2nd use of flash batteries

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Bought a new flash on the high street and couldn't wait to use it so bought some batteries.

When they are getting a bit weak, what do you do with them? Keep them for the tv rempte (if they don't take AAA), clocks etc?
 
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You'll find that we generally use rechargeables for 2 reasons:
  • Cost
  • The power curve from Alkaline batteries is awful, which means recycling times just get longer and longer till they finally give up. Whereas rechargeables tend to lengthen a little just before they die.
But you could stick the half dead ones in the telly remote.
 
Oh, I've got some rechargeables, just wasn't prepared to pay high street price for them! I had to wait for them to come through the post.
 
Which rechargable batteries (and charger) are you nice people using? Any recommendations?

I've just bought my first flashgun, it takes 4x AA batteries.

Cheers.
 
Bicko said:
Which rechargable batteries (and charger) are you nice people using? Any recommendations?

I've just bought my first flashgun, it takes 4x AA batteries.

Cheers.
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7DS own brand Eneloop/GoodToGo style batteries and the 7DS V8 charger.
 
ive got loads of 3000mah aa and aaa batteries that i use between flashes and triggers, they last forever and were only about 4 quid for 16 (cased) on the bay wicked investment if you ask me- saved plenty of money by doing this!!
 
I've got a box of about 500 AAs sat in a kitchen cupboard. Was intending to take a pic of them but haven't got round to it.
 
I've just moved on to 7day shops own brand AA after using the cheep ones of the bay of E as they wouldn't even power the Xbox of wii controllers for more than an hour.
Next on the buy list is a new charger or two, I've been looking at 7DS ones too but no idea which one to get

Rob
 
smurf123 said:
<snip>
Next on the buy list is a new charger or two, I've been looking at 7DS ones too but no idea which one to get
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I've got one of these.

Charges AA, AAA, C, D and 9v batteries really quickly (2h or so) and I can get 8 AA/As in at a time in so that covers two Speedlights or a grip in one go.
 
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smurf123 said:
I was thinking about something to charge off 12v when away in the caravan. I think 7day shop had one that is 240v, 12v and USB. Does anybody have one like that, and are they any good?
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I think the V8 charger I metioned above came with a 12V cigerette lighter plug as well as the mains adapter.
 
I've got about 10 packs of the 2900Mah 7 day shop own brand rechargeable AA's and TBH they are great. With a set of new Duracell's I got just over 400 flashes from my Nissin Di866 gun, whereas with a set of the usual I get close on 700 flashes before the refresh rate gets too long.

I also have a couple of Vapex fast chargers, which will fully charge up the 2900Mah batteries in just over an hour, 8 at a time. I got the chargers from ebay for around £20 but they are available elsewhere on the net for a bit more.

Very good chargers and very good batteries, they hold the charge for a long time before they deplete much. The wife had a set in her flash for over 3 months and still got over 500 flashes from them in a Nissin gun.
 
All very useful info, thanks.
I can't keep buying Duracells :cuckoo:
 
modchild said:
I've got about 10 packs of the 2900Mah 7 day shop own brand rechargeable AA's and TBH they are great. With a set of new Duracell's I got just over 400 flashes from my Nissin Di866 gun, whereas with a set of the usual I get close on 700 flashes before the refresh rate gets too long.
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The problem I had with the high capacity NIMH on my bike lights is the self discharge means they're never ready. You need to remember to charge them the day before use other wise they'll be next to flat within a week. The higher quality of the enloop type batteries mean they have a better discharge curve and much lower self discharge should make them much more useful if you're an occasional flash user. Even though they have a nominally lower capacity I usually get longer use from the low self discharge than they extra high capacity cells.
 
I have rechargables now (but I also always have some regular ones as back up in case the rechargables have lost charge) - but yes I used to 'use up' the flash batteries in things like TV remotes when they weren't fast enough for flash but not finished yet either.
 
I use eneloops and max cell
the max cell ones have been pretty reliable for a couple of years and are rated to ~3800mAh.
they were very very rare, but on ebay now, fairly common and cheap too.
happy with mine, and fast on the recycle. however, when using a battery pack, fire in short, controlled burst as these babies tend to heat up a bit!

447859-delpreston_large.jpg
 
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Phil V said:
You'll find that we generally use rechargeables for 2 reasons:
  • Cost
  • The power curve from Alkaline batteries is awful, which means recycling times just get longer and longer till they finally give up. Whereas rechargeables tend to lengthen a little just before they die.
But you could stick the half dead ones in the telly remote.
Click to expand...

There is also the environmental consideration.

Another vote for Eneloops (although I would stick with the 2000mAH ones) and Annsman chargers.
 
I use eneloops and a smart charger that looks identical very similar to this one - but mine was not described as a disposable battery recharger (and I don't have any intention of recharging disposables).

If we have some disposable AAs too exhausted for heavy use, (it sometimes happens due to items coming supplied with batteries) then we tend to bung them in remotes or clocks.
 
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