sometimes woot, i feel like you phone it in on tech woot.

syninthecity wrote:sometimes woot, i feel like you phone it in on tech woot.

don't worry though, i still love you,even though you keep hurting my feelings.

Did anyone get these last time? How are they? Do they hold a charge well?

I just missed out last time because I thought I had just gotten some, but those were AA.

This looks like a really good deal (if the batteries are good).

I have the AA's. They're great batteries, and do stay charged for a fair amount of time. I just don't see the use for AAA's. The AA's I bought go into everything, from digicams to WiiMotes. AAA's like this might find their way into remotes, but these aren't really a good way to go with remotes when 8 AAA from the $1 store are... well $1.

Are these they long lasting charge ones like the eneloops?

I have a bunch of Made in Japan - Duracell Staycharged batteries. They work great. But at this price, it just isn't much of a deal. You can get 12 real Eneloops at Costco for $20, and from what I understand, they are the next gen that can be charged way more times than these ones.

Funny, NO ONE mentioned a charger.

Without a charger, these are NOT rechargable.

Charger?

Charger?

(Yes, I'm emulating Bueller, Bueller?)

steve

LSD aaa batteries. What to do, what to do. Already got the kodak charger for it....hmmm

skou wrote:Funny, NO ONE mentioned a charger.

Without a charger, these are NOT rechargable.

Charger?

Charger?

(Yes, I'm emulating Bueller, Bueller?)

steve

Anyone who knows anything about rechargeables already has a decent charger like the lacrosse.

Woot and their infatuation with AAA batteries...

crash331 wrote:Anyone who knows anything about rechargeables already has a decent charger like the lacrosse.

As I understand it, CPU controlled third-party chargers are the best way to go. The standard chargers that normally come with these types of batteries just pump juice into them for 8 hours no matter what. The CPU controlled ones apply a configurable amount of current and can do advanced recharge functions (like bring old batteries that don't normally charge back to life). I own a powerex brand I got from newegg.

Hmmm... if today's batteries can be recharged with this then I could use them in these.

It's the Circle of Woot!

developerzero wrote:Did anyone get these last time? How are they? Do they hold a charge well?

I just missed out last time because I thought I had just gotten some, but those were AA.

This looks like a really good deal (if the batteries are good).

I didn't get them last time, but I have purchased these and the AA in store.

I love them, they hold a charge well.

For reference I use the AAA and AA in all my flashlights and headlamps. (Fenix, Petzl, Blackdiamond) and they work well, I've never "tested" the amount of time they last, but I seem to always get the battery life the device mfg estimates.

I own these as well and while they are decent batteries, as someone said before I also have a hard time finding much use for mine too as most of my things take AA.

Additionally, someone else said it too, CostCo has Eneloops (x12) for $20, I own those also, and would pick those every time over the Duracells.

cappo wrote:Hmmm... if today's batteries can be recharged with this then I could use them in these.

It's the Circle of Woot!

The iGo charger recharges Nimh batteries as well as alkaline rechargeables. Taken from the description:

Dual chemistry hybrid chargers charge any rechargeable alkaline or NiMH batteries

Are the tops on these white or black?

My understanding is the white tops are made in Japan and are superior to the black top ones, which are made in China.

If these have a white top, they are identical to the original Sanyo Eneloops except for the labels. I can't tell from the photos if the tops are white. If they are, then I've been very happy with them.

Stubtify wrote:I have the AA's. They're great batteries, and do stay charged for a fair amount of time. I just don't see the use for AAA's. The AA's I bought go into everything, from digicams to WiiMotes. AAA's like this might find their way into remotes, but these aren't really a good way to go with remotes when 8 AAA from the $1 store are... well $1.

I have a couple pocket (EDC) flashlights that use AAA and all my headlamps use AAA...

I bought some last time after reading a few comments here stating they were same as Eneloops (like, same as identical).

They do not have a white top, so my understanding is they are not the same as Eneloops. I have them all charged unfortunately I have run no tests with them yet. I plan to use them in my Battle Tag systems this weekend. I'll post how they hold up.

