Batteries Batteries Batteries

djgeorgie · Jan 18, 2013

Video: My favorite rechargeables and my most hated battery.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYXyuGBtDwk

What's you favorite brands of batteries?

I just came back from the store. I was going to buy the Energizer rechargeables but the price is marked up way too high. $15 for a four pack is ridiculous. Right now I'll keep an eye out online for cheap rechargeable Energizers. I'm still happy with my 18 Eneloops. I thought I lost some but it turns out my gf puts them in wall clocks and remotes. Kinda pointless for rechargeables (as you'll probably forget about them completely and the gf will throw them away).

As mentioned in the video, those yellow rechargeables are crap. I also have those green Radio Shack house branded rechargeables. I don't use them with flashes anymore, just for the wii. They don't last very long but they do work very well with the 15 minute quick charger. Sanyo Eneloops seem to lose capacity when used with the quick charger (maybe they never reach 100% charge? idk).

I'm currently shopping for another Metz Mecablitz 45 (hammer style flash). I want to mod the flash so that it could take two 25500 (C sized) lithium ion batteries. Some resistors would have to be replaced to work with the 7.2v output of the lithium ion cells, but that's not too hard. The charge time in between flashes would be consistant until the battery dies. And the capacity would be 10000mAh.

David Lyga · Jan 18, 2013

For me, I go to the dollar store here in Philadelphia and buy the Sunbeam brand. Are they the best? NO. But they are good and certainly are a lot cheaper than the Energizers or Duracells! LOTS CHEAPER. For one dollar I get four button cells or eight AA cells. The WORST place to buy batteries is Radio Shack, although back in the sixties they were the price leader in the USA for batteries.

And note: I keep batteries sealed in small plastic food bags and place the bag in my freezer. I swear that that prolongs their life. - David Lyga

cjbecker · Jan 18, 2013

I use enloops and recharge them.

tkamiya · Jan 18, 2013

Are you planning to take 7.2 baterries and use a register in series to drop down the voltage whatever your flash calls for?

I have a 45 something (I'm at work) and as I recall, it takes 6 batteries, which makes it 9 volts. It also has a different battery holder for rechargables.

Please know that using registers for this purpose works very poorly. The voltage drop across the register will be current dependent, so when the flash is charging at full, the voltage will drop more and when it's fully charged, voltage drop will be zero - meaning full battery voltage will be applied to the flash unit.

Also, whatever the voltage register drops will be dissipated as heat. It can heat up significantly.

Prof_Pixel · Jan 18, 2013

tkamiya said:
a register

Please note the word is RESISTOR

removed account4 · Jan 18, 2013

sure fire cr123
they are cheap and work well

BradleyK · Jan 18, 2013

I gave up on rechargables years ago; I could never find a brand that would hold up for any reasonable amount of time. So...it was back to the regular Duracells and Energizers. Generally, either can be found on sale at the local London Drugs for $14.99 - $16.99 for a 20-pack of AA. Button cells (for the F2A/F2AS) are another matter: prices can be all over the map; and they do take some searching to find...

Newt_on_Swings · Jan 18, 2013

Enloops and enloop charger for my AA and aaa. Button cells always silver oxide. And lithium for cr123 or cr2 that I use as well. Not sue if they make rechargeables in that size.

cliveh · Jan 18, 2013

Batteries - what are those?

E. von Hoegh · Jan 18, 2013

cliveh said:
Batteries - what are those?

A battery consists of two or more voltaic cells, connected in series or parralel.

Jeff Kubach · Jan 18, 2013

I don't care much for rechargables batteries myself, i stick with dry cell batteries.

Jeff

tkamiya · Jan 18, 2013

E. von Hoegh said:
A battery consists of two or more voltaic cells, connected in series or parralel.

Or used all by itself, which won't be series or parallel.

Please note, the word is PARALLEL.

Steve Smith · Jan 18, 2013

tkamiya said:
Or used all by itself, which won't be series or parallel.

One used by itself is a cell, not a battery!

Steve.

