# Best rechargeable d cell batteries?



## bmel17 (Aug 29, 2013)

Like the title says, what are the best rechargeable d cell batteries?


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## ChrisGarrett (Aug 30, 2013)

AccuPower, PowerEx or Tenergy? These days, at least.

Chris


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## LEDninja (Aug 30, 2013)

Make sure you get the Low Self Discharge version. The LSD batteries range from 2,900 to 10,000 mAH. Non LSD can go up to 12,000 mAH but only when freshly charged.


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## mccririck (Aug 30, 2013)

In UK there's Vapex. They do 8000mAh LSD and 10,000mAh normal

Also on ebay and amazon I have seen one called "Extreme" 10000mAh but have not tried them or seen any reviews.

Another ebay one to look at is called Ultralast and is 9000mAh claimed.

From Germany the Ansmann brand do D cells, pricey though...


Another option is 3AA to D parallel adaptors available on ebay for $5.99 each. They're decent quality.


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## mccririck (Aug 30, 2013)

Brands I know of:

AccuPower
PowerEx
Tenergy
Ansmann
Vapex
Extreme
Ultralast
Camlink


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## Gtamazing (Aug 30, 2013)

I've used Tenergy Centura Lsd in a few lights. They are pretty good.


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## mccririck (Aug 30, 2013)

What happened to the 5700mAh eneloop D's?


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## bmel17 (Aug 30, 2013)

any downside to the adapters?


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## N8N (Aug 30, 2013)

I believe the Eneloops are Japan market only, at least I don't know where to get them.

the downside to the adapters is that they're expensive (the only place I know to get the 3 cell ones is Battery Junction, for $15 apiece) and 3x Eneloops is less capacity (6000 mAh) than a Tenergy Centura D-cell (8000 mAh and $17/2-pack at Amazon)

The adapters seem like a great idea, I just can't justify the cost. If they were say $5 apiece I'd be stocking up and getting rid of all my D cells just for convenience's sake.

I've seen a teardown posted of the Eneloop D's and they are apparently true batteries - they are just 3xAA cells in parallel in a D size shell, so there's really no advantage to them, excellent cells though they are.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?287461-Eneloop-C-amp-D-Cells-Exposed

Given the capacity of the Tenergy cells I have to assume that those are single purpose built D cells.

Whatever you do don't buy Energizer NiMH C or D cells. Total rip off, both are rated right on the shell at 2500 mAh.


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## bmel17 (Aug 30, 2013)

only plus side to me is I wouldn't have to order a new charger. I have the i4 v2. it can't charge d cells anyway. I looked on eBay at the suggestion above and they are 5.99 shipped each. hmmm. then I could just order more AA eneloops


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## N8N (Aug 30, 2013)

Dang, you are right. Wonder how sturdy the contacts are. At that price I want to order some now, but the only D cell device I have is a 4D Mag and I only have 11 loops that I'm not using ATM, and they're a mix of Gen2 and Gen3. Still, would be nice to "be prepared."

Has anyone bought the fleaBay 3xAA to D adapters, and are they reasonably usable? Don't have to be spectacular, I wouldn't be using them in a hotwire or anything, but I would like to have a few in my junk box just in case. Maybe I could use one in my old Simpson 260 and get rid of the alkaleak? (that worries me a little, and a Simpson is a fine instrument that deserves to be cared for. Just don't know if the voltage difference would cause calibration issues...)

Going at it from another angle, you can charge a C or D cell in your charger with an adapter, if the charger has enough electrical capacity. Available both on Amazon and the bay, search for C9000 D cell adapter.


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## bmel17 (Aug 30, 2013)

yeah I'm using them for a maglite I store in my jeep and an emergency radio I have laying around and don't want to risk leakage. I figure that's probably cheaper than new tenergy cells and a new charger


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## N8N (Aug 30, 2013)

same eFlay seller world_electric_fan has 4xAAA to C adapters too, same price.

Really tempted...

That would pretty much duplicate the Japan market Eneloop C and D "cells" but allow you to charge the cells individually on a smart charger.

Anyone got their hands on them yet?


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## bmel17 (Aug 30, 2013)

I'm going to order 2 and test them out. will let you know


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## StorminMatt (Aug 30, 2013)

Gtamazing said:


> I've used Tenergy Centura Lsd in a few lights. They are pretty good.



