Topic: Eneloop Pro's, 2 years later

[checht]

After 2 years and around 100 shows, got curious about how my eneloops are doing. Seemed fine in use, but thought it might be good to test them.

Bought a Powerex charger and ran the coniditioning cycle. 7 of 8 batteries show more than the spec'd 2450 mAh capacity, the 8th 2425.

Been pretty careful to treat them well, super pleased with how they're doing.

[edited typos]

[jerryfreak]

i love my powerex charger. great for rooting out the ‘bad apples’

[checht]

Tested 8 year old eneloops, non-pro. 100s of shows and they're all still at or above rating. Crazy.

[Len Moskowitz (Core Sound)]

Anyone do a similar test on the Ikea Ladda 2450s?

[jerryfreak]

Anyone do a similar test on the Ikea Ladda 2450s?

funny you mention that, i have a dozen of those and was going to to test them vs the powerex pro and powerex LSD, just brought my powerex charger home to do it

all were bought within months of each other and are similar in cycle life, ~10  cycles or less per set

i will be using a Powerex MH-C9000 in "Refresh and Analyze" mode with charge and discharge rates of 1000 mA. if i find any weakilings i will attempt to use the "break-in" mode (which takes 2 days(!) to complete) to restore their capacity.

these numbers will be a little lower than rated capacity as i am discharging closer to 0.4C as opposed to 0.2C, which drops the loaded  voltage to the 0.9V cutoff sooner

first results:
Powerex precharged 2600 mAh* (https://mahaenergy.com/powerex-precharged)
2489 2479 2440 2487 2489 2497 2503 2391

Powerex pro 2700 mAh (https://mahaenergy.com/powerex-pro/)
2504 2506 2508 2509 2533 2541 2538 2520

Ikea Ladda 2450 mAh** (https://www.amazon.com/Ikea-ladda-Battery-rechargeable-2450/dp/B01MQ0U97A)
2451 2466 2454 2452 2482 2494 2438 2446


*not a huge fan of these as they are dimensionally slightly larger and tight going in and out of sleds and chargers
**impressively underspec'd - seem that they would be ~2650 by powerex standards

[Chilly Brioschi]

Curious about the Amazon Basics
Someone suggested these as possible oem eneLoops...  (skeptical)

From Kleiner's post in thread below:

http://aacycler.com/post/nimh-stats-2019/


But most of all...
Any showing signs of leakage?

[checht]

[snip]

But most of all...
Any showing signs of leakage?

All Eneloops, including 8 year old non-pro's are in fine physical condition, no bulging, no cracking, no leaks.

[Chilly Brioschi]

[snip]

But most of all...
Any showing signs of leakage?

All Eneloops, including 8 year old non-pro's are in fine physical condition, no bulging, no cracking, no leaks.

Sold !
Leakage costs repair parts and time
A well-sealed cell is worth more than its price...

[jerryfreak]

i havent had many leakers over several decades. i think a lot of it is how you charge them

[jerryfreak]

i had some old eneloops i dug out of a drawer. if i had to guess they are 10+ years old

unloved for at least 8+ years, sitting there discharged

they all tested between 1850-1940 mAh... which doesnt sound all that impressive, but they were originally 2000 mAh batteries (that spec alone may date them)

[jerryfreak]

gotta give this guy A++ for the entertainment value he adds to his highly informative video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jeo_hv-8bHI

[justme]

This is one of the better sites for chargers, batteries and related things.
It does not that sexy looking but content is king.

https://lygte-info.dk/

[jerryfreak]

damn! i got on the charger page, and kept scrolling and scrolling and scrolling

wow

[jerryfreak]

what do you guys use for charge rates? it seems the biggest enemy of NiMh is not fast-charging, but overcharging. and low C rates below 0.3C makes it hard for chargers to see the endpoint and may impart 'memory'

from the always useful Battery university:
NiMH charging discussion
https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/charging_nickel_metal_hydride

'memory;:
https://batteryuniversity.com/index.php/learn/article/how_to_restore_nickel_based_batteries

with a good charger than monitors voltage and temp, it seems that 1000 mA (0.4-0.5C) is the best balance of charging time and longevity?

note that the Powerex MH-C9000 charger OP mentioned (which i also have) charges to about 90% (where it reports 'full") and then drops to ~0.05C and eeks another 10% capacity out over the next two hours before dropping to trickle charge. so an overnight charge and pull it in the morning tops them up the most. 10% extra capacity might save your ass in the field....



(that graph is from this very comprehensive review : https://lygte-info.dk/review/Review%20Charger%20Powerex%20MH-C9000%20UK.html)

so 1000 mAh charge and recondition once a year or so based on use seems to make them live a happy life

[jerryfreak]

also the battery comparator graphs on that site place the ikea ladda batts EXACTLY on the same discharge curves as the (black) eneloops

https://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/CommonAAcomparator.php

amazon basics fall short of both of those