Apple's New Rechargeable AA Batteries Actually Sanyo Eneloops?

[edoates]

Eneloops are great for wireless mice with their extremely low self discharge rate, they're what I use in mine. That's probably why Apple sells you 6 - there's always a fully charged pair waiting for you even if you charged them weeks ago. I figured they must be Eneloops from the announcement, it's a good thing IMO

I use them (actually, the new apple ones) for my wireless guitar transmitter. Gets about 7 hours or more on a single charge. The only downside, is that devices that have a power meter calibrated to alkaline batteries show full charge until about only 1/2 hour remains; and they show 5 minutes left (red blinky light) when there is really about 1 minute.

But with wireless transmitters used for performance, I put newly charged batteries in before each show, and have 4 spares (it takes two for a Line 6 G30 or G50).

 

[analog guy]

If you've been using them so long, I would think you should know the difference between the various NiMH types. Clearly you do not. I have plenty of the 2700 mah batteries myself. They have a very high self-discharge rate. Charge them up fully, then stick them in your closet. They'll be nearly dead again after just a month or two, without even using them. They self-discharge. They're great if you charge them up for an immediate use purpose - like for a flashlight just before a camping trip. But they're terrible for low-current electronics like a bluetooth mouse or keyboard, since they will self-discharge in a month.

argon21, thanks for calling my attention to this. when i looked at the specs i glanced over this item, and it's surely a key detail.

i admit to not using very low self-discharge batteries, though i have been using rechargeables for 10+ years. i've not had quite the high self-discharge rates that you've experienced.

question: are you really getting 4 months of use with something like the eneloop and bluetooth mouse? i get substantially less than that (perhaps a few weeks).

if you are really getting anywhere near that long, i may make a switch.

thanks!

 

[analog guy]

Out of curiosity, what battery and charger do you prefer?

The only 2700 batteries I've found so far are by Yuasa, but the description says they're ideal for high drain devices, suggesting that it might be the high-self-discharge type of chemistry. The Yuasa batteries that are slow self-discharge are rated at 2000 (they call it enitime), where they'll hold most of their charge for over a year. For keyboards and mice, I would think that the slow self-discharge kind would last longer between charges than the higher capacity batteries.

i've had great success over the years with powerex 2700mAh batteries. i've also used energizer 2500mAh before that, with good success as well.

i think you may be right about the slow self-discharge kind of batteries, and i will investigate batteries like the eneloop. i use a bluetooth mouse and the only drawback is having batteries that drain after a few weeks of use (~12-16h/day, but a mouse is not constantly transmitting).

if the batteries in the mouse could last up to 4 months as argon21 claimed above, i am sold!

i also favor maha chargers. mine is a few years old now, so i won't name the model number of mine, as i'm sure there are newer/better ones (e.g., the c9000 looks quite good as a current model). i like the ones that hold 4+ batteries and can also condition as well as charge.

i like the service from www.thomasdistributing.com, though i have no affiliation with them other than being a satisfied customer through the years.

 

[124151155]

OMG

Can we get some more important front page news like this?​

 

[trip1ex]

For $30 you can get 2 4-packs of AA Eneloops and a 2 battery smart charger with 2 AA Eneloops from Amazon.

Or hell get some Sony LSD rechargeables from Sonystyle for $2.50 per 4 pack. I just ordered 3 of those plus $5 shipping and tax or about $13.00 for 12 AA LSD batteries. Forget if the Sony's are re-branded Eneloops or not. But who cares for the price.

 

[JAT]

Why?

If the charger is fully automatic, charges the batteries to their required level and effectively turns itself off so that it doesn't then re-drain the batteries, then it's a very advanced model as far as I'm concerned. I don't need 'multiple battery types' because I only use AA, I don't need a display that gives me useless information ("Hey, your battery's charged!) and honestly, since you tend to use batteries in pairs, then dog-gone it charge them in pairs so they are constantly matched. Something that does all of this automatically for a relatively low price is a far superior product than one which includes a bunch of bells and whistles for anywhere from 2x to 5x the price. It's only hardware, silly.

