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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Rechargeable AA Batteries
Vasiliy Baziuk, Photographer
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Rochester | NY | USA | Posted: 7:46 PM on 09.18.08 |
| ->> Does any one here use rechargeable AA batteries? Please share your experience. Some weeks I go through a lot of AA batteries so that's $$$ out of my pocket that I would like to keep there. What's the brand you use and how long have you used them? as well as pros and cons. Thanx! |
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Pedro Diaz, Photographer
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Miami Beach | FL | United States | Posted: 8:00 PM on 09.18.08 |
| ->> Powerex, for me the best... |
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Erik Markov, Photographer
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Kokomo | IN | | Posted: 8:05 PM on 09.18.08 |
| ->> Maha 2700 mah powerex from thomas distributors with one of their 8 cell chargers. 60 batteries, oldest about a 1.5 years which are used in my sb-28 lighting kit that stays in the car much of the winter with no negligible drop off in juice. Most recent at the end of August. All my equipment is powered by them, flashes, motorola 2 way radios, pw's. Batteries are all labeled with a p-touch labeler b/c sets of batteries that stay together charge better; the happier they are, the happier I am. If you order from Thomas, lemme know, I can help you out with a little bit of a discount coupon. |
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John Stubler, Photographer
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San Jose | Ca | USA | Posted: 8:15 PM on 09.18.08 |
->> What you want is to have 2500 mAH's or higher. The recycle time is faster than regular batteries and the charge can last up to eight hours of shooting.
I bought Energizer's at Home Depot. I spent $100 for two, 4 battery chargers and 16 AA's. There are others that are much cheaper and you don't need a name brand. I just happened to be in Home Depot buying some paint and needed them for an event that I had to shoot two days later.
They took 6 hours to charge, and from what I understand a longer charge time usually means longer battery life. Not sure though.
I never had to change my batteries in my strobe during the six hour event that I covered. |
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Alan Look, Photographer
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Bloomington | IL | United States | Posted: 8:17 PM on 09.18.08 |
->> Powerex has it. Next in line for me are Quest.
If you can find one, get a charger that has a seperate IC channel for each cell. It helps keep from burning out the cells and also save some charging time if a battery isn't as low as the others. |
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David Royal, Photographer
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Monterey | CA | USA | Posted: 8:28 PM on 09.18.08 |
| ->> We just got some Powerex at work they are solid. |
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Mark Scheuern, Photographer
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Grand Blanc | MI | USA | Posted: 8:43 PM on 09.18.08 |
->> The La Crosse Technology BC-900 battery charger has independent channels for each cell and you can adjust the charging current. $79.95 list price but it's easy to find it for less.
http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/900/index.php |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Atown | USA | USA | Posted: 10:12 PM on 09.18.08 |
| ->> I have been using the Energizer AA rechargeables and the 15 minute recharger. They last a long time and of course recharging is quick. Eight batteries and the charger go for under 50 bones at Wal Mart. |
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Duane Burleson, Photographer
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Sterling Heights | MI | USA | Posted: 10:42 PM on 09.18.08 |
->> You can get the La Crosse BC-900 at Thomas Distributing for $39 at:
http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/la-crosse-bc900-battery-charger-w-lcd-di...
I use the Energizers and the 15 minute charger, got a great deal on them and they work just fine if you don't let them discharge too far. The charger gives me the error blinking light sometimes when discharged too far. But it is a 3 year old model charger and the current model is quite different.
Duane |
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Mark Peters, Photographer
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Highland | IL | USA | Posted: 10:47 PM on 09.18.08 |
| ->> Powerex and the smart charger. |
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Francis Specker, Photographer
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Riverside | CA | USA | Posted: 11:12 PM on 09.18.08 |
| ->> I'm using Sanyo eneloops and Uniross Hybrio, both slow discharge NiHM batteries that don't lose their charge. That and a La Crosse smart charger from Thomas Distributing. I had the Energizers, but they lose their charge and when I needed them, they would be dead. The charger that came with the Energizers was terrible, and would overcharge. |
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Erik Warren, Student/Intern
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Burlington | NC | USA | Posted: 12:15 AM on 09.19.08 |
| ->> I also use the green Energizer brand with the quick charger. They power my SB-800's and my D300. I have never had a problem with them. They are good and priced so you dont freak if you drop a few in a lake,,,, witch I have done. |
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Guy Rhodes, Photographer
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East Chicago | IN | USA | Posted: 12:29 AM on 09.19.08 |
| ->> Energizer 2500mA's here with the cheap 8-hour wall charger. I usually plug them in before I go to sleep. I have four sets of four batteries, I use them in my 550EX, police scanner, and AA LED minimag flashlights. I also keep my sets together for charging with small color labels. I'm very satisfied. |
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Hassel Weems, Photographer
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Locust Grove (Atlanta) | GA | USA | Posted: 1:25 AM on 09.19.08 |
->> I have been using Powerex 2700 batteries and Powerex chargers for a few years now. The batteries usually last a little over a year before I start to see lowered capacity. I refresh them about once a month.
