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(More customer reviews)This package (SANYO NEW 1500 eneloop 4 Pack AA Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries w/ Charger) contains four second-generation '1500 cycles' eneloop AA cells, plus the 'MQN06' 4-cell charger
I have tested those new second-generation eneloop cells about one year ago from the Costco eneloop package, and also more recently from the SANYO NEW 1500 eneloop 8 Pack AA. I can honestly say that: while both old and new eneloop are excellent products, their difference in performance is hardly noticeable. Both version have exactly the same capacity rating of 'Typ 2000mAh, Min 1900mAh'. Actual measured capacity, using my old La Crosse BC-900, is actually about 5% higher at about 2100mAh on the average.
Some advertised improvements of the new eneloop cells looked impressive on paper, but not easy to verify in real life. For example, the new cells claim to have 50% longer lifespan (from 1000 to 1500 cycles). But note that even if you recharge your eneloop cells twice every week, it will take about ten years before you can realize the difference in battery lifespan. The new eneloop also claims to "hold 75% charge after 3 years" in storage, while the old one only claims "80% after two year". Again, in real life most users will never experience any difference. But then again, it does give a warm and fuzzy feeling knowing that you are getting the latest and greatest rechargeable batteries on the market. (At least until the 2500mAh Sanyo "eneloop-XX" arrives)
Mechanically, there are some very minor differences between original and new eneloop cells (See my upload in the Customer Images section to distinguish between old and new). Note that there are some confusions about 'vent holes' on the latest eneloop cells. Some poeple even claim that cells without visible vent holes are counterfeits. But I have tested two batches of new eneloop cells with and without 'vent holes', and found them to be identical electrically. So I'm confident that those latest batch I received are genuine.
The Sanyo MQN06 4-cell charger (included in this and many other eneloop packages) is a big let-down. Here's what I don't like about this charger:
- It charges in pairs only. This is very inconvenient for appliances that take odd number of cells. If you try to charge an exhausted cell together with a half-full cell, the charging process stops as soon as the second cell is full, which means the first cell is still half-empty.
- The charging current is very low: 300mA for AA cells, 150mA for AAA cells. That means it take about 7 hours to recharge a pair of exhausted eneloop AA cells.
- If you leave a pair of charged cells in an unplugged MQN06, there is a leakage current of 0.5mA. This means a loss of 12mAh per day. In other words, a set of 2000mAh cells will become exhausted in about 5 months. That wipes out the 'low-self-discharge' benefit of eneloop cells. CONCLUSION:
Over the past four years, I have found the original Sanyo eneloop cells to be the most consistent and reliable NiMH cells I have ever used. So I can recommend the new eneloop based on my past experience. On the other hand, I find it inexcusable that Sanyo continues to bundle the best rechargeable batteries with such a mediocre charger. So you may want to consider a package that comes with a better charger, such as the Sony Cycle Energy BCG34HRE4KN, and then buy more Sanyo eneloop cells as needed. This SONY charger can handle each cell individually, and it can be used to recharge any other brands of LSD cells.
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The new SEC-MQN064N 4-AA eneloop with AC charger pack utilizes SANYO's advanced rechargeable battery technology allowing them to last longer than ever before! They provide excellent performance-to-cost advantages over both conventional alkaline and other rechargeable batteries. Unlike disposable batteries which can only be used only once and are wasteful to the environment, the new eneloop batteries can be recharged up to 1500 times. They also maintain 75% of their charge up to 3 years when not in use. The come pre-charged and can be used immediately out of the pack, eneloop batteries deliver reliable battery performance when you need it the most!
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