Eneloops & the 436HP

[marksmith]

I used Eneloop Pros charging daily in my maha, and they lasted me around 2 years before they started loosing capacity. I replaced them with EBL 2800 mAh due to the great reviews and being half the price of the Pros for more capacity. A little over a year, and still working just as well as my past Eneloop Pros.

EBL 8 Pack High Capacity 2800mAh AA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HSHLC82/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_5R8OybY6BRBG6

I've been using the high capacity eneloop pro batteries, giving them a daily workout on multiple sets for around 3 years... maybe longer now that I think of it, and they still seem strong.

I did order an 8pack of these EBL batteries just to try, based on comments here and amazon.

I use the lacrosse charger that runs around $100, and I use the conditioning function on the batteries about once every year.

Mark
536/436/WS1095/HP1/HP2/996T/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800/15X/others

 

[K5MPH]

Good tip, thanks. I'll be looking into that.

I finally had it with my Maha Wizard One. None of my batteries did well on it. And it wouldn't recondition like it was supposed to. Once battery resistance got a little too high, it would do NOTHING at all with those cells. Useless! Yet I could charge those cells in a cheap Duracell charger and use them for many more charge cycles. Even the charger in my WS1040 did a better job on my cells. The Maha was a bunch of hype that literally didn't deliver. Probably shortened the life of the many cells I used in it. Even the 2700 ma Powerex batteries that came with it did poorly and died quickly.

Has anyone used a Nitecore charger? I never hear it mentioned on this forum, but I have heard many of my ham friends say nothing but good about them.

Phil

I have the Nitecore I4 the Nitecor has an very robust Micro processor and knows what battery you put in it automatic....

 

[SOFA_KING]

I really enjoy the education that everyone posts here. Thank you. I do not ever post but this is my contribution for the batteries

I use kentli 2800 lithium rechargeables. I read a lot of reviews and my research showed that digital cameras last longest with these batteries. So far after a month of use they have lasted the longest out of all the multiple brands

here is a link to amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/KENTLI-2800m...r0&keywords=kentli+2800+lithium+rechargeables

Thank you for posting that, stranger.

I may start transitioning to those in everything, as I'm tired of poor quality NiMH batteries and chargers. Yep, me thinks I'm convinced.

BTW - I visited you neck of the woods when I was checking out the coastline around SoCal. That is quite the "hill over the ocean". Very nice area, and not overly popular from what I could tell. Close to L.A., but not that close. Beautiful place.

Phil

 

[N5XTC]

ordered the maha battery charger today, be here saturday, also more eneloop pros, a 4 pack. now i have 12 and thus 4 sets of batteries for my scanners and for rotation. i reviewed all the chargers and like the maha best pros and cons to each, for sure. those batteries someone just posted about are $49 for 4. if they last longer, i dont see they would be worth the $ still. i have enough batteries that i would not run out anyway. just MOP.

 

[SOFA_KING]

Good luck with that. That BS Maha charger was nothing more than over-complicated junk. All that fancy crap did nothing to care for my cells. Couldn't even preset a common charge rate and auto discharge parameter, which is a basic function on my two-way radio chargers. It was freakin' labor intensive just to ensure the batteries were fully discharged and then set manually (no choice) to my preferred charge rate...on each cell! I'd sometimes have to wait hours before I could set the charge rate, as not every cell discharges equally after coming out of the scanner (even with matched sets). What a PITA!

You can have it! I'm moving on to better charging solutions.

Phil

 

[SOFA_KING]

I have the Nitecore I4 the Nitecor has an very robust Micro processor and knows what battery you put in it automatic....

Good to know. Thanks!

Phil

 

[N5XTC]

Good luck with that. That BS Maha charger was nothing more than over-complicated junk. All that fancy crap did nothing to care for my cells. Couldn't even preset a common charge rate and auto discharge parameter, which is a basic function on my two-way radio chargers. It was freakin' labor intensive just to ensure the batteries were fully discharged and then set manually (no choice) to my preferred charge rate...on each cell! I'd sometimes have to wait hours before I could set the charge rate, as not every cell discharges equally after coming out of the scanner (even with matched sets). What a PITA!

