# New walmart Duracell battery



## youmansk (Jul 15, 2013)

ok, has anyone seen these new walmart duracell NiMH batteries. The battery themselves have the "pre-charge" and "duralock" wording on them. They are the "long life ion core" rechargeables. They have a black tip on the pos side.They are 2400mAh 1.2volt. Are they rebadged eneloop? They are pretty cheap, $10.97 for four. 3/4 of the body of the battery are green with a copper top. No visible vent holes. They do not look like traditional "drualoops".They are guaranteed for five years! 400x recharges on packaging. They are made in Japan.

Model DX1500


----------



## RCM (Jul 15, 2013)

Those are normal self discharge AA cells..made by Sanyo...or Panasonic...not really sure if Sanyo is still Sanyo anymore..


----------



## Cereal_Killer (Jul 15, 2013)

Does the actual batteries say "made in Japan" or just the package? (I'm sure it says something on the batteries themselves if you only read the packaging). 

I have never heard of a black top rebadged eneloop, in fact the white top is the main thing you look for to determine if it is a duraloop or not. I would say based off that alone that no, these arnt rebadged eneloops, did you buy a pack or just see them? Do you have equipment to test actual capacity?

edit: seeing as they're 2400mAh I would again say no, these are NOT rebranded eneloops. Just FYI DX1500 is duracells part number for 1.2v AA NiMH batteries, both white top "Duraloops" and black top non-Duraloops (and apparently these) all have that same PN, it means nothing.



RCM said:


> Those are normal self discharge AA cells..made by Sanyo...or Panasonic...not really sure if Sanyo is still Sanyo anymore..


Good point, they may be made by SANYO/Panasonic yet not be eneloops, they make several other cells that are in no way eneloops.


----------



## youmansk (Jul 15, 2013)

Cereal_Killer said:


> Does the actual batteries say "made in Japan" or just the package? (I'm sure it says something on the batteries themselves if you only read the packaging).
> 
> I have never heard of a black top rebadged eneloop, in fact the white top is the main thing you look for to determine if it is a duraloop or not. I would say based off that alone that no, these arnt rebadged eneloops, did you buy a pack or just see them? Do you have equipment to test actual capacity?
> 
> ...




The battery and the packaging say "Made in Japan". I have not bought a charger yet. Looking into a good one. Now sure which one. Anyway, If these are eneloop xx that are rebadged, they would be a really good deal. The strange thing is that they are mostly green with just a small black "duralock" band and then a copper top. They say on the package that charge last for 1 year.


----------



## Cereal_Killer (Jul 16, 2013)

youmansk said:


> Anyway, If these are eneloop xx that are rebadged, they would be a really good deal.


I am 100% sure that these ARE NOT eneloop XX's. First reason being even the newest packages of Duraloops are only 3rd gen eneloops (so they're [sanyo/panasonic] obviously not selling off the newest/best eneloops to be rebranded. They want their own name on the best/newest ones. And two the XX's are higher priced than regular eneloops, again there is no way they're letting another company they sell to rebrand their batteries and then undercut them. Even if I knew nothing about the batteries that's common sence business 101. 

Eneloop XX's are their best battery, they don't let them get rebranded. Like mentioned above not all SANYO (now panasonic) cells are eneloops, SANYO/Panasonic is one of the leading battery mfg's in the world, they make cells sold under dozens of names, only a fraction of what they produce are eneloops and only a fraction of those get sold off to be rebranded. Its very likely that multiple brands of NiMH cells we don't know of, including low performers, are produced by SANYO/Panasonic, not only do they mfg several of their own design cells but they also mfg cells of other companies design and specifications. There's a pretty good chance these cells are mfg'd by SANYO for P&G (owners of duracell) but I'm confident they're not eneloops and I'm absolutely sure that at $10/4pk they're not eneloop XX's. 

Go to a target (of w/e store around you carries both real Duraloops and the black top duracells and look at the packaging, everything about it is the same (other than the country of origin). From the "recharge 400 times" to the duracell part number (DX1500, AAA's are DX2400). The labeling is all the same, the one true way to tell is the white ring on the top, these Walmart ones have a black ring (the visual give away that they're NOT eneloops). If Walmart wanted to sell rebranded eneloops they are as big if not bigger of a company than P&G, they wouldnt be buyin a rebranded battery threw another company, they would buy them directly from SANYO/Panasonic and rebrand them themselves. Most likely the duracell cells they are using for these "Walmart" batteries are truely of duracell design (however they may still be mfg'd by SANYO and/or Panasonic). 

Im not going to spend the $10 on a pack of them since I have plenty of eneloops and if/when I need more NiMH AA's I will buy more eneloops however if you want to send me one or two of yours I would be happy to run as many tests as you want on them and some real eneloops and/or real duraloops at the same time then report the results here, I'm sure the results of capacity and current draw tests would verify these are something else.


