should i buy Tenergy TN141 2 Bay 9V Smart Charger reviews

Charger Features * Rapid charging * Worldwide voltage 100V ~ 240VAC * Automatically detect-Delta V * Microprocessor controlled to ensure charger safety * LED indicator for each individual bay Features * Applicable for 9V rechargeable Ni-MH batteries * Worldwide voltage 100V ~ 240VAC * Built-in micro-controller to ensure full charge * 5hr safety timer * Circuit / polarity protection * Automatically detect - delta V * LED indicator for each individual bay * Indicator status: Charging: RED, Fully charged: GREEN Battery Type Capacity Charging time 1~2pcs Ni-MH 9V 160mAh 1.8 hrs 180mAh 2.0 hrs 200mAh 2.2 hrs 220mAh 2.5 hrs Specifications * Outlet input voltage: 11.4V * Charge current: 100mA x2 * Operating Temp: 0 ~ 40°C * Weight: 83g Download product manual here. Tenergy 9V 250mAh Features and Benefits * High quality 9V rectangular size rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery Ultra high capacity of 250mAh * Exact replacement for standard 9V rectangular size battery * Provides very long use time per charge with this high 250 mAh capacity * Advanced Ni-MH technology means much longer use life per charge than other rechargeables * Designed for enhanced performance for high drain applications such as: R/C controller, detector, transmitter, and other portable high drain digital electronics * Can be recharged for up to 1000 times, providing big savings by replacing hundreds of expensive throw away 9V rectangular size batteries. * Convenient operation without memory effect. * Can be rapidly charged with our chargers model TN141, TN136, TN137, T9688, BC1HU, V1199B, T2299 V3969A1, T228. * Dimensions: (H x L x W): 48mm x 26mm x 16mm. * Weight: 1.6oz per cell * 6 months warranty. * Battery tested based on International Electronic Commission (IEC) standard to ensure capacity, quality and life time This charger is actually constant-current, in the literal sense - it always charges at ~200mA. That said, it charges by "pulsing" - turning full bulk charge on/off depending on battery charge level. When empty, the charge pulses are nearly continuous, when full - just once every 8 seconds.

This approach seems well-suited for NiMh batteries as it allows them to cool down between pulses, preventing venting/overheating, and also makes for a compromise between a trickle overcharge and self-discharge after charging is complete. I've had cheap 20mA trickle chargers "pop" 9V NiMh batteries (cells physically swelled and popped the casing), and I don't think that will happen here. That said, it does tell you to remove batteries after they are full, but so does every other charger.

It makes a bit of a hissing noise (in between pulses) but it's not too bad unless you plan to keep it right next to you.I needed 9v batteries for my tens unit. The disposable batteries lasted about 6 hours and cost about $2 each. I bought these hoping they would last longer. They last roughly 18 hours in my unit with 1 lead, and about 14 with two. They charge quickly, and hold it longer. Will recommend this brand to everyone I know!

Everyone has some sort of device around the house that uses 9v batteries. Smoke alarms, automatic irrigation systems, some toys. And when they go dead then you have to remember to buy one at the store and how happy are you about the prices set by the insidious battery cartel?

This is a good and simple charger. The batteries are that new already charged technology made famous by the Enloop brand as endorsed by the foremost expert Engineer Lee. I believe everything he says.

Now I no longer fear the 9v demons, more than ready for them and will never to have to walk up to one of those battery displays in a store again, ever.

The charger plugs into an outlet so no transformers and wires and stuff. Even the plug folds up into the unit so it is nice and tidy to use and store. It seems like good quality stuff. A red light when you put in the batteries (either one or two at a time work and charge independently, so that is a nice touch. A green light when done. And since these batteries hold their charge for months, you don't have to leave it plugged in all the time.

Looking through Amazon, this seemed like the best choice and I am happy that I got it.

the build quality is good.
the battery unit is a little longer than the non rechargeables: specifically I compared to Duracell. although this is not a critical for my use, most battery compartments have a little extra space so this shouldn't be an issue.
the charger has different light colors to indicate charge and full charged battery status.

I use this in my headphone amplifiers. one of the amps does not work well with this battery. it has a constant noise when used with this battery. it might be the cap that is inside the amp.
However, my other amp works just fine. no noise while the charge is good. once the battery runs out of juice, i can tell my the sound (it brings along a lot of static)
at first i tried to return these because of the incompatibility with my first amp. but since the second one works fine, I kept them.Wonderful product and price. Compact. I use this for a medical device. So far one battery has held a charge through a few days of 8 hours of use. One battery claims 1000 recharges. I'm sure to get my moneys worth. I use these in my baby's white noise machine. The white-noise machine is a teddy bear, circa 30+ years ago, so it probably isn't as efficient at power usage as newer machine. The sound machine would last about a week on a non-rechargeable battery, running 12 hours a day (while baby sleeps at night and during nighttime feedings). One of these batteries lasts about 18 hours. Definitely not the longevity per battery as the non-rechargeable; but this is still a better product since the batteries are rechargeable. I can have a backup battery ready to replace the dead one, and still have 2 spare batteries. In the long run, it is a much better value than buying a 9-volt battery every week. Ordered four 9V rechargable batteies. One of the batteries swelled up and stopped working the first day. Returned damaged battery to vendor for replacement per vendors request. After one month and eight e-mails, have yet to receive replacement battery. Got both of my tazers back in business with this setup. Thinking about ordering more of these batteries because they work great and came fully charged. 2 tazers works better then 1 and these batteries make them pop loud :-) The number one problem that I have with these batteries is the power output. I only use these batteries for my portable amp, which is quiet power demanding. Being a $200 dollar portable amp, it is also very sensitive. When the output of the battery drops below 9V to a certain point, the hissing in the background becomes extremely loud. The standard 9V 400mah retail non-rechargeable batteries keep my device running with out a hiss for 8~9 hours. And for a 250 mah battery, I'd expect any where from 5~6 hours, but I'd be lucky if it kept my device running for 4 hours. Either the battery does not have the advertised capacity or the voltage output is just too unstable when the battery runs low.

The number two problem that I have is the fact that the charger broke! only after 2 months of usage, the device broke! My guess is that there was certain short on the board that resulted the charger's inability to recognize the batteries.

The reason I gave it two stars is simply because it worked.. although not that greatly.

I will be keep looking until I find the suitable batteries for my portable amp, or I may just solder a rechargeable module onto the amp... who knows.. it's quiet annoy to change the battery at

should i buy Paradise BA25115 Rechargeable Solar AA 900mAH reviews

Many folks who are bashing these and other rechargeable AA batteries, because they didn't work well in their solar yard lights, need to get smart and look at what you're replacing.

The vast majority of batteries that come with your solar yard lights are the same physical SHAPE as a AA, but they are NOT AA batteries. They are typically 3.2V Lithium Ion Phosphate, not 1.2V Ni-Cd or Lithium Ion batteries.

So when you buy your yard lights, look at the battery type, its voltage, and its storage rating (most come with 300 to 400mAh batteries). There ARE Lithium Ion Phosphate batteries out there, in the AA form-factor, that are up to 600mAh, which will give you longer run time assuming you have long enough (and intense enough) daylight hours to fully charge them. Also, don't go cheap on your lights... Westinghouse and other name brands will probably charge 600mAh batteries efficiently (due to having a well-made solar cell), while the garbage you buy at places like Harbor Freight (for under $15 per light) is never going to fully charge the batteries they come with, much less higher-capacity batteries.

So remember to do your homework. If you don't know much about basic electricity, ask a friend who does. Don't bash products that you bought to replace a completely different item.

After reading the reviews, I decided to take a chance on these batteries for my solar path lighting. I installed them and absolutely nothing happened. They did not charge up at all. I tried to contact the manufacturer to see if there was anything I was missing that might affect charging them, but the website only dealt with the electronics part of the company. The original batteries in my solar lights worked fine, (Seattle area weather not withstanding) so I don't know why these batteries wouldn't charge. After contacting Amazon about it, I decided to return themSo far so good with these batteries. I have a 8' patio umbrella with a solar powered lights inside. The batteries were about 5 years old and were shot. I ordered 2 sets of these 900mAH to replace the 6 700mAH batteries. When they arrived all 8 batteries were fully charged. They have been working great with no issues so I'll go with 5 stars on this one. Price is a little steap at $9 for 4 but figured I'd go with a name brand and something I can return easily if they don't work. Will update later if I experience any issues. I bought 16 of these to replace the batteries in my Malibu Solar lights. All the lights were located in complete sun for at least 10 hours a day. 4 of the batteries would not charge up. I traded batteries that were working in other lights and the lights worked fine, so it was not the fixture but the batteries. After 3 days of attempting to recharge these 4 batteries I gave up and returned half of the batteries to Amazon for a full refund. 25% failure rate is too high for me. I've had the hardest time finding 900 mAh 1.2V replacement batteries for my Westinghouse Solar Lights and to my disappointment Westinghouse.com was absolutely no help. I agree with Mr. Pittman you have to be mindful of your battery needs. I knew exactly what I needed because I got the information from the original batteries. I could easily find 900 mAh in 3.5V, at least I think it was, they looked the part but the information was wrong.

