Battery selection, storage and chemistry

Battery availability has become an important topic for me, particularly for flashlights.

Part of the problem is that I've refused to standardize on a single type of cell for my flashlights. Different flashlights are for different circumstances and call for different cells. People who are less nuts for flashlights than I am would be well-advised to consider standardizing on a single type of cell. It would also be smart to consider availability of cells when standardizing.

One of the advantages of not standardizing is that whatever kind of battery I find, chances are I have a flashlight that will work with it.

Rechargeable batteries are great for heavy use, but most don't last long in storage. For emergencies, I prefer primary (not rechargeable) cells. Lithium batteries store for the longest time, endure temperature extremes well, and don't leak. Stay away from alkalines for emergency battery storage.

As for storage, my BOB has two hardshell cases, one holding 12 Energizer Lithium AAs and one holding 12 Titanium Innovations CR123As. The cases are http://www.batteryjunction.com/tpea-taacase.html and http://www.batteryjunction.com/tpea-tcr123acase.html (I have no affiliation with batteryjunction.com other than as a happy customer). Since my BOB sits in my car, weight and bulk are less important to me than they might be. I can always cache or discard equipment that I don't think I'll need, if I have to hoof it long distances.

For more mobile applications, I use a smaller case http://www.batteryjunction.com/ultrafire-cr123a-4-case.html. This one is in my CERT bag -- our CERT issues cheap dime-store D-cell incandescent lights. I carry mine to lend to someone, the flashlight I carry to use myself is CR123A powered. Since I'm the only one on my team using that battery, it behooves me to have spares in my bag.

During the workweek, I carry a single AA-cell flashlight in my laptop bag for use, and a AAA-cell flashlight for emergencies. There are two spare AAs (again, Energizer Lithiums, accept no substitutes) protected with a bit of scotch tape on each terminal. My laptop mouse also has a AA battery that I can repurpose for the flashlight, if I have to. The spare battery for my AAA flashlight is in another flashlight, that being the best way I could think of to carry a spare. There's also a single plastic-wrapped CR123A for my EDC flashlight.

Do you have enough spare batteries? Are they lithium primaries? How do you carry them?

The new (well not really new anymore) low self discharge NiMH I've tested leaving sit for a year and still have 90% run time, so I've gotten away from needing primaries except for secondary backups. I've standardized on AA's so I can scavenge from cameras or radios or whatever.

I like AAA's because they mate with other electrical goodies I carry (weather radio and GPS). I too am a fan of the newer NiMH batteries. They save a ton of money over alkalines, which in my opinion are obsolete. I do prefer primary lithium batteries in items that will be stashed and used only intermittently. The appliances I tend to buy will accept any of these three types of batteries.

I’ve been actually moving away from AA and AAA lithium’s as my collection of Eneloops expands. My Surefire lights take only lithiums and I tend to use them for emergency lights only, not for everyday things. As lithium batts are fairly expensive be it the Surefire batts or just lithium in AA or AAA.

I just picked up a couple more packs of Eneloops at Costco the other day and if you’re a member they are $4 off at the register now. Package includes a charger, 8-AA and 4 AAA for $21.95. These new Eneloops have been improved over the older white colored version in they hold a charge for up to 3 years and take a charge up to 1,500 times and are good down to I believe -20 . From everything I’ve read there isn’t much chance of leakage with the Eneloops.

However, lithium’s still have a place in my pack as they are very light in weight compared to the Eneloops.

I carry extra batts for the Surefire lights in the carrier's made by Surefire. The AAA and AA go in film canisters, prescription bottles or those zip lock's made for pills. Which method depends on if weight is a factor.

And I still keep plenty of regular copper tops on hand for a power outage to run lanterns, radio's etc. as they are fairly inexpensive to keep on hand. I've had power outages for 9 days here from storms. However, never leave them in devices as they will leak.

If you're going to standardize, AAs are my top choice for that reason. If a store carries any kind of batteries at all, they'll carry AAs. The low self-discharge NiMH batteries, like Sanyo Eneloops, are excellent without a doubt, and I use them. But I didn't want to invest in buying and maintaining a bunch of them for emergency use.

I'm not aware of any mass-market AA or AAA-using device that won't take lithium primaries or NiMH rechargeables. Lithium rechargeables (like 10440s) are a different story.

Lithium batteries are actually cheaper to use than alkalines. Consumers Reports (December 2009) compared the cost per shot of running various battery types in digital cameras. Lithium batteries were cheaper than alkalines, except for Costco alkalines purchased in bulk. Given that lithium batteries are lighter, work better in cold weather, and are essentially leakproof, I go for lithium batteres. The CR article didn't go into the cost per shot of NiMH rechargeable batteries, but if you do a little arithmetic, they would seem to be the cheapest of all. I am very careful about putting alkaline batteries into anything I value, primarily because of their propensity to leak.

