Eneloop vs Recyko+ batteries

[Genie47]

I came back from Bangkok with my kids. The stay at Empire Place was good but what let me down was my batteries. I was using Energizer lithiums to power my P&S.

 

They were in there since Oct last year when I visited Melbourne. They ran out of juice on the 2nd day in Bangkok. They are great. Long life but still they ran out.

 

So I bought the usual e2 Energizers and they didn't even last a day of heavy shooting.

 

I decided to get rechargeables. I liked the idea of a ready-to-use rechargeable that didn't lose its power so was looking at the Eneloops. Then the GP Recyko+ also caught my eye for beaing more affordable.

 

The Eneloop family pack was 79.90 with 4X AA and 4X AAA with 2X C adaptors and 2X D adaptors.

 

Recyko+ is going for 65.30 with 4X AA and 4X AAA. Not a package but you just buy the batteries after the getting the charger with 2X AA and 2X AAA.

 

I went back to research. This website says it all.

 

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=223842

 

I got the Recyko+ batteries and charger.

 

I know the MAHAs are great but I don't need them.

 

If you read further into the thread, the best rechargeables are the Rayovac 1600mAh ones. Someone has been using them since 2001!

[Kb27]

I got some Sony NiMH passed to me by someone.

Some were bad and unable to be charged by the Sanyo or GP chargers that came with the batteries.

 

In the end, I managed to get a Maha charger to restore the "bad" batteries.

 

I'm a convert for smart charger like the Mahas.

[Shull]

For real heavy duty usage, i'd recommend either MAHA Powerex or Eneloop..i've been using them in my external flash ever since my Sanyo 2300mah died on me..so far, both never failed to let me down..i shot a wedding in mid dec, and the same set of batteries are still usable during CNY without charging... [thumbsup]

Edited February 17, 2010 by Shull

[Genie47]

The C9000 is very good as a charger.

[Parkingidiot]

Do you guys use your rechargeable batteries for many purposes? or just a one or two needs like camera and flash batteries?

If using for many purposes, it generally means the batteries would be scattered around the house. How to remember and keep track of where each battery is, esp when you need to recharge.

 

I found myself in this dilemma with my first set of rechargeables several years ago. I first bought 4 of them because I needed for my camera flash. After a session of taking photos, I put the camera kit aside for some time. I had removed the batteries, of course. Then one day I needed 2 batteries for my electric toothbrush. Thus I recharged and used 2 of the batteries. The I needed 2 more batteries for a torch. I left the batteries in there after use.... and then forgot about them. After some time when I wanted to use the camera again - I could not remember where the heck the batteries were. And, ironically, in an unrelated spring cleaning exercise my wife had thrown away the old electric toothbrush and torch (together with the batteries) - so I could never be sure where the batteries finally were. Thus, I went and bought new ones.

 

Now I have 8 x AA and 4 x AAA Recykos. I labelled them each. And I keep a tracking card with the charger - where I note in pencil in which device I current use the batteries. Everytime I use them again after charging, I update the tracking card. Thus I am able to keep my senility in check.

 

 

[Kb27]

I have a Maha C401FS from eastgear.com. I loved that charger.

 

By the way, this website rated Enerloop highly.

http://www.metaefficient.com/rechargeable-...y-chargers.html

 

I like this website too as it's geared towards finding efficiencies in products.

[Genie47]

Those guys at CPF really researched a lot.

 

The Eneloops got higher resistance and can hold their power until almost the end then drop off.

 

The Recyko+s are lower resistance and can hold half-charge and keep going before dying.

 

They measured nearly everything!

 

They also investigated everything like how Hybrios are actually Eneloops in disguise and Kodak precharged are actually Recyko+s.

 

They got links to some threads about the BC900 and its problems. They kept talking about the high pitch sound and someting about the mosfets.

[Genie47]

I'm also using the charger for the DECT phone AAA batteries. The DECT phone charger is hyper-useless and burns up the batteries badly.

