More Rechargeable Batteries Questions

[CarolynM]

Howdy! Both the (Powerex) MH-C9000 and La Crosse Technology BC-900 battery chargers from Thomas Distrib. arrived; one of the chargers was out of stock initially. I like the fact that the La Crosse charger has the default start charging rate at 200, so basically I can plug in the charger, put the batteries in and leave it to sit there and do it's charging thing without pushing a whole bunch of buttons. I charged one set of 4 Kodak batteries overnight Thurs. night. I took these batteries straight from my camera right after the camera stopped working and gave me the charge batteries message. (The low batt signal had already come on & was warning me 1st.) After 4 hours of charging, 2 of the batteries "said" the charge was full on the charger but I left them there while the other 2 still were charging. Twelve hours later, 3 of the 4 batteries "said" full. (These are 2500 mAh batteries.)

QUESTION: Is this big difference of time between when each battery "says" Full---something that is somewhat a normal occurrance or not??

I was expecting all 4 slots to say Full closer to the same time frame since I put all 4 in at the same start charging time. My camera does use 4 AA batteries to operate--LOOKS like only 2 of the 4 batteries really needed the charging right then while the other 2 batts could have been still powering my camera---IF I knew WHICH 2 batteries needed replaced right then.

A second set of 4 AA 2500 mAh Kodak batteries that my camera said needed charging--I put in the La Crosse charger and decided to discharge them 1st before doing the charging. (Discharge rate 100 mAh so that they would charge at 200 mAh) Six hours later only one of batteries had stopped discharging and started charging. I went ahead and changed the mode on the other 3 slots so that all 4 batteries would be charging. In hindsight, I guess I should not have done that; since I did, it will be interesting to see if it takes the longest to charge since it fully discharged; it only got a 20-30 min head start of charging time over the other 3 that I did not wait for them to fully discharge.

QUESTION: For rechargeable batteries that you use on a regular basis, do you ALWAYS discharge them before you start the charging process? Or do you only charge those batteries each time? Or do you alternate and discharge before charging every other time?

QUESTION: About my 1st set of batteries that I charged on the La Crosse charger. Since I jumped the gun a little and took all 4 off before one of the batteries said Full; if I put those 4 batteries back on the charger later-before using that set of batteries and use the Charge mode, will that one battery finish charging until it says full and the other 3 sit there on full and just receive the trickle charge? IF yes, should I do that before I use that set or would I be better off to use that set as it is before I do anymore charging on them? It is a set that I use regularly; I charged them at 200 mAh and that is the rate I would use if I put them back in the charger.

QUESTION: IF you use the La Crosse Technology BC-900 battery charger and AA rechargeable batteries in your camera and/or lights/photo equipment, do you always (or almost always) charge your batteries at the 200 mAh rate?? Is that the rate I should be using to have my batteries maintain better and have a longer lifespan of AA batteries???


On the Powerex charger I have 4 Energizer AA 2500 mAh batteries in the break in mode---that process can take 36-45 hours if I read and understood the directions correctly. I started them late on Thurs. night so maybe I will know when I wake up later if those old batteries are still any good or not. I wish the process didn't take so long though.

Thanks for your assistance and advice!
CarolynM

[Cope]

I have only once had one battery not charge relatively close to the others, and I had a defective slot on my Maha charger. I would mark the slow charging battery, and when you charge them again, put it in a different slot on the charger. If the problem follows the battery, the battery is bad, but if the problem stays at the same slot, the charger is defective.

I only use Powerex batteries, and I would recommend getting some as soon as possible.

[CarolynM]

Originally Posted by Cope

I have only once had one battery not charge relatively close to the others, and I had a defective slot on my Maha charger. I would mark the slow charging battery, and when you charge them again, put it in a different slot on the charger. If the problem follows the battery, the battery is bad, but if the problem stays at the same slot, the charger is defective.

I only use Powerex batteries, and I would recommend getting some as soon as possible.

Thanks for your reply Alan! I notice you are in Houston too; do you purchase your Powerex batteries locally or do you order them from somewhere online?? Please advise.

