A bit off topic, still some good info on batteries

[PizzaHog]

OK I realize that batteries are not much of a pizza eqiupment topic but as these were an epifany for me I wanted to share with my friends here.
If any of you all, like me, have used (or tried to use) rechargable batteries then you know they are OK at best (sorta like a dept store stone).  Well, about 5 years ago Sanyo released their new technology which corrects every defect and complaint previously inherent in rechargables.  And in short, these batteries ROCK!
They are called "eneloop" batteries, only made in AA and AAA size, and come precharged ready to pop into whatever.  Once charged, they can sit on the shelf or whatever and after 3 years still hold 85% of their original charge!  Their life span is rated at 15,000 recharges per Sanyo.  Not only that, but these batts have a much lower internal resistance than alkalines and so actually perform better in many if not every application.  Even though we all have devices all over the house using these for someone my age these may be the last batteries of this size I will every buy.
You can read all about these on the internet inc independent testing and testimonials.  I was turned onto these by an individual that bought these when they first came out and they are still going strong almost 6 years later.
Although every other battery manufacturer has now come out with their version of these LSD NiMH types, none yet compare to the original eneloops.
Finding these locally is difficult.  The only brick and mortar store in the US that seems to carry them is Costco.  They sell a kit which includes 8 AA's, 4 AAA's and a charger for $25.99, which is currently on sale until 12-10 or so for $21.99.  Otherwise its off to the internet where prices are higher plus shipping.  So as these are good for the pocketbook and great for the planet, again just wanted to share.

[dms]

OK I realize that batteries are not much of a pizza eqiupment topic but as these were an epifany for me I wanted to share with my friends here.
If any of you all, like me, have used (or tried to use) rechargable batteries then you know they are OK at best (sorta like a dept store stone).  Well, about 5 years ago Sanyo released their new technology which corrects every defect and complaint previously inherent in rechargables.  And in short, these batteries ROCK!
They are called "eneloop" batteries, only made in AA and AAA size, and come precharged ready to pop into whatever.  Once charged, they can sit on the shelf or whatever and after 3 years still hold 85% of their original charge!  Their life span is rated at 15,000 recharges per Sanyo.  Not only that, but these batts have a much lower internal resistance than alkalines and so actually perform better in many if not every application.  Even though we all have devices all over the house using these for someone my age these may be the last batteries of this size I will every buy.
You can read all about these on the internet inc independent testing and testimonials.  I was turned onto these by an individual that bought these when they first came out and they are still going strong almost 6 years later.
Although every other battery manufacturer has now come out with their version of these LSD NiMH types, none yet compare to the original eneloops.
Finding these locally is difficult.  The only brick and mortar store in the US that seems to carry them is Costco.  They sell a kit which includes 8 AA's, 4 AAA's and a charger for $25.99, which is currently on sale until 12-10 or so for $21.99.  Otherwise its off to the internet where prices are higher plus shipping.  So as these are good for the pocketbook and great for the planet, again just wanted to share.

NiMH cells, of all sorts, out perform alkaline batteries in high-current drains.  That's things like cameras (particularly with flashes; the Canon compact I use gets about 50 shots from a pair of fresh alkaline batteries, and over a thousand with NiMH cells.), flashlights, most toys, and so on.  They're not so hot in low-drain applications, like clocks and remote controls.  I'm not a big fan of the low-self discharge nimhs; the things I'd put them in are things like flashlights in cars, which are intermittently used high-drain devices.  Plain old fashioned analog batteries are a much better fit for that usage pattern.  Everything else I put batteries in goes through batteries much faster than they self-discharge, and I'd much rather have 30% higher capacity from a regular NiMH cell. 


You slipped a factor of ten into what Sanyo claims for them, and they've slipped a factor of about 2 into what reality provides.  The charger in the kit you mention can be, charitably, described as awful.  Maha and La Crosse sell much, much better ones.  (So do lots of other people, for that matter.  Anything that requires charging more than one cell at a time is junk.  a decent charger should provide a choice of rates, information about voltage, capacity, and allow the charging of different slots at different rates and times.)  I don't have a problem with the cells themselves; they, and the other made in Japan cells are superior to the ones made in China.  Another physical source for them are guitar shops and some camera stores. 

[PizzaHog]

Ooops!  I do stand corrected and appologize for my lack of typing skills and memory.  From Sanyo:

What is the difference between the "old" and the "new" improved eneloop?
•An extra of 500 charging cycles -  instead of being rechargeable 1000 times, the new eneloop is even rechargeable up to 1500 times. 
•Improved self-dischcharge. Even though the self discharge of the old eneloop was already very impressive, you can store the new eneloop for 3 years and still it will retain 75% of its capacity.

You obviously know your stuff dms.  Which means yes, there are much better chargers available.  Cheap, lacking the functions of better units, inconvenient as batts must be charged in pairs, and a "compromise" for sure.  In some independent tests I read, this of course resulted in some end of charge imbalances but the unit that currently ships from Sanyo always erred on the side of undercharge even when trickling well beyond the normal end of charge cycle.  As I recall (and my memory has already proven to be suspect) these tests exagerated this condition by starting with cells in a purposely mis-matched state of discharge and then repeating.  So for a casual user such myself who does not want to invest $30 - $70 for a WFO version of a charger this unit should suffice safely.  Having said that, I may end up with one anyway just to explore that learning curve.
And yes, in low drain applications other (disposable) battery types can be superior.  Just my feelings here but I would rather put up slightly lesser battery life and even slightly higher cost in these situations to avoid the environmental impact of disposables.  After purchasing these rechargables I went thru every cupboard, junk drawer, and seldom used device and collected half a lunch sized bag of spent batts.  This surprised me as the kids are long gone and I recall doing this same recycling drill not all that long ago.
So thank you for correcting me.  It was never my intent to lead anyone astray or be a schill for Sanyo.

So anyone reading this please do your own due dilligence and do not rely on my opinion.

So dms, might you have a suggestion for a 2xaa hi tech flashlight at a reasonable cost?  Just thought you might know.
thanks
Hog

[pizzoid]

So dms, might you have a suggestion for a 2xaa hi tech flashlight at a reasonable cost?  Just thought you might know.
thanks
Hog

I just bought some smaller ones yesterday from www.shiningbeam.com, on the recommendation of a friend, I haven't gotten them yet, can't comment on service or quality. Their website does let you sort by type of battery used, a nice touch.

- Al

[dms]

It's not that much of premium to buy a decent charger to start with.  (The La Cross 900 (or 9009, which is the same thing, essentially) can be had with a reasonable collection of cells for 40 bucks.)  and it'll pay for itself pretty quickly in increased cell lifespan.  

As for a flashlight, I'm not really the right guy to ask.  Check out candlepower forums, or one of the other websites for flashlight geeks.  What I need a flashlight for these days is pretty much finding things in dark corners and are met by a cheap 3xAAA thing.