Tenergy is probably the best value. They are reasonably priced at around $18.50 for two. And thus far, the quality of mine seem to be REALLY good. The Centuras have held up well for me. And although I haven't had my Premium C cells as long, they have been pretty good so far.


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## N8N (Aug 30, 2013)

bmel17 said:


> I'm going to order 2 (presumably 3xAA to D adapters) and test them out. will let you know



Please do, if they turn out to be acceptable quality I'm going to have to invest in some. I suppose I could order one or two but would rather place one order for all my foreseeable needs plus a couple extra; but then again I don't want to drop $50 or more if they're crap. Take and post pics; if anyone has I missed it (I didn't know they were out there until this thread) and you'd be doing us all a favor.


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## bmel17 (Aug 30, 2013)

N8N said:


> Please do, if they turn out to be acceptable quality I'm going to have to invest in some. I suppose I could order one or two but would rather place one order for all my foreseeable needs plus a couple extra; but then again I don't want to drop $50 or more if they're crap. Take and post pics; if anyone has I missed it (I didn't know they were out there until this thread) and you'd be doing us all a favor.



planning on it! I want to do a drop test and other various tests to make sure it will hold up. 

I'm still tempted on the tenergy LSD too. but I'm not going to need too many d cells laying around


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## N8N (Aug 30, 2013)

I'm diggin' the idea of the adapters now that I think about it... because they're parallel, you don't have to load them up necessarily. Let's say you need to power up a device, but only for a few minutes. you need 6x D cells to do it. But because you only need to power it for a few minutes you could do it with as few as 6 AAs... knowhutahmean?

my concern with the adapters would be primarily the gauge metal used for the contacts. If it's thick enough that it can handle a decent amount of current, I'm in. Once installed in a flashlight or device, they really shouldn't be rattling around that much.


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## bmel17 (Aug 30, 2013)

Ordered


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## sadtimes (Aug 30, 2013)

I know its not a sales thread but I have about 30 Tenergys.. I wouldve made you a good deal on some.

PM if you are interested in them... 10,000 mah blue label


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## mccririck (Aug 31, 2013)

N8N said:


> I believe the Eneloops are Japan market only, at least I don't know where to get them.
> 
> *the downside to the adapters is that they're expensive (the only place I know to get the 3 cell ones is Battery Junction, for $15 apiece)* and 3x Eneloops is less capacity (6000 mAh) than a Tenergy Centura D-cell (8000 mAh and $17/2-pack at Amazon).



ebay: search for "Parallel Battery Adapter Holder 1.5V Output Case Box Convert 3 AA to 1 D Size" - $5.99


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## StorminMatt (Aug 31, 2013)

But even if these adaptors are good quality-wise, at $5.99 each for these adaptors, the economics are not very good compared to Tenergy D cells. After paying $5.99 for these adaptors, you have to buy the batteries on top of it. Assuming $12 full price for four Eneloops/Duraloops, you're putting another nine dollars worth of batteries in each adaptor. That's $15 to replace ONE Tenergy D cell. And at $18.49, TWO Tenergy D cells don't cost alot more. Unless you are getting these adaptors because you want the option of running on AA batteries in emergency situations (in addition to running D cells), I just can't see how paying more money to get less capacity by running AA batteries in these adaptors is a better idea than getting real D cells like Tenergy. Even if you already have lots of AA batteries, the cost of these adaptors ($12 for two) is starting to get a little close to the cost of two Tenergy D cells ($18.49 for two).


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## mccririck (Aug 31, 2013)

True, they are a bit more expensive than I'd like. i have just bought one so far. I have asked Fasttech if they can stock them so maybe they will be available a little cheaper soon..

They do give you added flexibility, though.


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## Dark Slayer (Aug 31, 2013)

For my TK70 I went with tenergys, mostly from what I have read here. And I would say the are the way to go. I recently picked up four centuras from ebay for 25.90. Liked them so well I got another four. A month or so ago I also bought four premiums for 35.00. And almost a year ago I snagged four of the blue ones for 20.00.

Tested with the TK70 on turbo.
Tenergy Premium 1hr 15min
Tenergy Centura 1hr 14min
Tenergy Blue 55 min

Jives up with the my tests on the c9000 
I have not done any tests for self discharge though but I would say go with the centuras if your going to go with D cells.
Again, this is just what I expected from reading others opinions on here. I can't imagine the frustration and wasted money had I not found this forum. Many thanks too all those that take the time the post on here.