----------



## StorminMatt (Jul 16, 2013)

Cereal_Killer said:


> edit: seeing as they're 2400mAh I would again say no, these are NOT rebranded eneloops. Just FYI DX1500 is duracells part number for 1.2v AA NiMH batteries, both white top "Duraloops" and black top non-Duraloops (and apparently these) all have that same PN, it means nothing.



Not true about DX1500. My Duraloops have the model number DX1500. But I also have some Duracell 2450s. And they have the number DC1500. Might these cells be something similar to the Japanese Duracell 2450s?


----------



## Cereal_Killer (Jul 16, 2013)

StorminMatt said:


> Not true about DX1500. My Duraloops have the model number DX1500. But I also have some Duracell 2450s. And they have the number DC1500. Might these cells be something similar to the Japanese Duracell 2450s?


Are your duracel 2450's LSD or non-LSD? Every different type of LSD (what they call "pre-charged") duracell AA size NiMH I've ever seen, regardless of capacity or source has said DX1500 (likewise every different LSD AAA duracell cell I've ever seen was DX2400). Also when and where did you get them? Maybe its an older PN?

I know for a fact that "DX1500/DX2400" is not an eneloop part number nor is it any sort of designation meaning those particular cells are rebranded eneloops, perhaps its a designation they give all their outsourced/rebranded cells where as DC1500 is their PN for cells they actually produce themselves? Its purely speculation here but it would make perfect sence if DX means outsourced where as DC means in-house production. 

I'm sorry for making an incorrect statement that all their AA NiMH's have that one PN but I know to be absolutely true that DX1500 is the same part number for both white top rebranded Duraloops AND other black top duracells so like I said it is no indication of a "duraloop" nor is ANYTHING printed on the package, only the batteries themselves can be an indication of that.


edit: one time several months ago I purchased a 4 pack of the black top AA w/ charger (I've never seen white tops included with the charger) just to see how they performed, being dissatisfied with them I wrote P&G who almost immediately sent out two vouchers for me to get 2 4packs of the white top "Duraloops" as replacement, the PN on the black tops was also DX1500, in my initial email I asked P&G if they needed any numbers or anything off the batteries to which they replied the only info they needed was the color of the top (white or black). This leads me to believe that in this case these batteries the OP is talking about are no different from the other black tops (maybe different stated capacity but the same general cell). They didnt even want the batteries in question sent back.


----------



## youmansk (Jul 16, 2013)

youmansk said:


> The battery and the packaging say "Made in Japan". I have not bought a charger yet. Looking into a good one. Now sure which one. Anyway, If these are eneloop xx that are rebadged, they would be a really good deal. The strange thing is that they are mostly green with just a small black "duralock" band and then a copper top. They say on the package that charge last for 1 year.




If they are not Drualoops, can I at least assume that they are some sort of LSD cell? They do have the "Pre-charge" label on the battery its self. I got a MH-c9000 today. I can run some sort of test if it will help answer the question. I can include a picture if i can figure out how to post one on the forum.
Thanks


----------



## ALW248 (Jul 16, 2013)

RCM said:


> Those are normal self discharge AA cells.



Being pre-charged, and stay-charged, these should be LSD.

It seems that non-LSD are being replaced by LSD.

I am actually looking for non-LSD. But they are difficult to find now.


----------



## StorminMatt (Jul 16, 2013)

ALW248 said:


> Being pre-charged, and stay-charged, these should be LSD.
> 
> It seems that non-LSD are being replaced by LSD.
> 
> I am actually looking for non-LSD. But they are difficult to find now.



The only negative of LSD is lowered capacity. If you can get all the capacity of non-LSD in a LSD battery, there's no need to go non-LSD. Also, it appears that lots of batteries sold today which are not labelled as LSD actually do considerably better than non-LSD batteries of yesteryear when it comes to holding a charge.


----------



## ChrisGarrett (Jul 17, 2013)

Besides the Duraloops, I think Duracell has 2450mAh and 2650mAh HSD batteries in their stable.

Chris


----------



## youmansk (Jul 17, 2013)

I put my first set of these batteries on the "refresh and analyze" setting. The result seems pretty good. All of them were rated at around 2400mAh. These may turn out to be good batteries. I have looked at Target, CVS, Sam's, etc and cannot find them anywhere but at Walmart.


