Any dependable 1.5V AA Rechargable Batteries Out There?

[WhiteSands]

My Sanyo Eneloops are 1.2V, so using them in a torch means they are not as bright.

Are there any dependable 1.5V rechargeable AA batteries out there?

I did some googling and found that PowerGenix used to make AAs in 1.5V. However many independent reviewers including NLee the Engineer concluded that they were not dependable / worth the money. The company has also stopped production after 2 years, which says a lot about the batteries. Amazon has equally bad reviews on them.

There are also those from Chinese manufacturers on ebay and Alibaba.com. However, no way to know how well they hold up.

I'm looking for dependable ones close to the quality of the Sanyo Eneloops. Are there any such batteries out there right now?

 

[Corleone]

what !! eneloops will result in " not as bright "

about 10 days ago i recived a shipment of 8 pack of AAA eneloop along with a charger. haven't tried them yet.

if my torch will not deliver a maximum light output, why every body is giving the eneloop that high credit either here or on other websites?

 

[supergaijin]

Don't try to make a silk purse out of a pig's ear. If your torch takes AA batteries, it will always be 'not as bright'. Put rechargeables in to the torch, and again you'll always be 'not as bright'...

Eneloop are the best batteries. Maha and Powerex are similar. The Eneloop XX 2500 mAh may have a bit more grunt I doubt you'll see much difference.

The charger may make a difference. IMO it makes sense to buy a 'good' charger that can recondition and 'slow fill' the batteries.

 

[WhiteSands]

what !! eneloops will result in " not as bright "

about 10 days ago i recived a shipment of 8 pack of AAA eneloop along with a charger. haven't tried them yet.

if my torch will not deliver a maximum light output, why every body is giving the eneloop that high credit either here or on other websites?

From what I understand, alkaline batteries are 1.5V. Eneloops are 1.2V. If you connect all 3 in series that's a 0.9V voltage drop. I'm using DRIS 1k shortys so I don't know if they're connected in series or parallel but there is definitely a marked difference in brightness vs. when loaded with new alklalines. With new alkalines this torch is really bright.

Eneloops are given high ratings because of their dependability. They work great in low voltage applications but for torches, not so good.

 

[spoolin01]

The following assumes you're using an incandescent bulb, like a xenon torch. If you have LED instead, I'm perplexed you would see brighter results with alkalines.

How long do you have the torch on before you change batteries? If you're talking about a night dive, I'll bet the Eneloops would be brighter at the end of the dive than the alkalines. Alkalines start out nominally at nearly 1.6V, but they have high internal resistance and at high drain rate (like a torch), the actual voltage delivered even when fresh is quite a bit lower. They also have a pronounced voltage decline as they drain, in sharp contrast to NiMH batteries which have a nearly flat V vs time curve for much of their discharge cycle. The net result is that very early on, the alkalines are actually delivering the same or less voltage than the NiMH, under load. So while for a few moments initially the alkalines may be brighter, you'll get more light overall out the the Eneloops, and they will work satisfactorily for longer than alkalines, if you're on a night dive where the short life-span of the alkalines shows itself during constant torch operation.

If you're using the torch only briefly during each dive, you might prefer alkalines that you can change after every dive, that would result overall in a brighter torch. I've never heard of "steady 1.5V" rechargeables, but maybe there are some esoteric options out there. Depending on the number and arrangement of batteries in your torch you might be able to DIY a 3.7V rechargeable Li-ion battery arrangement (there are versions w/the same diameter as AAs) in place of two end-to-end AAs. That would deliver even a bit more than 1.5/AA.

A better solution overall would probably be to find a regulated LED torch that's as bright at you want it to be. Then the output will differ little between AA/NiMH or discharge status of the batteries. LEDs are generally much more efficient at producing light, not heat, than incandescent as well, so you get both benefits. Lastly, with LED, you'll see the much greater useable capacity of NiMH chemistry vs alkaline, in a given battery size.

 

[supergaijin]

alkaline vs. eneloop in Fenix LD20

 

[dfx]

From what I understand, alkaline batteries are 1.5V. Eneloops are 1.2V. If you connect all 3 in series that's a 0.9V voltage drop. I'm using DRIS 1k shortys so I don't know if they're connected in series or parallel but there is definitely a marked difference in brightness vs. when loaded with new alklalines. With new alkalines this torch is really bright.

Eneloops are given high ratings because of their dependability. They work great in low voltage applications but for torches, not so good.

It depends on the light. Voltage isn't everything. A good light will have circuitry to compensate for lower voltage by drawing a higher current from the cells. This would also be what keeps the light at the same brightness on e.g. alkaline batteries, as those continuously lose voltage (down from the initial 1.5 V) as they get emptier. Without that, the light would get dimmer and dimmer on alkaline cells as well.

 

[Kharon]

I have the same problem with my Tachyon camera. The manufacturer recommends against rechargables because of the lower voltage. I researched and found a great solution. Ni-Zn rechargables. They are 1.6V. They require a special charger but worked flawlessly on Bonaire last November.

Batteries:
Amazon.com: 2500mAh 1.6V Ni-ZN AA Battery (Pair Package): Electronics

The charger I got was a PowerGenix Model F100027-00.

 

[drbill]

Hmmm.... wasn't AlKaline with the Tigers? I use Maha batteries and a Maha charger for my housing's LCD and they seem pretty good up to about 500 charges. My video lights have internal batteries and they are the only "torches" I need (redundant even).

 

[WhiteSands]

alkaline vs. eneloop in Fenix LD20

View attachment 175787 View attachment 175788

Very interesting charts! It seems eneloops are brighter than alkalines after awhile in this experiment, not sure why mine were noticeably dimmer. Maybe I'll bring a voltmeter along for the next dive and measure pre- and post-dive voltages.