I never put alkalines in anything other than during a long term power outage then for a short duration, as I've had them leak and ruin a couple of devices. I buy mine at Costco and stock up when they have a coupon special which gives another couple of dollars off the already decent price.

You don't have to invest and maintain them, they are not really any more expensive than lithium and don't take any maintenance, though I do top them of when I pull out gear to test it. I don't believe in storing gear for years at a time, I pull everything out once or twice a year for checks.

That's most true, in my experience, for high power drain devices. In low power devices, alkalines are cheaper until you factor in leakage and possibly storage life.

Looking at batteryjunction.com and costco.com for pricing, Eneloops cost twice as much per AA cell for 2/3rds the rated capacity. Energizer Lithiums self-discharge more slowly and weigh less. In an extended power outage, I'd far prefer to have Energizer Lithiums over the same number of Eneloops, even if fully charged.

Over time, Eneloops are far less expensive. I use them for a variety of purposes. But for me, Energizer Lithiums make more sense to keep with my emergency gear.

Thanks for the heads-up. I picked up another Eneloop pack from Costco a couple months ago and recall that the batteries were a different color. Will take another look and make sure. That's a fantastic price.

The Eneloops have been terrific for powering my Nikon external flash. I've also used them in walkie-talkies for roadtrips, portable radio, etc. Things that tend to see intensive bursts of use. I keep the Eneloop chargers and batteries segregated in an LL Bean kiddie lunch box.

I must've read the Consumer Reports article because I now only buy Costco's Kirkland-brand batteries after reading that they are not the longest-lasting batteries but generics are the most cost-effective.

Can't say I'm streamlining batteries. I'm still using gear from the mid-1990s such as a Grundig YB400, walkie-talkies, portable radios and several small lanterns. Those all take "AA" or "AAA"

I had gotten away from "D" batteries until I bought some Coleman tent fans this summer and suddenly had to buy a bunch.

In the last few years I obtained a few Surefire flashlights and headlamp, all require the 123 batteries and I bought way ahead on those when Bean was still carrying them for $20/box.

The wafer CR-2032 batteries have been another new addition to the battery supply. [Petzl e-lites, LED hats, weather station, blinky dog collars and even a bike jacket and vest]

I store the non-eneloop, non-D batteries in a sturdy zipped bag that I throw in the car for roadtrips.

IIRC, the bundled Eneloop chargers being sold at Costco do not have independent charging bays. Which means you'll have to charge 2 batteries (in a similar state of charge) at a time. Not a bad thing just something to be aware of.

It makes sense to spend $30-40 and get a charger with independent bays. The cost over time is insignificant. Most models will recharge better than the cheaper types and give you better battery life.

When they first started selling the Eneloop sets in the Costco warehouse, they came with a charger that would charge one battery at a time. Then they soon went to the charger's with the sets that require two batteries. I was lucky and have the original. It looks different too with a slide on cover.

The Eneloop 4 bay independent channel charger I've got is Model #MQH03U. Bought it on eBay and it came bundled with some 4AA/4AAA's and a 12V car adapter. It even has 2 charging rates (fast/slow). Last year that same charger bundle was on sale at Dell.com Canada for $19.95 shipped!! Don't know why they weren't offered here. There's also a newer (2 independet bay) charger/booster that can only be found on eBay. Not offered in North America yet AFAIK. You can charge batteries or (using Eneloop or Alkaline batteries) use it to charge a cell phone, iPod, whatever. Model Sanyo #KBC-E1.

After the first power outage though they become cheaper since your now buying new lithiums instead of just topping off the charge.
What happens if your without power long enough to use up yoyr stock of lithium, you can't recharge them from a car battery, solar, hand crank, bicycle etc.
Co-workers were talking generators one day and I told them my generator was an old GM truck alternator bolted to the engine from a pressure washer

I'm waiting for the eneloop stick to hit stateside, I may just have to buy one off of ebay if they don't soon.

These are all good points.

The only Eneloop chargers I've seen have run on house current. Is there a good way to make 120V AC without a generator or a running car? I have a couple of inverters, but I don't know how I'd go about using solar, hand crank or a bicycle to recharge them.



Cool :-).

I'm using a MAHA C401FS and MAHA C9000, either of which have a 12v adapter for. Anything that can give out 12v will power them, though the c9000 will need 2A constant to charge at a good speed, so I use an intermediate SLA battery or power from the second battery in my truck or whatever source I can find

Just comparing mAh ratings doesn't give a full picture either, my testing with my gear shows maybe 10% difference in run time between lithium and an eneloop. So if you have 10 lithium batteries and use one a day you can last 10 days, I have 10 eneloops and may go through one a day but will pop them back in my charger off the second battery in my truck so I could run years. I have some Sanyo 1650mAh NiMH that I bought in 1999 that I still use in kids toys.