----------



## __philippe (Jul 17, 2013)

Duracell "Made in Japan" Ni-MH DX1500 are not really so new... :

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...op-Duraloop-help&p=3218902&view=1#post3218902

__philippe


----------



## youmansk (Jul 17, 2013)

__philippe said:


> Duracell "Made in Japan" Ni-MH DX1500 are not really so new... :
> 
> http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...op-Duraloop-help&p=3218902&view=1#post3218902
> 
> __philippe



ya.. I know. wanted to find out if they could be duraloops XX...They have similar power as Eneloop XX.... They have similar recharge times also. The packaging says 400x recharges. I seem to recall reading that the higher capacity eneloop xx had a fewer recharge numbers also, something like 500x. Most rechargeables say that can recharge 1000x but higher capacity ones seem to have a lower number of charges available. i know all this is all theory, but.. I just thought maybe Duracell was now rebadgeing Eneloop xx.


----------



## StorminMatt (Jul 19, 2013)

I had a look at these today at Walmart. It looks like they changed the shrink wrap on the batteries and now call them 'Ion Core'. The vents on the positive terminals are also much bigger than those on the 2450s. And the top is now black instead of green (like the 2450s). So they appear to be a different battery altogether. They say it lasts five years. But that appears to be a claim about the actual life of the battery itself rather than a claim that it holds such and such percent of a full charge for five years. So it looks like this battery may not be LSD. On the other hand, this battery might be a good choice if you are looking for something with greater capacity than your typical Eneloop/Duraloop, and don't really care whether it is LSD.


----------



## StorminMatt (Jul 21, 2013)

Okay, I take that back. These 'Ion Core' batteries ARE LSD. I got a four pack of them today to try out. And although it doesn't say 'Staycharged' anywhere on the pack, it DOES say that they hold a charge for up to one year in storage. The fact that they appear to be a Sanyo LSD battery with 2400mAH certainly makes me wonder whether they are Eneloop XX's. But if they are, $10.97 for four is DEFINITELY a bargain.


----------



## RCM (Jul 23, 2013)

I actually saw these for the first time today...was in a rush, saw them at publix, but they may be rayovac cells! When I am back there again, I will look at the country of origin...the negative post looked rayovac though...I could be wrong. May pick up a pack to mess with..but do I really need MORE batteries?!


----------



## SaraAB87 (Jul 24, 2013)

This would be a good pack of batteries to use a Duracell coupon on when you get one, but like the others here I would buy some but I definitely don't need more batteries at this point.


----------



## StorminMatt (Jul 24, 2013)

Cereal_Killer said:


> I am 100% sure that these ARE NOT eneloop XX's. First reason being even the newest packages of Duraloops are only 3rd gen eneloops (so they're [sanyo/panasonic] obviously not selling off the newest/best eneloops to be rebranded. They want their own name on the best/newest ones. And two the XX's are higher priced than regular eneloops, again there is no way they're letting another company they sell to rebrand their batteries and then undercut them. Even if I knew nothing about the batteries that's common sence business 101.



On the other hand, the Eneloop XX is not exactly a new battery (it's been around for a while). And, at least from the sound of things around here, it's not exactly a huge seller. Part of this is no doubt the result of the fact that they are generally available only by mail order (at least in many places). I'm sure Sanyo/Panasonic would like to sell LOTS more of them than they are. And they're not going to do this by selling only by mail order or in a few exclusive places. They may not get top dollar selling them at Wally World. But they will DEFINITELY sell, which is something they really don't appear to be doing at the time. At the end of the day, they'll make more money selling them by the truckload at a big box store than by trying to sell a few here and there on Amazon (where customers are further put off by the additional cost of shipping and the wait time to get the ).

Here's another way to look at it. If ordinary 2000mAH Eneloops weren't rebadged as Duraloops, I'm sure the sales on Eneloops in the US would be MUCH, MUCH, MUCH lower.


----------



## SaraAB87 (Jul 25, 2013)

That is true, I bet if eneloops were branded as Sanyo batteries and not Duracell in the USA I bet they would not sell, as people here only seem to buy energizer and Duracell and occasionally some ray o vac.


----------



## StorminMatt (Jul 25, 2013)

SaraAB87 said:


> That is true, I bet if eneloops were branded as Sanyo batteries and not Duracell in the USA I bet they would not sell, as people here only seem to buy energizer and Duracell and occasionally some ray o vac.



People buy what they can easily get at a decent price. Now you can go on and on about how you can get so many Eneloops for x amount of dollars on such and such website. But your average Joe isn't going to mail order batteries when they can get them at the local grocery store, have them that day, and not have to pay for shipping. Perhaps people WOULD buy Eneloops (branded as such and NOT as Duracells) if they could get them at the grocery store or corner drugstore. But not everyone has a Costco membership. And few people are going to order online that which they can pick up the next time they buy milk. THAT'S why everyone buys Duracell and Energizer.


