This flashlight is regulated and it just instantly reduces the light output when not enough "juice", it doesn't decreases in output. So the results at spot on.
I wonder how these "OEM" ones are. Maybe I'll buy a set and compare the results.
I believe there is somewhere a quite accurate runtime chart from
Zebralight SC51 with L91 Energizers? Does anyone find it?
I could do a runtime test with Zebra, since its about the only quality AA light that I have and which I believe has quite constant quality and good regulation for Li-ion primaries also.
The OEM Ultimate weights: the AAA weigh about 7.2g each (three are 7.2g, the fourth is 7.4g), the AA weigh about 14.7g each.
For comparison, Energizer states that the AAA should weigh 7.6g and the AA 14.5g.
The AAA and two of the AA are about 1.8v, the two other AA are 1.7v.
They give very nice current through them - I tested first on the junk DinoDirect free flashlight which is a 2AA with generic LED and a boost driver, and it draws about 1.8A with crappy alkalines, 3.2A with GP ReCyko+, and 3.5A with the OEM Ultimates sagging very quickly to 2.98A from there dropping very slowly. The voltage of the batteries dropped to about 1.6v after this short test. Next, I did a 1 minute test during which the current sagged from an initial 3.2A to 2.7A, and the batteries which started at about 1.65v almost didn't drop voltage - they ended up at 1.6v. I didn't run any long test as the junk DD light just gets warm too fast - after the 1 minute test the host was about 35 degrees C and the light over 42 C (from an initial 30 C). Energizer states that maximum discharge rate of the Ultimates is 2A, so the above readings are about 50% higher than the specs... very strange.
Next, I tested the AAA with my Manafont Ultrafire 3-mode XM-L inside a Solarforce L2i host. Fresh crappy alkalines gave 0.8A on high. GP ReCyko+ gave 1.2A. The OEM Ultimates gave 1.6A which quickly sagged to 1.4A. Combined voltage dropped from 5.3v to 4.8v. A 1 minute test resulted in constant 1.4A current throughout the test, and combined voltage dropped from 4.8v to 4.7v. The 1.4A current is very close to the max discharge rate stated in Energizer's datasheet of 1.5A continuous.
So all in all, I'm quite impressed with these batteries.
If their capacity is as advertised, they are extremely good buys for primaries and much cheaper than the Energizer branded version.
These are marked in the listing as expiring on 2024, which means 13 years shelf life.
Energizer states 15 years shelf life (at 21 degrees C).
But in the stores I see Ultimates with '23, '24, '25 expiration year, selling at full price, so I don't think half price (or less) can be attributed to a few years less shelf life.