Batteries:

I keep lots of NiMH AA and AAAs on hand, and I've standardized most things on these cell types. Eneloops or Duracell white-top rechargeables ("Duraloops") are very, very good.

I lucked out and got an 8-pack of Eneloop dummy-cell adapters so I can use AAs in C or D lights.

I also keep a couple of 48-cell generic AA alkaline packs on hand for rarely used items or to hand out to others. I can usually find them for $9 on sale. I've had very good luck with these generic alkalines -- I think I've only had one or two dud cells over all the years I've used them.

NiMH chargers:

It's more efficient to have a direct DC plug than to use an inverter.

I have three of the Duracell Mobile Chargers (CEF23DX4N). You can often find them on sale for $15-20. I'm very impressed -- they don't cook my batteries and have even resurrected some I thought were useless. CPF gives these a good rating too. Includes 12VDC plug for lighter socket. Independent channels and slow charge get the best out of each cell.

(Independent channels are important to me because I have several headlamps that use three AA or AAA cells, and several 1-AA lights also.)

Given my bank of solar panels and my stock of NiMHs, I could keep things going for quite a long while.

Just two lines to add to the hymn of AA eneloop + smart charger that runs both on 12 volts and wall outlet. (More precicely, a charger that charges each channel individually with delta-volt circuits to stop charging when they're full).


If you truly adhere to the "ONLY for TRUE emergencies" philosophy in really weight critical and/or VERY low temperature applications then lithium primaries makes sense. Or if you just happen to like the form factor of flashlights that eats CRC-123A batteries....


I like to USE my gear - not seal it in dust-proof bags to be recovered when the apocalypse comes. With that attitude, primaries makes no sense at all. Eneloop all the way, with rechargeable li-ion as a geeky supplement.


Just a quick rant about li-ion: They are neither interchangeable with lithium primaryes nor regular AA (unless your flashlight specifically states that they are. Such as 4sevens quarks). And to really get benefit from what the li-ion technology is capable of you should use the 18650 form factor. Old and improperly cared for li-ion batteries and sloppy charging routines/bad quality charger equals significant fire hazard. In summary, just the perfect batteries to play with for a flashlight geek like myself...

All my gear is standardized to AA or CR123 batteries. I buy each in bulk (Energizer Lithiums and Surefire CR123s) and that's all I use. With a 15+ year storage life, it's not a big deal to buy 'em in bulk.

I've never had good luck with rechargeable batteries and I find that, if my batteries do go dead, it's typically in the middle of me doing something somewhat important. Therefore, I'm not going to have the opportunity to recharge. Instead I'll just replace and get right back to whatever I was doing.

This is timely thread! I've been researching and shopping for a good charger and some rechargeable NiHM batteries. Most of my applications require AA & AAA batteries so that's what I will be focusing on. My smoke detectors are hardwired with 9v battery backups but I don't feel rechargeables are worth the effort or expense since the battery in a smoke alarm lasts a good while and nothing else I own uses that battery.

I will say though that CR123A "primary" batteries are a very important item to me. My Surefire lights don't seem to be very compatible with the few rechargeable batteries I've found in that form factor. My Surefire E1B backup is by far the best light I've ever used, and I have a couple other Surefire lights that I also like. While I have lights that use AA & AAA I plan to always have at least two dozen batteries on hand at all times for my Surefires.

I never had good luck until I bought a decent charger, then I was able to revive all my "bad" rechargeables. The MAHA c9000 has paid for its self already.

I constantly hear good things about the MAHA. Apparently it's the Holy Grail of chargers. One of these days I'll break down and get one, if only for the nerd bragging rights that go with it.

There is a USB-powered charger for 2 AAA or AA. If you have access to a USB power supply (either mains powered, or from your laptop or PC, or a 12V USB power adaptor for your car) then you can charge your eneloops. The model is MDU01 and it is a good quality charger.

Another option is the Eneloop mobile booster KBC-E1S. You can use it as a charger for 2 AA cells, powered from a USB supply (as above). When the cells are charged the unit itself can be used as a USB power source to charge something else, such as a cellphone for example. The unit does not accept AAA cells, probably because they would be useless for charging something else, although the current is safe (for charging) if you use an AAA to AA adaptor.

USB is becoming the de-facto power source for small electronics, so as well as standardising on your batteries, choose devices that can be charged/powered by USB.

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I have little use for lithiums, other than for one thing - a rarely used high drain application. The weapons light on my home defense shotgun. For that I use two high quality top tier CR123 primaries (not rechargeables).