----------



## sxl168 (Jul 28, 2013)

I just saw these as well at Wal-Mart and picked up 2 packs of AAA since I didn't have any rechargeable AAA's. I had the $1.50 coupon off, so decided to try them out. I can confirm what the others said here that they say on the package that they are "guaranteed to last for 5 years", 400 cycles, and hold charge for 1 year, with no stats listed for what %, black tops. The biggest difference I saw with these AAA compared to the Pre-Charged AAA's are that these new ones are also Made in Japan, unlike the Pre-Charged all being made in China. The cell wrapper details info of being made in Japan, 800 mAh capacity, charge at 80 mA for 16 hours, HR03/NiMH 1.2V. 

I decided to give them a try since they said Made in Japan. If they were still the Made in China ones, I would have left them alone, but it is nice now that the AAA come from Japan now also. I may be mistaken, by doesn't the HR03 part number indicate Sanyo cells? I searched Google for that part number and a whole bunch of sites come back listing Eneloop AAA. If I got ahold of 4 AAA Eneloop packs for $9.50 each with coupon, I'm a pretty happy camper.


----------



## StorminMatt (Jul 28, 2013)

800mAH AAA? Sounds like they're probably no better than the older 800mAH white top Duraloop AAA batteries. But still, I figure that they're probably at least halfway decent batteries. I just don't know if there's any reason to get them instead of actual Duraloops, especially since you can get them for $6.08 for four these days at Target.

As far as 'HR03', this isn't a brand designation. It's simply a shorthand designation for a AAA NiMH battery. In a similar manner, 'HR06' means AA NiMH. And this can be seen on a wide variety of batteries.


----------



## SaraAB87 (Jul 28, 2013)

StorminMatt said:


> People buy what they can easily get at a decent price. Now you can go on and on about how you can get so many Eneloops for x amount of dollars on such and such website. But your average Joe isn't going to mail order batteries when they can get them at the local grocery store, have them that day, and not have to pay for shipping. Perhaps people WOULD buy Eneloops (branded as such and NOT as Duracells) if they could get them at the grocery store or corner drugstore. But not everyone has a Costco membership. And few people are going to order online that which they can pick up the next time they buy milk. THAT'S why everyone buys Duracell and Energizer.



But would they actually buy the Sanyo brand over energizer or Duracell based solely on name? I personally find that most people won't buy Rechargables due to prior bad experience, but as we know that is mainly due to off the shelf chargers being a load of crap, the actual batteries are fine. Also no Costco near me and Sams club only sells that energizer pack with the crap charger.


----------



## RCM (Jul 28, 2013)

SaraAB87 said:


> But would they actually buy the Sanyo brand over energizer or Duracell based solely on name? I personally find that most people won't buy Rechargables due to prior bad experience, but as we know that is mainly due to off the shelf chargers being a load of crap, the actual batteries are fine. Also no Costco near me and Sams club only sells that energizer pack with the crap charger.


I guess it depends on what's the cheapest there for them to choose from.
In energizers case, the 2500 mAh NiMH was the WORST cell they ever had! Even the 2300s I have are starting to turn crap, or mine are just wearing out.
Rechargable cells have saved me THOUSANDS of dollars over the 12 years I have been using them! 
Got my first charger when I was 13, and I am 25 now..and have a much better charger and better cells to go with it!
I know I won't be buying any Duracell quantums, as I have no use for alkaline cells, and I don't need anymore as I have plenty to run what I have with sets for spares when I need them! For the average person buying these particular cells, maybe they can get a few more shots out of their camera, or a few more minutes of light from their flashlight, but I don't need them.


----------



## sxl168 (Jul 29, 2013)

Had I known that Target is currently throwing that sale, I would have stopped there to get the Duraloops. I never ever saw any white topped AAA size in my area though. They only ever had the black topped ones and so stayed away from them. I didn't need anymore AA's and did not get those, I just jumped at the sight of seeing AAA Japanese made cells that I haven't seen around here.


----------



## sxl168 (Aug 11, 2013)

Yesterday I went on over to Target to see if they still had the Duracell's on discount and found out that they actually have marked them down to clearance level at $3.65 per 4 pack. Looks to me like they are clearing out the old stock to make way for the new types that Wal-Mart has. I grabbed a few packs of each size since it is hard to beat that kind of price and compared them to the new Ion core AAA's I got from Wal-Mart. 

My comparison is a white-topped "Duraloop" Made in Japan pack with 2F23J1 printed on the back of the card. The cells themselves each have 13628676M3 embossed on the wrapper. I Could not locate any obvious date code on the cells. The Ion Core Duracell's have 3122868100 printed on the back of the card and 30468676A1 printed on each cell. Studying the cells for 5 minutes, I could not tell them apart other than the wrapper and the black/white top. The buttons are the same height, have the same 4 vent holes, and have that slightly out-of-round squarish look. The bottoms are both ever so slightly concave and have the same nickel finish on them. If the cells had their wrappers and black/white tops missing, I would not be able to tell the difference between them. I'd be shocked if these weren't rebadged Eneloop AAA's.

