battery question - thinking of getting eneloops?

[ViviTheMage]

I was thinking of getting this kit :

link

Is this the best bang for the buck? I need AA's and AAA's, and D's would be nice to have.

I am sick of having to replace/buy my batteries all the time!

 

[edro]

Eneloops are awesome compared to all of my NiMh batteries.
They charge really quick and seem to last a long time.

That's a pretty good looking kit for $40.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Think that kit is worthy?

 

[Train]

ya bought myself a few for the holidays, they rock.

If you want to do it right, get the uber charger:

http://www.amazon.com/Crosse-Technol...5109893&sr=1-1

I actualy got the BC-1000, the updated version of the 700, but for some reason couldn't find it on Amazon

 

[AstroManLuca]

They're good, but so are most precharged NiMH batteries. Read some of NLee The Engineer's reviews on Amazon.

I'd buy batteries as needed but stick with a different charger. I got a Lacrosse Technology charger which is supposed to be a "smart" charger - it doesn't overcharge batteries once they're full, which can reduce their life.

Then again, that pack is a pretty good deal even if you don't intend to use the included charger. I'm sure it's fine to use actually, I'd just be careful to remove your batteries as soon as they're charged instead of leaving them in for a long time.

The other thing is that Duracell Precharged and Rayovac Hybrids are very similar to Eneloops so you can just get whichever is cheapest.

 

[ViviTheMage]

ya bought myself a few for the holidays, they rock.

If you want to do it right, get the uber charger:

http://www.amazon.com/Crosse-Technol...5109893&sr=1-1

I actualy got the BC-1000, the updated version of the 700, but for some reason couldn't find it on Amazon

best, is that thing better at charging? they already claim 1500 charges, which is insanely awesome....and a-ok for me.

 

[edro]

I think I paid $10 for a 4 pack of AA Eneloops. (They're only $6 now)

I use the Lacrosse charger, so I have no idea how good they would do on the stock charger. Probably just fine.

The lacrosse charger has a controllable charge and can discharge before charging. (not really needed on NiMh, supposedly)
Rapid charging can heat up the batteries and cause damage. The Lacrosse lets you slow it down for a better charge.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

I was thinking of getting this kit :

link

Is this the best bang for the buck? I need AA's and AAA's, and D's would be nice to have.

I am sick of having to replace/buy my batteries all the time!

That seems like a solid deal. You might want to consider getting a better charger that charges individually not in pairs. But if you bought the batteries and spacers separately it would be the same price or more so you are getting the charger for free anyway.

 

[ViviTheMage]

I think I paid $10 for a 4 pack of AA Eneloops. (They're only $6 now)

I use the Lacrosse charger, so I have no idea how good they would do on the stock charger. Probably just fine.

The lacrosse charger has a controllable charge and can discharge before charging. (not really needed on NiMh, supposedly)
Rapid charging can heat up the batteries and cause damage. The Lacrosse lets you slow it down for a better charge.

That isn't a bad idea, just grab that lacrosse charger and the AA's separately? Is it better to fully drain, then recharge everytime (if that's an option) ?

 

[Wyndru]

That is a nice deal, I think I'm gonna pick it up.

The eneloops I have are WAY better than my other brands.

 

[AstroManLuca]

That isn't a bad idea, just grab that lacrosse charger and the AA's separately? Is it better to fully drain, then recharge everytime (if that's an option) ?

Well like someone else said, that pack is actually a pretty good deal even if you don't use the included charger. And I don't think you need to discharge before recharging, but picking up a Lacrosse charger isn't a bad idea.

I also have the BC-700 and I can't really figure out how to use all the advanced functions, but it still works great. The default setting is to charge at 200 mA (the slowest setting, which is best for battery health) when you plug in a battery, so I just do that and don't worry about it.

 

[sygyzy]

Worthy of what? Are you asking if they are a good deal as far as Eneloops are concerned?

 

[ViviTheMage]

Worthy of what? Are you asking if they are a good deal as far as Eneloops are concerned?

As batteries are considered, I noticed it said Sanyo Eneloops, so I wasn't sure.

I might just use this charger, see what happens.

 

[AstroManLuca]

If by that you mean you might just try picking up one of those advanced chargers to use with your existing batteries, you might not get quite the results you'd like. It'll probably help new rechargeable batteries last longer before you need to toss them, but Eneloops and similar batteries (the general term is low-self-discharge batteries) will always do better in the long run than typical NiMH batteries. And if your existing rechargeable batteries are already kind of old, no charger will bring them back.

 

[sygyzy]

If you have a Costco nearby you can get a 10 pack of either AA or AAA for $20. I don't think it comes with spacers (worthless IMO) and no charger. By now you should have a smart charger so all this extra stuff is just fluff.

 

[ViviTheMage]

I want to get rid of disposables all together and just stick to rechargables...I could try costco, but no membership.

 

[sygyzy]

Ok then get them on Amazon.

 

[ViviTheMage]

seems like this is a much better deal, so i'll just snag this...thanks ya'll just making sure I was getting something decent .

 

[mcvickj]

The Eneloop batteries are great. I need to purchase another 8 pack of AA some time in the near future. I also have the La Crosse BC-700 charger and have been very happy with it.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Good to hear, curious, has anyone used the default charger in this kit at all? Found it OK?

 

[Jeff7]

Get Eneloops.
Your next problem will be figuring out what to do with all your old NiMHs.


Charger in the kit...don't know. Never used it. I've got an Ansmann Energy8.

I've heard good things about some of the LaCrosse chargers. They're reportedly fixed the "burst into flames" issues.

Do try to get a charger that has individual charging circuitry for each cell. Some save costs by charging cells in pairs. It's best to give each cell individual attention, from a good quality charger. My preference would be to have a slow charger. My thought is that a slow charge = less heat generated in the cell = longer life.

It's based partially on anecdotal evidence, specifically with the NiCad AAs I had back when I was younger. Those things got abused heavily, in crash-prone RC cars.
They were also charged by a slow GE charger, almost exactly like this one. It'd take at least overnight to charge AAs, and more like a day to charge C or D cells. But those AAs lasted a damn long time before they started having trouble taking a charge.



Ooooo, looks like they have a(nother) new line of Eneloops: XX.
Test data, at Candlepower forums.
Pricey though. Well over double the cost, for only a 25% boost in capacity, and a 50-66% reduction in life expectancy. But it has a lot more X's, so that's got to count for something, right?

 

[ViviTheMage]

XX's are a no go IMO, haha...good info, thanks!

 

[ViviTheMage]

Thanks for the info all, bought the kit

 

[The_Dude8]

If you have a Costco nearby you can get a 10 pack of either AA or AAA for $20. I don't think it comes with spacers (worthless IMO) and no charger. By now you should have a smart charger so all this extra stuff is just fluff.

that is where I got my Enloops batteries.

I also got the la crosse chargers, what is the best option settings for charging the enloops using the la crosse charger?

 

[edro]

Get Eneloops.
Your next problem will be figuring out what to do with all your old NiMHs.

I use them in remote controls