EDIT: Won't be using them this weekend, forget they are AAA. These will go in some low drain devices like some remotes I have.

theguruguys wrote:I bought some last time after reading a few comments here stating they were same as Eneloops (like, same as identical).

They do not have a white top, so my understanding is they are not the same as Eneloops. I have them all charged unfortunately I have run no tests with them yet. I plan to use them in my Battle Tag systems this weekend. I'll post how they hold up.

[hipster] Oh, you mean Photon? [/hipster]

lol

sdc100 wrote:If these have a white top, they are identical to the original Sanyo Eneloops except for the labels. I can't tell from the photos if the tops are white. If they are, then I've been very happy with them.

Here's a photo of my White-top AA and AAA Duracells. The top of the ones on Woot appear to be silver. I'm unfamiliar with those.



Woot's Duracells

danbooke2001 wrote:I own these as well and while they are decent batteries, as someone said before I also have a hard time finding much use for mine too as most of my things take AA.

Additionally, someone else said it too, CostCo has Eneloops (x12) for $20, I own those also, and would pick those every time over the Duracells.

If these have a white top (see photo I uploaded) then they are IDENTICAL to first generation Eneloops. And I mean literally, except for the label. So this is a better deal than what you'd buy at Costco.

Furthermore, Costco no longer sells Eneloops online, so you'll have to take the trouble to drive there. And for us NYers, there is none nearby. So this Woot is waaaaaay better deal than the $20 you'd pay at Costco.

bookofjoshua wrote:I didn't get them last time, but I have purchased these and the AA in store.

I love them, they hold a charge well.

Holding a charge is the whole point of these Low Self-Discharge (LSD) -- aka "pre-charged" -- NiMH batteries. As far as I know, all LSDs will hold a charge well (about 80% over a year) unless they've expire or are fake. And fakes are all over eBay.

theguruguys wrote:I bought some last time after reading a few comments here stating they were same as Eneloops (like, same as identical).

They do not have a white top, so my understanding is they are not the same as Eneloops. I have them all charged unfortunately I have run no tests with them yet. I plan to use them in my Battle Tag systems this weekend. I'll post how they hold up.

They may still be identical to the original Eneloops since Duracell may have simply redesigned the labeling. There was nothing especially important about the white top so Duracell may have simply used a different material or paint.

sdc100 wrote:They may still be identical to the original Eneloops since Duracell may have simply redesigned the labeling. There was nothing especially important about the white top so Duracell may have simply used a different material or paint.

The folks at candlepowerforums usually have pretty detailed info on these. Unfortunately I don't have the time to research tonight.

sdc100 wrote:They may still be identical to the original Eneloops since Duracell may have simply redesigned the labeling. There was nothing especially important about the white top so Duracell may have simply used a different material or paint.

Actually, I found this post from 2009 which may clarify some:

"The early Duracell "Precharged" batteries were the same as Eneloops, same manufacturer. The package will say "Made in Japan." Duracell then changed suppliers (not sure why). The current ones are made in China and are the same as the Rayovac low-discharge batteries. They all use the same technology, though."

The package on these do indeed say "Made in China", and it is true that Eneloops are "Made in Japan".

I do have some Rayovac LSD (Hybrids) and they hold up well enough, but there is a noticeable different between them and my Eneloops.

Stubtify wrote:I have the AA's. They're great batteries, and do stay charged for a fair amount of time. I just don't see the use for AAA's. The AA's I bought go into everything, from digicams to WiiMotes. AAA's like this might find their way into remotes, but these aren't really a good way to go with remotes when 8 AAA from the $1 store are... well $1.

Digital clocks, MP3s, Handheld wireless phones(has their own chargers), LED flash lights, Stick-up LED lights, and the list goes on. If it wasn't for my AAA re-chargeable batteries, I would be buying batteries all the time. Although I wish these were at least 1000 mAh instead of 800 mAh.

cappo wrote:Hmmm... if today's batteries can be recharged with this then I could use them in these.

