Sanyo Eneloop NiMH Charger

[+The Yinnies]

Has anyone used this set up? Sanyo Eneloop 4 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargable Batteries w/ Charger

[+Bodaway]

Has anyone used this set up? Sanyo Eneloop 4 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargable Batteries w/ Charger

 

I use Eneloops, but I charge them in a Maha C9000 charger. They work great in both my 60CSx and Oregon 450.

 

A set in the Oregon with the backlight on high lasted about 7 hours last weekend. I am going out again this weekend and we will see what happens.

[NordicMan]

Yes those are excellent batteries & quite a few people here use them. Some would say you can get better performance using a 3rd-party charger, but I do fine the one that comes with the Eneloop works quite well

[+RonFisk]

Has anyone used this set up? Sanyo Eneloop 4 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargable Batteries w/ Charger

 

Great batteries, I use them all the time. I prefer the LaCrosse BC-900 charger though...

[+gelfling6]

Yes those are excellent batteries & quite a few people here use them. Some would say you can get better performance using a 3rd-party charger, but I do fine the one that comes with the Eneloop works quite well

 

I concur.. I have the Energizer 15-minute charger, and the Eneloops charge quite well in it. (given the 10-minute cool-down period, I'm surprised these last.) They seem to handle charging better than the stock Energizer batteries that came with it.

 

 

Surprisingly, I found that Duracell's rechargeables run down a lot faster! And I ran across GE/Sanyo hybrid batteries at a Walmart (yes, SAME Company) and they also lasted a lot less than the Eneloop. I was surpsied, when Ritz Camera started closing stores here in the North East USA, that they were no-longer carrying Eneloop, and the brand is becoming more and more scarce.

 

Stephen (gelfling6)

[+The Yinnies]

Yes those are excellent batteries & quite a few people here use them. Some would say you can get better performance using a 3rd-party charger, but I do fine the one that comes with the Eneloop works quite well

So you do use this set up?

Thanks

[ao318]

Has anyone used this set up? Sanyo Eneloop 4 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargable Batteries w/ Charger

 

Great batteries, I use them all the time. I prefer the LaCrosse BC-900 charger though...

 

I also use the enloops with the BC-9009. In fact just got my updated plug adapter from the recall. Everything works great. I have 8 sets of batteries that I numbered 1-8 to keep them together as I use them and charge them.

 

I get about 6-8 hours of use with them in my PN-40. I keep an extra set in by bag whenever I go out.

[+Curioddity]

I concur.. I have the Energizer 15-minute charger, and the Eneloops charge quite well in it. (given the 10-minute cool-down period, I'm surprised these last.) They seem to handle charging better than the stock Energizer batteries that came with it.

Regularly charging any NiMH batteries at a 4C (15 minute) rate is going to dramatically reduce the number of charge-discharge cycles they will deliver before they suffer a significant reduction in useable capacity. Even a 1C (1 hour) rate isn't advised if you want your cells to last. I learned this lesson the hard way during my early years as a R/C model aviator and have had excellent cycle life out of my NiMH packs since I learned how to take care of them.

 

But you don't have to take my word for it. This, from the Sanyo Eneloop website FAQ:

 

Q: Can I use a "Quick Charger" to charge an eneloop battery?

A: Though it is possible to charge an eneloop battery in a "Quick Charger", it is not recommended. We recommend charging eneloop batteries in a NiMh charger that is 2 hours or more. Charging eneloop batteries in a "Quick Charger" can reduce the overall life of the battery. It is strongly recommended to use eneloop, Sanyo or Sanyo NiMh battery chargers. We only warrant eneloop if used with an eneloop, Sanyo or Sanyo NiMh battery charger.

 

This isn't just advertising hype, folks, although there are many fine chargers out there which will do the job as well as Sanyo's own chargers. I have programmable multi-chemistry chargers which cost hundreds of dollars, but I still limit my charge rate to 0.5C (~2 hour) when I charge my NiMH cells. If you NEED to charge faster than that, then you need more batteries and you need to plan better.

 

And just for the record, I use a MAHA MH-C800S in soft charging mode to charge my loose Eneloops.

 

Pete

[+Chuy!]