My outcome - I had three (3) lights which needed replacement batteries and to my delight when I looked out last night my yard was complete again (no more dark blank spaces). Needless to say I am very pleased. I did a search on Lithium Phosphate AA 3.2 solar batteries and this came up. They only satisfy solar keyword. They are Nickel Cadmium, not advertised, and they are 1.2 v, also not advertised. This is not worth shipping back so I'm stuck with them. Don't let this happen to you. After looking through and reading some of the reviews I purchased the batteries hoping they would work in my solar lights. When I put the batteries in the lights nothing happen. I let them charge for a couple of days and still nothing happen. So to be sure it wasn't the light itself I put the batteries in a working light and still nothing. We have solar lights in our front drive and walk - we also have them along the back wall. We go through a lot of solar batteries for these. Exactly what I expected and fast delivery too. It recharged accurately and holds it for a long time. These batteries I ordered were suppose to replace the ones that came with my solar outdoor yard lights, I put them in as per the directions and still nothing is working, they have been in sunlight as stated needed (I live in Texas so plenty of sunshine), just can't seem to get them to work. After doing a lot of research, I decided to purchase quite a few of these to replace the batteries on ageing solar lights. Some of them have worked fine a year later and some only lasted a few months. I was hoping to get a couple of years out of them but I don't see that happening. With the spotty reliability of solar rechargeables, I am ready to move to low voltage lights which I think might have a lower cost in the long run when you figure in the manufacture, transportation and disposal of the batteries for the solar products. In the first shipment, the batteries were missing. Maybe that should have told me something. However, Amazon took care of the problem. When the batteries arrived, I tried every means possible to charge these...no charge...no way...I didn't even want to give them 1 star, but the rating system MADE me.
Horrible...horrible purchase...and that's all I have to say about that.

should i buy Moonrays 97143 AA NiMh Pre-charged 1500mAh reviews

Moonrays 97143 4-Pack AA NiMh Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries for Solar Lights, 1500mAh. Designed especially for solar lights. This pack included 4-Piece of 1500 mAh AA NiMh batteries. mAh stands for milli Ampere hour or milli Amp hour. It is a measure of a battery's energy storage capacity. If you think of a battery as a small fuel storage tank, which in a sense it is, mAh a measure of how much "fuel" the battery holds. (This is roughly comparable to using gallons to measure how much fuel a gas tank can hold. The more gallons of capacity, the more fuel the tank can hold.) With a battery the higher the mAh rating the more electrical energy it can store. These are the right voltage for my solar lamps..1500mAh 1.2 v. They take 2-3 days to charge bu the light output is the same as when I bought the solar lights. If you buy a lesser mAh than what is called for, then the lights will not work and or the output will be dimmer. Nice to find them in bulk, as many of my mights use 3 and 4 batteries. Traditionally, most solar lights sold in the US contain rechargeable NiCd batteries. But that's only for cost reason and not because NiCd is inherently more suitable for such applications. In fact, NiMH cell is better because:
- It offers 2-3x higher capacity than NiCd cell of the same size, and
- It does not contain toxic heavy metal (cadmium) like NiCd cellAs of this writing, those Moonray NiMH cells are priced even higher than Sanyo eneloop cells. So it is just not a good value.

Additional Notes:
1. Using higher capacity battery does not automatically guarantee your solar lights will remain lit longer each night. If the charging current from solar cells is inadequate (not enough sunlight), your solar lights will not stay on throughout the night, regardless of battery capacity. But if there is sufficient sunlight, higher capacity battery can store more energy during daytime, and offer longer runtime at night.

2. In winter time where daylight is much short than night time, all solar lights will perform poorly. One solution is to remove those batteries and fully recharge them in any NiMH charger, then return them back to the solar lights. The extra stored energy will be sufficient to run your solar lights for several weeks.

6 Comments | 

Good batteries, work fine from the first day I installed them, no problems, thanks! The lights recharge them during sunny day, you don't have to charge them at all.

Traditionally, most solar lights sold in the US contain rechargeable NiCd batteries. But that's only for cost reason and not because NiCd is inherently more suitable for such applications. In fact, NiMH cell is better because:
- It offers 2-3x higher capacity than NiCd cell of the same size, and
- It does not contain toxic heavy metal (cadmium) like NiCd cell

NiCd batteries are already banned in Europe as of 2008, yet they are still being sold and dumped into landfills in the US. It is good to see solar light manufacturers finally starting to offer NiMH replacement batteries, such as this productAA cells have a higher capacity of 2000mAh (actually measured capacity is closer to 2100mAh), and offer longer lifespan of 1500 cycle.

As of this writing, those Moonray NiMH cells are priced even higher than Sanyo eneloop cells. So it is just not a good value.

Additional Notes:
1. Using higher capacity battery does not automatically guarantee your solar lights will remain lit longer each night. If the charging current from solar cells is inadequate (not enough sunlight), your solar lights will not stay on throughout the night, regardless of battery capacity. But if there is sufficient sunlight, higher capacity battery can store more energy during daytime, and offer longer runtime at night.

2. In winter time where daylight is much short than night time, all solar lights will perform poorly. One solution is to remove those batteries and fully recharge them in any NiMH charger, then return them back to the solar lights. The extra stored energy will be sufficient to run your solar lights for several weeks. Good batteries, work fine from the first day I installed them, no problems, thanks! The lights recharge them during sunny day, you don't have to charge them at all. I don't know if it is the batteries or the lights themselves. I have tried several brands and none stay charged in the Westinghouse solar lights I bought. I can't blame it on the batteries.These are the right voltage for my solar lamps..1500mAh 1.2 v. They take 2-3 days to charge bu the light output is the same as when I bought the solar lights. If you buy a lesser mAh than what is called for, then the lights will not work and or the output will be dimmer. Nice to find them in bulk, as many of my mights use 3 and 4 batteries.

should i buy Moonrays 47740SP Rechargeable NiCd AA Batteries reviews

 for some other solar lights, and decided this time to go with the 8-pack. My dad gave one of these to my mom last year and it came time for ME to replace the battery. to be honest, i don't live with my mom, so I don't see her solar light EVERYDAY, but i can assure you I have seen it numerous times lit up leaving dinner. After replacing, I honestly found these work better through the night over a longer period of time.

I decided to do a little research on Wikipedia to find the reason.
These Moonrays batteries are Nicd, on the page it says: "The primary trade-off with NiCd batteries is their higher cost"

But the advantage it says is: "the NiCd battery has a lower self-discharge rate (for example, 10% per month for a NiCd, versus 30% per month for a traditional NiMH under identical conditions"

that means that over time, these batteries will hold their charge longer than others.

The other type of rechargeable batteries are the NiMH batteries, and their page also says: "NiMH cells historically had a somewhat higher self-discharge rate (equivalent to internal leakage) than NiCd cells. This is not a problem in the short term, but makes them unsuitable for many light-duty uses where the battery would normally be expected to last many months or years."