I have no data on the Ion Core AA's as I did not pick any of those packs up yet.


----------



## SaraAB87 (Aug 12, 2013)

It's worth noting that Sams club is now only carrying Duracell batteries. They still have a few packs of Lithium energizers but all of their other energizer stock has been pulled. I shop there every week and this is the first week I have seen the change. They have a large pack of the Duracell quantum batteries too.

The Rechargables they have are Duracell black top with only 2 AA's and the rest AA


----------



## ChrisGarrett (Aug 12, 2013)

sxl168 said:


> Had I known that Target is currently throwing that sale, I would have stopped there to get the Duraloops. I never ever saw any white topped AAA size in my area though. They only ever had the black topped ones and so stayed away from them. I didn't need anymore AA's and did not get those, I just jumped at the sight of seeing AAA Japanese made cells that I haven't seen around here.



I just went by my local Target here in Miami and they had 3 four packs of the AA Duraloops for $3.65 per pack, left.

I snatched them up for under $12 out the door.

Can't complain if they behave as the Eneloops do.

Good deal.

Thanks, Chris


----------



## Backpacker Light (Aug 12, 2013)

Funny how threads sometimes cross.

I do not yet know what these new Walmart batteries are,
but actual Duraloop white-top AA and AAA cells are currently clearanced at many Target stores across the country for a steal price (70% off) of $3.65 per 4-pack.

You need to move quickly on this deal, but there are still some left. Good luck.

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?297543-Battery-clearance-at-Target/page2


----------



## Divine_Madcat (Aug 13, 2013)

Just scored 10 packs of AA, and 4 packs of AAA, all marked at 3.65 each. Amazing enough, there were still a good 10 AA,and 30+ AAA. All whitetop, massing Japan (all had a 2012 date Code). 

Assuming these are still eneloop equivalent, call me realllllly happy.


----------



## Backpacker Light (Aug 13, 2013)

SaraAB87 said:


> It's worth noting that Sams club is now only carrying Duracell batteries. They still have a few packs of Lithium energizers but all of their other energizer stock has been pulled. I shop there every week and this is the first week I have seen the change. They have a large pack of the Duracell quantum batteries too.
> 
> The Rechargables they have are Duracell black top with only 2 AA's and the rest AA



This news is an interesting turn of events. I will have to check out my local Sam's Club store. 

I have been eyeing up those newer White-top rechargeable Energizers that Sam's has offered in 8-packs recently, wondering if they are really some new type of re-branded Eneloop (not so sure). I never did buy them, the price a bit high, and now you are saying they are gone?

Anyway, after scoring more than I will need of actual white-top Duraloops from Target this week for $3.65 per 4-pack (clearance), I am not so interested in the white-top Energizer's.


----------



## ChrisGarrett (Aug 13, 2013)

Backpacker Light said:


> This news is an interesting turn of events. I will have to check out my local Sam's Club store.
> 
> I have been eyeing up those newer White-top rechargeable Energizers that Sam's has offered in 8-packs recently, wondering if they are really some new type of re-branded Eneloop (not so sure). I never did buy them, the price a bit high, and now you are saying they are gone?
> 
> Anyway, after scoring more than I will need of actual white-top Duraloops from Target this week for $3.65 per 4-pack (clearance), I am not so interested in the white-top Energizer's.



I'm breaking in my first 4 pack from Target now, on my Maha C9000.

I discharged them at 400mA and got:

1. 1385 mAh 1385/2000 = 69.25%

2. 1391 mAh 1391/2000 = 69.55%

3. 1375 mAh 1376/2000 = 68.74%

4. 1384 mAh 1384/2000 = 69.20%

Break in should be over tomorrow night.

Chris


----------



## SaraAB87 (Aug 15, 2013)

Backpacker Light said:


> This news is an interesting turn of events. I will have to check out my local Sam's Club store.
> 
> I have been eyeing up those newer White-top rechargeable Energizers that Sam's has offered in 8-packs recently, wondering if they are really some new type of re-branded Eneloop (not so sure). I never did buy them, the price a bit high, and now you are saying they are gone?
> 
> Anyway, after scoring more than I will need of actual white-top Duraloops from Target this week for $3.65 per 4-pack (clearance), I am not so interested in the white-top Energizer's.



I am guessing they had a ton of complaints about their energizer chargers (those supposedly energizer smart chargers), which were crap that they would unexpectedly sell to people (read the reviews), so they switched to Duracell, however they have a pack with what looks Iike a crappy Duracell charger now. This doesn't fix the good batteries crappy charger problem.

I also can't guarantee this will be in every Sam's club but it is in mine. They basically nixed that huge energizer display and replaced it with Duracell. But they did still have the energizer lithiums in there, probably because Duracell doesn't make lithiums.

