actually i also have the geek featured 9000. it has revived a few sets of batts for additional service. and i do use it to do the initial setup to. you know how it is.

i bought the La Crosse Tech BC-900 at amazon, $39.5 with free 2 day shipping (prime), i chose it over the maha c9000 because of the size (half of the C9000) and also half of the price

had one went the exact opposite direction

I had them, they proved to be unreliable. My kids now use them in their playstation controllers and Yes even they complain about rechargeables, Now I use Lithiums, very long lasting.
Dave

you had what? them?

if you had issues with NiMh batts you didn't buy the right ones for the job understanding the differences in them can get you a long way. i use eneloops in my daughters wii remotes and they generally last for multiple day gamefests with her.

I've recently discovered that the Sony "Cycle Energy" batteries, are the same exact battery as the Sanyo Eneloops.

KK

david debalko wrote:
I had them, they proved to be unreliable. My kids now use them in their playstation controllers and Yes even they complain about rechargeables, Now I use Lithiums, very long lasting.Dave

That's a content-free post, that's for sure.

If you buy the right battery for the job, rechargeables are brilliant. I'm about to buy some more Imedions and an MH-9000 charger to go with my MH-C801D charger. I've got a mix of the Powerex and Imedions. Very happy.

david debalko wrote:
I had them, they proved to be unreliable. My kids now use them in their playstation controllers and Yes even they complain about rechargeables, Now I use Lithiums, very long lasting.
Dave

I used to use the lithiums exclusively, and really liked them. I just don't like the fact that you get little or no warning, when they are about to die. I still carry a few sets as back-up. They do last a long time, and are great for cold weather shooting.

Kiron Kid

Went by Circuit City tonight and found the 8 pack of AA Eneloops for $10. They are marked $14.99 but ring up $9.83 and on clearance.

I have these and they work really good for me. They are rated a lot higher than they are though. I tested my batteries with a meter when I got them and they are all closer to 2200mah, not the advertised 2600mah. I am not sure how good a charger this is, I have not had it long enough.

http://www.all-battery.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1816

keep them in your bag for a week or so and then test the output. they are of the low retentivity type batts. the eneloops or the same types as have a high charge retentivity. though rated to only 2000mah they will hold that charge for weeks and even be usable after months. after about 30 days regular nimh batts are flat line in usability if off the charger for that long. thus making the trade off for me at least worth it in many items and uses.

I have been reading a lot more about the eneloops and I actually ran across this deal on them at amazon for 8 AAA eneloops for 15. Just get too and it is free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/SANYO-eneloop-Pre-Charged-Rechargeable-Batteries/dp/B0015UPNJC/ref=sr_1_14?tag2=slickdeals&tag=slickdeals&ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1206493715&sr=1-14

studioone wrote:
I have been reading a lot more about the eneloops and I actually ran across this deal on them at amazon for 8 AAA eneloops for 15. Just get too and it is free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/SANYO-eneloop-Pre-Charged-Rechargeable-Batteries/dp/B0015UPNJC/ref=sr_1_14?tag2=slickdeals&tag=slickdeals&ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1206493715&sr=1-14

Good price, but none of my gear uses AAA....

sjms wrote:
keep them in your bag for a week or so and then test the output. they are of the low retentivity type batts. the eneloops or the same types as have a high charge retentivity. though rated to only 2000mah they will hold that charge for weeks and even be usable after months. after about 30 days regular nimh batts are flat line in usability if off the charger for that long. thus making the trade off for me at least worth it in many items and uses.

In my experience - that happens with old batteries that don't hold as much charge in the first place. The nimh batteries that I have not run into the ground hold plenty of charge for months. If I am worried about charge state, I just recharge them before use (as I would with any battery).

