Recomendation for rechargeable AA batteries

[mjs1973]

Can anyone recommend some good rechargeable AA batteries to use in a flash? It seems regular AA's don't last long at all. I love the e2 lithium batteries but they are pretty expensive. From what I have read it seems like NiMH is the way to go but can anyone recommend a good brand to go with?

[byjamesderuvoDHQ]

My suggestion is to go with the type of batteries recommended by the manufacturer. But not knowing which flash you're referring to, it's hard to say. The thing is you want to go with a battery that has a pretty high mAh - at least over 3,000. And although the e2 lithiums are pricey, remember that you can ammortize that cost over the life of the batteries themselves. That's the beauty of a rechargable battery.

But in the end, ALWAYS go with the types of batteries the manufacturer recommends and have tested for best performance. Note, you don't have to use their batteries, mind you, just the types they recommend.

[gahspidy]

Mike, I have been using the NiMH batteries in my 580EXll flashes and get really good recyle times and capacity. I have tried a few brands, Radio shack, Annseman, but the ones I find have held up and performed consistently and are priced right are the Duracell 2650 AA. these things hold a charge for quite a long time without leakage. they also make a fifteen minute quick charger for them which has worked really well for me so far. I can charge a dozen or more batteries in very little time and be on my way. Great to take along as well in case you need to recharge it can be done very fast. It has a fan that keeps the batteries cool while charging .
Make sure you get the green and black batteries. I have heard there are some duracells that are black with a gold top ( similar in look I guess to their alkaline batteries) that does not perform like these.

[BlueRob]

I uses to have Sony brand rechargeable batteries, they where white with orange and work pretty well and last quite the abuse. Just look for a set and note that the higher mhA (milli amp hour) will last longer charged. HTH

[mjs1973]

Thanks for the info everyone. The flash these will be used in is the Canon 580EX.

[armando_m]

I use the energizer nimh rechargeable

they work great, when they start to get old the durability goes down dramatically, just a sign that you need to get new ones

[draymorton]

I recently switched to Eneloops to get more life and better recycle time out of my speedlites. All I can say is that I need hipper clothes now, 'cause the rapidfire bang-bang-bang (with what seems like zero recycle time) makes me feel like a high-voltage fashion photographer.

These bats keep their charge forever, too. Even when not in use for long periods of time. Highly recommended.

[Franglais]

I only use rechargable NiMh AA batteries now for ecology reasons (less toxic waste). The one exception is the flashlight that I keep in the car for emergencies because I don't know when I'm going to need it (all NiMh cells go flat after a few weeks and in my experience the higher the capacity the faster the discharge).

I have used GP cells in capacities from 1600 to 2300.

I'm now using Duracell 2650mAh. Remarkable capacity but after just a week the charge has already dropped a lot.

BTW NiMh cells have a "memory" effect - if you recharge them when partially discharged it reduces the capacity. I always disharge my NiMh cells fully before recharging.

[w.slayman]

Mike,

I can not recommend one MAJOR brand over another, however I can offer some suggestions on how to get the best performance and extend the life of your rechargable batteries, these suggestions are based on using them in Amateur Radio applications, and the recommendations of the Amateur Radio Relay League, the national amateur radio association.

1. If you are going to be using more than one set (RECOMMENDED) of say 4 batteries or more buy two sets and use one while the other is charging.

2. Match the batteries in a set?? When used in series batteries will tend to average their values, and quickly degrade to the lowest value. Fully charge and then discharge then recharge all the batteries. Carefully measure the fully charged voltages on a an accurate digital volt meter, and mark the voltage on each battery. Organize the batteries by recorded voltage and then make up your sets based on putting the batteries with the closest voltage values together. NOTE: THE VOLTAGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HIGH READING AND THE LOW READING IN A SET SHOULD NOT DEVIATE MORE THAN 5%.

3. When possible do not use a quick charger, they "force" a charge and shorten the life of the batteries.

4. When not in use for an extended period, I like to store my fully charged batteries in zip lock bags with a desicant in the refrigator, I always check the charge before using.

5. If working in extreme tempratures try and keep the batteries at room temprature, both heat and cold have a marked effect on performance.

6. When performance starts to degrade fully charge all batteries then measure and record the voltages of each one. Wait 24 hours and remeasure and record then put the set in your devise and use it for several cycles, remove and remeasure the voltages. If at any measurement one or more of the batteries show a appreciable drop in voltage replace and build new sets, (see 2 above).

7. Keep all electrical contacts (battery and devise) clean, if dirty use a pensil eraser to gently clean off corrosion etc.

By taking these actions I have appreciably improved the cycle time of charges, and noticed an appreciable increase in the life of battery sets. The ARRL did a study that showed a life expectancy increase of up to 25% for nicads by following these suggestions. $$ $$

[Sushigaijin]

Sanyo Eneloops are awesome. They bounce quickly, charge quickly, and don't lose their charge over time like other Nimh rechargeables. Costco usually has a good deal on an 8 pack plus charger. I had a bunch of duracell and energizer Nimh batteries that I tossed out after I got the eneloops. 8 of those are worth two dozen of the others.

Edit: Also, I haven't had any bad experiences with "memory" and I charge my AAs every time I'm finished using them. So I looked it up. And it's a myth. There are many sources, just google it. In fact, a lot of them said that fully discharging a battery for no reason is FAR worse for the battery than to charge it from partial charge. This is an interweb urban legend.

[draymorton]

Yeah, you can get 8 AAs, 2 AAAs, conversion shells for C and D sizes, and a four-battery charger for 20 bucks. I'm going back tomorrow to, uh, cleanse them of their inventory.