Sam's also has their own brand of member's mark alkaline batteries, but in my club you rarely see them, they are usually a special purchase item around the holidays, but I am guessing these were rebranded energizers as they put them right next to the energizers. Even with the lower cost of these batteries people would still pick the more expensive energizers from my observations. But now that Sams is stocking Duracells I wonder what will happen to the member's mark batteries?

They had the Duracell quantums and they appeared to be selling.


----------



## mikekoz (Aug 15, 2013)

Backpacker Light said:


> This news is an interesting turn of events. I will have to check out my local Sam's Club store.
> 
> I have been eyeing up those newer White-top rechargeable Energizers that Sam's has offered in 8-packs recently, wondering if they are really some new type of re-branded Eneloop (not so sure). I never did buy them, the price a bit high, and now you are saying they are gone?
> 
> Anyway, after scoring more than I will need of actual white-top Duraloops from Target this week for $3.65 per 4-pack (clearance), I am not so interested in the white-top Energizer's.



I almost bought some of those new Energizers until I saw their capacity. I have used the Energizer Recharge AA's for a few years now (2300 mAH) and they are great batteries, but if these are replacements for those, Eveready really screwed up. I even sent them an email telling them what I thought of their new "improved" batteries. :shakehead:sick2::thumbsdow


----------



## Divine_Madcat (Aug 27, 2013)

So i had started a new thread (my bad), but remembered about this one... may as well continue it here.

I ran across these new batteries at Target. for $10, i figured why not. After (unofficial) investigation, i can't help but feel like these are rebranded Eneloop XX's.. or at least VERY similar.
On the packaging:
Eneloop states 2500mah, but notes 2400mAh min. Duracell doesn't say anything min, just 2400. Nor a far leap to say that they are quoting capacity at min rather than typical.
The 2400 is also advertised as LSD
Similar numbers of charge cycles
Made in Japan.

But i know that is not enough at all. So, i pulled out my real XX, and put it side by with the new Duracell. Here are the bottom plates compared:





To me, they look totally identical. The same bead blasted bottom, and the exact same diameter on the bottom bump.

Here are the tops compared:





The only difference here is the top covering. The metal on top looks identical, and the vent holes look the same as well. 
Here is a full gallery, also comparing to regular duraloops:
http://s958.photobucket.com/user/Divine_Madcat/library/?sort=3&page=1

I guess i don't know for sure, but frankly, looking at the two side by side, i can't not believe they are VERY similar, if not the same. Anyone else thinking likewise?


----------



## lionken07 (Aug 27, 2013)

Kind of off topic but are the Duraloop still on sell at Target?


----------



## N8N (Aug 29, 2013)

Not near me; I actually saw that thread last night & stopped by two Targets on my way home. One didn't have any; the other had a few but were asking $10.99 for a pack of 4 AAAs, no thanks, I can get real Gen3 loops for less than that, shipped.

I was so excited too, I'm completely out of AAAs... 

Edit: After rereading the thread I saw that this was unadvertised... so I went back and got 2 packs of AAA duraloops (mismatched; one set 2012 and one 2009... they must be big movers!) and they were in fact $3.60-something each.

I can tell you that both Targets in Sterling VA are now cleaned out of Duraloops and the one on Lee Road in Chantilly didn't have any as of earlier today.

And the power supply on my C9000 has shat the bed... sent a message to Thomas Distributing hopefully they will hook me up. I've Rube Goldberged it; I've got my Ctek car battery charger plugged into an extension cord, alligator clips going to the Maha cigarette lighter adapter, then that adapter plugged into the C9000 to get it to work again...


----------



## SaraAB87 (Aug 29, 2013)

Ugh I made a mistake, it looks like Sams still has the energizer display but since the store is so big I missed it as it was in a completely different part of the store. So now they have 2 huge displays, energizer and Duracell. But the duracell display was still new as it was definitely not there before. Sadly they don't carry eneloop packs like Costco does. They do have those new Duracell rechargeables that everyone is talking about. I would buy some but I REALLY don't need more batteries!


----------



## N8N (Aug 29, 2013)

ChrisGarrett said:


> I'm breaking in my first 4 pack from Target now, on my Maha C9000.
> 
> I discharged them at 400mA and got:
> 
> ...



That's excellent, even Gen3 loops come about 70% charged so your numbers are right on for fresh loops.


----------



## snakebite (Aug 31, 2013)

confirmed the duracell takeover at my local sams.
funny to see a big duracell display also stocked with energizer lithiums.


----------



## Rossymeister (Sep 8, 2013)

I picked up a couple packs of these today. Any conclusions on whether or not these could be rebranded eneloop xx's?


----------



## airborne1977 (Sep 8, 2013)

I brought over 30 of these and they test out like a xx as far as cap. However, I don't know more than that. They are made in Japan and seem to be high qual. so I am happy with them.