You can have it! I'm moving on to better charging solutions.

Phil

lol, too bad i did not read this before i ordered it. most reviews were positive. i dont want to make too much out of recharging batteries. lol. if it dont work, i will send it back. amazon u can do that. i will keep what you said in mind.

 

[K5MPH]

junk

Good luck with that. That BS Maha charger was nothing more than over-complicated junk. All that fancy crap did nothing to care for my cells. Couldn't even preset a common charge rate and auto discharge parameter, which is a basic function on my two-way radio chargers. It was freakin' labor intensive just to ensure the batteries were fully discharged and then set manually (no choice) to my preferred charge rate...on each cell! I'd sometimes have to wait hours before I could set the charge rate, as not every cell discharges equally after coming out of the scanner (even with matched sets). What a PITA!

You can have it! I'm moving on to better charging solutions.

Phil

The Maha charger is an piece of junk....

 

[N5XTC]

The Maha charger is an piece of junk....

sofa king's analysis is more cogent, intelligent and specific to the problematics of the specific charger discussed. calling it a 'piece of junk', as a form of review, in no way better enables others to evaluate the charger. let's try to stay intelligent here, otherwise we are just blowing smoke and not helping anyone. just MOP.

 

[K5MPH]

My opinion is based along the lines of SOFA_KING'S i have and own both chargers and is just my opinion only do you own both chargers and have you have any experience with ether charger any way this is not an exact science......

 

[N5XTC]

My opinion is based along the lines of SOFA_KING'S i have and own both chargers and is just my opinion only do you own both chargers and have you have any experience with ether charger any way this is not an exact science......

i think i understand some of this. thanks for posting.

 

[slicerwizard]

I may start transitioning to those in everything, as I'm tired of poor quality NiMH batteries and chargers. Yep, me thinks I'm convinced.

There are good quality NiMH cells out there. Dunno why you've been using crap ones. And you think that 2800 mWh cells are going to be better than 3000 mWh NiMH cells? Especially in low drain applications like scanners? And $50 for four cells? Ok...

 

[N5XTC]

Good luck with that. That BS Maha charger was nothing more than over-complicated junk. All that fancy crap did nothing to care for my cells. Couldn't even preset a common charge rate and auto discharge parameter, which is a basic function on my two-way radio chargers. It was freakin' labor intensive just to ensure the batteries were fully discharged and then set manually (no choice) to my preferred charge rate...on each cell! I'd sometimes have to wait hours before I could set the charge rate, as not every cell discharges equally after coming out of the scanner (even with matched sets). What a PITA!

You can have it! I'm moving on to better charging solutions.

Phil

sofa, were you the one some time ago that was shopping battery chargers and i talked to you about it, u made a real study of it if i remember, then went with the maha after all the studying. was this you? i ordered the maha, it gets here tomorrow. lol. i saw videos and liked it.

 

[Ed6698]

The Maha charger is just fine. I have been using 2 of them for 3 years now with Eneloop Pros. IMO Eneloops are are the best rechargeable batteries, never had a problem with them. I never even do the break in or refresh or discharge with them. I charge them anywhere 500ma to 800ma, don't even bother doing any of the other modes, it just wastes the batteries otherwise. Eneloops don't need any special attention, just use them and charge them with any good charger, doing anymore to them is just wasting time, energy, and wasting life of the battery. If the batteries need special attention, I would look into a different battery.