 

So I'm using the charger to charge up the AAA batteries and replacing them when the DECT phone runs out of battery.

 

Among other things, it is for the P&S camera, remote controls etc. I think the cheaper Eneloop light usage ones should do for them well since they are also cheaper than the Recyko+ batteries of the same size.

 

The plastic tackle box for batteries from Daiso is very useful to keep them.

[Djcoolmax]

I have all 3 brands... PowerEx, GP and Sanyo. All not bad. GP is the cheapest though.

[Shull]

Do you guys use your rechargeable batteries for many purposes? or just a one or two needs like camera and flash batteries?

If using for many purposes, it generally means the batteries would be scattered around the house. How to remember and keep track of where each battery is, esp when you need to recharge.

 

I found myself in this dilemma with my first set of rechargeables several years ago. I first bought 4 of them because I needed for my camera flash. After a session of taking photos, I put the camera kit aside for some time. I had removed the batteries, of course. Then one day I needed 2 batteries for my electric toothbrush. Thus I recharged and used 2 of the batteries. The I needed 2 more batteries for a torch. I left the batteries in there after use.... and then forgot about them. After some time when I wanted to use the camera again - I could not remember where the heck the batteries were. And, ironically, in an unrelated spring cleaning exercise my wife had thrown away the old electric toothbrush and torch (together with the batteries) - so I could never be sure where the batteries finally were. Thus, I went and bought new ones.

 

Now I have 8 x AA and 4 x AAA Recykos. I labelled them each. And I keep a tracking card with the charger - where I note in pencil in which device I current use the batteries. Everytime I use them again after charging, I update the tracking card. Thus I am able to keep my senility in check.

 

i use those permanent CD markers to label my batteries as a set. eg, A1 is 1 pair, A2 is another pair. A1+A2 makes up a set of 4..so on and so forth..

[Kb27]

So far, I haven't any system for using the batteries.

But I got a battery box from Daiso to keep them temporarily, so they are not scattered all over.

 

I have a couple of brands from GP, Eneloop, Sony and PowerEx. So far none has failed yet. I guess I haven't abuse them enough.

 

 

[Genie47]

The DECT phone chargers themselves abuse the AAA batteries like nothing. I would highly advise against charging with the DECT phone base.

 

Use an external charger for the DECT phones that use AAA batteries.

[Etnt]

Yah, those guys at CPF are nuts. But then, when one is crazy about lights, it's natural to be crazy about the thing that power them, haha.

 

The C9000 is the swiss army knife of chargers. They don't even call it a charger, but a charge-analyzer.

[Ender]

Had a bunch of Sanyo recharge batteries(pre eneloop type). All cannot hold charge for a week. subsequently all died less than 1/2 a year later....

 

Now using Powerex bat.. better....

[Espire]

I have the 02 x Recyko AAA battery.

 

for one thing that i am still wondering even till today is.. when i used the multimeter to measure the voltage across the battery.... it only show max 1.3v at full charge...

 

when i put it into my wireless mouse... it did not last longer than those 1.5v disposable battery...

 

though it can retain the charge quite well... even after one month of not using it...

[Dafansu]

Eneloop is highly recommended. alot of photographers using this brand

[Kb27]

I have the 02 x Recyko AAA battery.

 

for one thing that i am still wondering even till today is.. when i used the multimeter to measure the voltage across the battery.... it only show max 1.3v at full charge...

 

when i put it into my wireless mouse... it did not last longer than those 1.5v disposable battery...

 

though it can retain the charge quite well... even after one month of not using it...

Rechargeables like NiCd and NiMH are 1.2V batteries. They can go max of 1.3V fully charged.

 

Some applications which depends on 1.5V cannot use rechargeables properly as they may detect low voltage like 1.3V and decide that the battery is already drained, even though for a NiMH, it is fully charged.

[Mustank]

i am a convert of maha