Are the new Sanyo Eneloop batteries available ?

http://sanyo.com/news/2009/10/06-1.html

quote :

Tokyo, October 6, 2009 – SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO) proudly announces the release of new, upgraded AA- and AAA-size “eneloop” rechargeable batteries five years from the initial product launch, with the concept of “eneloop” still based on promoting “a lifestyle that values reusing and recycling”. The new “eneloop” is able to be recharged approximately 1,500 times*2, a new milestone for the rechargeable battery industry, making eneloop the industry No. 1.

Product Numbers seem to start with HR-3UTGA .

Haven't bought Eneloops for a while ...

Ooooooh! I want some of these and some of the colored eneloops too. Smile

Ayyyyyyyy! I just now in this instant bought some Eneloops. The "old" ones.

A quick eBay search reveals:

http://cgi.ebay.com/SANYO-eneloop-New-Type-Battery-AA-4-Pack-Japan_W0QQitemZ180452548689QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2a03cf6051#ht_781wt_941

They're not cheap.

Ouch! That's waaaaaaay too expensive! Maybe after the price goes down...........hopefully.

Even tho the press release is dated October 6, 2009, I could not find them on Amazon. That's why I enquired.

I also looked up the eneloop tones (colored 8 packs) but they won't be available in the US until summer or the end of this year. I can't wait to start seeing the newer eneloops for sale in the US. I can't believe I now get excited over rechargeable batteries.

What the hell happened to me over the last 1-1/2 months? Frown

Its called an addiction..........

I actually wonder how much, if anything, is different between the new claimed cycle life and the old. One of the simplest ways of increasing cycle life a bit would be to increase internal resistance a bit thereby limiting the higher currents these cells are capable of. Eneloops will hold their voltage to 7/8A which is exceptional for an AA sized cell - but i suspect those high currents shorten cycle life.

NiCd cells are ultimately tougher - you can often revive them from the grave by doing things that'd destroy NiMH cells. Like using them to run a motorcycle engine electrics and charge them up by running about 40A through them from the bike's alternator. By shorting them right down to 0 volts and leaving them shorted for a day or two before recharging them. Pity they're banned just about everywhere ass cadmium is nasty stuff. I once spent 4 months tracking cadmium flows through a sewage works - there were a couple of electroplating companies dumping really nasty stuff loaded with cadmium and cyanide into the sewers.

I still have, and use some 26 year old NiCd D cells. They'll only give about 10 amps on a dead short these days but still test out at above their rated 4000mAh capacity

Here you can buy the new and old eneloops: http://www.batteribyen.dk/advanced_search_result.php?search_in_description=1&keywords=la+crosse+eneloop+12

12 new plus charger 40$ and 12 old plus charger 50$

I sent an email to Sanyo back in April and this is what they said:

Sir,

We have plans to introduce the eneloop "tones" in the late summer of 2010.

Please stay tuned for additional produce info.

Thanks,

Derek Hines
Marketing Manager
Consumer Solutions Division
SANYO North America

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It will probably take longer because of all of the red tape.

My Danish is very, very poor (Actually, I have no Danish at all but reading it as if it were Scots) but that seems to say "Eneloop Lite" which are reduced capacity Eneloops that ought to cost a lot less as they are 1500mAh or less AFAIR.

The coloured ones are 2000mAh nominal.

The price is not a bargain, but rather a normal price here. The new one have reduced capacity, but

can be charged 2 times more than the old ones, according to the information on the site. This is

supposed to be the introduction of the new (lite) ones here.

They sell them with a charger included, which makes it difficult to check the price for the batteries

alone.

I'm glad that my guessing about the Danish worked. It was pretty much guessing as if the language were Scots/Flemish/Afrikaans (Those three are quite similar).

Personally, I don't see the point of lower capacity Eneloops. But I do own quite a lot of 2000mAh Eneloops.

I have noticed with the lower capacity cells they are less prone to discharging meaning they hold a charge a lot longer. Im comparing my basis on the green and black label Rayovacs that i have, and since its coming from Sanyo im sure that the cells are going to be of a much higher quality. My Rayo's top off at about 1455-1500 mah and i use them once in a while.

Got this : "Sanyo Eneloop Ni-MH Charger and 8 Rechargeable AA and 4 Rechargeable AAA Batteries : Price: $33.89 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping "

http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-Eneloop-Charger-Rechargeable-Batteries/dp/B003VLAEPQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1286435952&sr=1-6

"This new eneloop package (Sanyo Eneloop Ni-MH Charger and 8 Rechargeable AA and 4 Rechargeable AAA Batteries) contains 12 of the 2nd-gen eneloop cells, and the MQN06 4-cell charger. Note that unlike the previous eneloop Power Pack Kit, there are no C- and D-shell adapters in this package. "

Some one I know is coming here from the US. Only way I can get the new 'loops.

You can get 8 AA vesion of the old one for £12.49( includs Cases) or

8AAA fro £11.49(Includes Cases)

I bought these. Korean seller of Eneloops. No problems at all.
http://tiny.cc/9v3m8

If he's coming from the US, these are $25 at Costco. Shitty charger, though.

My dealer: http://eu.nkon.nl/

They get stuff to the EU pretty quickly. Quite good prices on the Maha chargers.

I bought some Eneloop Tones from them, they have some of the most pretentious marketing material I have ever seen on the packaging.