Rechargeable battery in your speed lights?

Overread · Apr 11, 2014

Dump the cheap charger and get one of these Maha C800S-U 8-Cell Smart Charger from mahaenergy.co.uk

Edsport · Apr 11, 2014

Tinderbox (UK) said:
Edsport you have bought fake ni-mh batterys they take a low 1000-1500mah AA battery and stick a label with 3800mah on it, so far there is no AA ni-mh battery over 2900mah that i have seen.

A quick and dirty way to check the capacity is to compare the weight of the new battery with a branded version of an AA battery, if the 3800mah battery is lighter than a branded 2100mah battery it has to be fake.

I have been a member of the website below for years and they test all battery types for capacity, and the fake capacity battery`s on ebay are notorious.

Flashlight Electronics - Batteries Included

John.

EDIT : I am busy testing the capacity of some cheap third-party battery`s for my Fuji X-E1 3x battery`s for £11.80 when an original goes for £40+

Edsport said:

I use 3800 mAh in my speedlights. Lots of storage power and very cheap...

Cfl rechargable aa | eBay

Click to expand...

I don't know if they are fake or not but i've done a couple weddings using them and they just won't quit. I've had them a few years now and they are still holding up. For under a buck each i figure i got my money's worth either way...

WayneF · Apr 11, 2014

gryphonslair99 said:
I understand that however to me an average of 200 flashes from a Yongnuo with NiMH batteries and an average of 1050 flashes with a Quantum T3 is a significant difference as is being able to supply power to a camera body at the same time and still supply an average of 600 flashes from the T3 or two flashes at the same time. To me, that is a significant difference.

OK, I was not discussing the Quantum, but no dispute that it is a larger battery. The T3 costs $600 and weighs 2 pounds, and its battery is not user replaceable. You ought to get something for that.

I was just pointing out that the Yongnuo for $49 was a whole lot more than just the battery compartment that you said. It does what it needs to do. The flashes own four AA batteries ought to do 200+ full power flashes, and the external battery pack increases that capacity, probably in ratio with battery count. It may not reach $600 worth however.

table1349 · Apr 11, 2014

WayneF said:
gryphonslair99 said:

I understand that however to me an average of 200 flashes from a Yongnuo with NiMH batteries and an average of 1050 flashes with a Quantum T3 is a significant difference as is being able to supply power to a camera body at the same time and still supply an average of 600 flashes from the T3 or two flashes at the same time. To me, that is a significant difference.

Click to expand...

OK, I was not discussing the Quantum, but no dispute that it is a larger battery. The T3 costs $600 and weighs 2 pounds, and its battery is not user replaceable. You ought to get something for that.

I was just pointing out that the Yongnuo for $49 was a whole lot more than just the battery compartment that you said. It does what it needs to do. The flashes own four AA batteries ought to do 200+ full power flashes, and the external battery pack increases that capacity, probably in ratio with battery count. It may not reach $600 worth however.

The thing that struck me funny was that Yongnuo's site listed approximately 200 flashes using NiMH batteries. I would have thought it would be better than that.

WayneF · Apr 11, 2014

gryphonslair99 said:
The thing that struck me funny was that Yongnuo's site listed approximately 200 flashes using NiMH batteries. I would have thought it would be better than that.

I would think so too. I don't have the battery pack, but my YN565EX does about that by itself, no external battery.

Tinderbox (UK) · Apr 11, 2014

The best charger for your battery`s, it`s proven to treat them kindly to make them live as long as possible and fill them right up to the top and the price is great, two different version, the Accumanger 10 for AA and AAA and the Accumanger 20 for AA AAA C D and PP3.

John.

table1349 · Apr 11, 2014

Can't be beat: Maha 8-Cell Combo NiMH/NiCD Charger for AA/AAA/C/D (MH-C808M)

Not just a charger but a deep cycle conditioner as well.

Overread · Apr 11, 2014

gryphonslair99 said:
Can't be beat: Maha 8-Cell Combo NiMH/NiCD Charger for AA/AAA/C/D (MH-C808M)

Not just a charger but a deep cycle conditioner as well.

And (whilst their C9000 is a great charger) 8 cells is far more practical - that's 2 sets of flash batteries being charged at once. That doesn't sound much; but when you have them on an overnight cycle that's 2 sets of batteries ready for the morning instead of 1 from a regular 4 cell charger

ecphoto · Apr 11, 2014

What about this charger?
http://www.amazon.com/EBL®-Version-...d_sim_e_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1G362FBSKRCHMK4H3X5T

table1349 · Apr 11, 2014

Quick and rechargeable batteries never go in the same sentence. Quick chargers cook batteries. Cheap chargers also generally cook batteries. They do not have the kind of circuitry that can read and adjust to a batteries needs. I have eneloops that are at least 5 or 6 years old that will take as much charge as when I got them. I was wishing they would start to die just so I could switch to the eneloop XX's. Maybe next year,

table1349 · Apr 11, 2014

Overread said:
gryphonslair99 said:

Can't be beat: Maha 8-Cell Combo NiMH/NiCD Charger for AA/AAA/C/D (MH-C808M)

Not just a charger but a deep cycle conditioner as well.

Click to expand...

And (whilst their C9000 is a great charger) 8 cells is far more practical - that's 2 sets of flash batteries being charged at once. That doesn't sound much; but when you have them on an overnight cycle that's 2 sets of batteries ready for the morning instead of 1 from a regular 4 cell charger

I was going to buy the C800 when but found the C9000 on sale. If I had been smart I would have got two for the very reason you mention. This one interests me, but I would like to know from users how well it works. http://professionalbatteries.com/product.sc?productId=16

Tinderbox (UK) · Apr 12, 2014

Hi.

It looks like it charges two battery`s at a time, as it only has 4 charging led`s

You need a charger that charges them individually.

John.

ecphoto said:
What about this charger?
Amazon.com: EBL® 808A(Latest Version) 8 Bay/Slot AA AAA Ni-MH Ni-Cd Quick Charger Smart Battery Charger for Rechargeable Batteries: Electronics

WayneF · Apr 12, 2014

Tinderbox (UK) said:
Hi.

It looks like it charges two battery`s at a time, as it only has 4 charging led`s

You need a charger that charges them individually.

John.

ecphoto said:

What about this charger?
Amazon.com: EBL® 808A(Latest Version) 8 Bay/Slot AA AAA Ni-MH Ni-Cd Quick Charger Smart Battery Charger for Rechargeable Batteries: Electronics

Click to expand...

Appears to be a $11 knockoff of the $95 Maha 808. There might be some differences.

The cheap chargers are of a few types. A few just always charge at a low slow rate and never shut off. Some shut off after a constant time period, regardless of the battery size or previous charge state. Other faster ones shut off when the batteries get too hot, which implies charged.

The better chargers have computer circuits to monitor actual battery voltage and state, and shut off when the battery is actually full. This is not just some simple maximum voltage like car batteries, instead the voltage curve has a little hump after which the voltage falls slightly (called Delta V), and this is much less pronounced in NiMH than in NiCd, and also temperature dependent (see Eneloop data sheet). It's not real simple, relatively difficult, and good performance requires some smart.

Even if the better design, some of these cheaper ones monitor and control a pair of two batteries combined (without seeing individual cell detail). The cheapest charger is really NOT what you want today, at least not for maximum battery performance. If it charges X batteries, you want X status LEDs, and specifically, the capability to charge only one battery.