We were in Sam’s Club, (Wally world) Monday, picking up a stash of stuff, and when we went to get our usual 48 pack of Energizer alkaline batteries for our GPS units, we noticed that Sams had their own brand, (Members Mark) and they were seven dollars cheaper then the Energizers.
We decided to get a package and give them a try.
We did a test, and put two of them into one of our Garmin Map-76,s, and Energizers into the other same GPS unit, and turned them both on at the exact same time.
We left them sitting side by side, so the test would be equal, and it turned out that the Members Mark set lasted one hour and twenty two minutes longer then Energizers.
Thought some of you that use a bunch of batteries might be interested.
We gave up on the rechargeable ones years ago. They don’t last.
Cheers,
JackL
Rechargeables have come a long way
and 48 dead batteries in the trash depresses me. I use rechargeable D's for the bilge pumps, AA's and AAA's for GPS's, cameras, remotes etc...
Also don't support Walmart. Hate that organization.
Rant over, I am DISMISSED ;-)
Garmins
Were they both in “normal” or “battery saver” mode?
I’ve been using Eneloop rechargeables for a couple of years for flashlights with good results. I had bad luck with Energizer rechargeables.
Second the Eneloops
I’ve been using Sanyo Eneloops in my Pentax K100D camera and it does great with them. It would crap out after a few shots with Kodak or Energizer rechargables.
These batteries are a very different animal and don’t loose their charge rapidly while sitting around. After a year of storage, they are supposed to have 85% of their charge remaining; 70% after 2 years.
Alan
I wish I had that same result with
the Eneloop rechargeables. I bought a bunch of them, and they would run out before a single days paddle was finished in my GPS. I get several days paddles out of a set of Energizers. Maybe I got a bad batch, but I had similar results with them and with another brand, and I even tried buying another charger. I too hated throwing away spent batteries, but I hated having inactive GPS and camera’s a little more.
Not sure why you hate Wally World
Kind of like cutting off your nose to spite your face !
Cheers,
JackL
I was giving a heads up here
Take it or leave it!
We have gone the rechargeable route quite a few years ago.
If throwing dead batteries away bothers some, from experience it is still the cheapest way, and I doubt if you will get three days use out of any rechargeable. Unless they have some newer to the market ones.
Cheers,
JackL
I forgot the most important part…
Forgot to say that a really good charger is the second piece to the rechargable puzzle. I use the La Crosse Technology BC-9009. It charges each battery separately, and will do it slowly so they really charge fully. It can be set to charge quickly when needed, but I do them overnight at the slow setting.
Alan
Thanks Jack
I also tried the rechargeable batteries some years back and was very disappointed. Hopefully the technology has improved. My cell phone battery (so far) kicks butt. It can go a week on a charge.
Both in normal
We usually get about three days of use out of the Energizers.
With the test we had both of them on around the clock.
For all I know, the members Mark ones might even be made by Energizers but I sure know we’ll be capatalizing on the bucks saved, since when we head to the Keys, we will be using four batteries daily, (except when the fronts blow through) for four months
Cheers,
jackL
fact of life
it’s easier to spend $20 for a brick of AA than $100 for a good charger and batteries. I’ve been cycling through 16 2450-2650mah NiMh AA cells and 16 800-1000 mah. AAA cells using an inexpensive 4cell charger for the last year and a half. It works but it requires keeping track of them.
the 1000mah AAA NiMh have the same rating as AA Nicads from ten years ago.
thanks
but I’m very satisfied with the Eneloop rechargebles with a Baha 8 cell chager, works, saves money, and no running out to get batteries…
out with the old, in with the new…
Lithiums!
I have switched over from rechargeables to the new(er) Eveready Lithiums. While they are more costly they last darn near forever. One of my cameras isn’t bad with it’s 4 “AA” batteries but I have been running on the lithiums so long I honestly don’t remember when I put them in. As a side bonus, they are much lighter in weight. I put them in everything I have and only carry an extra 4-pack just in case for the GPS which runs in full power with compass all the time I have it on. They really are amazing!
Tom
it’s a maintenance issue
and most folks don’t want to spend the time nursing little $3 batteries when throw away ones can be had for $.50. NiMh don’t have memory like Nicads and have a higher rating. If you use AA batteries regularly the rechargables can make some economic sense after a couple years regular use.
I split purchases between pricey lithiums and rechargables. The Lithiums can sit in the device for years and still work whereas the alkalines can leak if left in the device. The high capacity NiMh work better for high drain applications and appear to last just as long as alkaline.