It's the Circle of Woot!

Hah. Yes, you can charge these LSD batteries in any AAA-charger than can handle NiMH. Just make sure to select the NiMH setting on the iGo charger or you'll damage the batteries.

I don't know how much current the iGo charger outputs, but you might consider slow charging at 200mAh or so to prolong the lifespan of the batteries. Intelligent chargers like the LaCrosse and Maha allow you to select the output to balance speed vs. gentleness. They also test and refresh batteries so consider buying one.

As for flashlights, these will do fine but the light may be dimmer than using alkalines (if the circuitry is not regulated). That's because NiMH's are rated at 1.2V while alkalines are rated at 1.5V. With 2 batteries, that's about 0.6V less (2.4V vs 3V) -- or 20% less energy.

I got these last time and my tops are black. 2 of them lasted about 15 days in my outside weather transmitter. I have not charged them yet though since they kind of come precharged.

friartek wrote:Digital clocks, MP3s, Handheld wireless phones(has their own chargers), LED flash lights, Stick-up LED lights, and the list goes on. If it wasn't for my AAA re-chargeable batteries, I would be buying batteries all the time. Although I wish these were at least 1000 mAh instead of 800 mAh.

Sometimes a 800mAh battery will be better than a 1000mAh. There are a lot of factors. There are 1000mAh that have much quicker self discharge rates than 800mAh ones, so by the time you use them they are well below their rated Amperage. There is no real regulation on how a manufacture measures the amperage, real measurements often show that batteries (like Eneloops) are actually higher than their stated amperage, and on the other hand some brands of batteries measure quite a bit below their marketed amperage rating.

sdc100 wrote:Hah. Yes, you can charge these LSD batteries in any AAA-charger than can handle NiMH. Just make sure to select the NiMH setting on the iGo charger or you'll damage the batteries.

I don't know how much current the iGo charger outputs, but you might consider slow charging at 200mAh or so to prolong the lifespan of the batteries. Intelligent chargers like the LaCrosse and Maha allow you to select the output to balance speed vs. gentleness. They also test and refresh batteries so consider buying one.

As for flashlights, these will do fine but the light may be dimmer than using alkalines (if the circuitry is not regulated). That's because NiMH's are rated at 1.2V while alkalines are rated at 1.5V. With 2 batteries, that's about 0.6V less (2.4V vs 3V) -- or 20% less energy.

Oh, that's right! I forgot about the voltage difference.

haslipe wrote:I have a bunch of Made in Japan - Duracell Staycharged batteries. They work great. But at this price, it just isn't much of a deal. You can get 12 real Eneloops at Costco for $20, and from what I understand, they are the next gen that can be charged way more times than these ones.

1) These are a great deal if they have a white top (or use the identical formulation). That's because they are IDENTICAL to first generation Eneloops, aka they are made on the same assembly line.

2) Costco no longer sells Eneloops online, so you'll have to take the trouble to drive there. Some people like us NYers don't have Costcos near us.

3) First generation Eneloops allow 1000 charge cycles. The current generation allows 1500 cycles. But it's meaningless in the real world, and not worth the additional cost. If you charge your batteries once a week, it'll take you 19 years to do 1000 charges. Do you seriously expect to use these batteries for more than 19 years? And if you only charge them once a month, it'll take 83 years.

19 years is more than long enough because 1) battery technology will change so I won't need these old batteries; 2) I'll lose the batteries; 3) I'll die. So do you really want to pay more for 500 addition charge cycles?

cappo wrote:Oh, that's right! I forgot about the voltage difference.

It may not matter in advanced flashlights. They have a circuit that boost low voltages so that the light output will be fairly consistent throughout the life of the batteries. The light will just go off once the voltage drops too low to be be boosted. In an unregulated flashlight, the light will gradually dim instead of just going dark one day. There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches.