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## N8N (Aug 31, 2013)

mccririck said:


> ebay: search for "Parallel Battery Adapter Holder 1.5V Output Case Box Convert 3 AA to 1 D Size" - $5.99



Yeah, I see those now, and thanks for the pics. They look OK in the pics, does the metal appear sturdy enough to carry a decent amount of current? Once I saw the auction, I immediately thought of picking a few up, and since, I've thought of a few more places I could use them.


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## N8N (Aug 31, 2013)

StorminMatt said:


> But even if these adaptors are good quality-wise, at $5.99 each for these adaptors, the economics are not very good compared to Tenergy D cells. After paying $5.99 for these adaptors, you have to buy the batteries on top of it. Assuming $12 full price for four Eneloops/Duraloops, you're putting another nine dollars worth of batteries in each adaptor. That's $15 to replace ONE Tenergy D cell. And at $18.49, TWO Tenergy D cells don't cost alot more. Unless you are getting these adaptors because you want the option of running on AA batteries in emergency situations (in addition to running D cells), I just can't see how paying more money to get less capacity by running AA batteries in these adaptors is a better idea than getting real D cells like Tenergy. Even if you already have lots of AA batteries, the cost of these adaptors ($12 for two) is starting to get a little close to the cost of two Tenergy D cells ($18.49 for two).



That's exactly it, I like options in emergencies. They look awful handy to have around, but at $15 apiece it was totally not worth it. If these $6 ones are OK, that's a little more palatable.


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## bmel17 (Aug 31, 2013)

StorminMatt said:


> But even if these adaptors are good quality-wise, at $5.99 each for these adaptors, the economics are not very good compared to Tenergy D cells. After paying $5.99 for these adaptors, you have to buy the batteries on top of it. Assuming $12 full price for four Eneloops/Duraloops, you're putting another nine dollars worth of batteries in each adaptor. That's $15 to replace ONE Tenergy D cell. And at $18.49, TWO Tenergy D cells don't cost alot more. Unless you are getting these adaptors because you want the option of running on AA batteries in emergency situations (in addition to running D cells), I just can't see how paying more money to get less capacity by running AA batteries in these adaptors is a better idea than getting real D cells like Tenergy. Even if you already have lots of AA batteries, the cost of these adaptors ($12 for two) is starting to get a little close to the cost of two Tenergy D cells ($18.49 for two).




I have the AA eneloops already, so it is actually more economical for the $6 adapters to me. Don't forget to add in the price of a D worthy charger as well. My i4 says it will do up to C. I figure if I don't like them they are going to be good for emergencies too.


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## idleprocess (Aug 31, 2013)

StorminMatt said:


> But even if these adaptors are good quality-wise, at $5.99 each for these adaptors, the economics are not very good compared to Tenergy D cells. After paying $5.99 for these adaptors, you have to buy the batteries on top of it. Assuming $12 full price for four Eneloops/Duraloops, you're putting another nine dollars worth of batteries in each adaptor. That's $15 to replace ONE Tenergy D cell. And at $18.49, TWO Tenergy D cells don't cost alot more. Unless you are getting these adaptors because you want the option of running on AA batteries in emergency situations (in addition to running D cells), I just can't see how paying more money to get less capacity by running AA batteries in these adaptors is a better idea than getting real D cells like Tenergy. Even if you already have lots of AA batteries, the cost of these adaptors ($12 for two) is starting to get a little close to the cost of two Tenergy D cells ($18.49 for two).


Availability and pricing of true high-capacity NiMH C/D cells has never been very good - to say nothing of the LSD versions. The same can be said of _decent_ chargers for C/D cells (ie I have a middling AAA/AA/C/D charger that probably can't do 10AH cells in a single 16+ hour sitting). Heavy users of C/D cells would probably be better off investing true C/D cells and a proper charger due to superior performance. The rest of us with stacks of AA cells and occasional need for C/D cells could benefit from some adaptors - less capacity, but expands the capabilities of what we already have for less.

_EDIT : and I see that someone else made the same points I did while I got distracted with other things_


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## StorminMatt (Aug 31, 2013)

N8N said:


> That's exactly it, I like options in emergencies. They look awful handy to have around, but at $15 apiece it was totally not worth it. If these $6 ones are OK, that's a little more palatable.