Really, you just described a basic charger with no options. That's fine to use or want such a device, but how on earth do you call that 'advanced'? I've assumed you know what advanced means as a word, was that silly of me?

Most chargers actually damage the batteries by not knowing precisely what the batteries need at any particular time. It isn't magic. Forcing current in and out of batteries damages them. It destroys NiCd very quickly, NiMH less quickly, LiIon somewhere in the middle. A good charger will protect and maintain the batteries much longer. I guarantee you that this Apple charger is not 'advanced'. The slow mode in good chargers is much better for battery life than the fast mode.

I wonder if Apple's has any fancy features like mine has. Say this group:

Integrated Safety Protection Device

• Battery Polarity Reversal Protection - Prevents Charger damage and operation in case a battery is inserted into the MH-C808M backwards.
• Alkaline battery Protection - Automatically recognizes an Alkaline battery and Prevents Charger operation and damage.
• Short circuited Battery Protection
• Globally certified for safety.

But geez, if you don't need advanced features, just don't pay for them. Get whatever you want and don't attack those that want/need something else. Love my rechargeable D batteries, kids can leave a flashlight on for 3 days, all I do is recharge instead of buying new cells for $5. Every. Bloody. Time. (try kids, wonderful but freaking expensive)

And before you go hitting me with that 'Double Standards' noise about Apple's computers being overpriced for what they are, well, let me tell you something. I know the insides of computers better than most of you, because I don't just look at board-level maintenance.

I don't even know what the hell this comment means, I nearly didn't respond because of this dumbass commentary. Try not being a jerk and assuming 17 levels of MY thoughts. Have you owned your fancy Mac since you joined MR? My first one was in 1985 and I've been here 3 times as long as you. But that's right, I probably don't like Macs. Forget your Ritalin today?

 

[DARKJ3DI]

I fail to see why Apple sells batteries.

 

[AppleCode]

I fail to see why Apple sells batteries.

To power all your Bluetooth accessories that are a foot away from your computer.

 

[res1233]

I'm curious as to why 1/3 of the ratings are negative. The consensus is that Sanyo Eneloops are great (I use them now, and they are MUCH better than the NiMH batteries I used to use).

So Apple choosing to use an existing, great technology is also good news.

So why all the hate?

Haters gonna hate

 

[barberio]

Well... When I'm next over in the US, I'm certainly buying one of these.

Why?

Pretty simple really. I get those 6 eneloops, *and* I get the removable US power connector from the charger. Since the "duck connectors" on Apple chargers are all interchangeable, that means that I get a free US plug adapter for my macbook's charger. I can throw the aa-battery-charger away at this point and still have saved money on separate purchases.

 

[kernkraft]

Well... When I'm next over in the US, I'm certainly buying one of these.

Why?

Pretty simple really. I get those 6 eneloops, *and* I get the removable US power connector from the charger. Since the "duck connectors" on Apple chargers are all interchangeable, that means that I get a free US plug adapter for my macbook's charger. I can throw the aa-battery-charger away at this point and still have saved money on separate purchases.

You are better off spending a few pounds on Ebay for the specific part that you need. For that sort of money, you'll even get it delivered. The Apple battery charger is expensive in whatever light we look at it.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

You are better off spending a few pounds on Ebay for the specific part that you need. For that sort of money, you'll even get it delivered. The Apple battery charger is expensive in whatever light we look at it.

You can get a duck head on ebay for a few bucks.

 

[Argon21]

argon21, thanks for calling my attention to this. when i looked at the specs i glanced over this item, and it's surely a key detail.

i admit to not using very low self-discharge batteries, though i have been using rechargeables for 10+ years. i've not had quite the high self-discharge rates that you've experienced.

question: are you really getting 4 months of use with something like the eneloop and bluetooth mouse? i get substantially less than that (perhaps a few weeks).

if you are really getting anywhere near that long, i may make a switch.

thanks!

I use only 1 hours per day of computer so for you it may not last 4 months, since more use will make shorter life. But low-self-discharge like Eneloop is definitely much longer lasting than others for these devices.

