Battery test results.

[Cody JW]

NZ, where can you buy the Lacrosse charger?? Some eneloops come with a charger, I am assuming I am better off purchasing the batteries by themselves and get the Lacrosse charger elsewhere? So far I have not found any retailers close to me that sell eneloops, their website lists a retailer on the other side of Indy from me- 40 miles away. I know several sites sell them online, just trying to avoid shipping and handling charge.

[NZcaver]

NZ, where can you buy the Lacrosse charger?? Some eneloops come with a charger, I am assuming I am better off purchasing the batteries by themselves and get the Lacrosse charger elsewhere? So far I have not found any retailers close to me that sell eneloops, their website lists a retailer on the other side of Indy from me- 40 miles away. I know several sites sell them online, just trying to avoid shipping and handling charge.

Try Amazon. (The Lacrosse BC 9009 replaces the BC 900.) Usually Amazon itself has these and I think they still offer free super saver shipping, but not right now.

While this item is available from other marketplace sellers on this page, it is not currently offered by Amazon.com because customers have told us there may be something wrong with our inventory of the item, the way we are shipping it, or the way it's described here. (Thanks for the tip!)

We're working to fix the problem as quickly as possible.

I got my BC 900 from Amazon. I'm a big fan of not paying more than I have to for shipping (especially here in Alaska), but if you need it now you might have to pay closer to $50.

[Marduke]

Should be able to get the LaCrosse BC-900x for about $35 shipped, along with some Eneloops from someone. If no one on Amazon has good prices, try Thomas Distributing.

Cheap online prices + shipping cost (I/A) + slight delay < expensive B&M prices

[LukeM]

If you can get a good deal on it vs the 900/9009, the BC-700 is pretty much the same charger except it can't charge at currents over 700mA. I find that to be plenty fast.

[Marduke]

A quick 2 minute search just now found me a open box La Crosse BC-9009 for $30, a new one for $40 (both with a case, 8 cells, and C and D adapters), and a MAHA C9000 (the best NiMH charger out there) for $51 (all prices with shipping).

If you watch Amazon, a new BC-9009 will drop down to $35 shipped or so at some point.

[NZcaver]

Nice. I was contemplating that open box C-9009, but they won't ship it (or any of their products) to Alaska. I just love the ignorant companies who think there are only 48 states. Bastards! Or maybe I should get the MAHA next time?

By the way, has anybody found (or made) a lighter plug cable for using the LaCrosse charger in a vehicle? Should't be too difficult to come up with a smooth 3VDC supply.

[Kendalcaver]

Well – for what it's worth – I use rechargeable Duracell 2650 mAh in my Fenix 10 and they give about 8 hours good light – enough for most trips, and it's no big deal to carry 4 spare AA Duracells.

[anthonytsi]

So I complained to Duracell about the poor performance of their batts and they sent me a coupon for a free pack. I went to Wal mart and picked up a pack and when I got home I realized they were different. The new ones have a white cap on the positive side. They are also 800 mah, not 1000. So these may be the real duraloops.
I am conditioning them now and will report back with comparison run time results.

[Marduke]

What model charger are you using? (model, not just brand)

[anthonytsi]

As it reads on the back....

Enercell 23-786
input: AC 120v 60HZ 8W max
Output: 1.5v/450ma
per slot (2-4 AA ni-mh)
1.5v/250ma
per slot (2-4 AAA ni-mh)

I know it's a piece of crap and its not a smart charger but its what I have at the moment until I can afford a more expensive model like the MAHA C9000.
Just started the second round of charging.
Peace.

[Marduke]

As it reads on the back....

Enercell 23-786
input: AC 120v 60HZ 8W max
Output: 1.5v/450ma
per slot (2-4 AA ni-mh)
1.5v/250ma
per slot (2-4 AAA ni-mh)

I know it's a piece of crap and its not a smart charger but its what I have at the moment until I can afford a more expensive model like the MAHA C9000.
Just started the second round of charging.
Peace.

I can see you didnt bother to actually read the article i wrote that i sent you, or glance at your charger manual or specifications.

So, how are you charging 3 cells in a 2/4 cell only charger?

Having a decent charger is more important than the cells, because without that you don't have a chance.

I decent charger isn't expensive. <$15 for a basic one.

I encourage you to stop now before you permanently damage your cells, if you haven't done so already.

[self-deleted_user]

FWIW I just got back from a weekend of caving. I had replaced the batteries in my Apex with basic "energizer max" alkalines that i'd been using during my prior trip and was on it maybe 1.5 hr to the entrance. They ran about ~2 hrs into Saturday's trip giving ~4 hrs run time (4-5 hrs seems typical on my apex for alkalines). But I just got the rechargables! So I changed 'em out to my eneloops - first time using chargables - and they lasted the entire rest of the trip (uhh we went in around 9:30am and I got out around 5:00pm so that makes 7.5 hrs, 6.5+ on the eneloops, and was using it on the 200lumen spot for a good while taking some photos of gypsum -eeefirst time seeing gypsum! - and other freakin' amazing formations) and the next day (vertical, light on maybe 45 min) and still aren't dead. So definitely easy 7 hrs of use on the eneloops and the little indicator light on the apex isn't even flashing red in warning of impending death.

And maybe I'm nuts but I swear it runs brighter on the rechargables.

/me is impressed.

[Marduke]

And maybe I'm nuts but I swear it runs brighter on the rechargables.

You are not nuts, it does. NiMH have a flat discharge profile, and a higher voltage under load than alkalines. That means brighter for longer.

[self-deleted_user]

And maybe I'm nuts but I swear it runs brighter on the rechargables.

You are not nuts, it does. NiMH have a flat discharge profile, and a higher voltage under load than alkalines. That means brighter for longer.

Yeah but I mean it seems brighter even comparing alkalines at best to NiMH. Maybe I remember teh graph wrong but I thought that bit was about the same. Ah well no matter, glad I'm not going mad!

[anthonytsi]

As it reads on the back....

Enercell 23-786
input: AC 120v 60HZ 8W max
Output: 1.5v/450ma
per slot (2-4 AA ni-mh)
1.5v/250ma
per slot (2-4 AAA ni-mh)

I know it's a piece of crap and its not a smart charger but its what I have at the moment until I can afford a more expensive model like the MAHA C9000.
Just started the second round of charging.
Peace.

I can see you didnt bother to actually read the article i wrote that i sent you, or glance at your charger manual or specifications.

So, how are you charging 3 cells in a 2/4 cell only charger?

I in fact did bother to read your article.
I am also not charging 3 cells in a 2/4 cell charger. I am charging 4 at a time. It will only charge in pairs.