Input on Batteries and Charger for my SB-800

[iflynething]

After reading a couple posts, I have made the switch to rechargable batteries in my SB-800 from Lithium and NiCd.

I was at Batteries Plus and found some AAs by the name of GP. They were not cheap at $4.49 per cell but I was told they were better than energizers at holding the charge.

Since I didn't have a charger, I had to get on eof those too. Well I was looking at this one (http://www.batteriesplus.com/pc-36023-98-mh-801d-aa-aaa-smart-charger-8-bank-1hr.aspx) which is nice and charges 8 batteries at a time in less than 4 hours, conditioning and everything else and is a smart charger. the other was a normal energizer 4 cell charger (which take up to 16 hours). That smart charger was almost $70. I was hesitant on getting that so I bought two Energizer ones for $20/each.

I haven't opened them but am wondering if it would be better to take them back and get the smart charger. That one charges each cell individually. As far as I know, the Energizer one just puts a charge on all of them at one time. If one is lower than the other, the cell that's most charged is going to be over charged becuase it will still be trying to put a charge in the one that is not as high.

It's confusing, but has anyone has experience with these cells and what's the feedback on them. They're the 2450maH ones by the way too. The charger is a $40 difference. I'm not opening the Energizer ones to play with the flash until I get some feedback.

Thanks, and sorry for the long post about a simple subject

~Michael~

 

[Phranquey]

I like Batteries Plus for some unique items, but $4.99 per cell for AA's......


One brand of cell holding a better charge than another is generally bullcrap salesmanship, to sell you 8 batteries for $40 plus tax.

I know a lot of people don't care for ebay, but.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/LOT-of-8-Energizer-Rechargable-Batteries-AA_W0QQitemZ260296998837QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item260296998837&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14


I went to Wal-Mart & picked up a 1 hour charger + 4 Energizer 2500mAh batteries for $19.99, and it came with both an AC & DC plug so you can toss it in the car for charging on the go. Plus I picked up a couple of 8 packs of batteries off of ebay. A battery conditioner is great for opimising the life of a $120 battery, but absolutely not worth the expense for AA's
I cycle them a lot between my SB-800, my P&S, my GPS, florescent camp light, portable TV, etc. Bought 'em over a year ago, I still haven't had a battery go bad, and they still show no signs of losing life.

 

[iflynething]

I'll keep that in mind. I thought about going to Wal-Mart and I thought that $4.49 was too much per cell for a battery but didn't know.

I'll take them back tomorrow. There was an 8 pack of the energizer batteries for like $20, plus $20 for the two chargers (sicne I"ll need to two to charge the 5 batteries) and I should be set?

~Michael~

 

[Phranquey]

You obviously can pick up a second charger if you'd like, but my single charger is fast enough that I always have a ready supply.

 

[iflynething]

That's true. I think the ones I got were 15 hr chargers and nothing more. I think I'm just going to take back the cells, the two 15 hr chargers and get one 15 min quick charger. I deal with electric batteries and know that quick charging all the time can be bad for batteries.

Wonder if they're open on sundays

~Michael~

 

[kundalini]

For the life of me I can't remember why now, but in my early reseaarch on rechargeables, Ni-MH seemed to edge out Ni-Cd for some reason. I bought a 10-pack of 2900 mA from B&H. 10 is a good number with the SB-800 if using the 5th battery. I also went with the "house" brand.

Do a search on Big Mike and his recommendations for batteries / chargers. That is probably where I'll go next time, especially for the charger he likes.

 

[Phranquey]

That's true. I think the ones I got were 15 hr chargers and nothing more. I think I'm just going to take back the cells, the two 15 hr chargers and get one 15 min quick charger. I deal with electric batteries and know that quick charging all the time can be bad for batteries.

Wonder if they're open on sundays

~Michael~

I would be very hesitant to purchase a 15min charger. Charging the battery at a rate of faster than 1 hour can be very bad for the long term life of the battery.

You really shouldn't exceed the mAh capacity as the charging rate.....i.e. if it's a 2500mAh cell, you don't want to charge faster than 2500mAh. At a 15 minute charge, you are shoving 10,000mAh (10 amps) down the throat of that little cell.

 

[John_05]

I'm not sure about where you live, but I got 4 chargers with 4 AA batteries each, for $10 each at a dollar store here.

They're Energizers, 2000Mah. I have used them in my flash, and still had a good charge after over 250 flashes.

 

[TUX424]

i have heard that the 15min chargers arnt good for the batterys but my batteries seem to be doing fine in my 15 min charger
supposedly the charger burns through the batteries and shortin the lives of the battries anyone know anything about this

 

[Phranquey]

i have heard that the 15min chargers arnt good for the batterys but my batteries seem to be doing fine in my 15 min charger
supposedly the charger burns through the batteries and shortin the lives of the battries anyone know anything about this

I fly RC planes & helis, so you learn a LOT about battery technology being around that. In photography, if you treat an AA battery incorrectly, your flash dies, in RC you lose a $2K bird.

In cells, the voltage is like the fuel pump in a car, it regulates the flow rate. The mAh capacity is the fuel tank, the more you have, the longer you go. In rechargables, you can force feed the fuel into the tank, but the faster you try to do it, the more "friction" you are creating, causing damage to the internal components of the cell. As I stated in post #7, It is considered safe for the cell to recharge at a rate of the capacity of the cell or slower.

So, yes, a 15min charger works, but they are definitely shortening the potential life of your cells.

 

[iflynething]

I fly RC planes & helis, so you learn a LOT about battery technology being around that.

Then you know exactly what I"m talking about.

I belive I'm going to take everything back to there tomorrow and buy from B&H. I need to order a SC-29 anyways so I'll do it all at the same time.

I was thinking that 15 min wasn't good from flying some of the electrics R/C stuff I have. Fried a 1000maH pack from charging at 2.5Amps. Plugged it in, and the plane started smoking. I don't mess with the lithiums I'm using now.

Thanks guys for the input.

Do you have any recommendations for batteries or chargers that B&H sells and I will get right on that...

~Michael~