Either way, Moonrays DOES sell NiMh batteries, they're just a bit more expensive than these. These are all the moonrays batteries i've found on amazon.
NiMh instead of NiCd I can't give this excellent rating since i haven't had them long enough. Just purchased a week ago and put into solar lights. i did have expensive solar lights that the batteries died after a couple of years. I replaced with these new batteries and within a couple of hours they were working. The first battery I inserted in the solar light did not work at all. The second and third batteries lit the solar lights...for one day. Neither would recharge despite bright, sunny days. Haven't tried the other five yet, but I don't hold out much hope for them. Even if they work the value against the price isn't worth it. They won't fit into the containment area for the battery. They are at least 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch longer than the original battery. Beware!!!It's been 2 and half months since I bought and placed these batteries in my solar lamps. They are burning as bright and as long each night as they did the first night I put them in........so I'm pleased. All work and if they keep going the way they are, I'll be back to purchase more of them. I am de'light'ed with the Moon Ray Batteries. I will definitely purchase more when needed. I was ready to throw away our solar lights until I realized they took replaceable batteries such as these. I recommend these when you need to replace your solar batteries. replaced the batteries in solar lights that i bought from Target last year. so far so good. they hold a nice charge at this point although i've only had them a few daI orderedt these a year and half ago for my solar powered lights in my backyard and finally just reordered more to replace some of the ones that are dying out. These little babies really do last. I was suprised too. Very reliable and given they kept recharging every day for over a year and kept going rain or shine, that says a lot about the product. I've used other brands and these seem to be very reliable so far and they last a good lengtth of time as far as recharging is concerned. I have only been using the batteries for about 4 weeks but so far, so good. My solar lights stay lit longer then they did with the original batteries. I purchased an 8 pack and all of them worked. I need more batteries and will purchase the same kind. 4 of the 20 batteries I ordered were bad. I put all of them on my charger/tester to have them completely discharged, then completely recharged. 4 of the batteries tested bad, won't charge. I bought 16 of these batteries and 2 of them didn't work out of the package. And now about a month later 3 more have stopped working. What a waste of money. I even wrote to the manufacturer and have never received a reply. Tells you something about this rip-off company. Perhaps if more people didn't purchase these items the company would do something about their defective merchandise. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!! Amazon should stop selling these batteries!! Turns out that a couple of my outdoor lights didn't have a battery issue but instead had a problem most likely with the solar charging cell. I replaced the others, which still worked but ran out of power early on, and the new batteries seemed to make the light brighter and last hours longer. Overall I am pleased and the price isn't bad either. I recommend these as replacements and they are 600Mah so that's sufficient enough. I also live in a climate where it snows and these lights have been in the ground for 3 years so take some advice and put them away in the early winter before the snow starts falling. Probably get years more out of them. and it came time for ME to replace the battery. to be honest, i don't live with my mom, so I don't see her solar light EVERYDAY, but i can assure you I have seen it numerous times lit up leaving dinner. After replacing, I honestly found these work better through the night over a longer period of time.

I decided to do a little research on Wikipedia to find the reason.
These Moonrays batteries are Nicd, on the page it says: "The primary trade-off with NiCd batteries is their higher cost"

But the advantage it says is: "the NiCd battery has a lower self-discharge rate (for example, 10% per month for a NiCd, versus 30% per month for a traditional NiMH under identical conditions"

that means that over time, these batteries will hold their charge longer than others.

The other type of rechargeable batteries are the NiMH batteries, and their page also says: "NiMH cells historically had a somewhat higher self-discharge rate (equivalent to internal leakage) than NiCd cells. This is not a problem in the short term, but makes them unsuitable for many light-duty uses where the battery would normally be expected to last many months or years."

should i buy Moonrays 97126 350mAh NiCd AAA Rechargeable Solar Batteries, reviews

Keep Moonrays' solar-powered lights (and any other device that uses AAA batteries) in top-notch working order with help from this 97126 four-pack of AAA batteries. High-capacity, long-lasting, and reliable, the 350mAh nickel-cadmium (NiCd) rechargeable batteries are designed specifically for use with solar-powered lights as they can handle the constant charging and discharging typical of solar lamps. Quick to recharge, the batteries also offer low internal resistance, long circulation life, and steadfast stamina.
A subsidiary of the powerhouse duo of Coleman Cable and Woods Industries, Moonrays offers a wide range of products including attractive landscape and home lighting sources, which combine a modern aesthetic with advanced technology to beautify and simplify the lighting of homes, cabins, condos, vacation residences, and more. A line of intricate, nature-inspired garden accents also sets Moonrays apart from its competition, with everything from simple path lamps to ornate stake lights creating enchanting focal points in gardens small and large alike. The solar-powered products offer energy-efficient and cost-saving alternatives to traditional lighting sources, making them smart and savvy choices for earth-conscious consumers.There is simply no reason why anyone should buy those NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) rechargeable cells for solar rechargeable light applications. For similar price, you can find NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) cells such as the Rayovac Rechargeable AAA, which offer the following advantages:

- Higher capacity: NiMH AAA cells are typically 800-1000mAh, compared of just 350mAh for those NiCd cells.
- No memory effect: NiMH cells are less likely to suffer from reduced capacity when they are partially charged and discharged (such as in a solar light application).
- Environmentally Friendly: NiMH cells do not contain Cadmium, a highly toxic heavy metal. Expired NiCd cells must be disposed in special battery recycle bins, but most people don't bother to do that. So those cells end up buried in landfill or, worse yet, incinerated. (*)

The only advantage NiCd cell has over NiMH is lower internal resistance, which allows it to provide very high peak current in short bursts. That's why NiCd cells are still used in cordless power tools and RC race cars. But in the case of solar rechargeable lights, the battery current is delievered slowly over 8-12 hours. So NiMH cells, with much higher capacity, are far superior as replacement batteries.

(*)FOOTNOTE:
As of Sep 2008, imports of NiCd rechargeable batteries were banned for all EU countries (thanks to a 2006 Battery Directive). Prices of NiCd cells plummeted as a result. It is sad to see that the U.S. is now being used as the largest dumping ground (literally) for those outdated products.

The batteries themselves are probably fine. The problem is that the ones I received had already expired and didn't work. I bought 6 packs of batteries and Amazon replaced them for free, but those, too, had already expired. The end result for me was a lot of hassle and I still don't have any usable solar batteries. Anybody know where I can get some? The AAA NiCd seems particularly hard to find compared to the AA size.

I recieved my solar batteries quickly but they were dead as a doorknob. Never charged up at all. Worthless. Very unhappy with product. Not worth returning buy the time i pay for shipping! I have several solar powered lanterns at my house that either would not light or were dim. I ordered the solar batteries from Amazon and the lanterns are again working like new. Bought this product to replace rechargeable NiCd batteries in an emergency light (the ones that come on when the power goes out). The light uses LED bulbs so they were still good but the battery was failing. I thought about buying a new light but couldn't find them at the local store so I bought these batteries to try it out. It has worked very well so far (about 1 month), the light now shines quite brightly, so I'm quite happy with the purchase. I know these batteries were intended for solar lights, but they had the exact same specs as the existing batteries (350mah / 1.2v), so I was confident it would work. The batteries themselves are probably fine. The problem is that the ones I received had already expired and didn't work. I bought 6 packs of batteries and Amazon replaced them for free, but those, too, had already expired. The end result for me was a lot of hassle and I still don't have any usable solar batteries. Anybody know where I can get some? The AAA NiCd seems particularly hard to find compared to the AA size. There is simply no reason why anyone should buy those NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) rechargeable cells for solar rechargeable light applications. For similar price, you can find NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) cells such as the  which offer the following advantages:

- Higher capacity: NiMH AAA cells are typically 800-1000mAh, compared of just 350mAh for those NiCd cells.
- No memory effect: NiMH cells are less likely to suffer from reduced capacity when they are partially charged and discharged (such as in a solar light application).
- Environmentally Friendly: NiMH cells do not contain Cadmium, a highly toxic heavy metal. Expired NiCd cells must be disposed in special battery recycle bins, but most people don't bother to do that. So those cells end up buried in landfill or, worse yet, incinerated. (*)

The only advantage NiCd cell has over NiMH is lower internal resistance, which allows it to provide very high peak current in short bursts. That's why NiCd cells are still used in cordless power tools and RC race cars. But in the case of solar rechargeable lights, the battery current is delievered slowly over 8-12 hours. So NiMH cells, with much higher capacity, are far superior as replacement batteries.

(*)FOOTNOTE:
As of Sep 2008, imports of NiCd rechargeable batteries were banned for all EU countries (thanks to a 2006 Battery Directive). Prices of NiCd cells plummeted as a result. It is sad to see that the U.S. is now being used as the largest dumping ground (literally) for those outdated products.The batteries came quickly, that is within the time frame projected, and they work and are still working with the solar powered units we bought them for. The originals, that came with the solar powered units either didn't work from the start or within a week they no longer would work, not holding a charge. These batteries have now been in a month and they are still working, working, and working! Thanks!

should i buy Moonrays 97125 Rechargeable NiCd AA Batteries reviews

Enjoy an uninterrupted glow from solar-powered motion lights, lawn ornaments, pathway lamps, and other fixtures with help from Moonrays' 97125 set of four rechargeable 600 mAh NiCd AA batteries. Because the batteries harness their power from the sun, they provide a long-lasting, exceptionally efficient source of energy--one that reduces costs and eliminates both the hassles and hazards of electric cords and cumbersome wiring. Furthermore, the compact batteries store easily in a drawer for use as needed, and they can be used to power many of Moonrays' beautiful lawn, garden, and home lighting fixtures (sold separately).
With more than 75 years of experience by parent companies in the wire and cable products field, Moonrays' extensive line of outdoor lighting carries a fine tradition of excellence, skill, and know-how. The company's solar-powered products require no wiring or electricity, making them energy-efficient and cost-saving alternatives to traditional lighting sources. From enchanting and whimsical garden accents to attractive landscape and home lighting options, Moonrays strives to provide their customers with visually pleasing and socially responsible ways to customize, secure, and invest in their outdoor spaces. Furthermore, they combine a modern aesthetic with advanced technology to beautify and simplify the lighting of residences, cabins, outbuildings, and vacation homes.the beginning to switch out batteries in half of the lamps with the other battery types because I had read the other review for this battery pack.

