D Nimh battery ?

carnage

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 21, 2015
Messages
315
Location
Massachusetts
What's the best brand of Nimh D battery?
I'm using them for a 3D Maglite and Coast HP17. Are the D Nimh battery the same size as D alkaline battery, thickness and height?
 

LiftdT4R

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 8, 2017
Messages
1,273
Location
NJ / PA
I prefer the Tenergy Centuras hands down. They are a Low Self Discharge (LSD) so even though they have slightly less capacity than the Tenergy Premiums they stay charged for a long time. I used my light for 4 hours after siting for 2 years. Also, they don't leak. I highly recommend them,

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ASF24WI/?tag=cpf0b6-20

I did a write up on the best Maglite mods including batteries a while back if ya wanna check it out:

http://maglitehistory.blogspot.com/2017/05/whats-old-is-new.html

EDIT: Forgot to mention that yes, they are the same size as standard D batteries. No mods needed.
 

carnage

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 21, 2015
Messages
315
Location
Massachusetts
I prefer the Tenergy Centuras hands down. They are a Low Self Discharge (LSD) so even though they have slightly less capacity than the Tenergy Premiums they stay charged for a long time. I used my light for 4 hours after siting for 2 years. Also, they don't leak. I highly recommend them,

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ASF24WI/?tag=cpf0b6-20

I did a write up on the best Maglite mods including batteries a while back if ya wanna check it out:

http://maglitehistory.blogspot.com/2017/05/whats-old-is-new.html

EDIT: Forgot to mention that yes, they are the same size as standard D batteries. No mods needed.

Thanks for the reply!

I was reading someone used a AA alkaline battery, then switched to a Nimh AA battery and it was a tight fit compare to the alkaline.

I saw the Tenergy D cell on Amazon but I didn't know to much about them, how reliable they are, true MAH ratings or anything.
 

LiftdT4R

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 8, 2017
Messages
1,273
Location
NJ / PA
Thanks for the reply!

I was reading someone used a AA alkaline battery, then switched to a Nimh AA battery and it was a tight fit compare to the alkaline.

I saw the Tenergy D cell on Amazon but I didn't know to much about them, how reliable they are, true MAH ratings or anything.

I have noticed this on the AA batteries. Some of my Tenergy AAs don't fit into older Mini Maglites. On the D cells I've never had an issue though and I probably have 2 dozen Maglites I run on NiMH Ds.
 

carnage

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 21, 2015
Messages
315
Location
Massachusetts
I have noticed this on the AA batteries. Some of my Tenergy AAs don't fit into older Mini Maglites. On the D cells I've never had an issue though and I probably have 2 dozen Maglites I run on NiMH Ds.

Where do you get your all of your Tenergy battery from? I read that people were getting old batteries stock from Amazon.
 
Last edited:

Minimoog

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 13, 2005
Messages
771
I like the Ansmann 8500mAh LSD. They charge evenly, hold the charge and deliver. Charging at 3 Amps gives perfect termination on my SkyRC charger.
 

N8N

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
1,241
Tenergy Centura, or for low draw applications use a 3xAA to D size adapter and use AAs in parallel. I do the latter as less stuff to stock. I have a 4xD LED Mag that is basically at this point AA cell storage, as it's been surpassed years ago as an actual illumination tool. It sits by the front door "just in case" and if you needed to steal 4 cells it'd still work just fine with 2 cells in each adapter, or even one.
 

CelticCross74

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
4,021
Location
Fairfax Va
Hey OP. Ive got dozens of full size Mags and have had plenty of experience with many different D NiMHs. The top shelf highest capacity D NiMH that I have and know of is actually the Maha Powerex D NiMH. They are expensive but worth it. Maha rates them at 11000mah. Maha has also said the cells are actually closer to 11500mah but for marketing purposes stuck with the 11000mah rating. I also have a bunch of Tenergy Premiums 10000mah D NiMHs. The Tenergy's are great cells but after studying the PDF spec sheets on the Tenergy Premium D cell and the standard Tenergy 10000mah D NiMH...well they both have the exact same specs. With the Premiums you are paying extra for basically just a really nice cell wrap.

Back to the Maha Powerex D NiMH's. These cells weigh almost twice as much as the Tenergy's for some reason. They are also a mm or two thicker than the Tenergy's. The Tenergy's can be fully charged on my 8 bay Maha NiMH charger from depletion in a couple of hours. The thick heavy Powerex D NiMHs literally take 10 hours or more to charge to full from depletion. When I first got them and first put them in the big Maha charger it took about 30 hours for them to complete. They cost twice as much as the Tenergy's though but when it comes down to it the Powerex cells have the highest capacity and hold their charge for freaking ever.
 

N8N

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
1,241
counterpoint to above: Duracell Ion Core are what, 2400 mAh for AAs? 3 of those is 7200 mAh which for rarely used, charged after use devices is not that big a deal.

If you just want to keep an old Mag functional my approach is valid. If you are a power user of a device using D cells, CelticCross74 is probably on point.

Only devices I have other than one Mag are a few Simpson meters and for that use the adapters and AA NiMH are fine.
 

carnage

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 21, 2015
Messages
315
Location
Massachusetts
Hey OP. Ive got dozens of full size Mags and have had plenty of experience with many different D NiMHs. The top shelf highest capacity D NiMH that I have and know of is actually the Maha Powerex D NiMH. They are expensive but worth it. Maha rates them at 11000mah. Maha has also said the cells are actually closer to 11500mah but for marketing purposes stuck with the 11000mah rating. I also have a bunch of Tenergy Premiums 10000mah D NiMHs. The Tenergy's are great cells but after studying the PDF spec sheets on the Tenergy Premium D cell and the standard Tenergy 10000mah D NiMH...well they both have the exact same specs. With the Premiums you are paying extra for basically just a really nice cell wrap.

Back to the Maha Powerex D NiMH's. These cells weigh almost twice as much as the Tenergy's for some reason. They are also a mm or two thicker than the Tenergy's. The Tenergy's can be fully charged on my 8 bay Maha NiMH charger from depletion in a couple of hours. The thick heavy Powerex D NiMHs literally take 10 hours or more to charge to full from depletion. When I first got them and first put them in the big Maha charger it took about 30 hours for them to complete. They cost twice as much as the Tenergy's though but when it comes down to it the Powerex cells have the highest capacity and hold their charge for freaking ever.

Can the Maha D fit in the Maglite and Coast HP 17 or is it to wide?

Which chargers are good at charging the D battery, beside the Maha?
 

carnage

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 21, 2015
Messages
315
Location
Massachusetts
counterpoint to above: Duracell Ion Core are what, 2400 mAh for AAs? 3 of those is 7200 mAh which for rarely used, charged after use devices is not that big a deal.

If you just want to keep an old Mag functional my approach is valid. If you are a power user of a device using D cells, CelticCross74 is probably on point.

Only devices I have other than one Mag are a few Simpson meters and for that use the adapters and AA NiMH are fine.

I think the D cells are a better options, considering I'm going to use it on high the most.
 
Last edited:
Top