Eneloop Users - Any Issues Underwater ?

[punxzilla]

I work at a underwater hire camera shop and we use enloop in all our hire cameras and strobes (do about 20-30 cameras a day) and never have a problem. Just remember to fully charge them b4 each use. Dont go half charging them and then use them again... They have been going strong for 3 months now. used every day.

 

[dirtfarmer]

I had a strobe that was ruined by Nimh batteries. So here are the few precautions I'm going to take. I found that they had held plenty of charges for a few days of diving, but since they off gas and that gas can react even with the smallest bit of moisture (possibly even high humidity) I will be removing them at the end of the day. Also due to off gassing I will not put freshly charged ( still warm) batteries in my strobe.

Here's why: I was diving every day for a month. Usually just one dive. Initially I was checking the charge on the batteries every other day. Then I found that they were holding their charge very well and would only recharge them every four days or so. I was not opening up the battery compartment because I figured the more times you open and close it the more chances for a mistake and a flood. Then on my last dive I shot a lot of pics, more than usual. I did not remove the batteries until two days later while preparing to pack for home and found the batteries had started to leak ruining the strobe. The shop I bought the strobe from tested the strobe and found it to not be leaking, yet also said there must have been some moisture for the gas to react with, yet not having been warned about the batteries off gassing/reacting with moisture I'm paying for a new strobe after a expensive lesson. Where did the moisture come from? I have no idea. The shop says the strobe wasn't leaking right? So I have deduced it must have been even just moisture from high humidity.

So long sad story short I will still use Nimh's as I like the fact I'm not throwing batteries away into a landfill or even worse the garbage on some tropical island where it get's burned/polluting the air and water. But I will remove them after each dive day. And I will not put freshly charged batteries (ie warm) in my strobe. Equipment manufacturers should warn people about the off gassing and reaction even the smallest bit of moisture as if I didn't love shooting photos I would never buy another expensive piece of equipment again. Shops that sell equipment should give people general practices/tips like this also to avoid customers ruining equipment and their future business.

 

[skynscuba]

.... lots of good advice from Dirtfarmer ...

From the Sanyo eneloop document , http://sanyo.com/eneloop/pdf/enebook_e20090402.pdf

"Can eneloop Be Used in Underwater Lamps?

No. Do not use it in equipment that must be air-tight.
Such applications do not have a function to stop the discharge
of electricity, and when more than one battery is
used, it may cause the batteries to over-discharge. This
in turn can trigger the generation of hydrogen gas inside
of the battery, and since air-tight equipment
is designed to prevent gas from being diffused,
the flammable gas may cause an explosion
when the equipment is switched on."

So, it seems that one should be careful not to run down the
batteries too much, whether eneloop or regular NiMH. Especially
in a flashlight, where you could leave the switch on after the
useful energy has been used. Also, it is important that you not
have a battery that is considerably weaker than the ones in series
with it. A smart charger/tester (e.g. Lacrosse BC-700) can test
battery capacities so that weak ones can be matched or eliminated.