Honestly, I found these work better through the night over a longer period of time. Sometimes I wake up very early in the morning for work, and have noticed that the lamps with these batteries have lasted longer and brighter into the morning. It has been a couple months since i got the lamps and will definitely purchase these batteries again.

I decided to do a little research on Wikipedia to find the reason.

These Moonrays batteries are Nicd, on the page it says "The primary trade-off with NiCd batteries is their higher cost"
But the advantage it says is

"the NiCd battery has a lower self-discharge rate (for example, 10% per month for a NiCd, versus 30% per month for a traditional NiMH under identical conditions"

that means that over time, these batteries will hold their charge longer than others.

The other type of rechargeable batteries are the NiMH batteries, and their page also says
"NiMH cells historically had a somewhat higher self-discharge rate (equivalent to internal leakage) than NiCd cells. This is not a problem in the short term, but makes them unsuitable for many light-duty uses where the battery would normally be expected to last many months or years."NLee the Engineer: I'm an ELECTRICAL Engineer. You missed the most important consideration: NiMH batteries should only be recharged in a highly controlled environment such as in your iPod, digital camera with a NiMH charger, NOT DIRECTLY BY A SOLAR PANEL ! Solar panels should either have their own charge controller or use batteries that withstand routine overcharging. NiMH BATTERIES WILL *EASILY* BE DESTROYED BY OVERCHARGING. NiCd batteries fair somewhat better.

ALL RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES SHOULD BE RECHARGED WITH A RECHARGER whether it's powered by a solar panel or from an AC wall jack.

There is simply no reason why anyone should buy those NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) rechargeable cells for solar rechargeable light applications. For about the same price, you can easily find NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) cells which offer the following advantages:

- Higher capacity: NiMH AA cells are typically 2000-2700mAh, compared of just 600mAh for those NiCd cells.
- No memory effect: NiMH cells are less likely to suffer from reduced capacity when they are partially charged and discharged.
- Environmentally Friendly: NiMH cells do not contain Cadmium, a highly toxic heavy metal. Expired NiCd cells must be disposed in special battery recycle bins, but most people don't bother to do that. So those cells end up buried in landfill or, worse yet, incinerated. (*)

The only advantage NiCd cell has over NiMH is lower internal resistance, which allows it to provide very high peak current in short bursts. That's why NiCd cells are still used in cordless power tools and RC race cars. But in the case of solar rechargeable lights, the battery current is delievered slowly over 8-12 hours. So NiMH cells, with much higher capacity, are far superior as replacement batteries.

(*)UPDATE:
As of Sep 2008, imports of NiCd rechargeable batteries were banned for all EU countries (thanks to a 2006 Battery Directive). Prices of NiCd cells plummeted as a result. It is sad to see that the U.S. is now being used as the largest dumping ground (literally) for those outdated products.

[Update#2 on Nov 29, 2010]
Some people claim that NiMH cell cannot be used in Solar charger because it needs higher voltage to recharge. This is COMPLETELY FALSE based on my own measured data, shown in the Customer Images section. Note that both NiCd and NiMH cells have nearly identical voltage profiles (adjusted for time scale) during slow-charging.

[Update#3 on May 17, 2012]
It should be noted that the same company is now selling Moonrays 97143 AA NiMh Pre-charged 1500mAh Rechargeable Batteries for Solar Lights. So there goes the claim that "you can only use NiCd for solar lights"!

should i buy Duracell Rechargeables StayCharged AAA Batteries, reviews

- The name of this product has been changed to As far as I can tell, those are the same batteries previously marketed as 'Pre-Charged'. In other parts of the world, those are also marketed as 'Active Charge'. They are stlll available in either 'white top' (made in Japan) and 'black top' (made in China) versions.

- Amazon has combined the AA and AAA versions of those Duracell batteries into the same product page. So now I look like a fool who says the same things twice. Oh well...

[Previous update on Dec 24, 2008]
I was only half-right when I boldly proclaimed that "Duracell Pre Charged AA are rebranded Sanyo eneloop cells" in my original review. It turns out that the first batch of Duracell AA cells I bought from Amazon are made in Japan, and those are identical to eneloop (both mechanically and electrically). But lately I bought some more Duracell AA from a warehouse club. Those are made in China, and they are identical to the Rayovac Hybrid.

[Original review follows]

Judging from similarity of technical specifications and physical shapes of (+) and (-) terminals, I am convinced that the  is actuallyunderneath a different wrapper. Therefore all the good things you heard about eneloop apply to Duracell 'Pre Charged', too.

My own testing has shown that the capacity of eneloop AA cell is slightly above the claimed 2000mAh, and it is able to retain at least 85% of its charge after 5 months in storage. The starts with slightly higher capacity at 2100mAh, but it 'only' retains 80% capacity after 5 months. For all practical applications, both are equally good. Just pick whichever brand (Sanyo, Rayovac, or Duracell) is on-sale, and you can't go wrong.

One small problem with the Duracell 'Pre Charged' cell is that: it looked too similar to the well-known 'Copper Top' alkaline cell. So there is a good chance that people may mistaken it for a disposable cell. Personally, I prefer the distinctive-looking white case of the eneloop cell. I use these batteries for a laser pointer, as a toy for my cat! I shine the light around for her to chase (like a bug!) and have used it for hours per day. Before I bought the duracell, I went through batteries like crazy but these batteries are truly long lasting. You won't be disappointed. I go through a lot of throw away batteries, which add up in $$$ over time rather quickly. I decided to make a large one-time investment and purchase rechargeable batteries and chargers. I bought these plus the Duracell charger and Ray-O-Vac Charger and Ray-O-Vac batteries and have no regrets over the purchase. These batteries work as advertised and arrived promptly. As advertised, they arrive charged and they hold their charge well while waiting to be put to use. They charge quickly and can charge in any charger, not just the Duracell one. A great investment I will use over and over again. This is a product I can recommend without hesitation. Please do buy rechargeable batteries over single use batteries! You'll help save some resources and money by buying rechargeable batteries like these. We must all do our part, and this is a small step towards being a little more environmentally conscious. I bought a four pack of the AA Duracell rechargeable batteries from Amazon and used them for three months. They would barely hold a charge in that time and in March, three of the four batteries exploded in my charger deeming it (and the batteries) completely uselessHave had these batteries about 2 months. Use them in a digital camera. The low self discharge works well; these batteries keep enough charge sitting in the camera for weeks at a time. With a previous set of cheap made in China rechargeable batteries, the batteries would usually be dead when I went to use the camera. After 1 use I ran these Duracells through a test cycle using a Lacrosse BC-500 charger and they uniformly read 2.1 Ah capacity. Mine were made in Japan (good). I love these batteries. Ive had several for rc cars and trucks. They hold a great charge and stay charged just as advertised. I charged them on Friday and Thursday of the following week they were ready to go. Your normal recharges and loses it charge after a day or so. So I recommend these and you wont go wrong. My Apple Magic Trackpad was chewing through two double AA batteries every month. It will take more than a year to earn the investment back, but I get the immediate feel of not putting used batteries in the trash or, better still, the wasted time of "properly disposing" of the batteries. Go green!Since the voltage is only 1.2V (not 1.4V or 1.5V) when they are fully charged, they are not suitable fo all devices. I was hoping to save money using these in my Turtle Beach headset but they have to be charged too often. I went back to using Energizer Lithium batteries. Yes, they are expesive but, they will last me a month before I have to replace them. These batteries had to be recharged 2 or 3 times a week. I have two ancient MP3 players, one I generally use for exercising and one to listen to while out shopping, different stuff on both. Anyway, they're the kind that run on a single AAA battery and I use them a lot so I was eating up a ton of batteries, but still one every 8 hours or so of play in two devices adds up. I switched to these and they work great.

I use these frequently with my since it can recharge one or two batteries at the same time. They seem to hold a charge pretty well over extended periods. I haven't tried up to a year, but they definitely worked 3 or 4 months later, unlike the awful luck I've had with Energizer rechargeables.