 

[Astro7x]

If the charger wouldn't feature some annoying omissions, how would you know that it's Apple? Here, they set the price at a silly level and they made sure that you cannot charge more than a pair of the batteries. Oh, and it doesn't charge AAAs.

Apple really should release that i**** that we heard so much rumours about. It's a piece of turd with an Apple logo on it. It will rock!

The intent of the charger is to charge a highly efficient rechargeable batteries for both your wireless keyboard and wireless mouse or magic trackpad. Where you are using 4 batteries and rotating them out with 2 fresh ones

How many people really recycle those 150 Kirkland branded batteries rather than simply tossing them into the trash where they become Hazardous Waste? Those 150 batteries don't last as long as those 6 "Apple" batteries either in overall usage or in shelf life. One pair of these "Apple" batteries should last about 1,000 charges, so that means you'll use 6,000 Kirkland brand batteries before these 6 "Apple" branded batteries need replacing.

Now--explain your economics to me. How is 6,000 Alkaline batteries cheaper than 6 Eneloop batteries?

Because I highly doubt I'll use 6,000 batteries in my lifetime. I've used about 24 over the past 4 years...

 

[barberio]

You are better off spending a few pounds on Ebay for the specific part that you need. For that sort of money, you'll even get it delivered. The Apple battery charger is expensive in whatever light we look at it.

From outside the US? I don't think so. And I'm not going to set up a mailing address in the US just for getting a power adapter from ebay.

And that aside, pricing for a replacement power charger duck connector on Ebay is $5, even when just shipping within the US.

Apple battery charger is $29. For which I get 6 eneloops, a US duck connector, and the battery charger as well.

Separately, I'm going to pay...

~$5 for the US duck connector,
~$15 for the eneloops,
~$15 for a good charger.

Total, ~$35.

The fact is, the Apple Battery Charge is *pretty well priced for what you get!*

You're not paying just for the battery charger, but for those six eneloops as well. Add on the benefit of the duck connector, and it becomes a no-brainer for a quick way to get a cheap travel adapter and some batteries from any country you visit with an apple store you can get to. (Which used to be possible with the first model USB charger before the one piece models.)

You really really really *want* this to be overpriced, so you can complain about "The Apple Tax", but it just isn't. You're comparing it to the price of a cheap, low-end quick and dirty charger with no batteries (or cheap junk batteries), instead of comparing it to a good quality charger and a set of identical eneloops.

That's like comparing the cost of a Macbook to the cost of a Netbook.

 

[justperry]

Really, you just described a basic charger with no options. That's fine to use or want such a device, but how on earth do you call that 'advanced'? I've assumed you know what advanced means as a word, was that silly of me?

What is advanced to him is different than what is advanced is for You,example:
If there would be 100 steps to recharge your batteries and it does it all by itself then I call that advanced in a way that its convenient,does that mean its good for the batteries,probably not so much but its advanced to him so he can relax about it all.
For You,you would like to have those 100 steps so you can fiddle with it and optmise the charging,to You that means advanced,you have options.
Get it?

Most chargers actually damage the batteries by not knowing precisely what the batteries need at any particular time. It isn't magic. Forcing current in and out of batteries damages them. It destroys NiCd very quickly, NiMH less quickly, LiIon somewhere in the middle. A good charger will protect and maintain the batteries much longer. I guarantee you that this Apple charger is not 'advanced'. The slow mode in good chargers is much better for battery life than the fast mode.

I wonder if Apple's has any fancy features like mine has. Say this group:


But geez, if you don't need advanced features, just don't pay for them. Get whatever you want and don't attack those that want/need something else. Love my rechargeable D batteries, kids can leave a flashlight on for 3 days, all I do is recharge instead of buying new cells for $5. Every. Bloody. Time. (try kids, wonderful but freaking expensive)

That Your choice

I don't even know what the hell this comment means, I nearly didn't respond because of this dumbass commentary. Try not being a jerk and assuming 17 levels of MY thoughts. Have you owned your fancy Mac since you joined MR? My first one was in 1985 and I've been here 3 times as long as you. But that's right, I probably don't like Macs. Forget your Ritalin today?