Other than that, NiMH is what I use for day to day stuff. I have both regular rechargeable NiMH and Eneloops. For things like my flashlights, the regular NiMH are just fine. There is no such thing as "long term sitting on a shelf" when it comes to flashlights for me. I use them daily. My MAHA MH-C401FS charger recharges NiMH so fast that I don't have to worry about not having a set of freshly charged batteries when I need them. For the unforseen circumstance where I might, that's what the Eneloops are for (I charge the Eneloops in the MAHA too - the charger that comes with them is garbage). I also keep quite a few alkalines for additional backup.

If I need to start a fire, I'll just use simple matches rather than the more tedious Li-Ion flame generation techniques. Li-Ion is a good technology for dedicated battery/device matchups that are well engineered. But as a general purpose mix-n-match battery/device pairing with separate manual charging, it's too dangerous for the general population IMHO.

I generally agree. Luckily now there are much safer Li-ion chemistry options like IMR and LiFePO4. I resisted Li-ions in flashlights for awhile until I bought a Surefire 6P bored for an 18650. Popped in an IMR 18650 and wow, not only is output/runtime greatly increased but I only have 1 battery to worry about. No more having to worry about matching RCR/CR123 batteries.

Interesting- I wonder how to go about doing that with my Surefire Z2? It takes 2 x CR123A cells but one rechargeable would be great if it's compatible with the LED emitter.

You can buy bored Surefire Z2 bodies (or send yours in for modification) from places like Oveready.com or from modders on Candlepowerforums. But upgrading to single cell 3.7V Li-Ion is a bit of work. You need a good charger, quality batteries (AW, Redilast), and then decide on size and chemistry. 18650 refers to the battery measurements BTW, 18mm diameter, 65mm in length, and 0 means its a cylindrical cell. AA is 14500, CR123 is 16340, etc. If you wanna make a quick leap to rechargeables my advice would be to go with LiFePO4 RCR123 batteries. Its a much safer chemistry, they're 3V, which means you use them just like you're using the CR123 primaries you've got now. I've been using Tenergy LiFePO4 batteries and charger from Batteryjunction for awhile now and they're great. The runtime is a bit less but they charge quickly and are very durable. If you're interested in doing some reading at the battery section of Candlepowerforums you can make a more informed decision on what you want to do.

I haven't been over to Candlepowerforums in a while but I might have to check it out. Thanks for the tips.

My Garmin GPSMap 60Cx won't take fresh lithium AAs. The voltage is slightly too high, and it shuts down. If you discharge them a bit, they're OK. It's a pain to have to do that. I basically have a pair of Li AA spares that are more or less dedicated to the GPS.

I use a variety of AAs. Alkalines for cheapness; they get used in low-drain devices like remote controls. Lithium for emergencies and spares, for their long life, lightness and cold-weather performance. Eneloops for day to day use. I have several chargers, including a Maha and ones that will run off a car lighter socket. I also have solar panel chargers that ought to work, although I don't have much faith in them.

I used to prefer diversity too, and I still have some old torches that work on weird batteries, including a Surefire U2. However, technology has now passed it by and I have a tiny Nitecore D10 that uses a single AA and out-performs the U2 in every way (except UI). It's always in my pocket, which the U2 couldn't be for size reasons.

I have found standardising on AA to be hugely beneficial. On my last holiday I took 2 chargers instead of 5. I can move batteries between non-essential equipment, like the shaver or the camera, and put them where-ever I need them most.

The drawback of AA is that in a crisis they will be the first to disappear from stores. You can't rely on being able to buy them at will. Which for me just means I stockpile them in largish numbers.

Since one AA Eneloop will give enough light to read by for 50 hours, you don't really need that many for any reasonable disaster. For very long term disasters, rechargeable is the only way to go. Either solar power, or else siphon petrol from the cars of the people who already got wiped out by the zombies\b\b\b\b\b\bdisaster and use it to power a car charger.

My Etrex Legend mentioned a shutdown with Lithium in an old firmware version, maybe there is an update for your 60. I had already updated past that version and used eneloops since I bought it anyway.

That's very surprising! Good to know, too.

It occurs to me that with the right resistor you should be able to use those fresh lithiums. I wonder if a penny would work.



My experience has been the opposite. When a mountain pass in Colorado got hammered by a snowstorm, the only gas station around was out of every sort of battery other than AAs. They're the one kind of battery I've always been able to find in stores no matter what the circumstance. But as you say, it's foolish to rely on availability in stores. I stockpile a significant number of batteries, primarily AAs, AAAs and CR123As.



If we divide disasters into short term (less than 7 days), medium term (7-30 days) and long term (30+ days), my preparations are designed for the short and medium term. I've got more than enough batteries for that, even assuming significant usage at higher outputs. Solar isn't reliable and it's awfully slow without a significant non-portable investment. I'd rather save gas for other things.

While you've decided to handle your battery-related preparedness differently than I have, it's clear to me that you've been thoughtful and it sounds like what you're doing works well for you.