The adaptors were never (as far as I know) $15. The $15 figure I came up with was for an adaptor loaded with batteries. Tenergy D batteries cost quite a bit less and are MUCH easier to charge (since you don't have to charge nine AA batteries for, say, a 3D Mag).

Speaking of chargers, I use the Maha 808. And it's been GREAT for me. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the analyzer functions of the 9000. But it seems to be a really good charger in terms of accuracy (ie not terminating either early or late). And not only does it have the ability to charge Cs and Ds. But it can charge 8 batteries of any size from AAA to D. I've also heard good things about the Accumanager 20. But I went with the Maha because of its reputation and ability to charge 8 batteries at a time.


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## N8N (Aug 31, 2013)

StorminMatt said:


> The adaptors were never (as far as I know) $15. The $15 figure I came up with was for an adaptor loaded with batteries. Tenergy D batteries cost quite a bit less and are MUCH easier to charge (since you don't have to charge nine AA batteries..



That's what BJ was asking for the "titanium innovations" brand adapters and was all I knew of currently on the market until I saw this thread...


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## StorminMatt (Aug 31, 2013)

One concept that I've always found interesting (at least with D cell Mags, not sure it would work with anything else) is running AA batteries WITHOUT adaptors. I recall reading some time back that four AA batteries fit almost perfectly in the barrel of a D cell Mag. And as you can see, this IS the case. Furthermore, capacity would actually EQUAL true D batteries. Of course, such a setup for Mags would require a circular piece of metal on the top that is insulated to prevent shorting against the barrel, a circular plate on the bottom with springs to make contact with the bottoms of the AA batteries, and some sort of dowel that would fit through one of the four spaces between the batteries and the barrel in order to align them. To make matters more complicated, because the difference in length between a pack of AA batteries and D batteries varies depending on the number of cells, you couldn't use the same plates on various size Mags. For instance, a 4D Mag would require thicker plates than a 2D or 3D Mag. But it would allow you to make use of AA batteries in a D cell Mag without losing capacity AND with lower internal resistance than adaptors (FAR fewer connections).


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## idleprocess (Aug 31, 2013)

StorminMatt said:


> One concept that I've always found interesting (at least with D cell Mags, not sure it would work with anything else) is running AA batteries WITHOUT adaptors.



I have a series 8xAA to 2xD adaptor I bought a long time ago for a maglite mod. It works well _so long as_ the cells you use are within the standard AA diameter - which produced a near line fit with the 1800mAH Ray-O-Vacs I was using at the time. As you might guess, a number of newer high-capacity cells are larger in diameter - to the point that I scraped some labels off the first time I tried to load the carrier full of 2000 mAH cells - didn't even bother with 2200's or 2500's when those came out.


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## mccririck (Sep 1, 2013)

StorminMatt said:


> But it would allow you to make use of AA batteries in a D cell Mag without losing capacity AND with lower internal resistance than adaptors (FAR fewer connections).



I'm not sure how it would have fewer connections.


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## StorminMatt (Sep 1, 2013)

mccririck said:


> I'm not sure how it would have fewer connections.



At the ends (ie by the tailspring and switch), there would be the same number of connections as with adaptors. Just like an adaptor, the terminals of the batteries will need to make contact with the plates. And the plates will have to make contact with the terminals on the flashlight. It's between the batteries themselves that things are different. With this particular setup, the batteries simply make contact with one another. This is just one connection between batteries. On the other hand, with adaptors, the positive terminals of the batteries must make contact with the top of the adaptors, the adaptor must make contact with the adjacent adaptor, and the negative terminals of the batteries in the next adaptor must make contact with that adaptor. Thus, between batteries, the number of contacts is reduced from three to one.

If you are familiar with the Coast HP550 which was available at Costco last winter, the setup in a Mag would be VERY similar.






Of course, in the end, Tenergy Centuras are a MUCH simpler option.


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## Wrend (Sep 1, 2013)

Funny thing though is that true D cells should have _significantly_ higher capacity than 4 parallel AAs, given the same chemistry type and proportionally similar cell construction practices.

I'm guessing that it's just standard practice to skimp on material and construction costs for C and D cells, maybe in part to pass some of the proportionally lower cost on to the consumers so that they'll actually buy the cells.