----------



## Backpacker Light (Sep 9, 2013)

Now that Target has recently clearanced out all of their white-top Duraloop's, it looks like they have now replaced them with the new Ion Core (made in China) Duracell's in the stores near me. I was afraid of this new marketing decision becoming reality. 

Maybe I will be proven wrong, that these new Ion Core are actually quality cells, 

but I think instead it is because there is no profit in selling a battery (the old Duraloop) that is so hardy that it will last 6 to 8 years or more after repeated re-charges, and is a product that does not have to be replaced. There is no money in that marketing plan.

My local Rite-Aid has also clearanced out the "white-top Duraloop" in the past week, and have also replaced it with the Duracell Long Life Ion Core. Has anyone noticed this?

I am glad I stocked up on the old Duraloop's from the Target clearance. They have never failed me.


----------



## StorminMatt (Sep 9, 2013)

Backpacker Light said:


> Now that Target has recently clearanced out all of their white-top Duraloop's, it looks like they have now replaced them with the new Ion Core (made in China) Duracell's in the stores near me. I was afraid of this new marketing decision becoming reality. and have also replaced it with the Duracell Long Life Ion Core. Has anyone noticed this?



Ion Cores are made in Japan, not China. At least the ones I got are.


----------



## Backpacker Light (Sep 10, 2013)

StorminMatt said:


> Ion Cores are made in Japan, not China. At least the ones I got are.




You could be right. I was not aware of that. 

Made in Japan is good. Are they white-tops?

I am hoping these new Ion-Core batteries are the same high quality batteries we have been previously enjoying.


----------



## N8N (Sep 10, 2013)

No, the new "Ion Core" have a dark grey or black top.

I really hope they're good; I'm seeing them in stores that never had rechargeables before or at least hid them well (e.g. Safeway.)

Looking forward to someone testing these... I'd offer to do it but it seems my charger is constantly busy anymore breaking in the new cells I *need.*


----------



## Backpacker Light (Sep 10, 2013)

N8N said:


> No, the new "Ion Core" have a dark grey or black top.
> 
> I really hope they're good; I'm seeing them in stores that never had rechargeables before or at least hid them well (e.g. Safeway.)
> 
> Looking forward to someone testing these... I'd offer to do it but it seems my charger is constantly busy anymore breaking in the new cells I *need.*




THAT is funny stuff. I also bought way more Duraloop cells in this recent Target store clearance than I "need". But at $3.65 a four pack, I convinced myself that I needed them!

Also, thanks StorminMatt for the correction. I finally got into my local Sam's Club today. I noticed the huge new Duracell display. The new Long Life Ion Core black top rechargeable cells ARE made in Japan. I thought black top's were always made in China.

So I agree, I hope time and testing will soon show the true value of these new "Long Life Ion-Core" black top batteries.


----------



## N8N (Sep 11, 2013)

Oh, at the clearance price, you need all they have! But right now I need AAAs, Cs, and Ds, and all the new ones I've seen are AAs which I'm actually well set on until I buy more gadgets.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk 4


----------



## LlF (Sep 11, 2013)

on http://us.sanyo.com/eneloop/FAQs

they say


> How can I distinguish between 1500 times rechargeable eneloop battery (2nd generation) and 1000 times rechargeable eneloop battery (1st generation) by appearance?
> 
> 1500 times rechargeable eneloop battery (2nd generation) has a dark gray cover around the positive electrode and a crown logo on the side. HR-3UTGA (AA) / HR-4UTGA (AAA)
> 
> ...



are eneloops still only have white top?


----------



## N8N (Sep 11, 2013)

LlF said:


> on http://us.sanyo.com/eneloop/FAQs
> 
> they say
> 
> are eneloops still only have white top?



I'm looking right at a HR-3UTGA and either it's a fake (as are all the Eneloops I've purchased, from several different sellers) or that info is incorrect. The top is not a pure white but neither is it "dark grey" - most people would call it "white" rather than any shade of "grey" at all. Same is true for HR-3UTGB. The Duraloops that I have have the exact same color top. All of them tested within spec on my C9000 save for one old duraloop, that was close, so I have no reason to suspect that they're fakes although I have not done any self-discharge or cycle life tests on them.

see here:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?364607-Overview-All-eneloop-batteries-2005-2013

the Sanyo pics shown in that thread actually make the tops look darker than they appear to me in real life, but I wouldn't even call that "dark grey."

Now the Eneloop XX, yes, those have a dark top.


----------



## SaraAB87 (Oct 5, 2013)

I would like to report that my Sam's has now clearanced all their energizers so it looks like they are gone for good now. Once again after carrying nothing but energizer for more than 15 years. Didn't see any of the rechargeables on clearance just AA packs and 9v. There are also no more Lithium energizers either, at least that I can find in the store. I guess they intend the replacement for those to be the Duracell quantums (not!). If you were buying the big packs of lithium primaries you may be disappointed to know they now aren't available at Sams at least at my local club. We don't have a Costco here so that is not an option.

