Are your old Eneloops still going strong? - a survey.

shelm

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 8, 2011
Messages
2,047
Hello everybody,
just curious to know. The very first Eneloops to see the world were introduced in Nov 2005, which took place in Japan. Shortly after, in spring 2006, they were distributed world-wide and by Nov 2011 have reached their 200,000th sale and this is being celebrated by the November 2011 Japan release of the Eneloop Tones Chocolat. In spring 2012, the Chocolat Eneloops and the white standard Eneloops will hit international release as HR-3UTGB and HR-4UTGB for the 3rd generation Eneloop AA and AAA cells.

So, the oldest Eneloops anyone could possibly own are exactly 6.0yrs old (and those cells bear the model number HR-3UTG and HR-4UTG)!

Survey: How old are yours, how intense have you use been using them, and what is your estimated degree of cell quality degradation ("aging")? -- Users with hobby chargers, Powerex C9000, or the cloned/rebranded BC-700 (BC-900, BC-1000, etc.) could tell exactly what the mAh-capacities of their Eneloops are after all these months and years of high-power Cree LED flashlight abuse :eek:

Thanks in advance for some rambling on your Eneloops :)
 
Last edited:

SilverFox

Flashaholic
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Jan 19, 2003
Messages
12,449
Location
Bellingham WA
Hello Shelm,

Welcome to CPF.

I am still using a lot of the original 2006 Eneloops and they are still going strong. I believe I still have an unopened pack and I should see if I can find time to run some tests on those cells.

Tom
 

Steve Cebu

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Joined
Jan 5, 2012
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13
My Eneloops are 4 years old. I use them in my Nitecore D10 and a Fenix L01 I believe, as it's my wife's EDC and I never see it anymore. :whistle:
I also use them for a lot of stuff around the house. I don't use them in anything where they might get tossed out or in my remote controls.
They have held up really well. I will be buying 16 of the newer ones next month.
I recharge them with a Lacross BC-900 which is also 4 years old.
 

uk_caver

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Feb 9, 2007
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1,408
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Central UK
I've been using a decent number of Eneloops since shortly after they came out, and I haven't had any cell-related problems (apart from a couple of AAAs that eventually got killed (presumably by unfriendly charging) in a cordless phone handset, which I don't think counts as an Eneloop issue since it has happened with other cells as well.

My expectation is that most of my cells will be going strong for many more years, which is more than I could say for the various >=2300mAh NiMH cells I have had (and ended up trashing) over time, and that I'm probably more likely to lose Eneloops (or have them 'borrowed') than actually wear them out.
 

Glock27

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Dec 18, 2008
Messages
484
Location
Central Missouri
My oldest Eneloops are from February of 08. I bought a Maha C9000 charger at the same time. All my Eneloops and Sanyo 2700's are still going strong!
Good cells AND good charger = great results.

G27
 

Aquanaut

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Aug 3, 2010
Messages
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New York
Only slightly off topic, but I bought my Imedion 2100 mAh batteries on 12/17/07 and recently discharged them on a C9000 @ 500 ma. They had capacities of 2019, 2024, 2032, and 2012 mAh.

First I did a discharge/charge at 240/500 ma on a Maha C204F and the batteries were luke warm to the touch. Then I did the capacity test on the C9000 the next day.

I believe that it was Mr. Happy who said that it is good to warm up the batteries during charging to redistribute the electrolyte. I believe in this observation. Charging on the C9000 does not warm up the batteries.
 

Papuga

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Sep 27, 2003
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Big Apple
All but 3 of my original purchase of 40 are still going strong. They still test out at over 1850 mah on the C9000 and still do very well on the CBA. These were all purchased in 2006. Quite impressive product.
 

Wrend

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Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
646
Location
United States, IL
My oldest Eneloops are the first generation ones from about two and a half years ago. They've had a pretty low cycle life so far (probably somewhere around 50 cycles, or so), but have gotten rather toasty on "dumb" chargers, and have been subjected to 5 amp drain rates a few times.

The last time I tested them a couple of months ago on my C9000, they're 1.1% lower in capacity on average than the average of new Eneloop cells.
 

DoctaDink

Enlightened
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Messages
229
I've a bunch of the old HR-3UTG eneloops that I've used multiple times to power Nikon SB-800 flashes, various flashlights and other devices and they just keep on going and going and going. Love these things!
(I Charge them with a Maha MH-801D)
 

Bozzlite

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Joined
Feb 24, 2006
Messages
286
Location
Central Texas
I have four that I purchased in '07 and 4 that I purchased in '08. I don't have the tools to measure capacity, but they are all performing well in my flashlights and digital camera. Still very low self discharge rate. The only problem I've had with them is the wrapper has become slightly soft and tacky and is starting to peel. A bit like a sunburn peel.