If regulated, the flashlight will be equally bright with NiMH and alkalines, but won't last as long with NiMH.

crash331 wrote:Anyone who knows anything about rechargeables already has a decent charger like the lacrosse.

Since we already have a smart charger this is for others who may be wondering about chargers.

That is what I hate about cheap battery chargers. We must have at least 6 or 7 different chargers around here. Some were suppose to be pretty good. Except in extreme cases they all sit in a box now. I spent some extra money and bought a smart charger. There are several on the market, I chose the PowerEx MH-C9000(WizardOne Charge-Analyzer). There are probably better ones but this has done me well(and was in my price range). It has multiple settings including Charge, Discharge, Refresh Analyze, Break-In and Cycle modes. In most modes it allows you to select the charge rate. I haven't overheated a battery since(they will get warm, but that is part of the charging process). It may take longer to charge at the lower settings, but since I have multiple sets of batteries, that's not a issue.



BTW, the first thing is does to each battery(each of the four slots operates independently from the others) is run a sanity check to see if the battery is totally useless and unrecoverable. So far it has only found one that it reported to be that bad, but kept right on charging the other three. It has recovered a number of batteries I thought were total goners that other chargers refused to even try. It wasn't able to restore them all to full capacity but for most it increased the capacity enough to make them useful if not for my cameras. Money well spent as far as I'm concerned, IMO.

Actual latest gen Eneloops are about $8/4 batteries, or about $4 more than these. My money's on the real deal. Nothing's worse than having a pile of rechargable batteries you dropped a load of cash on that don't hold a charge for more than 6 hours.

eatingjuice wrote:Woot and their infatuation with AAA batteries...

This house is pretty evenly spread between AA and AAA. But for some reason we always have a drawer full of whatever kind I'm NOT looking for

eklebau wrote:I got these last time and my tops are black. 2 of them lasted about 15 days in my outside weather transmitter. I have not charged them yet though since they kind of come precharged.

Sounds like something is wrong with the batteries or the sensor/transmitter. I have similar units and the batteries lasts 4-8 months. Perhaps the batteries are damaged or were in the warehouse long enough to lose their charge. If charging them give similar results, try refreshing the batteries with a a smart charger like the LaCrosse or Maha. Basically, the charger will repeatedly deep discharge and recharge the batteries until a maximum capacity is reached. The process will take about 2 days.

Temperature extremes can also compromise a battery. For example, alkalines do not perform well in freezing temperatures. You're better off using lithium or rechargeable LiIon batteries. Alkalines exposed to low temperatures should be warmed before use, i.e. placing them in your armpit for 5 minutes.

As an aside, do NOT place batteries in the freezer. Not only will it not prolong their lives but you can damage them. Frozen batteries form internal and external condensation when warmed to room temperature which can cause damage. Some casings also can't handle the metallic expansion and contraction, leading to leaks.

kulivontot wrote:Actual latest gen Eneloops are about $8/4 batteries, or about $4 more than these. My money's on the real deal. Nothing's worse than having a pile of rechargable batteries you dropped a load of cash on that don't hold a charge for more than 6 hours.

Why would you fear that Duracell, a top battery maker, would sell duds? Indeed, they have more experience in batteries than Sanyo, the maker of Eneloop. And Duracells are the "real deal" since white-top Duracells and 1st gen Eneloops come off the same assembly line. Only the label is different. So it's all a matter of Quality Control and there's no reason Duracell would compromise on QA since their reputation is built on batteries (unlike Sanyo). I'd even trust the Chinese-made black tops since Duracell itself maintains QA.

As for 2nd generation Eneloops, please see this post. There is no practical reason to spend any extra money for the newer batteries.

kulivontot wrote:Actual latest gen Eneloops are about $8/4 batteries, or about $4 more than these. My money's on the real deal. Nothing's worse than having a pile of rechargable batteries you dropped a load of cash on that don't hold a charge for more than 6 hours.

Don't forget travel, time and tax. In NYC, a regular-priced roundtrip subway ride is $4.50.