On the plus side the Duracells come in those little cardboard boxes in the blister pack now like the energizers used to in the 90's....


----------



## andygold (Dec 31, 2013)

Fyi... Local Sams has the duralock ion cores for $20 for a 10 pack (8AA, 2AAA). Also a 12 pack with charger (8AA, 4AAA) FOR $29. Charger gives no speed rating, but is auto off and will not overcharge.


----------



## squirrelhawker (Feb 16, 2014)

ChrisGarrett said:


> I just went by my local Target here in Miami and they had 3 four packs of the AA Duraloops for $3.65 per pack, left.
> 
> I snatched them up for under $12 out the door.
> 
> ...



NLEE (engineer)

I purchased a pack of Duracell 'ion core' pre-charged AA Rechargeable Batteries because it advertises capacity of '2400mAh', which is very high for low-self-discharge batteries. After testing them, I'm pleasantly surprised: their measured capacities are even higher than advertised!

Here are my test results using the La Crosse BC1000 charger/analyzer:
- Right out of the package, the average capacity is 1220mAh, or 51% of the rated '2400mAh'
- After just one recharge, the average capacity jumped to 2620mAh, 9% higher than advertised.
- Subsequent recharge/discharge cycles showed negligible change in capacity numbers.

The above behaviors looked suspiciously similar to my test result for the Sanyo Eneloop XX AA batteries back in 2011. Average capacity of Sanyo XX cells I measured was almost identical at 2610mAh, even though they are advertised as '2500mAh'.

I compared the physical appearances of those Duracell 'ion core' AA cells against Sanyo XX cells. As far as I can tell, they are exactly that same! See the picture I uploaded to the 'customer images' section, and you can notice that the two brands have identical-shaped positive and negative terminals, down to their 'vent holes' and how their wrappers overlap. Therefore to my best guess, the Duracell 'ion core' precharged AA cells are just rebranded Sanyo XX cells.

On the other hand, there are some differences in terms of product specs.
- Sanyo rates the capacity XX as "Typ 2500mAh, Min 2400mAh", while Duracell just says '2400mAh'.
- Sanyo claims XX has a lifespan of 500 cycles, while Duracell only says "Recharge up to 400x".

I suspect the Duracell version is intentionally de-rated for price differentiation. I have previously seen the same situation with AmazonBasics Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries. According to my examination, the newer Amazon cells (in white wrappers) are actually rebranded 2nd-gen eneloop cells, but the Sanyo version is rated 1500 cycles while the Amazon version says 1000 cycles.

It will take many months for me to validate the long-term self discharge rate of those Duracell 'ion core' precharged AA cells, but I feel confident that they will do just a well as Sanyo XX cells. In the mean time, as long as you can find those Duracell precharged AA cells at lower prices compared to Sanyo XX cells, grab them.


----------



## ChrisGarrett (Feb 16, 2014)

Yeah, this thread has covered both of the Duraloops. The ones that Squirrel quotes me as testing are the white top 2000mAh versions that Target blew out last summer at $3.65 a pack. I bought three AA quads.

They are sitting untouched after the Maha Break In. These most certainly are Sanyo sourced cells and most probably the Eneloop Gen. 2 1500x 1900mAh (min.) batteries that we love.

The other Duraloop is the Duracell Ion Core that N.Lee is referencing (from his Amazon post) and rated at 2400mAh. I've done a test of two quads that I got of those and posted it somewhere. They are all right at 2450mAh after a Break In on my C-9000.

I've got a quad sitting (since 11/13) and I'll see if I can do a 1 year discharge of these cells, like I did the trio of LSDs last year, but I've got a SWM D40A that's twisting my arm and telling me not to wait, lol.

Chris


----------



## squirrelhawker (Feb 17, 2014)

Hi all,
I just finished charging up 12 of the Duracell AA "ion core precharged" that came from Sams club. Using my 3 maha C9000 chargers in the "break-in" mode. (Also called the "forming" charge). It follows the IEC standard for determining battery capacity. 2491 2492 2463
2479 2497 2473
2470 2452 2470
2497 2486 2482 

I bought 4 of the high dollar sanyo eneloop XX last summer and sadly enough, I recall one of them was 2380 something and another of the 4 was just over their "minimum" @2402. The Duracells claim 2400 and deliver that easily. You can tell by the fairly consistant numbers above also that this is a quality battery. I have used them in a cellular trail camera and they work great.


----------



## cy (May 13, 2014)

just purchased 8x AA + 2x AAA ion core Duracell battery pack from Sams for $20 
good to hear these deliver better than rated mah specs


----------