The only thing I'd like to see is a little cheaper cost, since you can buy some other brands that seem to work as well for a lower cost, but overall I'm quite pleased.

should i buy Energizer C2 Rechargeable, Size C, 2-Count reviews

Like most so-called C-size NiMH batteries this is actually an AA-size battery with a hollow shell around it to fit devices that require C-size. Its life is *very* short in devices that make heavy current demands. True C-size NiMH batteries will have a capacity of at least 4500mAh (these Energizer units are only 2500 mAh, like the AA that they really are). For example the Tenergy NiMH C batteries are true C-size NiMH with a capacity of 5000 mAh.

The "fake C" units like the Eveready may or may not be suitable for your purpose -- just be aware of what you're getting. 2500mAH - compare this rating with ordinary AA Nimh rechargeables. You'll see a lot of AA's equal and even higher than 2500mAh. No wonder they are very light and HOLLOW. Easy to break because of the empty space inside.

This is one of the first size C Nimh rechargeables that I have bought and seen on the market. You can do as well with AA's using C & D spacers.The life for these Energizer "C" batteries is very short, mostly due to the fact that they are just 2500Mah AA's in a C casing. I bought a few a these years ago when there were no other alternatives and they were very disappointing. No matter what you put them in they will not last long. I can't figure out how they receive any positive reviews at all. These batteries don't last long, at all. I bought them for a flashlight and I'm very disappointed in the batteries ability to stay charged. They spend more time being charged than being used. I don't advise anyone to purchase this product. My Duracell AA and Energizer AA batteries last a lot longer than these C batteries. Maybe all C batteries are useless, I don't know, but these are practically useless.If you're expecting these batteries to be similar to the throw-aways you'd find in any store, think again. These hold much less of a charge--it's basically a AA battery in a hollow shell. You'll see how light they are when you get them and hold them, and I guarantee you'll be as disappointed as I am in just how short of a time they last. I expected much more from Energizer. Llegó a tiempo y en buen estado, cumple con las expectativas y es un excelente producto, esta funcionando muy bien These are just cheap quality AA rechargeable batteries wrapped in a C size battery. Once you feel how light these batteries are you'll know something is not right. They hold a horrible charge so they spend more time on the charger than they do in my flashlight. Any device requiring C cell batteries need's the capacity of a C cell for a reason. These batteries are a gimmick plain and simple. To sell a AA battery encased in a C housing is ridiculous. People buy these batteries for flash lights and other safety type devices and in my opinion the C2 cells are completely inadequate for most devices they will be installed in. If you put these batteries into something you need during storms, night time flat tires on your car, or during other safety type situations be aware they will not last long at all. These batteries are a jokeThe life for these Energizer "C" batteries is very short, mostly due to the fact that they are just 2500Mah AA's in a C casing. I bought a few a these years ago when there were no other alternatives and they were very disappointing. No matter what you put them in they will not last long. I can't figure out how they receive any positive reviews at all. These are for C-size Batteries I already use--I expect those to be totally worn soon(they are 10-years old). I chose the Energizer Name--specifically--as a great product. The photo shows the e2 model batteries and the package I received doesn't say e2 anywhere. Hopefully they will work with the charger I purchased. Also the package came from a different supplier than was listed. put a couple of these batteries in my Mag flashlight about a year ago. I put it in the bottom of the junk drawer, and pretty much ignored them.

A couple of days ago, I needed a good-sized flashlight, so I pulled this one out. I turned it on, without much faith that it would have still held a charge. Yes! A really bright light was still available.

I'm sure a disposable alkaline battery would have done the same, but these were the Energizer rechargeable batteries.These are good batteries. I use a 2 c-cell flashlight for work everyday. I have 3 sets of these that I rotate. I've had these batteries for over 6 years. Other two-packs that I have bought contained two packages of two-batteries (or whatever is shown in the photo). This is just two batteries in total. Like most so-called C-size NiMH batteries this is actually an AA-size battery with a hollow shell around it to fit devices that require C-size. Its life is *very* short in devices that make heavy current demands. True C-size NiMH batteries will have a capacity of at least 4500mAh (these Energizer units are only 2500 mAh, like the AA that they really are). For example the Tenergy NiMH C batteries are true C-size NiMH with a capacity of 5000 mAh.

The "fake C" units like the Eveready may or may not be suitable for your purpose -- just be aware of what you're getting. 2500mAH - compare this rating with ordinary AA Nimh rechargeables. You'll see a lot of AA's equal and even higher than 2500mAh. No wonder they are very light and HOLLOW. Easy to break because of the empty space inside.

This is one of the first size C Nimh rechargeables that I have bought and seen on the market. You can do as well with AA's using C & D spacers.

should i buy Duracell Coppertop Batteries reviews

Coppertop batteries have been engineered to deliver just the right level of power for most of your household needs. Plus, guaranteed fresh for 7 years. Many of the devices you use in your home are powered most efficiently by Duracell Coppertop batteries, including: Toys, Clocks and Radios, Remote Controls, Smoke Alarms, and Flashlights I'm pretty used to buying batteries online and finding they had been made long before I ordered them (had some CR123 with experations the next month from another vendor). In at least my case, my batteries from this vendor show a production date of 3/30/10...and I ordered them on April 18th. You can't get any younger batteries (exp is Mar2016). I'll be checking this distrbutor out for the rest of my battery needs. I got these about three weeks ago, and still haven't used them up yet. So many batteries. Awesome. So far, they've lasted about four times as long in my Canon digital point-and-shoot than my Energizer rechargeables. And they're on track to outperform the regular Energizers in my Xbox controllers. I think I'm a coppertop convert. The price is pretty good, too--probably not the absolute cheapest, but these are real Duracells (not knockoffs) that are far from their expiration date. The 4 batteries arrived in 4 small ziplocs rather than in sealed Duracell packaging as shown in the picture. I have no idea if they are new or used. These batteries were purchased on Amazon along with a new Coleman LED lantern, as a gift for my mom. They were put into the lantern, they did work, but the next morning there was battery acid all around the base and in the lantern. I do not know what would be the cause of this, nor the expiration on the batteries, they were sent to my mom in a different state than where I live. There was a time when I thought Duracell batteries were among the best. That is no longer the case. I just pulled another AAA dated Mar 2015 that was leaking out of a devise. The battery case had ruptured. I have seen a number of these ruptured cases over the many years we purchased Duracell (we still have a few left for use only in inexpensive devises) I'm not sure when the problem started and I noticed some time ago that Proctor and Gamble now owns Duracell. We have not patronized Proctor and Gamble for over twenty five years so Duracell is no longer our battery for two reasons.

If you are looking for a good AAA, AA, C, or D battery, may I suggest Kirkland or Panasonic. I do not know who manufactures either.

A note on Energizer and possibly other batteries. About twelve years ago I started noticing that when Energizer batteries failed, for instance, in sets of four, that in a majority of cases, only one battery was actually bad. The others were usually within a few tenths of a volt of new (1.5-1.6 volts). I started mentally keeping track of these failures and I believe I was seeing about one in fifteen to twenty that were failing prematurely. I wish I'd had the time to do a statistically valid experiment, I did not. What a marketing scheme that would be if some number of batteries were produced with less quality control than others or........ Most people replace four (or all) batteries when (they) go bad, not checking them as I do. I believe the picture becomes clear. If you find what I did, add a comment here.

Check all the batteries when replacing them. It's possible to save a significant amount of personal resources in today's battery powered less than thinking throw-away societies.

Buy tools, etc., that plug in or better yet, are manual. Save the insane cost of some plastic bandwagon gym. AA batteries apparently repackaged into plastic case, showing expiration date of 2017, few tested cells show good voltage available, prompt shipping, good deal for standard Duracell coppertops made in China. Ordered 20pk of Duracell AA from Brooklyn Battery Works, so far the batteries seem ok but it's only been a week. I was not happy that they arrived in a small white box that WAS NOT ORIGINAL PACKAGING. The box had "20PK AA" written on it in pen... Probably won't be buying from these guys again. 20 Duracell batteries for less than $10 in today's times are you kidding me?? I got these and this price is what my local supermarkets charge for a pack of 8!!! If you need to stock up and want a great price and don't mind waiting a week for delivery this is it!!!!Used them in lights for the Ruby Mountain Relay, an overnight running relay. The lights we purchased required D batteries. They worked greatAs a few other reviewers have noted, these batteries arrived in post production packaging. Either they could be from a larger container, or they could be used. I'll try to remember to update this with the results after trying some of them out.

should i buy Duracell Coppertop Batteries reviews

I'm pretty used to buying batteries online and finding they had been made long before I ordered them (had some CR123 with experations the next month from another vendor). In at least my case, my batteries from this vendor show a production date of 3/30/10...and I ordered them on April 18th. You can't get any younger batteries (exp is Mar2016). I'll be checking this distrbutor out for the rest of my battery needs. I got these about three weeks ago, and still haven't used them up yet. So many batteries. Awesome. So far, they've lasted about four times as long in my Canon digital point-and-shoot than my Energizer rechargeables. And they're on track to outperform the regular Energizers in my Xbox controllers. I think I'm a coppertop convert. The price is pretty good, too--probably not the absolute cheapest, but these are real Duracells (not knockoffs) that are far from their expiration date.