I recently added some Delkin 2900 batteries and have found them to be excellent as well.
NiMH batteries are much better in flashes than alkalines. They last longer under a load and they charge the flash faster. The only downside is they loose charge on the shelf so you have to charge them when you are ready to use them. |
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Rodrigo Pena, Photographer
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Palm Desert | CA | USA | Posted: 2:04 AM on 09.19.08 |
| ->> I was using rechareable Energizers, but I often found that I would go long periods of time between using my flash. When it came time to use my flash again, the batteries would be dead. Even the backup rechargeables would be dead because they lose their charge over time. Several years ago when I used my flash frequently, the batteries worked great! They gave me faster recycle times than standard AA batteries. I originally bought the 15-minute quick charger, but when I learned that the quick charger shortened the life of my batteries, I went out and bought the regular charger. Having both worked for me. I used the quick charger only in emergencies. I bought extra rechargeable AA batteries on eBay for about half the cost compared to Walmart. |
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Mark Scheuern, Photographer
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Grand Blanc | MI | USA | Posted: 7:24 AM on 09.19.08 |
->> Duracell Pre-Charged NiMH batteries self-discharge much more slowly than standard NiMH batteries. I believe they are "hybrid batteries" similar to the Eneloops, which I haven't tried. They're 2000 maH (I think) rather than the 2700 maH or so typical of regular NiMH so they don't go quite as long between charges but the longer shelf-life makes them really convenient.
Duane, I got my La Crosse charger from Thomas Distributing, too. Great price. Thanks, I couldn't remember last night. |
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Chuck Steenburgh, Photographer
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Lexington | VA | USA | Posted: 8:19 AM on 09.19.08 |
| ->> Maha Powerex for me all the way. I recently tried some Delkins, they were dogs. Three 4-packs yielded 4 bad batteries, the others charge to way under rated capacity. About par for the course with Delkin products if you ask me. |
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David Harpe, Photographer
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Louisville | KY | USA | Posted: 8:37 AM on 09.19.08 |
->> I use the energizers on a slow charger. I have two 8-cell slow chargers and about 40 batteries that are rotated through the system. I keep two sets of 8 batteries charged all the time and swap new ones into the gear before a shoot. I also have a 4-cell car charger with 4 batteries constantly charging in the back of the truck. Rechargeables will all lose power over time, and are not the best for long-term storage. If I know it'll be an all-day shoot where I might need to swap out batteries I'll take a set of rechargeables. But I always have a couple of packs of AA batteries in the bag just in case.
I've been using energizers for years. Used as described above they will last around a year and a half before you have to replace them.
Quick chargers of any type will reduce the life of your batteries, so avoid them if at all possible. |
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Vasiliy Baziuk, Photographer
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Rochester | NY | USA | Posted: 9:41 AM on 09.20.08 |
| ->> Thanx ya'll.... i didn't realize how many different options there are. I just seen the Energizers 15min rechargeable ones and thought i'd ask and see what everybody else is using. |
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Doug Holleman, Photographer
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Temple | TX | USA | Posted: 11:39 AM on 09.20.08 |
->> Most any brand will work fine...until they start crapping out.
It's funny...the best ones I ever had were Energizer 2300 mAH. They lasted forever, never seemed to die. Charged them a million times and they were always reliable until they finally gave up on me after a couple of years. Then I upgraded to the same brand 2500 mAH and had a set die on me after only a few charges. The wouldn't recharge, couldn't be reconditioned. The charger just keeps flashing an error code. Had the same thing happen to one more set.
I also had a set of Wal Mart generic 2000s that were great, and lasted for ages.
I have a set of Powerex's that haven't failed yet, so that's probably how I would go, except I'm too lazy to order some new ones. It's too easy to grab something at a local store. |
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Dave Collyer, Photographer
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Haleiwa | HI | USA | Posted: 12:54 PM on 09.20.08 |
| ->> Its going to sound novice but radio shack makes a really small charger/4 battery pack that is great for travel- I've got two of them and they have been working for more than a year flawlessly.. |
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David Lipnowski, Photographer
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Winnipeg | MB | Canada | Posted: 6:31 PM on 09.21.08 |
->> I like many on this thread already, am using the 8 hour energizers.
I'm thinking that I should have a 15-min quick charge in the bag as well, mostly for emergency purposes. Does anyone that has used quick chargers have any input as to a good brand/model.
Thanks! |
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