Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2025

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Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

ChibiM said:
Yep, still made, and with new wrapper..
See the opening post
Click to expand...
They don't seem to be sold in the US. I can only find the D-Cell on Amazon as a very expensive imported item. Too bad.
 
You can achieve an equivalent by just buying AAs and AAAs and using adapters... that's what I'm doing in some of my seldom used C and D cell lights. I got mine from an eBay seller 'world electric fan' and posted pics/review here a while back.

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Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

Eneloop introduced some new editions for the European market.
Available from November 2013.
Eneloop Tropical

10921759166_9edca6aa3f.jpg
 
Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

LOL they definitely didn't copy the Tropicana logo there!
 
Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

Ooh, nice. I want. I'd also like to get 2 8-packs each of chocolat and glitter too, but the prices are pretty steep...


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Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

Thanks for the Star Trek reference, Scotty.

Do you guys mix Eneloops, or do you have stories where mixed Eneloops proved damaging in some way?
 
Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

I'm about to pick up some new eneloops, and I can't quite figure out which one to get. I've been looking at this one on amazon, SEC-HR3U8BPN, which is the same one currently listed on the Sanyo site (see battery spec chart near bottom of page for additional info).

Yet, going by this thread, it seems I should be looking to pick up HR-3UTGB, which would be this one on amazon.

Which one is the most current version? SEC-HR3U8BPN, according to the sanyo site, only gives 1500 cycles with 75% charge maintenance after 3yrs non-use, while the HR-3UTGB is supposed to give 1800 with 70% charge maintenance after 5yrs non-use (according to the OP list). The amazon ad for HR-3UTGB says 75% capacity after 5 years storage. It seems like HR-3UTGB is the one to get, but it isn't listed on the Sanyon site. Furthermore, HR-3U8BPN (or whatever pack iteration) is getting all the sales on amazon and was made available on amazon at a later date than the HR-3UTGB one I linked (suggesting a newer model, if "made available" date is any indication). I'm just thrown off by all the nomenclature which seems to vary by source...


Thanks in advance for any help :)


Edited to add:
I decided to go with the HR-3UTGB batteries from amazon I linked above. There won't be a real practical difference for me in use, so I'm just splitting hairs here. Based on what I've gleaned here, and the nice little review(s) vouching for the batteries as legit by "NLee the Engineer" on Amazon, I figured might as well just get them and be done with it. I'd still like to know what the deal is though, if anyone can set me straight.
 
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Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

HikingMano do you know if the Eneloops are genuine or counterfeit, since the Internet is full of fakes?
 
Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

I know there is a possibility they are counterfeit, but since I haven't received them yet, there is no way for me to verify. There's a good chance these are genuine since the product was linked by another member in this or another eneloop thread, and "NLee the Engineer" went so far as to test performance.
 
It is sad that all good products are copied as bad counterfeits as soon as posible...

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Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

So, what's the practical difference between the white regulars and the black XX?? From the posted guide here, I picked up a 4pack of the black XX 2nd Gen AAs and AAAs. I'm topping them off in my Sanyo Eneloop charger that came with two 'crowned' white regulars.
If I'm reading the descriptions correctly the 3rd Gen have more recharge cycles??
 
Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

buba said:
How many of the various AAA and AA generations are still in production? I ask because I ordered some Std AA eneloops from amazon last month and received batteries labeled as HR-3UTGA (2nd gen) with a manufacture date of 13-06 (June 2013). At least the 2nd gen Std AA's were still being manufactured as of June of 2013 even though Gen 4's are in production.
Click to expand...
I posted in another thread on getting 1500x batteries in a package with 1800x advertising (amazon's picture showed gen2, I was happy getting gen2 but the package I got said "1800x/5 yrs" with gen2 batteries inside and started wondering what was going on): http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...p-generation&p=4323530&viewfull=1#post4323530

I figured what I found out fit this thread better so am putting it here.

I called the number on the back of the package, finally got some internal eneloop dept. and spoke to a super nice lady who said (iirc) she managed this product line. she told me gen2 batteries aren't being made anymore, that since march/april 2013 they're all gen3. however their transition wasn't smooth so they ended up using old gen2 wrappers on gen3 batteries and in other instances old packaging.

basically she said regardless of package advertising or battery wrapper, anything from march/april 2013 onward (eneloop AA/AAA) is a gen3 battery even if it has UTGA or a non-underlined crown on the wrapper. all the package/wrapper markings have long since been sorted out so this is about stock from during the transition period.

btw I never really questioned the authenticity of the batteries themselves, this site and others allowed me to determine they were genuine. but given contents not matching package advertising over a pretty long period I started to worry about something like assembly line rejects getting scooped up by someone, tossed in any packaging they could find then ultimately ending up on amazon.
 
Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

That is really interesting, because I talked with a Japanese rep. And he said that they still produce 2nd and 3rd generation eneloops, next to the common 4th gen available in Japan.