[gahspidy]

Originally Posted by Franglais

BTW NiMh cells have a "memory" effect - if you recharge them when partially discharged it reduces the capacity. I always disharge my NiMh cells fully before recharging.

Actually, the NiCD were the batteries that had the memory problems. One of the advantages of the NiMH batteries is that there is no memory conditions with them. You need not have to cycle and condition them like we had to with the NiCD.


Bill is correct about fast charging. Better to slow charge while your home. i have the quick charger to bring with me on location in case I need to charge them back on the field.

[Franglais]

Originally Posted by gahspidy

Actually, the NiCD were the batteries that had the memory problems. One of the advantages of the NiMH batteries is that there is no memory conditions with them. You need not have to cycle and condition them like we had to with the NiCD.

.....

Duracell say that NiMh batteries do have a memory effect, but it's less than NiCd. See here:

http://www.duracell.com/oem/recharge...el/voltdep.asp

[freygr]

Originally Posted by mjs1973

Can anyone recommend some good rechargeable AA batteries to use in a flash? It seems regular AA's don't last long at all. I love the e2 lithium batteries but they are pretty expensive. From what I have read it seems like NiMH is the way to go but can anyone recommend a good brand to go with?

You can order rechargeable lithium batteries parted with a charger. But with NiMH don't purchase highest ampere hour you can find, as it will be a bleeding ege and your be open for battery failure. Get a batteries that are midrange in the amp. hour range and they will last years, mate them up with a 1 or 2 hour fast charger (with a 12 volt car charging option).

[gahspidy]

Thanks for the info, Charles. Yep, still somewhat a memory thing going on with them but it does not seem to be an issue so much as they were with the NiCDs
I just ordered some Eneloops to give them a go. I like the duracells, but if these are even better, then hey, great

[mjs1973]

I think I'm going to go with the Eneloops myself. Someone on Twitter also recommended them.

[mjs1973]

Looks like the only Eneloops I can find are 2000 mAh. Is this going to be an issue? Would the batteries with I higher rating like the Duracell's 2650 be a better choice?

[Old Timer]

I have been using the Sanyo Eneloop AA batteries in all my photo equipment for the past year and have been very pleased with performance and durability. The best I have ever used. I highly recommend them.

[draymorton]

Yup, great choice.

[christos]

I have gone through many batteries over the years. The best ones i have found are the MAHA PowerEx 2700.
I currently have 64 of them and some are over three years old and still going strong. You will also need a good charger i recommend this one since it has different charging cycles that can prolong the life of the batteries MAHA MH-C801D Charger.

[drg]

Currently I am using both Energizer 2500mAh and the MAHA 2700mAh batteries. I save the Energizers for cameras/battery grips as I like how well the MAHA's work in strobes.

I really like the cycle times for Speedlights with the MAHA cells.

One trick I use is to mark each 'set' of batteries with a permanent marker so I can keep track of which ones have been used the most or even recently. It also aids in sorting them out when one battery starts to go bad. Of course then you have to remark, the 'set'. Different colors of marker help with this method.

Energizer's are relatively cheap, often on sale locally but perhaps a bit 'fragile' as I've had a few fail from being dropped or just accidentally rolling around too much.

[Sushigaijin]

Originally Posted by Franglais

Duracell say that NiMh batteries do have a memory effect, but it's less than NiCd. See here:

http://www.duracell.com/oem/recharge...el/voltdep.asp

Looks like they've managed about 8% difference over 18 charges, if I am reading the graph correctly. Not quite negligable, but not something a person would ever see in practice. Maybe after 50 charges; they haven't bothered to show us long term results of constant top-off charging.

What I AM reading correctly (pretty sure!) is that a SINGLE full discharge reversed most of the depression. Knowing that unnecessary discharge/charging is harmful to the batteries, I'd bank on "top-off" charges (with occasional full cycles) being better for the long term health of batteries. And I'd ignore the 8%, personally. With pre-eneloop Nimh batteries, I lost TONS more energy to my batteries sitting in the bag (some companies report up to 1% discharge a DAY in storage, and I'd suggest maybe more than that!). YMMV, of course.

[gahspidy]

Originally Posted by mjs1973

Looks like the only Eneloops I can find are 2000 mAh. Is this going to be an issue? Would the batteries with I higher rating like the Duracell's 2650 be a better choice?

Mike, I think it basically is that the duracells 2650 will give you some more usage during a session but it is crucial to make sure you recharge your batteries to full capacity before using them. The advantage of the Eneloops are that although it might not give you quite as much use per session you could grab the equipment on the spur of them moment knowing that the batteries will have held a good charge from a previous charging. Convenience, really. Charge the eneloops and keep them ready. They will be ready to work on the spur of the moment. The duracells would need to be charged at the very least a few days before but prefferably on the same day for best capacity.

I think my strategy would be to keep the eneloops charged and with me in my gear bag, but use my Duracells for the shoot. If and when the duracells depleted while in a session i could throw the eneloops in while quick charging the duracells. I would alwasy be covered with minimal down time.

Make note that if you do purchase duracells, do not get the pre charged ones. They are black and green with a gold top. they had por reviews. the good tried and tested ones are the 2650mah NiMH that are green and black.

[mjs1973]

I ordered 8 Eneloops and a charger last night. Looking forward to a delivery from the brown man soon.

I also got a recommendation from twitter saying that Powerex AA rechargeables are great in camera flashes.

[Ray Dockrey]

I use the Delkin 2300 low discharge batteries from Thomas Distributing. I switched to these several months ago and they are awesome. They are like the Enelopes as they keep their charge but they have a little bit more capacity. They are $11.00 for a set of four right now and I just use my Energizer NiMH charger that I already had. I use them in my SB900 flash and the recycle times of the flash are pretty impressive and they seem to last quite a while.