Personally, I think some _actually_ true Eneloop C and D cells would be amazing. While I likely wouldn't need a lot of them (though I might find a reason to, if given the opportunity), I would definitely buy some of them. Making mobile packs out of them to use as power supplies for recharging handheld devices comes to mind too.


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## Gtamazing (Sep 1, 2013)

I have a bunch of adapters too. All series no parallel. I used AA's to get the voltage instead of li-ions in low current lights. But I still not sure why the whole parallel AA to replace D cells question get dragged out so much. Tenergy LSD D cells are inexpensive have better capacity and can deliver serious current. I have a 8.4A sst-90 mag that uses Tenergys. I'd like to see those cheap chinese adapters do that kind of amperage.

I suppose it's cause so many drool over eneloops using anything else would be uncool.


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## Wrend (Sep 1, 2013)

I could get plenty of current from a pack I made. For some of the ones I have for various hobby related stuff, we're talking 100s of amps.

Anyway, my point was that actually true D sized cells should theoretically have much higher capacities than what they do, much higher than 8000mAh for LSD cells of Eneloop quality, for example.


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## mccririck (Sep 1, 2013)

Gtamazing said:


> I have a bunch of adapters too. All series no parallel. I used AA's to get the voltage instead of li-ions in low current lights. But I still not sure why the whole parallel AA to replace D cells question get dragged out so much. Tenergy LSD D cells are inexpensive have better capacity and can deliver serious current. I have a 8.4A sst-90 mag that uses Tenergys. I'd like to see those cheap chinese adapters do that kind of amperage.
> 
> I suppose it's cause so many drool over eneloops using anything else would be uncool.



No, it's not that at all imo. Firstly you get more flexibility. You also dont have to buy a new charger. And another reason is here in the UK high capacity D cells are expensive.


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## mccririck (Sep 1, 2013)

Wrend said:


> Anyway, my point was that actually true D sized cells should theoretically have much higher capacities than what they do, much higher than 8000mAh for LSD cells of Eneloop quality, for example.



The highest capacity D cell I'm aware of is the 11,000mAh Powerex. Very expensive, however.


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## idleprocess (Sep 1, 2013)

Gtamazing said:


> I have a bunch of adapters too. All series no parallel. I used AA's to get the voltage instead of li-ions in low current lights. But I still not sure why the whole parallel AA to replace D cells question get dragged out so much. Tenergy LSD D cells are inexpensive have better capacity and can deliver serious current. I have a 8.4A sst-90 mag that uses Tenergys. I'd like to see those cheap chinese adapters do that kind of amperage.
> 
> I suppose it's cause so many drool over eneloops using anything else would be uncool.


It's a matter of _incremental_ cost. True high-capacity C/D cells offer better all-around performance, but must be dedicated to the function and typically require an additional investment in better chargers - as covered in previous posts:



bmel17 said:


> I have the AA eneloops already, so it is actually more economical for the $6 adapters to me. Don't forget to add in the price of a D worthy charger as well. My i4 says it will do up to C. I figure if I don't like them they are going to be good for emergencies too.





idleprocess said:


> Availability and pricing of true high-capacity NiMH C/D cells has never been very good - to say nothing of the LSD versions. The same can be said of _decent_ chargers for C/D cells (ie I have a middling AAA/AA/C/D charger that probably can't do 10AH cells in a single 16+ hour sitting). Heavy users of C/D cells would probably be better off investing true C/D cells and a proper charger due to superior performance. The rest of us with stacks of AA cells and occasional need for C/D cells could benefit from some adaptors - less capacity, but expands the capabilities of what we already have for less.



And I'm not cool enough to use eneloops either - instead opting for other LSD cells from the likes of Ray-O-Vac or a brand I've only seen at Fry's : Uniross.


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## mccririck (Sep 1, 2013)

Yeah I have one set of eneloops but I prefer Turnigy or Vapex because they're cheaper.


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## idleprocess (Sep 1, 2013)

mccririck said:


> The highest capacity D cell I'm aware of is the 11,000mAh Powerex. Very expensive, however.


C/D cells are becoming niche items - their volumes are far lower than AAA/AA and seemingly shrinking as the number of devices that use them thin out. Flashlights and boom boxes are two of the major users of C and especially D cells, and flashlights have largely settled on the AA (thanks to LED offering long runtimes with little power) while the portable battery-powered boom box has pretty much vanished from the marketplace.