So that makes you smarter???????
And being rude as well!

 

[gazonk]

Good for Apple

Nothing beats Eneloops.

 

[JAT]

What is advanced to him is different than what is advanced is for You,example:
If there would be 100 steps to recharge your batteries and it does it all by itself then I call that advanced in a way that its convenient,does that mean its good for the batteries,probably not so much but its advanced to him so he can relax about it all.
For You,you would like to have those 100 steps so you can fiddle with it and optmise the charging,to You that means advanced,you have options.
Get it?

Saying that a word means the opposite of what it really means doesn't make you correct.

That Your choice

So, you are mocking parents, now? Good idea, perfect choice for a rip on me in this battery thread. Well thought out posting strategy, I congratulate you. Hey, maybe nobody should have kids, that would solve the healthcare problems in the world by making it completely unnecessary.

So that makes you smarter???????
And being rude as well!

Did you even read his comment?

 

[3282868]

The intent of the charger is to charge a highly efficient rechargeable batteries for both your wireless keyboard and wireless mouse or magic trackpad. Where you are using 4 batteries and rotating them out with 2 fresh ones



Because I highly doubt I'll use 6,000 batteries in my lifetime. I've used about 24 over the past 4 years...

That's 24 batteries in a landfill as opposed to none with rechargeable batteries... and further, the average user runs through more batteries than yourself. I use 50+ batteries a year, as I use many wireless peripheral devices (10-12 hours a day for computer work). For someone such as myself, that not only saves the environment from poisonous toxins, but also my wallet from purchasing numerous batteries.

 

[MonkeyET]

Because I highly doubt I'll use 6,000 batteries in my lifetime. I've used about 24 over the past 4 years...

How is this even possible? That is six a year. If you have one TV, one cable box (or DirecTV), one wireless keyboard, and one wireless mouse (I am being modest on all components in a household that my use AA batteries), this would consume, on a conservative scale, at least 12 a year assuming you change the remote batteries once a year and the peripherals twice a year. I am, of course, assuming you use wireless units but if you have anything else such as DVD, receiver, Universal remote, a Wii, or most controllers for electronics, they will consume even more AA batteries.

If you are lucky enough to feel you don't need the devices, then power to you! I guess you could have a portable computer and circumvent the need for peripherals...

 

[WaxedJacket]

Bumping an old thread but relevant to this topic. I recently purchased a Wii U with some WiiMotes and with my Apple batteries going into my keyboard and mouse I had one set left for a WiiMote. Anyway I needed to purchase more rechargeable batteries for the remaining devices.

It turns out that Panasonic is now making the Sanyo rechargeable batteries that Apple is bundling with their packs.

http://amzn.com/B00JHKSN76

Same manufacturer, newer advancements to prolong the battery life, and since it's the same tech (Ni-MH), it works with the Apple charger I already have.

 

[jalyst]

Bumping an old thread but relevant to this topic. I recently purchased a Wii U with some WiiMotes and with my Apple batteries going into my keyboard and mouse I had one set left for a WiiMote. Anyway I needed to purchase more rechargeable batteries for the remaining devices.

It turns out that Panasonic is now making the Sanyo rechargeable batteries that Apple is bundling with their packs.

http://amzn.com/B00JHKSN76

Image

Same manufacturer, newer advancements to prolong the battery life, and since it's the same tech (Ni-MH), it works with the Apple charger I already have.

Does Sanyo = Panasonic nowadays?
Recently I had some Eneloops just randomly spill their guts overnight whilst I was charging them in a Maha C9000. Would I be able to claim a new pair for free? The other 2/3 pairs I bought at the same time are still going strong.

 

[yanki01]

holy threadbump!

I've had eneloops in all my electronics around the house for a few years now. zero problems and not buying apples batteries.

 

[jalyst]

What's the policy on returns/replacements, IIRC it's lifetime isn't it?

 

[octothorpe8]

What's the policy on returns/replacements, IIRC it's lifetime isn't it?

I think it's posted here http://bit.ly/1ye7D56