BTW, I did receive 1 set of 4 AA and 4 AAA Powerex batteries that came with my Powerex Charger. Is it best to use the break in mode on new batteries that do not come pre-charged instead of just using the charge mode only?

Also, do you pro photographers really do run new batteries through the break in mode 2-3 times before using them? That's like 4-6 days worth of charger use before you use 1 set of new batteries. If yes, I guess y'all really plan ahead about getting new batteries to use right before a big weekend event.

On the Powerex charger, I put in one set of 4 AA 2500 mAh batteries and used the break in mode. These are an old set of Energizer batteries I had used in the past but seemed to not hold the charge for as long as they used to do when they were newer. They finally finished the whole process and the mAh reading ranged from 2423 to 2248 among the 4 individual batteries.
QUESTIONS: 1.Would you go ahead and use them next to see how long they last OR would you run the same batteries through the break in mode again before using them--to see if the mAh reading came up higher?
2.How low of mAh reading or at what range do you get rid of your older rechargeable batteries?

From the replies y'all gave me about battery chargers awhile back from my other thread here in TPF, it seems most of y'all prefer to use either Powerex or Enveloope (sp?) batteries. I don't see either brand at Wal-Mart and Wolf Camera in Meyerland did not have either brand available the last time I was in there. I have not checked at HCE --yet. Where do you buy those brands, both either locally or online?

I'll use my current supply of rechargeable batteries, (mostly Energizer and Kodak), until they finish their useful lifespan and then I'll use these 2 brands y'all seem to prefer. Just curious, please tell me which brand do you use and about how many shots or images do you get taken before your camera will insist on needing another set of charged batteries? ---Especially you wedding & sports pro photographers---how many sets of rechargeable batteries do you use during a big event? and for how many hours of shooting?

TIA!
CarolynM

[David_3]

Originally Posted by Cope

I only use Powerex batteries, and I would recommend getting some as soon as possible.

Same here. I get them from Thomas Distributing. I put them in a Maha charger, and have not had any problems with them. If I have the time (and patients) I will charge them in the slow mode, to keep them as cool as possible (to increase their life span). But most of the time I just put the charger in the "fast" mode and let it fly. I believe most of the Maha chargers are the "smart" type, and will condition the batteries if necessary. Never bothered with any type of "break-in" period.

[Cope]

Carolyn,

I get my chargers and batteries from Thomas also. I use the Maha MH-C801D 8 cell model, and laways use the slow setting. Every ten charges, I try to remember to condition them also, but straight from Thomas all I do is charge and use. BTW, I shot close to 400 pictures back in March, using my SB-800 flash in TTL mode on all pictures, and never changed batteries. Mine are the 2300MaH, not the newer 2700MaH.

[CarolynM]

Originally Posted by Cope

Carolyn,

I get my chargers and batteries from Thomas also. I use the Maha MH-C801D 8 cell model, and laways use the slow setting. Every ten charges, I try to remember to condition them also, but straight from Thomas all I do is charge and use. BTW, I shot close to 400 pictures back in March, using my SB-800 flash in TTL mode on all pictures, and never changed batteries. Mine are the 2300MaH, not the newer 2700MaH.

Thanks for the info. Alan! With my Kodak 2500mAh batteries, I can get 250-325 or so pictures---mixture of with or without flash and many using TTL display on and some with it off. So I will get 50-100 or more pictures per charge session with Powerex batteries. I tend to use my optical view finder unless I am shooting Macro or Spot metering, then I use the TTL screen. I have gotten over 200 pics using the TTL screen on one set of Kodak batteries; just recently---216 keepers, plus however many I deleted because the bird/animal got away before the camera fired.

I'll get more Powerex batteries once the crop of batteries I have now begin to die off their useful life, espec. when I am just shooting in my backyard & neighborhood. I'll see how the old (now re-conditioned) Energizers do around home and save my Kodaks for trips since I know they are reliable for now. If all my re-conditioned Energizers turn out to be duds (very short span of photos), I'll be making that new battery order much sooner rather than later. (Four sets of old Energizers and 4 or 5 sets of newer Kodak batteries should last me through the summer at least.)