I too charge my Eneloops with a Maha 9009 charger. What I like about the charger is it tells you the mAH rating of the battery so you can see how the battery is holding up. After a year, my Eneloops rate 1900 mAH. I just bought a set of 2100 mAH Imedion's from Thomas Distributing. Haven't tested their mAH level yet.

[NordicMan]

Yes those are excellent batteries & quite a few people here use them. Some would say you can get better performance using a 3rd-party charger, but I do fine the one that comes with the Eneloop works quite well

So you do use this set up?

Thanks

 

Yep & I've had the same set of batteries/charger for a couple of years now, have gone through countless charge cycles and the things are still working awesome

 

I dunno all this talk about different chargers, but I would think the one that comes from Sanyo "with the batteries" would be a good charger. Granted I can believe a high-end charger costing "hundreds of $$'s" is going to obviously do a better job, but I can't afford that kinda dough for a simple charger.

[+Curioddity]

I dunno all this talk about different chargers, but I would think the one that comes from Sanyo "with the batteries" would be a good charger. Granted I can believe a high-end charger costing "hundreds of $$'s" is going to obviously do a better job, but I can't afford that kinda dough for a simple charger.

The Sanyo charger which comes with the Eneloop 4-pack will work just fine. I just don't have one because I buy my Eneloops in 8-packs or in bulk and neither of those options include a charger.

 

As for my chargers which cost "hundreds of $$'s", you can trust that I didn't buy them to charge batteries for my consumer electronics. I actually use most of my Eneloops in an application which is far more mission critical: http://www.vimeo.com/1760099/

 

Pete

[+coggins]

Has anyone used this set up? Sanyo Eneloop 4 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargable Batteries w/ Charger

I picked up one of these packages a month or so back. They work quite well. A nice thing about the charger is to it will accept 100~240VAC, 50~60Hz.

[gitarmac]

My first charger was the lacrosse. I also purchased a maha about a year or so ago. I use rechargables in my gps, headlamps and cameras. I love the eneloops but also have hicaps, like the sanyo 2700's.

 

The good chargers aren't that much more, and thomson distribution sells them along with battery packages. I don't like the idea of ruining my good batteries with a crappy charger.

[+Curioddity]

The good chargers aren't that much more, and thomson distribution sells them along with battery packages. I don't like the idea of ruining my good batteries with a crappy charger.

Define "crappy".

 

Pete

[+Styk]

crap·py (krp)

adj. crap·pi·er, crap·pi·est Vulgar Slang

1. Inferior; worthless.

2. Miserable; wretched.

3. Mean; contemptible.

 

from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/crappy

 

Some of the problems with most low end chargers are,

 

- too high a charge rate which causes overheating which reduces the lifetime of the batteries

 

- charges 2 batteries in series, if they are not at the same voltage when they are placed in the charger, one will slightly overcharge.

 

How does higher quality chargers solve these and other limitations?

 

Charges each individual battery at a selectable charge rate.

 

Features of the Lacross BC-900

 

* Works with all NiCd and NiMH “AA” and “AAA” Rechargeable Batteries

* LCD shows capacity for each battery when charging is complete

* Charges AA & AAA rechargeable batteries simultaneously

* Will not charge defective batteries

* Select different charging current for each channel

* Automatically switches to trickle charge when charging is complete to ensure maximum battery capacity

* Overheat detection to protect over-charging

* Charge Mode (charging current)

* Discharge Mode (discharging current)

* Refresh Mode (time elapsed)

* Test Mode (accumulated capacity)

Edited February 28, 2010 by Styk

[+ecanderson]

All of the LaCrosse charger discussion is nice, but does anyone know where a person could actually buy one? I've seen a few of the older BC-700 units still around, but the BC-900 is gone, and the BC-9009 is unavailable into the indefinite future due to recall issues. These guys appear to be in some serious production trouble at the moment.

[ao318]

All of the LaCrosse charger discussion is nice, but does anyone know where a person could actually buy one? I've seen a few of the older BC-700 units still around, but the BC-900 is gone, and the BC-9009 is unavailable into the indefinite future due to recall issues. These guys appear to be in some serious production trouble at the moment.