This leads to another problem - with shrinking volumes, costs of production tend to increase, creating an economic incentive for manufacturers to do little other than cut costs. It should come as no surprise that the major battery manufacturers do not care to make high-capacity C/D NiMH cells and that those are left to niche/specialist producers, who sell to the small slice of the market willing to pay the price.

_What is the cost of a SKU_ is an exercise that any goods-oriented business should engage in regularly - either when contemplating something new or to analyze their present offerings. For a company such as Apple offering an iDevice with 64GB of storage vs another otherwise-identical iDevice with 128GB of storage it's a fairly low cost since the difference might be as simple as a slight variation on the bill of materials - different flash chips on the mainboard, a different shell on the product, and different packaging - otherwise it's made on the same line with an identical process. For a battery manufacturer the commonality is much less - similar chemical feedstocks, but otherwise entirely different bill of materials, on a different line, with different packaging and components, and maybe even separate R&D burdens - leading to an entirely different cost structure.

In the case of C/D cells, odds are those are made on older/less-efficient production lines with a much higher R&D burden being amortized across each cell ... in addition to the greater material requirements making them so much more expensive. I'm truly amazed that there are LSD C/D cells on the market at capacities of ~5/10 A-H, but also unsurprised at the high unit costs and relatively niche availability.


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## StorminMatt (Sep 1, 2013)

Gtamazing said:


> I have a bunch of adapters too. All series no parallel. I used AA's to get the voltage instead of li-ions in low current lights. But I still not sure why the whole parallel AA to replace D cells question get dragged out so much. Tenergy LSD D cells are inexpensive have better capacity and can deliver serious current. I have a 8.4A sst-90 mag that uses Tenergys. I'd like to see those cheap chinese adapters do that kind of amperage.
> 
> I suppose it's cause so many drool over eneloops using anything else would be uncool.



I think you hit the nail right on the head with the Eneloop thing. People tend to get obsessed with them to the point that they believe anything that's NOT an Eneloop is just a piece of garbage that's not going to be able to hold a charge after six months. I mean, think about how SO many people use adaptors and wish there could be such a thing as a C or D Eneloop. But the fact is, I've had my Centuras for almost a year. And I'm completely satisfied with their performance. Will they last five or ten years? Who knows. But even if I get only three years out of them, I certainly consider that good use. And I really wouldn't expect a battery to last much longer than that, Eneloop or not.

As far as the cost of chargers, many people here already have multiple high end chargers for AA batteries. So price is clearly not an object, especially when you consider that a charger like the Maha 808 will also charge 8 AA batteries. And, as I've said before, Tenergy Centura D batteries are actually pretty cheap - not much more than four Eneloops. Yet they have TWICE the capacity. I'd actually call that a pretty good value.


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## N8N (Sep 1, 2013)

StorminMatt said:


> I think you hit the nail right on the head with the Eneloop thing. People tend to get obsessed with them to the point that they believe anything that's NOT an Eneloop is just a piece of garbage that's not going to be able to hold a charge after six months. I mean, think about how SO many people use adaptors and wish there could be such a thing as a C or D Eneloop. But the fact is, I've had my Centuras for almost a year. And I'm completely satisfied with their performance. Will they last five or ten years? Who knows. But even if I get only three years out of them, I certainly consider that good use. And I really wouldn't expect a battery to last much longer than that, Eneloop or not.
> 
> As far as the cost of chargers, many people here already have multiple high end chargers for AA batteries. So price is clearly not an object, especially when you consider that a charger like the Maha 808 will also charge 8 AA batteries. And, as I've said before, Tenergy Centura D batteries are actually pretty cheap - not much more than four Eneloops. Yet they have TWICE the capacity. I'd actually call that a pretty good value.



Well, you have a point... but the thing is that most of us who have lots of gadgets with remotes etc. need lots of cells. So investing in NiMHs is not something to be taken lightly, we like to buy stuff that is proven to work well and by all accounts that means Eneloops. We buy what's available from reliable known sellers and is known to works.

And the Centura D's are 8000 mAh unless Amazon is lying to me... that's actually exactly four Eneloop AAs.

