Where to get eneloop + charger?

The second link seems to be a good deal. They are the newest version .

Definitely just go with Amazon. You get awesome customer service and great deals. I rank them at the top for online retail stores on those two categories and Costco at top for brick-and-mortar (they're online, too). That's for large companies anyway.

I bought mine from Costco when they were offering the whole package. I think I got 6xAAA, 4xAA, C & D cell adapters and the charger for $25 (I think it was $29 before instant rebate). The cells they offer now all have color and aren't white anymore.

Or am I reading this wrong? http://www.amazon.co.uk/18650-Li-Ion-Battery-Charger-Rechargeable/dp/B005B4BHUM/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1319320816&sr=1-2 I need a charger (14500 and 18650, recommendations appreciated) but I assumed I'd have to buy a different one for AA/Eneloops..

Here some relevant info for this thread:

they are a little harder to find but they exist: Eneloop "1500x" 4-packs with original Sanyo battery storage cases. The Eneloop AA w/ original case is sold worldwide, the Eneloop AAA w/ original case is sold on ebay. "1500x" is the Eneloop 2G (2nd gen).

Eneloop 3G (Third Generation) and new set of chargers is out, Nov 2011! another reference link: PDF

The most comprehensive and current(!) info on Eneloop is found on: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eneloop

According to the wiki page, the 2nd gen products (Eneloop 1500x and chargers) arent produced anymore but discontinued. If you are new to Eneloops, try to buy the 3G cells:

model numbers are:

1G, AAA: HR-4UTG (released Nov 2005), "1000x"

1G, AA: HR-3UTG (released Nov 2005), "1000x"

2G, AAA: HR-4UTGA (released Mai 2010), "1500x"

2G, AA: HR-3UTGA (released Mai 2010), "1500x"

3G, AAA: HR-4UTGB (released Nov 2011), "1800x"

3G, AA: HR-3UTGB (released Nov 2011), "1800x"

the new 2012 global Eneloop site is: http://panasonic.net/energy/eneloop/index.html

btw, Panasonic has been acquiring Sanyo. cat eats fish. meeaouw.

ok, got these today. note that it is the original (German) blister packaging, still sealed, am going to open it now. And there is no date of manufacture printed on it. according to the Eneloop handbook (v2010-06-07) the blister packs do have a manufacture date printed on it! (The latest version of the Eneloop handbook is the Japanese v2011-11-14, with 22 pages, argh!)

Well, this one doesnt:

Why glitter, why colors?

So that it's easier to distinguish the samples. They are numbered anyway. Otherwise i'd write a number on them. We wanna keep track of their life & history, dont we? ;)

OH, theres 1800x version coming also :o

yeah, it's already out, in Japan and on ebay. Will hit European market in beginning of February, i.e. in a ~3 or 4 weeks.

Too bad the "new" chargers suck like the old ones (seems to be the same functions and same speeds as the chargers released at the same time as the 1500 cycle eneloops).

Only if you charge one single battery will it take less than two hours, lame.

i think one of the new chargers determines the remaining capacity (discharge state) of the cells *before* you begin the recharging. no LCD display but some advanced LED indicators. or it's a model to be released. anyway, that's lame too because simply by looking at the voltage-capacity diagram (e.g. HKJ's measurement graphs) we would know what the remaining capacity is .. as long as you have some multimeter (or hobby charger) at hand.

know the voltage, and you know the remaining capacity. -- that's because Eneloops have a clearly defined discharge graph by Panasonic's highest quality standards.

One of the chargers released with the 1500 cycle batteries also had a battery testing function (And that is not counting the Eneloopy...). If it works like the Eneloopy then it's not so great...

I checked them out in Japan and they were all expensive and underpowered.

mfm, which chargers do you own (or use)?

i'm on a C9000. that's better than eneloop original chargers because the C9000 has a LCD display.

I have lots of chargers, some of the newer Sanyo Eneloop models and some others. But mostly I use the Sanyo MQH02 Super-quick Charger (Korea model) and also the USB-powered Sanyo KBC-E1A (2xAA individual channels, can charge USB devices, Japan model).

thanks for letting us know!

hmm. instead of several NimH chargers maybe 1 good charger with display wouldve been less cost-intensive? the mobility of travel chargers is cool if you really need a mobile charger in addition to the 8-pack of AA's in your pocket.

ever thought of buying a proven charger with display? (rebranded copy of BC-700, or the C-9000)

I always thought that those super fast chargers are batt killers :(

It's OK to charge Eneloop at 1C, that's what's specified in the datasheet.

Thought of it, but I'm not a big enough battery nerd to justify it. Also the chargers have different purposes, like I use the USB model to charge my gadgets during intercontinental flights (and then charge the batteries back using the USB output of my laptop).

I usually use 0,5C for Eneloops.

BTW, just tested one pair of my oldest ones. Constant use in Peltor Alert for about over one year. Potentiometer broken, so cannot turn them off (charge every week). So, at minimum some 60 cycles easy, still they clock 1940 and 1924 and they are the 1st gen...

Yep, the 1C is the "2000mA" specified in the datasheet for AA, and it's called "Fast Charge". And for achieving the utmost capacity, i.e. between 1900 and 2000 mAh, we would have to charge with 200mA (=0.1C) which would take a whole night!

we cant call ourselves "nerdy" if we're interested in the specs, capacity and runtimes of our flashlights (incl. their expensive LiIon cells). btw, the new price of the C9000 is 37.91€. The best original Eneloop charger (MQR06) costs at least 22€. Eneloop chargers cant be called inexpensive ;)

Hey, kreysler, thanks for that info :) I thought 1C was =1A.

MFM, it's OK to charge them @1C. But... will faster charger kill battery faster than low mA charger? I don't mind to let my batts a few hours more in charger if that will help to make them last longer :| (I mean entire batt life, not the capacity)

true, even that is mentioned in the Eneloop handbook. slowly charging (but not too slow!) is healthier. charger manuals recommend not to charge slower than 0.33C (for reasons i didnt understand) and their chargers performo the 0.1C charge process only in special occasions ("break in").

optimal speed is considered to be 0.5C. Since the slower the better, i would probably go for 0.34C haha (i.e. for an Eneloop AA 2000mAh-cell an amperage of 680mA).

hey, here the reading with the background info and recommendations: C9000 manual (PDF)