I guess, they produced the batteries in Japan, shipped them and put a wrapper on them in the US..
How else could you have talked to someone that worked on the production line, if eneloops are made in Japan.
Many questions..
Anyway, you've got some real eneloops. The wrappers are still the question.. and the thing that lady wasn't right about is that Not All eneloops produced after april are 3rd.gen. here we have 4th gen. Eneloops ;)
That brings us to the next question.who is right, that lady or her Japanese colleague?
(Don't need to answer that, thanks for bringing that up from her story, I'm glad many people are interested in eneloops)
 
Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

It's pretty annoying.

I recently ordered a pack of 8 from amazon from one of two sellers on an ad specifically advertising Gen3 Eneloops (I just went with the default seller chosen for me when I added the batteries to my cart). I received Gen 2 eneloops, HR-3UTGA, in what seemed like Gen3 packaging given the claims of 1800x recharge cycles and 70% charge retention after 5 years. I then ordered another 8-pack from the other seller, who - after I read the reviews - seemed more likely to provide genuine 3rd Gen Eneloops. I just received those cells today and they are in fact HR-3UTGB.

HR-3UTGAs on left, HR-3UTGBs on right.
IMG_6535_zpsc79945a0.jpg~original


IMG_6550_zps6956636e.jpg~original


I noticed something odd about the cell dates: the HR-3UTGAs I received were dated 6/13 while the HR-3UTGBs were dated 5/13. I was working under the assumption that once 3rd gens were being made, manufacture of 2nd gens would cease, so the dates confused me. Given what mdixon posted above, it makes sense now. So, I guess I have 16 HR-3UTGBs, with 1/2 of them in HR-3UTGA wrappers... Time to bust out the sharpie.

IMG_6544_zps92122b7e.jpg~original


IMG_6548_zps7d09b401.jpg~original
 
Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

So why would the Japanese rep. tell me that they still produce the 2nd 3rd and the 4th gen eneloops in the same factory.. and how can a rep. say that she was working at the production line, while eneloops are made in Japan?

Edit: the answers are going to be only assumptions, so that could get a little off-topic.
 
Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

ChibiM said:
So why would the Japanese rep. tell me that they still produce the 2nd 3rd and the 4th gen eneloops in the same factory.. and how can a rep. say that she was working at the production line, while eneloops are made in Japan?

Edit: the answers are going to be only assumptions, so that could get a little off-topic.
Click to expand...

I was writing my post as you did yours, ChibiM, didn't see it until coming back to thread. Anyway, why would they still manufacture 2nd and 3rd gen, or any previous gen for that matter, when performance of the newest generation is supposedly better? Doesn't seem worthwhile to maintain production of obsolete models when the newest gen doesn't experience a loss of function in any way.

FWIW, mdixon did not say she worked the production line. He said she managed the product line, which is entirely possible to do remotely.

I think the take home message is it's all a bit muddy. The sloppy transition (putting Gen2 wrappers on Gen3 batteries, really?) is one thing, possible misinformation is another.

ETA: I'm just going to play it safe and take only my eneloops actually labeled as HR-3UTGB in colder temps. That's probably the only place it's going to make a practical difference for me anyway.
 
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Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

HikingMano said:
I was writing my post as you did yours, ChibiM, didn't see it until coming back to thread. Anyway, why would they still manufacture 2nd and 3rd gen, or any previous gen for that matter, when performance of the newest generation is supposedly better? Doesn't seem worthwhile to maintain production of obsolete models when the newest gen doesn't experience a loss of function in any way.

FWIW, mdixon did not say she worked the production line. He said she managed the product line, which is entirely possible to do remotely.

I think the take home message is it's all a bit muddy. The sloppy transition (putting Gen2 wrappers on Gen3 batteries, really?) is one thing, possible misinformation is another.

ETA: I'm just going to play it safe and take only my eneloops actually labeled as HR-3UTGB in colder temps. That's probably the only place it's going to make a practical difference for me anyway.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I routinely visit the Duracell HQ where they R&D their batteries and extensively test thousands of them. Their management, including Product Managers are located at HQ BUT the manufacturing is done all over the world. So it is easy to understand that the PM does not have a handle on what the factories are actually doing at anyone time. I can only guess that this may be occurring for Eneloop US.
 
Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

amham said:
FWIW, I routinely visit the Duracell HQ where they R&D their batteries and extensively test thousands of them. Their management, including Product Managers are located at HQ BUT the manufacturing is done all over the world. So it is easy to understand that the PM does not have a handle on what the factories are actually doing at anyone time. I can only guess that this may be occurring for Eneloop US.
Click to expand...

Yep, exactly what I'm saying. The PM could indeed be here managing the product line and think one thing is going on, when in reality, the factories are really doing something else, as reported by the Japanese rep. Who knows *Shrug*
 
Re: Overview: All eneloop batteries; 2005-2013

mdixon said:
...she managed this product line... <snip>
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, I think the words "manage a product line" could be used to simply mean that someone is "in charge" of a particular product line. (As in, "I handle that product line in this market, as part of my sales portfolio.") I don't think it necessarily has any implication that such a person would have any real idea what is actually taking place on the factory floor, in another country where the product is being manufactured. (If they said "I manage that production line" that would, of course, be an entirely different matter.) In my experience, most US subsidiaries of Japanese manufacturers are in essence "trading companies" that have little or no knowledge of the manufacturing itself.
 
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