Matthew Wagg · Jan 18, 2013

Enerloops all the way. Those things are great. Had them out in the snow today in -5c and they worked perfectly.

bobwysiwyg · Jan 18, 2013

Any idea how long these hold a charge "on the shelf " so to speak, as in charging two sets, one to use and the other set carried as backup

Bruce Osgood · Jan 18, 2013

bobwysiwyg said:
Any idea how long these hold a charge "on the shelf " so to speak, as in charging two sets, one to use and the other set carried as backup

They're reported to have a charged shelf life of 3 years:

http://us.sanyo.com/eneloop

bobwysiwyg · Jan 18, 2013

That should do.

djgeorgie · Jan 19, 2013

tkamiya said:
Are you planning to take 7.2 baterries and use a register in series to drop down the voltage whatever your flash calls for?

I have a 45 something (I'm at work) and as I recall, it takes 6 batteries, which makes it 9 volts. It also has a different battery holder for rechargables.

Please know that using registers for this purpose works very poorly. The voltage drop across the register will be current dependent, so when the flash is charging at full, the voltage will drop more and when it's fully charged, voltage drop will be zero - meaning full battery voltage will be applied to the flash unit.

Also, whatever the voltage register drops will be dissipated as heat. It can heat up significantly.

I think you mean resistors, not registers.

Your right about the batteries. I forgot it took six AA. So three lithium ion batteries wold be 11.1v. Finding the right size is going to be tough.

Resistors would have to be replaced so that the capacitors and strobes are protected. Increasing the resistance right behind the strobes (my flash has two) would decrease the voltage back down to a safe level.

It's only a 2v increase so I'm not too worried about the capacitors.

Here's a similar project. Someone made an external battery pack for their metz. 7.2v
http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist/discuss/72157602437825680/#comment72157605526458924

Steve Smith · Jan 19, 2013

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. I would happily run a flash expecting 9 volts on 11.1 volts. A resistor won't work to drop the voltage as the voltage drop across it will vary with current. If you set it so it drops 2 volts at the start of the charging cycle, when it is fully charged it will hardly drop any voltage.

Three silicon diodes in series would do a better job dropping about 0.7 volts each.

Steve.

mgb74 · Jan 19, 2013

I've pretty much given up on using rechargeable AAs except in a digital P&S. I generally use the Costco (US Warehouse store) brand for AA and AAA. I avoid other off brand batteries in anything where the battery stays in the devise and can leak. Though I have had a number of Ray-o-vac batteries (left in a flashlight) leak.

I do like the Pro-cells (made by Duracell). I used to get bunches of "used 1 time" Pro-cells free (they where used in recording and they would use a fresh battery in each session). I found that they had a very long shelf life and I never experienced any leaking.

Of course, for all I know, all the batteries come out of the same factory in China.

I've had a couple of small devises come with multiple generic alkaline button cells where 1 cell depletes much faster than the other cells (used concurrently) in that devise. I attribute that to inconsistent manufacturing quality; but I can't back that up with any actual testing.

E. von Hoegh · Jan 19, 2013

tkamiya said:
Or used all by itself, which won't be series or parallel.

Please note, the word is PARALLEL.

A single cell used by itself is a cell. Two or more is a battery of cells, just as one cannon is a cannon, but two or more is a battery (of cannon).
And, yes, I do know how to spell.
The trouble is, I'm dyslexic.In order to post a comment, I must read first the keyboard. Then the screen to look for mistakes. Assuming I see the mistakes, I correct them. I also have trouble with "necessary" and any other words constructed similarly.This is more properly called "dysgraphia".

Jim Jones · Jan 20, 2013

E. von Hoegh said:
A battery consists of two or more voltaic cells, connected in series or parralel.

Yes, but try asking for a Voltaic cell in most stores!

Prof_Pixel · Feb 8, 2013

desertratt said:
Back in the 1950 sand 1960s I used a Honeywell Heiland brand strobe which utilized a 510 volt battery. Those batteries are fifty bucks each these days. They were 15 bucks back then.

Let's see, I remember buying gas for 19.9 cents/gal in the early '60s and today I'm paying around $3.75/gal. At that amount of price change, you should be paying about $280 for the batteries now.

RalphLambrecht · Feb 8, 2013

i do too. it was a recommendation from my local apple dealer and i'm happy with it. they lst about twice as log as my former brand, butthen, they were 10 years oldand i guess i got my money's worth.

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