Group Buy for Eneloop AA and AAA batteries

Hi,

I’m a newbie, but been playing with lights, RC Helis ( the real deal ones) etc. Now I finally want to replace the 50 or so AA and AAA cells floating around my house with rechargeables, but am cheap as chicken, so I’m wondering if anyone can put together (or knows of any ongoing) a group buy on some top notch rechargeable? Sorry if I missed anything on-going, but I can’t fond anything with a search.

Cheers

I think Costco in the US has eneloops for a good price, but those sets include chargers. So youd have to buy multiple packs, and will have about 4-5 chargers.

Unfortunately eneloops are never "cheap as chicken" ;) .

You can also look into getting other brand cells from an older/lower eneloop generation like the ones from Amazon, Duracell (but you need to know which ones they are) or just get the Fujitsu.

Thanks Chib… I don’t need a bunch more chargers, lol. I’ll stick to my Nitcore D4…. or maybe my Hyperion hobby charger (which would need a lot of battery holders, cabling etc… not worth the time IMHO).

So, what do you all recommend then? Are Eneloop really “the cat’s meow”? Maybe I should move this to another forum?

All input is appreciated!

I would always recommend eneloops.

If you know a reliable source, get them, use them, and be satisfied.

my advice: only buy eneloops from a reliable source, and if you buy "relabeled eneloops", know what you buy.

+1,000,000

ChibiM is our resident Eneloop expert, have a look at his SUPERB thread on Eneloops:

Overview: All Eneloop batteries 2005-2015 (By ChibiM) | BudgetLightForum

Best Regards,

George

George,

Much appreciate the link!!! I actually already “studied” that, well, read a bunch of it anyway and found it very useful.

My post here is to see if there are any ways to get the cells discounted! I’m sure some reseller may want to sell a few thousand of them? Maybe? Ferris? Ferris Bluer, where are you. Lol.

Again, much thanks for the reply.

Henry

Amazon batteries are re-wrap eneloop but cheaper, for half the price in Europe.

Interesting. I believe you, but tell me how you’re sure of this? It seems like the right approach for me now.

I’ve read from a bunch of people that the Amazon Basics rechargeable are Eneloop rewraps. Unfortunately, word on the street is that only some of the Amazon Basics are Eneloop rewraps while others are made in China. I’ve bought a couple of Amazon Basics batteries and have been pretty happy with them so far.

I’ve previously bought these guys, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007B9NXAC/ref=twister_B00500858O?\_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 (Definitely made in China not Japan)

And these guys, Amazon.com (Definitely made in Japan)
I don’t have any real eneloops to compare to but these are suppose to be eneloop rewraps.

Finally some say that these guys are similar to Sanyo eneloop XX batteries http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-High-Capacity-Rechargeable-Batteries-Pre-charged/dp/B00HZV9WTM/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1443223207&sr=1-1&keywords=aa+rechargeable+batteries
Don’t own any and cant speak for them but using HJK’s comparator they seem to kick the snot out of the white AA Amazon Basics that I own while only costing $1 more for an eight pack.

Oh and HJK has tested many of the amazonbasics on his site and you can use the comparator to compare them to eneloops.

http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Amazon%20Basic%20AA%202000mAh%20(Black)%20UK.html

http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Amazon%20Basic%20AA%201900mAh%20(White)%20UK.html

http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Amazon%20Basic%20AA%202500mAh%20(Black)%20UK.html

I put some of the White Amazon Basics on my Opus to test and will report back on how they fare.
I can also test my Black Amazon Basics as well if you’re interested.

Hope that helps!

Wow, that’s great information. I’ll have to digest it and get back.

So I had some White Amazon Basics AAs sitting around that I’ve never used before so I figured I’d give them a whirl in a Opus BTC-3100 and see how they do.

First run results: 1919mah, 1932mah, 1949mah, 1916mah

Second run results: 2038mah, 2042mah, 2034mah, 2012mah

I’ve read that NiMH need a couple charge cycles to reach full capacity but I don’t know how true that is.

I’m not an expert and can’t say whether these are as good as eneloops but I’m pretty happy with these results.

Yep, from a source I heard that the made in japan Amazon cells are a lower generation eneloops. (a generation doesnt necessarily mean that they succeeded production of a former "generation" as in succession of years, but more of an upgrade in quality of cells, which can still be produced alongside other generation cells)

But if the cells clearly show they are made in China, than those are definitely not eneloops made in Japan.

who want to put Made in China on something when it is really made in Japan. So, I would definitely not get anything that is not made in Japan, when you look for real eneloops!!!!

I bought all my eneloop packs with charger at Costco. Then used a box cutter to remove all the AA cells to keep for myself. Then I sold the chargers, packaging and AAA’s on cpf for more than I paid for the entire eneloop kits. They even paid the shipping. Sure its a pain in the ass, but not too bad if you go to the post office once a week and shop at Costco.

Bb1,

You’re quite clever in your reconstruction of the Costco eneloops! It’s a great idea. I wonder if I could do the same on eBay? Perhaps CFP is really the right place to sell them though. Cheers to you and everyone who’s provided inputs. It seems eneloops are really the way to go, but make sure they’re the Japanese ones… Humm, better go re-read the sticky!

There is many sellers based in Japan that sells Eneloops on Ebay. Just make sure they actually is based in Japan, and that they have lots of sales and lots of happy customers (good rating).
I have got many packages Eneloops direct from Japan the last time. The good thing is that is mostly brand new batteries, from june, july 2015.

Before I started finding sellers in Japan, I got a couple of packages from Hong Kong. They say that the batteries is made in Japan, but packaged in China. The battery rating checks out, still feeling safer getting them direct from Japan.