Not sure when they will start selling again but I did receive my replacement plug from them last week. With this, I would think that sales will probably restart again for this product. You could always try contacting Lacrosse Technology directly to find out more.

[+Styk]

I bought my first LaCross one through a local battery supplier. paid through the nose for it. The second one I bought was from Thomas distributing.

 

I've heard a lot of good things about the Maha units, they have one that I think is better then the Lacross's I have. Maha MH-C9000,

[ao318]

I bought my first LaCross one through a local battery supplier. paid through the nose for it. The second one I bought was from Thomas distributing.

 

I've heard a lot of good things about the Maha units, they have one that I think is better then the Lacross's I have. Maha MH-C9000,

I had looked at the Maha before I bought the LaCross. The selling point for me between the two was just the size. I didn't and still don't see myself charging more than 4 batteries at a time. Either of these units are great choices.

[+Walts Hunting]

Surprisingly, I found that Duracell's rechargeables run down a lot faster! And I ran acrss GE/Sanyo hybrid batteries at a Walmart (yes, SAME Company) and they also lasted a lot less than the Eneloop.

 

Look at the MAH (millie amp hours) on them that will tell you how long they will last. I use the Powerex 2700 and get great length. If your batteries are under 2000 the loss of time is significant since they don't discharge on a linear rate.

[+Curioddity]

Look at the MAH (millie amp hours) on them that will tell you how long they will last. I use the Powerex 2700 and get great length. If your batteries are under 2000 the loss of time is significant since they don't discharge on a linear rate.

Actually, NiMH cells have a fairly flat discharge curve, especially under the low current loads most consumer electronics devices put on them.

 

And as for those Powerex 2700 and other high-capacity NiMH cells, their high self-discharge rates tend to level the playing field real quick if you don't use them hot off the charger. Put them in a daypack or the trunk of a car for a day and they'll lose 30% or more of their charge before you ever get a chance to use them. The hybrid NiMH cells like the Eneloop don't have that high self-discharge problem so they'll still be fully charged weeks after you charge them.

 

To give you a real-world example, I only used packs of Sanyo HR-3U-2500 cells (2500mAh NiMH) in my R/C transmitters and slope gliders until the Eneloops hit the market. Those cells worked pretty good if I charged them on the day I was going to use them, but I quickly learned that it wasn't a good idea to try to fly them if they'd been sitting in the trunk of my car for a few days. That, I should add, was an expensive lesson.

 

So I gave the Eneloops a try when they first became available. I was initially concerned that the 500mAh less capacity was going to cut my flying short, but I've been consistantly getting more time in the air out of the 2000mAh Eneloops than I was out of the 2500mAh HR-3Us. In addition, I can charge up my transmitter and a couple of my "opportunity" slopers and keep them in my trunk until an opportunity to fly pops up, and they'll be ready to go when that happens even if it's several weeks after I charged them. I'd never dare do that with standard NiMH cells. I had two fly-aways early on when my transmitter batteries died on me mid-flight and that was enough, thank you.

 

Like I already wrote, those high-capacity cells like the Powerex 2700 and Sanyo HR-3U cells will work fine if you use them within a day or so after you charge them, but after that they typically can't match the run-time of 2000mAh Eneloops that have been sitting around for a month or more.

 

Now to be honest, I've never used anything but Eneloops in my Oregon 400t, but I've never had to replace them in the field yet, and I've spent some long days out geocaching on my bicycle. I'm also a spontaneous cacher, meaning that I don't do it all the time but I'm apt to do it any old time, so I really like the fact that I can put charged batteries in my Oregon and put it in my glove box, and they'll still be fully charged and ready to go regardless of how long it takes me to get the urge to grab some more caches.

 

Pete

 

[+Team CowboyPapa]

Which one is rcgoat?

 

Sorry, I just could not restrain myself.

[+Curioddity]

Which one is rcgoat?

No RC Goat on that trip, but will Santa do?

 

Pete

[+jackrock]

I've never seen the Eneloops locally so I never tried them. I use the Duracell's and they work great, hold a charge for hours and hours. I only change batteries if it's a really long day caching.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

I'm still using the charger that came with my Eneloops. Never got around to buying anything else. Batteries and charger still going strong after several years.