The 4 batteries arrived in 4 small ziplocs rather than in sealed Duracell packaging as shown in the picture. I have no idea if they are new or used.

These batteries were purchased on Amazon along with a new Coleman LED lantern, as a gift for my mom. They were put into the lantern, they did work, but the next morning there was battery acid all around the base and in the lantern. I do not know what would be the cause of this, nor the expiration on the batteries, they were sent to my mom in a different state than where I live. 1 box with 2 boxes inside clearly the original Duracell boxes. Have not used batteries but all looks just like from the store. Unfortunately no expiration date. There was a time when I thought Duracell batteries were among the best. That is no longer the case. I just pulled another AAA dated Mar 2015 that was leaking out of a devise. The battery case had ruptured. I have seen a number of these ruptured cases over the many years we purchased Duracell (we still have a few left for use only in inexpensive devises) I'm not sure when the problem started and I noticed some time ago that Proctor and Gamble now owns Duracell. We have not patronized Proctor and Gamble for over twenty five years so Duracell is no longer our battery for two reasons.

If you are looking for a good AAA, AA, C, or D battery, may I suggest Kirkland or Panasonic. I do not know who manufactures either.

A note on Energizer and possibly other batteries. About twelve years ago I started noticing that when Energizer batteries failed, for instance, in sets of four, that in a majority of cases, only one battery was actually bad. The others were usually within a few tenths of a volt of new (1.5-1.6 volts). I started mentally keeping track of these failures and I believe I was seeing about one in fifteen to twenty that were failing prematurely. I wish I'd had the time to do a statistically valid experiment, I did not. What a marketing scheme that would be if some number of batteries were produced with less quality control than others or........ Most people replace four (or all) batteries when (they) go bad, not checking them as I do. I believe the picture becomes clear. If you find what I did, add a comment here.

Check all the batteries when replacing them. It's possible to save a significant amount of personal resources in today's battery powered less than thinking throw-away societies.

Buy tools, etc., that plug in or better yet, are manual. Save the insane cost of some plastic bandwagon gym. AA batteries apparently repackaged into plastic case, showing expiration date of 2017, few tested cells show good voltage available, prompt shipping, good deal for standard Duracell coppertops made in China. Ordered 20pk of Duracell AA from Brooklyn Battery Works, so far the batteries seem ok but it's only been a week. I was not happy that they arrived in a small white box that WAS NOT ORIGINAL PACKAGING. The box had "20PK AA" written on it in pen... Probably won't be buying from these guys again. 20 Duracell batteries for less than $10 in today's times are you kidding me?? I got these and this price is what my local supermarkets charge for a pack of 8!!! If you need to stock up and want a great price and don't mind waiting a week for delivery this is it!!!! Used them in lights for the Ruby Mountain Relay, an overnight running relay. The lights we purchased required D batteries. They worked great. As a few other reviewers have noted, these batteries arrived in post production packaging. Either they could be from a larger container, or they could be used. I'll try to remember to update this with the results after trying some of them out. These AAA batteries have a shelf life up to 2015 (about 3 years). Those you buy in the store have a 7 year guaranteed shelf life. I'll use these within 3 years, so it isn't a big deal to me, but it might be to someone so I thought I'd mention it. Price is good compared to those in the store, so it's kind of an even trade off. Batteries were purchased in June 2012, but product received had expiration date of Feb 2012. Also they did not arrive in the advertised packaging, so am not sure if they are genuine. Could be good deal but make sure you check the dates when you receive the product. I thought the date on the bottom was the expiration date which it is not it is the manufacturing date, the exp date is on the skinny side.
These are good batteries.I purchased two packs of 9 volt batteries for my home smoke detectors. Unfortunately the batteries have a 03/2012 date stamped on the end of them and I received them in 07/2012. Quite old. Hopefully they'll last for a little while. I guess this is one of those cases of, "You get what you pay for". These were some good batteries. Pretty cheap for the quantity of them. The only thing I don't like is that some of the batteries seem to run out pretty quickly. Still, for the price, it can't be beat. Some of my battery-operated devices were getting weary and in need of a helping hand. Replacing their power source really perked them up and we're all happy now.Thought I was getting a deal with these but turn out they seem to last easily 50% less longer in my headlamp then their HomeDepot bought brothers. Disappointed!

should i buy Duracell Mobile Charger With 2AA reviews

The Duracell Mobile Charger (CEF23) is an extremely versatile charger. It actually has two operating modes, as selected by the MODE button:

1. As an AA/AAA NiMH battery charger, or
2. As an USB charger for USB-powered devices.

In battery-charger mode, the unit is a smart charger that accepts 1-4 AA/AAA cells in any combinations. The charger can be powered by either 100-240V universal AC input, or 12V DC input. This means you can also operate it from your vehicle's cigarette lighter adapter. Note that the car adapter is included in the

The charging current is 550mA for each AA/AAA cell. So it takes about 4 hours to full charge up the included 2000mAh low-self-discharge cells (which are the Duracell-equivalent of Sanyo eneloop). I consider this a good compromise between shorter charging time and longer battery lifespan. Once charging is done, the current is reduced to 25mA (actually 0-50mA pulsed at 50% duty cycle) in trickle charge mode.

One really nice feature of this charger is that it has four individual battery status indicator lights. The status light for each cell turns RED when charging, GREEN when the cell is fully charged. It will even blink if you accidentally inserted an alkaline cell.

In USB charger mode, the unit generates a regulated 5-volt supply at its USB socket. You can then connect an USB-powered device (such as IPOD charger) to this unit. Input power for this USB charger can be from one of the following sources:
1. From 100-240V universal AC input,
2. From 12V DC input (car adapter), or
3. From four AA/AAA NiMH cells in the battery compartment.

The third way is the most interesting, because in case of emergency, you can even use 4 alkaline cells to power this USB charger, in order to charge up your cell phone's battery.

I must say that this charger is really well designed. It is a great bargain even if all you need is a simple battery charger. The USB charger mode is just an extra bonus.

[Update on Oct 7, 2010]:
Duracell has discontinued the excellent CEF23 charger (at least in the US) last year. So prices for the remaining inventory have skyrocketed. The replacement produc only charges in pairs, and does not contain an USB charger.
- If you just need an inexpensive 2-cell charger that can handle individual cell, consider th
- If you need a good 4-cell charger that can operate from 12V cigarette lighter adapter, consider the
- If you need an advanced charger that can operate from 12V CLA, consider the
- If you need a good 4-cell charger that can operate from 12V CLA _and_ can power an USB port using internal batteries... Sorry! Your best hope is to look for an international version of CEF23, such as the  (AU=Australia)

[Update on Dec 1, 2010]
Just in case anyone is still interested in this charger: I recently found out that its USB port is capable of supplying 1000mA output current - even though the spec says 500mA only. I discovered this by accident when using it as a portable recharger for myI've done a lot of research on batteries and chargers, and I have to say I'm impressed with this charger. I am a photographer, and my fancy flashes are only as good as the batteries they use. Other reviews have already stated the high points: gentle charge rate (550 mA is great); individual charging of batteries (absolutely vital); intelligent shutoff (does not overcharge). On top of these, it runs off of 12V and any AC wall power in the world (120-240V), and it charges USB devices. It also will charge a USB device off of 4 charged batteries. It's a dream come true.

One thing to note: You cannot charge batteries AND charge a USB device at the same time. You have to pick one or the other. But this is a very minor issue for something so functional, portable, and inexpensive.

Assuming it doesn't die in two months, this is the best consumer charger that is widely available. (I also have the Maha C-9000, which I love, but is not for the faint of heart. The Maha C401FS is also very good.)

If you're even considering buying one of those 15-minute chargers, PLEASE don't. It will destroy your batteries by cooking them at a high temperature. Buy this one, instead. Just get an extra set of batteries to swap out while the others are charging, if you need the quick turnaround. First, a note on what's included: 2AA, 2AAA, a charger, and a car adaptor. It does not come with a usb cable. You can see the customer photos I uploaded.

