2.57Ah
1.46V - 3.11Ah
1.47V - 3.47Ah

So I think there is one not so good one in the pack.

Overall pretty impressed with them for the money as they performed excellently, will see if the odd one plays up.

All that extra charge will be creating excess heat - should be able to detect that by touch in the charger, split that one off from the pack and use it in a single cell device like a clock or paired up with another iffy one. Good idea to characterise cells and keep them in matched packs as far as possible.

[Chewing Grass]

8 hours ago, Carl Fimble said:

Only thing I can see which is less than brilliant is the "Recharge up to 500 times" bit on the packaging, I'm pretty sure most rechargeable batteries can take more cycles than that.

Most can, the 500 cycles thing really means that the battery will retain 75% of its stated capacity for 500 cycles.

They will exceed this (no of charges) and most people do not notice the drop off, the big indicator is when they take more charge than stated during the charge cycle or will not retain it for long.

[Rave]

I just use Lidl's NiMH batteries, and have done for years. Never tested them against any other brands, but they work OK, and are literally half the price of proper brands. For the last few years they've been doing low self discharge ones. Keep an eye out at Christmas, they've done packs of 8 in funky graduated sparkly colours for the last couple of years for £5.99 (AA or AAA), and I daresay they will again this year.

Alternatively, for the true skinflinterati, have a grub through the battery recycling bins by the tills, people quite often throw rechargeables in them, might be able to get a functioning set together for nowt  .

[Kurt Barlow]

I use Varta rechargables for a variety of work equipment and have been very impressed. 

[Carl Fimble]

I'm not sure the batteries I suggested (the Eneloop ones) are NiMH, as you specified, they do sound good in reviews though. I'm gonna ask for some for my battery hungry camera, as a Christmas present from Santa or someone. 

[One percent]

18 minutes ago, Carl Fimble said:

I'm not sure the batteries I suggested (the Eneloop ones) are NiMH, as you specified, they do sound good in reviews though. I'm gonna ask for some for my battery hungry camera, as a Christmas present from Santa or someone. 

Ooh, you have just given me an idea. Should we have a dosbods secret Santa?  We could have a thread where we say what we would buy another dosbodder. Not sure how we would randomly allocate 

[Carl Fimble]

1 minute ago, One percent said:

Ooh, you have just given me an idea. Should we have a dosbods secret Santa?  We could have a thread where we say what we would buy another dosbodder. Not sure how we would randomly allocate 

Yes, that thought occurred to me as I typed that. I'm too much of a paranoid shitebag though. For those less hated by society and less bothered about the risk of doxxing though.... That would be a good idea, maybe folk who are paranoid could opt for online gifts instead though- digital downloads or similar sorts of things which don't need a postal address? So maybe two secret Santas, an IRL one and a digital one?

Do it I reckon!

 🎅 

[One percent]

5 minutes ago, Carl Fimble said:

Yes, that thought occurred to me as I typed that. I'm too much of a paranoid shitebag though. For those less hated by society and less bothered about the risk of doxxing though.... That would be a good idea, maybe folk who are paranoid could opt for online gifts instead though- digital downloads or similar sorts of things which don't need a postal address? So maybe two secret Santas, an IRL one and a digital one?

Do it I reckon!

 🎅 

I was thinking do it virtually. @spunko is this possible?  

So take the most frequent posters (can’t put everyone in as some might not be active so has to be currently active)

edit to add, secret Santa is more like a random round robin, so no pairing, each dosbodder is given another dosbodder to ‘buy’ for

pair them as you would if drawing out of a hat, so random pairings (this is the techie bit)

then no limit on spending? Dunno?

then you say what you would buy your dosbodder secret Santa. 

[onlyme]

1 hour ago, Carl Fimble said:

I'm not sure the batteries I suggested (the Eneloop ones) are NiMH, as you specified, they do sound good in reviews though. I'm gonna ask for some for my battery hungry camera, as a Christmas present from Santa or someone. 

Yes, they are modified NIMH chemistry, with the addition they they have a much lower self-discharge. The downside is that they have slightly lower capacity than the best of the old style NIHM and I think lower maximum drain characteristics - a really high drain device that you didn't;t mind have a freshly charged swap set of batteries would be better off with the old type, but if leaving the cells partially charged and then wanting to use the camera at any time then envelop is the way to go. There is at least one company producing Lithium batteries packaged in AA type format - basically with charging and voltage regulation circuitry to make it look like a standard 1.5V cell, problem is the switching components produce noise which affects some devices - a shame really is they would be a natural successor offering better overall characteristics.

[invalid]

3 hours ago, spygirl said:

I dont thinks theres a lot in the diffrent battery brands.

However, there is in the chargers.

Go for one of the fancier chargers that allow you to charge/charge to get rid ofthe battery memory.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SYM-Discharge-Refresh-Channels-Batteries-multi-colored/dp/B07HQG1J6G/ref=zg_bsnr_431408031_7?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=93G3DACV6G5X0Z8D7E51

I've been using a similiar charger for a few years now along with some eneloops - both seem to perform well.

[Rave]

NiMH, low self discharge rechargeables on sale in Lidl from this Sunday (4th), £2.99 for four (or one PP3):

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/MiddleofLidl.htm?articleId=17398&ar=1

[One percent]

1 hour ago, One percent said:

I was thinking do it virtually. @spunko is this possible?  

So take the most frequent posters (can’t put everyone in as some might not be active so has to be currently active)

edit to add, secret Santa is more like a random round robin, so no pairing, each dosbodder is given another dosbodder to ‘buy’ for

pair them as you would if drawing out of a hat, so random pairings (this is the techie bit)

then no limit on spending? Dunno?

then you say what you would buy your dosbodder secret Santa. 

I’ve thought of a way to do this. Just off to work but will start a thread later. 👍

[Carl Fimble]

1 minute ago, One percent said:

I’ve thought of a way to do this. Just off to work but will start a thread later. 👍

A complex series of PO Box numbers and dead letter drops?!

I'm keen on the idea anyway, looking forward to the thread.

[One percent]

9 minutes ago, Carl Fimble said:

A complex series of PO Box numbers and dead letter drops?!

I'm keen on the idea anyway, looking forward to the thread.

Thinking more about fedoras, macs and folded newspapers 

[Carl Fimble]

9 minutes ago, One percent said:

Thinking more about fedoras, macs and folded newspapers 

Red carnations and eagles landing, that sort of thing?

[One percent]

1 minute ago, Carl Fimble said:

Red carnations and eagles landing, that sort of thing?

I think we would do it well