All the Energizer and Powerizer non LSD batts I had in '06 and '07 have failed one way or the other and were sent to the recycle bin a couple of years ago.
 

itguy07

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Jul 25, 2007
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Central PA
I'm going through a checking and thinning if my AA batts, many of which have been severely neglected, abused, and otherwise not treated right. Last time I ran many of them through the Maha C9000 was 2007. Some have been cooked on the 15 minute Energizer, 1 hour Ray O Vac or left to charge in a 25ma dumb charger for weeks at a time.

The Eneloops that have an 06 date code seem to be doing the best:

BatteryCapacity%
Eneloop AA #22001100.05%
Eneloop AA #3190095.00%
Eneloop AA #42019100.95%

I've got about 4 more to cycle through the C9000.

Have recycled a bunch of Tenergy 2600 Mahs that show either "HIGH" or low (less than 40%) capacity, a couple Duracell 2300s, as well as an Energizer 1800 here and there.
 

budynabuick

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Oct 3, 2011
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Location
S.E. Michigan
2 months ago i opened a couple packs that were at least 3 yrs old (they were supposed to be the latest). I bought 4 packs and 2 were the latest and 2 were old stock which i started 2 send back but decided 2 avoid the hassle and the old ones still had 75% charge thus confirming these do indeed hold their charge after 3 or more years and are working like new! Great product that delivers as stated.

Keith
 

arjay

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Mar 2, 2008
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Philippines
Those readings are odd, my 1st set of 4 eneloops which I got around August of 2006 are showing 1550mah to 1500mah in capacity according to the C9000 and one displays High. Well they have been abused like draining them down in lights on high till no light would be produced, no refresh every couple of months. I know that they were recharged twice to three times a week at some point so that might be a big factor. They have served me well over the years and have maybe close to 250-300 cycles on them so I can't complain. They still hold their charge well too and have been moved to my "reserve force". :D
 

Rossymeister

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May 4, 2008
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U.S.A.
I Had A Set Of 8 from Around 2007. Unfortunately i Had To Throw The Majority Of Them Away Because The Anodes And Cathodes Were Dented In Pretty Badly. I Didnt Have Any Problems With Capacity Or With Them Holding A Charge However.
 

jayflash

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Oct 4, 2003
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Two Rivers, Wisconsin
My batch of 30 AA & AAA Duraloops from 2008 are embossed with 7004 + letters, so I'll assume they're from 2007. All still indicate about 1900mAh & 800mAh, respectively, at 500mA & 250mA load on a BC-900. I charge them at 1000mA & 500ma and try rotating so they get used. Even those left in little used devices for one year had about 80 - 90% capacity left.

I've also a batch embossed with 9k21-ur & 9h11-eh, which I'll guess are from '09 and purchased in 2010. All are good.

It's interesting that out of 50 "surplus" 1200mAh NiMh cells from Singapore, purchased in 2001, half of them still work and have about 800mAh capacity remaining. They still have fair storage life, but suffer reduced voltage (1.15 -1.20v) under 500mA load. I paid only 50 cents each and didn't have a smart charger until 2005. These have been abused.
 

jasonck08

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Sep 16, 2007
Messages
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Location
Redding, CA
Yes, my oldest ones are from 2007 or 2008 and they still provide about 1900mAh. However, I had one cell that somehow managed to discharge itself to 0.01v and now its not performing quite as well, even after a few cycles. But no big deal its only one cell.
 

davidV5

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Jul 19, 2011
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My oldest ones are from 2007 and are still going strong.

Off topic, my oldest GP Recyko are also from 2007 and are also going strong.
 

Derek Dean

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Nov 14, 2006
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2,426
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Monterey, CA
I've got four HR-3UTG AA cells, and four HR-4UTG AAA cells, all from that first batch in either late 2006 or early 2007, along with the Sanyo NC-MDR02NU two bay charger that I've used to charge them. They all still work fine and have been used more or less continuously this entire time, in my Fenix LD2 (which is my bicycle commute light) and in various keyring and pocket lights.

I have followed the directions I got from Battery University and have fully discharged the cells once or twice a year (to reform them), while topping them off once every two or three weeks the rest of the time (just the ones that are getting used).

Talk about a product that has FULLY lived up to and surpassed my expectations! Way to go Sanyo!
 
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