As noted by others, these batteries are "highly similar" if not identical to Eneloops. So the batteries are great.

For AA, I like the charger included in this kit more than the one in this  for two reasons:

1. Each slot has its own individual indicator so you know which battery is done. Equally importantly, you can detect bad batteries in a set. Say you always use four as a set but one suddenly finishes charging a lot earlier than the other three, it's time for testing. (For testing, I use

2. It charges faster, at 550mA, so the 2000mAh AA batteries charge in about four hours.

Unfortunately 500mA is also how it charges AAA batteries. Contrast this to the Eneloop charger in the kit above: 300mA for AA and 160mA for AAA. We see that the Eneloop charger is a lot more gentle for AAA. (I won't charge my AAA in this Duracell charger.) There are three virtues in this Duracell charger:

1. It can charge any AA and AAA combination of batteries, unlike inferior chargers that must charge in pairs.

2. This is a smart charger that will stop charging once the correct voltage has been reached, thus preventing over-charging.

3. Because of the built-in USB port, it can also become a charger of small electronics such as MP3 players, digital cameras, cellphones, etc.

CEF23DX4N is the U.S. version which comes with 2 AA and 2 AAA rechargeable batteries. It costs $39.99. Its plug is foldable, but even in the retracted position, it still protrudes considerably from the base of the charger unit to make placing it evenly on a flat surface not possible. The U.S. version also comes with a car adapter cable.

CEF23AU is the Australian version which comes with 4 AA rechargeable batteries. It costs $18.89. The capacity of each AA battery is 2000 mAh.

The difference is in the shape of the plug, but a small converter is included with CEF23AU, so you can plug it into any 120V U.S. wall socket.

The U.S. version is less bulky than the Australian version with the converter attached, but I bought the Australian version because of its less than half of the U.S. version price.

In both country versions, the electrical plug base is detachable to make the whole unit more manageable when used as a USB charger.

Because of the substantial charger plug protrusion, I'd suggest plugging it in a wall socket (where the two plug blades are vertically oriented), rather than a horizontal power strip, so that the plug will stay in place while the batteries are being charged. As a bit of a technological nomad, I am always on the lookout for quality gear that'll lighten my load. When I realized that my old AA charger was just eating my batteries, overcharging them and shortening their life, I immediately started out the search for a "smart" charger -- one that would charge my batteries without destroying them.

I searched high and low, but there was nothing currently on the market that I particularly liked. Sure, they were compact, and inexpensive, but none of them seemed to be very sturdy, or to have any redeeming features beyond "battery charger."

It was then that I discovered this Duracell charger. It had just recently been discontinued, but folks around the internet were raving about it. I managed, through searching, to find a seller that still carried the CEF23DX4N charger, and immediately pounced on it, and I'm glad I did.

This charger is one of the best devices I've owned. Not only does it charge AA and AAA batteries, stopping when they're fully charged, and using a healthy charge profile for them, but it has a USB port on the bottom of it for charging whatever USB-chargeable device you have. In addition to the flip-down plug on the back (no prongs sticking out in my bag, and no losing detachable things) it has a socket for the included 12v cigarette lighter charger. There aren't many places you can't use this device, with both 12v and 120vAC input (might be 100-250v operating range, haven't looked in a while.)

The real clincher-feature for me though, was the second function of the USB port. With four fully charged AAs installed, you can plug a device into the USB port, and press a button on the charger, and it'll use the juice from the batteries plugged into it to supply the USB port, turning the charger into a portable USB battery pack as well!

The build quality is robust, it's well designed, attractive, and made of quality materials. The included batteries are excellent as well, and this charger will charge any brand of NiMH battery that I've thrown at it (the ones that are "pre charged" rechargeable are the ones to shop for)

There are a few disadvantages to this though, but the good far outweighs the bad. Here's what I've found so far:

1) Charge batteries, OR USB device. One or the other, it won't charge both simultaneously.
2) USB port only seems to supply 500mA power, which is fine and good, just makes for slow charging. I'll take that over nothing at all.
3) Unit is a little chubby. It's wide and thick, and there's a bulge on the back the prongs fold in to. A lot bigger than the el-cheapo chargers I'd been using before.
4) 12v cable is a pain in the butt to deal with. This is the nature of the beast, but I wish they would've included some way to snap the cigarette lighter adapter into the case of the charger itself. As big as it is, there was probably some extra room inside to do so.

Overall though, this is a fantastic charger, and if you can still find them available, go for one. I'm sad that these were discontinued by Duracell, and hope they bring something similar, but improved, back in the future. I'm very happy with this charger. I needed something that can charge odd numbers of cells (typical for many LED flashlights these days) - this charger does independent cell charging, as opposed to charging cells only in pairs, so handles this need well.

I've verified its ability to charge a cell phone from four AA cells - a useful feature that makes this double as a generic USB device charger for either AC or as a mobile recharger. So this can save buying a second charger for your phone for work, for instance.

I don't understand Durcell's business decision to cease sales of this in the U.S.A. Now the only CEF23-DX4N CHARGERS for sale in the U.S. are at very elevated prices. They are still sold in Canada, at very decent prices. I really don't see the point in having the product in one North american country but not another. This being said I bought this at one of these elevated price points and am still happy I got the charger. But it would have been $20 cheaper had I bought it when they were commonly on sale in the U.S.A. And Duracell's chargers currently being marketed in the U.S. are all mediocre. Except for this, the CEF23DX4N, there is no good reason to buy a Duracell charger - there are many better choices. This is, by far, the best charger you can buy. It can charge you batteries from a power outlet or a car adapter. The power connector is the US type, but surprisingly there's an "eject" button on the back of the charger and you can remove the plug. You'll probably be able to buy another type of plug and also the unit gets thinner when you remove it. With charged batteries inside, this unit can also charge USB devices, since it comes with an USB port. Very handy!

The charger can hold 4 AA or 4 AAA batteries. The best thing is that each slot is independent from the others. This is a major advantage over other chargers, that need batteries to be charged on pair (or even the whole 4 at the same time). Every slot has it's own charge led to indicate when charge is complete. It was great for me because I bought a and it uses 3 AAA batteries. So I always had to charge 3 at a time.

It also does come with some rechargeable batteries that are pretty good. I can also recomend , they are awesome and last even longer. A whole day of GPS logging with 1 set of those. Worth the money!

If I could give you one advice, it would be to take care with the power outlet you choose to use. When I was in an old hotel in USA, some wall power outlets were somehow loose and since this charger is a little bulk (and heavy when loaded with 4 batteries) it looked like it could fall off the power outlet. The best option in this case is to use a power extension cord and leave the charger over a flat surface.

should i buy Duracell Rechargeable AA NiMH Batteries reviews

Don't miss a picture, power your digital camera with Duracell Rechargeables. Duracell Rechargeable Batteries enable you to recharge for long lasting power up to 1,000 times--so you can focus on the great photos you're taking instead of replacing batteries. The powerful AA batteries--2650mAh/2450 mAh capacity--are ideally suited for high-drain devices such as digital cameras, and the AAAs are perfect for PDAs and hand-held games. You may also choose from a variety of chargers, from the economical overnight charger to the rapid 30 Minute Charger.

I bought these batteries 2x8pack in early December 2008. The batteries are listed on Amazon as having 2300mah capacity, but the one they shipped were actually 2650mah. (That was the good news).

It was surprised that the batteries did not seem to hold charge for more than a few days... To be sure about this, I bought a La Crosse BC-900 charger and tested the batteries.
I refreshed and charged the batteries in many different ways. The number of cycles and the speed by which the batteries were charged/discharged did not seem to influence the measured capacity.
The BC-900 told me two things.
1) The true capacity is somewhat below the 2650 that is listed on the batteries. All were measured to be in the 2350-2570mah range.
2) The batteries loose their charge very quickly. Judging from betteries I had charge a week earlier, the batteries had lost about 50% in a week.

My conclusion is that these batteries are only valuable if you are using them in power intensive devices - devices that will use up the full capacity within days of them being charged.

It will be waste of your time to charge and store them for more than a week before use... These should be recharged right before use.

Called Duracell about the problem... and they were sufficiently helpful for me to add a second star to my rating.

I can't believe it! Just when we thought we've got the Duracell battery color scheme figured out, those folks at Duracell pulled another cheap trick out of their collective... hat!