 

[N5XTC]

The Maha charger is just fine. I have been using 2 of them for 3 years now with Eneloop Pros. IMO Eneloops are are the best rechargeable batteries, never had a problem with them. I never even do the break in or refresh or discharge with them. I charge them anywhere 500ma to 800ma, don't even bother doing any of the other modes, it just wastes the batteries otherwise. Eneloops don't need any special attention, just use them and charge them with any good charger, doing anymore to them is just wasting time, energy, and wasting life of the battery. If the batteries need special attention, I would look into a different battery.

i have eneloops pros and love them. i use a bc-700 right now and eneloop pros. like u, i never use the other cycles, just charge and they seem to do fine. i always charge at 200 though, i have the time, why not. i have extra sets so i set them at 200 and forget about them. the bc-700 is a decent charger. works for me.

 

[Ed6698]

i have eneloops pros and love them. i use a bc-700 right now and eneloop pros. like u, i never use the other cycles, just charge and they seem to do fine. i always charge at 200 though, i have the time, why not. i have extra sets so i set them at 200 and forget about them. the bc-700 is a decent charger. works for me.

I used to match cells at one time, found it was a waste of time IMO, when I used the major retail brands. When I open a new pack of Eneloop Pros, which I always have, in case I ever need them. Take them right out of the pack and put them right in the scanner, last set I did that to sat on my shelf for about 8 months, were just about fully charged when I put them in the scanner, no special attention at all for the Eneloops.

 

[N5XTC]

I used to match cells at one time, found it was a waste of time IMO, when I used the major retail brands. When I open a new pack of Eneloop Pros, which I always have, in case I ever need them. Take them right out of the pack and put them right in the scanner, last set I did that to sat on my shelf for about 8 months, were just about fully charged when I put them in the scanner, no special attention at all for the Eneloops.

i dont find the eneloop pros to be fully charged right out of the pack, they show 3.8 volts or so on scanner. i also read they are solar chaged to like 85% at the factory. i alwayss charge them before using them the 1st time. that is just what i do. doubt it matters. others can chime in on that. my maha gets here tomorrow. running some batteries down so i have something to charge. lol.

 

[Ed6698]

i dont find the eneloop pros to be fully charged right out of the pack, they show 3.8 volts or so on scanner. i also read they are solar chaged to like 85% at the factory. i alwayss charge them before using them the 1st time. that is just what i do. doubt it matters. others can chime in on that. my maha gets here tomorrow. running some batteries down so i have something to charge. lol.

They probably were in the 80% range, they just showed full for a couple minutes and dropped down. I have a spare set of Pros charging right now, I vary the charge rate on them like I said in the other post, and vary the slots between both chargers. Every so often I may hit them with a 1000ma charge. But other then that I do it from 500 to 800, I don't vary the charge rate on individual cells, if I charge them at 500, all 4 are charged at that rate. I usually buy a pack or 2 of Eneloop Pros around Christmas time, surprisingly Target sells them online on sale around that time with free shipping. So every December I buy a 1 or 2 packs.

Also once I see that they are getting close to end of life, when the HIGH warning flashes for resistance with the MAHA, I dispose/ recycle all 4 of them.

 

[N5XTC]

u dont find whether you charge at 200, 500, 800 or whatever makes a diff on the life of the batteries? i have read 200 makes them last longer. it is what i use as i am in no hurrry. i have spares and let it run all night, no big deal.

 

[Ed6698]

u dont find whether you charge at 200, 500, 800 or whatever makes a diff on the life of the batteries? i have read 200 makes them last longer. it is what i use as i am in no hurrry. i have spares and let it run all night, no big deal.

I have never tracked them that way. 500ma charge takes around 3 hours or so I think. I usually let them sit in the charger a hour or 2 after they show done as the Maha does a very low trickle charge even after showing they are done, for a top off. I don't go higher then 1000ma normally. The only time I have gone higher is when I was out of town and needed some batteries charged fairly quickly.

The one drawback on the MAHA I have noticed though, the default charge rate is 1000ma, that I feel is to much for AAA, I charge them 200 to 400, but I don't charge AAA very often. For me it seems the best charge rate for the Pros is 500ma, but I did not do anything to come to that conclusion, just seems like a good rate for them to me. I think I read somewhere one time, that to low of a charge rate is not good either, but I have never done anything to verify that either.