NiMH historically had a somewhat higher self-discharge rate (equivalent to internal leakage) than NiCd in the past. However, this is no longer the case. The self-discharge is 5-10% on the first day, and stabilizes around 0.5-1% per day at room temperature.[5][6][7][8][9] This is not a problem in the short term, but makes them unsuitable for many light-duty uses, such as clocks, remote controls or safety devices, where the battery would normally be expected to last many months or years. The rate is strongly affected by the temperature at which the batteries are stored with cooler storage temperatures leading to slower discharge rate and longer battery life. The highest capacity cells on the market (> 2700mAh) are reported to have the highest self-discharge rates.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_metal_hydride_battery#Self-discharge

sorry the data kinda backs my statement up along with history.

i don't always track my batteries. so having ones in the flash knowing that it will function when i need it makes a difference and spares buried in there too

sjms wrote:
...The self-discharge is 5-10% on the first day, and stabilizes around 0.5-1% per day at room temperature.[5][6][7][8][9] This is not a problem in the short term, but makes them unsuitable for many light-duty uses, such as clocks, remote controls or safety devices, where the battery would normally be expected to last many months or years....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_metal_hydride_battery#Self-discharge

sorry the data kinda backs my statement up along with history.

i don't always track my batteries. so having ones in the flash knowing that it will function when i need it makes a difference and spares buried in there too


Going with the numbers you posted, if you do the math, 10/1 for 31 days results in 65% charge remaining, or 1750mAh for a 2700mAh cell. That is not a whole lot less than 2000mAh, which is all you will get from the eneloops straight out of the charger. If you use your flash once a year, the eneloops are clearly the way to go, but for sporadic use, I don't see them having a huge advantage, by the numbers you posted.

Obviously, this kind of thing depends on usage patterns and each person should use what works for him.

read again the statement that the higher the mah the higher the self discharge rate. in the quest to get the numbers higher on capacity in turn you get the reality of the not talked about higher self discharge rate. my usage pattern is not typical as i use both an external pack in heavy usage situations and then the eneloops by themselves for less demanding outings. knowing that i will have a consistant charged set of cells ready when i need them is a plus. buying off on the higher mah value has proven to be a fools quest.
i find that going into a high flash volume situation relying on multiple sets of AA batts of what ever type to be a chancy endevour to begin with and for most has been less the successful in run. hence the HVPP is the way to go
i'll stick with consistancy and reliability.

So, for you, the batteries only power the electronics, not the flash output. I use the batteries for things other than just the flash unit, and I find the extra capacity much more useful than the ~1% self discharge savings. Which brings me back to what I said before - it depends on usage pattern. I will add that these batteries last a limited number of cycles before significantly degrading in performance. If your batteries don't last a week, maybe it is time for new ones.

yes when i shoot high volume flash they do unplugged and on their own they don't. another high consumer of batts is the Wii controllers, a few voice recorders, some LED flashlights (1w type) you know things that sit around not being used for a time and then get used hard when needed.

so far in overall over time performance (that is time used vs time in storage {no charging}) they have outperforned brand new 2700mah. yes 2700mah batts will outperform them hot off the charger same day use. but i prefer to look in my bag and see a set that i know within a margin of error the state of charge in them and that when i put them in to a product that will give me the close to max performance that they can deliver. i don't like the old how long have i had these off charge question.

usage yep your right. you do have to choose the appropriate item for your lifestyle. these are working for me.

my experiences with nimh rechargables in the high capacity (2500-2700mah) range for self disharge
energizer- junk
maha powerex- mediocre
Sanyo- good
toshiba- good

I'm sure glad I found this post and I'm go to costco to pick up some eneloop.

dcains wrote:
Sanyo's eneloops really are amazing, despite their lower mAh ratings. Get yourself a good charger, too, which can make all the difference. Thomas Distributing is a great vendor, and I like the MAHA chargers. Avoid the 15-minute quick chargers, and instead buy yourself an extra set of batteries if you need to.


+1

twistedlim wrote:
dcains wrote:
Sanyo's eneloops really are amazing, despite their lower mAh ratings. Get yourself a good charger, too, which can make all the difference. Thomas Distributing is a great vendor, and I like the MAHA chargers. Avoid the 15-minute quick chargers, and instead buy yourself an extra set of batteries if you need to.


+1

++1

Also, I have the Maha c9000 charger mentioned by sjms and it's phenomenal.

I use the Ray-O-Vac 15 Rechargable NIMh 2300mAH Batteries with the same charger. There are newer Ray-O-Vac technology batteries BUT they take 24hrs to charge.
I get them off eBat From BatteryWharehouse in Colorado. Fast service and dependable.
Dan

Just ordered 24 - AA Sanyo Eneloops from Thomas Distributing. Hopefully their as good as everyone states..

Eneloop is on sale this week at costco, look for the $9 off coupon in this week's mail.

You get 8 AA, 2 AAA, charger, 4 C adaptors, & 4 D adaptors.