To recall, here is the color scheme for Duracell AA/AAA batteries:
- Duracell alkaline cell has the famous 'copper top' and a black bottom
- Traditional  cell has a 'copper top' and a green/black bottom

The latest batch of rechargeable AA/AAA NiMH cells from Duracell all have the 'copper top' and green/black bottom, similar to that for 'Pre Charged' version. However, those cells don't say 'Pre Charged' on them. Instead, they have their capacity printed (2650mAh for , 1000mAh for . It is important to know that: those are NOT the low-self-discharge type lik They are traditional NiMH cells, which have higher capacity but suffer from rapid self-discharge problem. So even though their prices may look attractive, those are no bargains.Read other reviews saying the batteries don't hold a charge. Used 5 other brands and never had a problem so thought I'd take a chance. Maybe it was a degree of expectations. Under any expectation, these batteries DO NOT HOLD A CHARGE. Great price, but not when they're worthless.It is the second time that i receive batteries from Amazon and the package is open. Can`t really say if the batteries have been used before. I disregarded it the first time, but it is getting frustrating...
If it wasn`t for that, all is was good- excellent shipping speed and amazon packaging. I'm using these as replacement batteries for power sources in wireless phones around the house. The original batteries lasted almost five years, so we'll see how well the replacements do. I had bought 3 packages of 4 (12 batteries) because I still have one old set of Duracell 2600"s which were good. These 2450's are consistently horrible, Within two weeks of a full charge and no use the batteries they measure in the red on a battery tester and they will not power my camera. My off brand batteries which I have had for 3 years are much better performers.I am very disappointed in Duracell for putting out such an inferior product. I tried different uses and a different chargers, but finally reached the sad conclusion: the self-discharge rate on these units is horrific. Do not waste your money on Duracell rechargeable batteries.fast shipping and the batteries hold a charge very well even if left idle for a month at a time,
Perfect for high drain items such as cameras and flash lights
High 2450mah capacity for long use
LKP This product shouldn't be sold at all and I'm surprised a reputable place like Amazon would sell these. Apparently there's a big difference on Duracell rechargeable batteries. Those that say "Pre-Charged" on them versus those that don't. The former are good and last long while the latter are based on old technology and lose there recharging capacity rather quickly. Also, when I ordered I checked that I was ordering batteries with 2650mAh and I received 2450 mAh batteries.

Amazon was great (as usual) about me returning them even after I'd opened one of the packages. Still, it was inconvenient as I needed those batteries for my flashes for a photography event the weekend I received them. I hope Amazon does more quality checks on things like this. I feel Duracell is intentionally trying to dump poor quality stuff on even informed consumers when they package very different items very similarly. I can not speak for other reviewers, in contrary to the other reviewers, the batteries I got can hold their charges at more than 80% level one month after the charge (These is no 100% marking on the battery tester). I uses a  to test the batteries. This tester is so far very accurate. Also, these batteries have green tops and they are made in Japan which is clearly marked on the battery itself. The package is almost the same as shown in the picture EXCEPT that they are 2450mah, NOT 2650mah shown on the picture. I used the eneloop batteries for my camera flash before switching to these batteries. Comparing these batteries to the eneloop batteries, these batteries give much more powerful lighting on my Nikon SB-800 flash. The difference is definitely noticeable. Unfortunately, eneloop does not make 2450mah batteries because I love eneloop batteries for their long charge holding ability as well.

should i buy Duracell Go Mobile Charger / Rechargeable reviews

sounds like an ideal solution for recharging AA/AAA cells on the road. It accepts either universal AC (100-240V) or 12V from car battery, and it recharges cells in just around one hour. Note that many other so called 'one hour' charger usually require at least 2 hours when charging 4 cells. But this Duracell Go Mobile charger charges at the same current of 2.3A (for AA) or 0.98A (for AAA) whether you put in 2 or 4 cells. That's why it takes less than one hour to fully recharge those included 2000mAh Duracell Pre Charged AA cells.

Unfortunately, there is a major design flaw with this charger: it charges in pairs only. That is, you can only recharge either 2 or 4 cells, and you cannot group AA and AAA in a pair.

Why is charging NiMH cells in pairs a very bad idea? Suppose you have one cell that is only partially discharged, and another one that is fully discharged. When you charge those two as a pair in this charger, the charging process will terminate as soon as the first cell is full (signaled by a negative dV/dt in the combined voltage). But the second cell is still half empty at this point. Naturally, when you use those two cells together in an appliance, the power will run out much sooner.

Then there's always the problem when your appliance requires either one or three cells. Now you are left with one drained cell that you cannot charge. If you try to charge a drained cell in series with a full one, you're end up with the above situation again.

If you always use identical NiMH cells in pairs, and you never mix up cells from different appliances, then the Go Mobile Charger is still worth considering. For the rest of us, however, the may be a better choice. It charges cells individually (but at a lower current of 550mA), has four status indicator lights, and even doubles as an USB power source.

[Update on Oct 8, 2010]:
Duracell has discontinued the excellent CEF23 charger (at least in the US) last year. So prices for the dwindling inventory have skyrocketed.
- If you just need an inexpensive 2-cell charger that can handle individual cell, consider the
- If you need a good 4-cell charger that can operate from 12V cigarette lighter adapter, consider the
- If you need an advanced charger that can operate from 12V CLA, consider the
- If you need a good 4-cell charger that can operate from 12V CLA _and_ can power an USB port using internal batteries... Sorry! Your best hope is to look for an international version of CEF23, such as the I would like to give this charger 5 stars, I really would. It charges both the batteries it came with and the extra pack of NiMh AAA's I bought seperately in record time, between 30-45 mins usually. That is spectacular.

However, it absolutely will not charge any of the batteries I already own and have charged previously with a different charger. Eight of these are Duracell NiMh 1000mAh AAA's and are less than two months old. And they charge fine in my old charger. I also have assorted AA's I tried, some of which are Duracell and are all NiMh and fall within the specs of the charger. No dice, it just flashes red.

So, if you are planning to charge only new Duracell batteries and only in this specific charger, then this may be the charger for you. If your situation is like mine, then you will likely need to have two chargers going. Just remember not to mix up your batteries or all you will have in the end is a charger that constantly flashes red. Nothing wrong with the charger or its design, it really is simple enough to use and relatively inexpensive. However, the charger completely ceased to function after about 2-3 battery charges when used as prescribed. The indicator light shut off in the middle of charging a set of Duracell AA batteries, the charger left the batteries half-charged and refused to work again.Nothing wrong with the charger or its design, it really is simple enough to use and relatively inexpensive. However, the charger completely ceased to function after about 2-3 battery charges when used as prescribed. The indicator light shut off in the middle of charging a set of Duracell AA batteries, the charger left the batteries half-charged and refused to work again.This is my 3rd battery charger. The Powerex and Sanyo chargers that I previously used were good but were much too slow in getting the job done. This Duracell charger works well and fast. It can charge 2 or 4 batteries at a time. The charger looks great. It has a split light that shows charging state (red=charging, green=charged, flashing red=trouble)--one side for each pair of batteries.
So (I learned) batteries have to be charged in pairs. (Strike 1)
Next, I learned how hard it was to get batteried into the charger--especially AAAs (Strike 2)
Next, I discovered that while the unit charged all four batteries fairly quickly, it would not recharge on one side. Even with fully-charged batteries the left side just switched to flashing red after about 30 seconds. (Strike 3)
I returned it. I bought this item for camera batteries because I could use it in Europe (220 50hz)while on vacation. Charge time was usually about one hour and although the batteries got warm the charger would turn off automatically when batteries were fully charged. I would recomend this item for use with digital cameras This is an excellent product!
I am using it in a digital camera, and I never had low batteries. I had clicked more than 400 pictures in a day without any problem. But yet to know what is the limit.

They charge quickly - within an hour. Car charger is very useful. You can afford to forget recharging the batteries in advance :)

the only disadvantage is you have to charge them in pair. If you use a single battery in any appliance, you'll be in trouble. You will have to get the other battery discharged. best workaround is to use them all in the same appliance and charge them together.I bought this after going through many batteries with my family for toys and electronics.I really liked it when I first saw it,it charges batteries pretty quickly-about an hour,sometimes less for a full charge.Purchasing this means you have to be committed to buying many more batteries for it,which can get expensive.We use it for backups,and to have on hand for power outages,which we get alot where we live.As far as using it to replace all our electronics and toys would cost a fortune,and I realized that after buying it.I would only suggest buying it if you are committed to buying alot more of these batteries,which do not come cheap,but for the charger itself,it works great.Plugs in easily,easy to put in and take out the batteries,and they charge quickly.Just be committed if you plan on using this to replace all or most of your electronics.I found this was the best one after doing much research on the different brands.