Railfan Technology > AA Battery comparison

These tests were performed by a friend of mine who makes
commercials. 



Glenn’s Battery Test Results:
• each test consisted of 4 factory fresh AA cells in series
• each test auto terminated when the 4 AA cells discharged to 5.00 volts
• computer maintained precise load during entire discharge
• same 4 cell battery holder was used for each test

BATTERY                LOAD    V@START  TOTAL Ah    TOTAL Wh  TOTAL TIME   price/battery
Energizer Lithium 100 ma 7.21V       3.198 Ah     18.237 Wh  31:43:19      $2.85 ea
(12-2041 exp)       500 ma 7.22V       2.196 Ah     11.628 Wh  04:23:05
Singapore

DURACELL             100 ma 6.72V        1.002 Ah    05.486 Wh   09:56:12      $ .95 ea
PowerBoost           500 ma 6.73V        0.278 Ah       1.487 Wh   00:33:23
(03-2034 exp)
Belgium

Energizer MAX     100 ma 6.39V        0.927 Ah       4.927 Wh   09:11:18       $ .77 ea
(12-2035 exp)      500 ma 6.36V        0.135 Ah       0.711 Wh   00:16:14
United States

T-Bolt EDGE         100 ma 6.43V         0.966 Ah      5.161 Wh    09:34:15       $ .35 -.42 ea
Harbor Freight     500 ma 6.42V         0.134 Ah      0.704 Wh    00:16:08
(11-2027 exp)
China

So the more expensive lithium batteries can be a good value. 

I have been experimenting with rechargeable batteries...lithium ion and nickel zinc. Some numbers on those would be interesting. 

Flashlights (the good ones) are using CR123 lithium cells or a rechargeable 18650 cell.  I had to add yet another charger to the collection. The 18650 size come in flat top and button top versions. It's getting complicated. 

Good stuff!  Thanks much.

Thank you for posting this.

Far too many alkaline cells leak into battery compartments, ruinng the contacts.  Lithium cells seldom do that.  I've switched to lithium cells for pricier instruments.

I'm using Sanyo/Panasonic NIMH Eneloop rechargeable AAs, high current discharge on demand and great charge-holding and voltage stable characteristics.

Pretty surprising that anything from Harbor Freight would match the Energizer Max, but at half the cost!  But I guess the numbers don't lie.

In general it seems pretty hard to find anything of more that mediocre quality at HF.   I tried some alkalines from HF one time when we were using up alot of them in toys, and the life (anecdotally) was relatively short.   I guess they must have multiple grades of batteries now?

 

hotrail Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pretty surprising that anything from Harbor
> Freight would match the Energizer Max, but at half
> the cost!  But I guess the numbers don't lie.
>
> In general it seems pretty hard to find anything
> of more that mediocre quality at HF.   I tried
> some alkalines from HF one time when we were using
> up alot of them in toys, and the life
> (anecdotally) was relatively short.   I guess
> they must have multiple grades of batteries now?

My guess is that, for consumables like batteries, Harbor Freight likely puts contracts out for bid as to who supplies them.  So, the actual manufacturer (and product quality) may change over time.  Lots of retail chains do that for their "house brand" products.  A friend was a plant manager for a large food canned products company.  The company would submit bids to retail supermarket chains to supply their "house brand" canned products.  One day when I was visiting him at the plant, they were canning "house brand" product for Kroger.  It was the same exact product that his company sold (for a higher price) as their "flagship" premium brand.    Same with dairy products.  They all have a plant number on the container--that will tell what company and plant in what state made the product.  For years, where I used to live, no matter what the brand of milk was carried at the local grocery store, it came from a Meadow Gold plant.  Lots of stuff in made and sold that way--Harbor Freight likely is no different. 
  

I have had terrible luck with Duracell AA's, AAA's, and D's the past 6 or 7 years. They totally corroded and welded together the guts of three flashlights, ruined a nice voltmeter, ruined a nice scanner, ruined a Nikon backup battery holder, ruined a telephone tone generator, very nearly ruined a Nikon flash unit, had to take a lot of time chipping away battery acid leakage, and somehow it still works. Enough is enough! They do not store well at all. I personally will not buy another Duracell, but have had no problems with Energizers. For 30 years or more, I used to swear by Duracells, now I swear AT them and cant remove them fast enough! Leakage problems do not seem to apply to button batteries of either manufacturer. === === = === JLH

^I've had the same issues with Duracells.  For the corrosion from leaking batteries, try putting a few drops of white vinegar on a Q-tip, then swab the corroded contact.  It will ofen take the corrosion off without harming the contact.  

Add another who has lost faith in Duracell over the past few years.  I'm trying to remember all the seldom-used devices I might have stuck in a drawer with Duracells in them.