I actually can make a good case for buying the eBay adapters and using Eneloops, and I can make another good case for buying another charger and buying the Centuras. Both are viable options. Unfortunately neither are available in B&M stores near me. I can get the Centura D's at Micro Center, but I can't get Eneloops or Maha (or LaCrosse) chargers, or multi-cell to C or D adapters anywhere.


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## StorminMatt (Sep 1, 2013)

Not sure where you're located. But if you're looking for Maha chargers, they're a available at Batteries Plus. So if you have a Batteries Plus near you, you can avoid the whole online thing.

As far as the capacity, Centuras ARE 8000mAH. What I meant by twice the capacity is that two have twice the capacity of a four pack of Eneloops.

There are a couple of other advantages I should mention with D cells vs adaptors. First of all, they're MUCH easier to change. This is especially true if you're fumbling in the dark. Trying to replace batteries in holders is just a PITA, especially in the field. Likewise, charging a few D cells is MUCH easier than charging an army of AA's. For a 3D Mag, I simply throw my D cells on my 808 and that's it. But if I have to charge nine AA batteries, I now have to go through TWO charging cycles because it can only hold 8 batteries.


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## Dark Slayer (Sep 1, 2013)

Having used both adapters and real D cells I found the adapters are OK for occasional tinkering, and that is always fun for us type of folks but for any kind of regular use the D cells are much easier to handle. 

I'm also finding that I like lights with out cell carriers better too. With my TK70 I just slide them out and charge, slide em back in. My TK75 I have to slide out the carrier and pick em out, charge, snap em back in the carrier then carrier back into light. I know it's not that hard but if you are doing this regularly it can get old.


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## bmel17 (Sep 14, 2013)

Well I received the adapters in the mail this morning. Plastic is thick and quality. Metal seems to ok too. Fits alkaleaks and eneloops just fine. Even tried some of my 14500's and only the eagletac would fit. Nitecore and trustfire were too tight a fit.


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## eff (Sep 20, 2013)

I'm currently using Tenergy and Enix D cells. Both are good brands.
Tests done with my TK70 running on turbo, give the following runtimes :
- Tenergy 10000 mAh white label : 1h31mn
- Enix LSD 8000 mAh : 1h17mn


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## N8N (Sep 20, 2013)

I'm wondering, if you were in a real hurry, and had a good C/D smart charger like an 808, how much harm would you do if you charged your cells in the adapters as if they were single D cells.

Clearly this is what Sanyo does anyway with the Eneloops - I know that it is not as good/safe as separating the cells and using them on a charger with individual channels for each cell, but still. If you're in a pinch enough to use the adapters and need your light/radio/whatever up and running quickly, I bet it would work. Only real question is would charger terminate properly - you'd have to estimate time to full and pull them off if they grossly exceeded it without terminating.


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## mccririck (Sep 20, 2013)

eff said:


> I'm currently using Tenergy and Enix D cells. Both are good brands.
> Tests done with my TK70 running on turbo, give the following runtimes :
> - Tenergy 10000 mAh white label : 1h31mn
> - Enix LSD 8000 mAh : 1h17mn



Where do you buy Enix?


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## eff (Sep 22, 2013)

mccririck said:


> Where do you buy Enix?


Name of Enix battery is Nx-Ready. You can get NX batteries here : 
http://www.allbatteries.co.uk/rechargeable-battery/standard-rechargeable-battery.html 
You can also get them from another EU country, just choose the right country on the map : http://www.allbatteries.com/
Here's a quick description and a few pictures of the Nx: http://www.allbatteries.co.uk/nx-ready.html




N8N said:


> I'm wondering, if you were in a real hurry, and had a good C/D smart charger like an 808, how much harm would you do if you charged your cells in the adapters as if they were single D cells.
> 
> Clearly this is what Sanyo does anyway with the Eneloops - I know that it is not as good/safe as separating the cells and using them on a charger with individual channels for each cell, but still. If you're in a pinch enough to use the adapters and need your light/radio/whatever up and running quickly, I bet it would work. Only real question is would charger terminate properly - you'd have to estimate time to full and pull them off if they grossly exceeded it without terminating.



I guess it depends on the current used by the charger to recharge D cells. The current will be divided among the AA cells in the adapters, so you could end up slow charging your batteries.
If the amount of current used is too low, the charger may have to depend on the charge timer, rather than on the Delta V. Max time charge on my BC1HU is 14 hours, I suppose there's also a timer on the M808.


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