New Question: If I am slow charging my batteries or if I am using the break-in mode on a set of 4 batteries and a thunderstorm knocks out our electrical power for either a few seconds or for 30 mins to an hour or longer, will the charger and batteries pick up where they left off in the break-in mode? or will they start over in the default charge mode? or what??? when our electrical power is restored.

Please advise. Thank you!
CarolynM

[Cope]

Originally Posted by CarolynM

New Question: If I am slow charging my batteries or if I am using the break-in mode on a set of 4 batteries and a thunderstorm knocks out our electrical power for either a few seconds or for 30 mins to an hour or longer, will the charger and batteries pick up where they left off in the break-in mode? or will they start over in the default charge mode? or what??? when our electrical power is restored.

Please advise. Thank you!
CarolynM

It will probably start over. If you use a UPS on your PC (good idea lately with the almost daily power outages lately) plug your charger into the protected side of the UPS.

[CarolynM]

Originally Posted by Cope

It will probably start over. If you use a UPS on your PC (good idea lately with the almost daily power outages lately) plug your charger into the protected side of the UPS.

What is the UPS? (United Parcel Service doesn't apply here and that's all I can think of for UPS.) I do have a Surge Protector that my computer is plugged into. Is that what you are talking about? The outlets on it are full, space wise on that one, but I can get one to use with my chargers.

Please explain UPS.

When you say the charger would probably start over, would it start over in the break-in mode if that was the mode I was using before the power went out?

Thanks!
CarolynM

[KdLaneJr]

UPS --> Uninterruptible Power Supply

[CarolynM]

Originally Posted by KdLaneJr

UPS --> Uninterruptible Power Supply

Okay, thanks! Is that something like a back up generator? Generators are expensive, so how much does a UPS cost? Where do I go to purchase it?

CarolynM

[KdLaneJr]

The maha charger goes through its own start up cycle everytime you plug it in. You can think of it like the POST(power on self test) that you computer does everytime it is booted up. If you lose power during the break in cycle I would expect it to default to its charge mode at 1000 mah after its self test, but not having tested that theory can't tell you exactly what it will do.

I have a couple 8 slot rayovac chargers(nimh/nicad) that are supposed to be capable of charging up my powerex AA's. I know I've used them successfully since 2003 with some generic nimh AA's. I bought two of the Maha 4 slot chargers so I would be able to charge 8 cells on a smarter charger.
While the break-in cycle of the maha charger is definitely long, it provides data at the end of the cycle that is invaluable. Specifically.., It will tell you the exact Mah rating of each battery when it is done with the break in cycle. This is of significant benefit as it allows you to put your batteries in optimum sets. This also will show you when one of your batteries is declining in performance as long as you use the "refresh analyze" cycle periodically on each set of batteries.

[KdLaneJr]

An UPS unit has a battery inside coupled to a battery charger/power inverter. You plug it in to your house ac and plug your loads into the unit. It's designed to sense a loss of power from the wall and keep your load from feeling that loss of power. They come in various sizes. Prices rise quickly as capabilities increase. The goal is to give you time to save your work and shutdown your computer before the battery in the UPS gives out. Some models also condition the power coming from your house ac by filtering out voltage spikes and kicking in some voltage when the line voltage drops.

APS is a common brand name. Tripplite is another.

You should be able to find them at Office Depot, Office Max, Best Buy, Fry's and similar stores that carry computer gear.

[CarolynM]

Okay, thanks everyone for helping me to understand better!
CarolynM

[Cope]

Originally Posted by CarolynM

Okay, thanks! Is that something like a back up generator? Generators are expensive, so how much does a UPS cost? Where do I go to purchase it?

CarolynM

Sam's Club sells the APC brand in several sizes, all for under $100.00. We have had afternoon/early evening power outages several times this week, but my monitor never as much as flickers. I bought a middle of the road unit, the Model 600.

[KaiserM715]

Originally Posted by CarolynM

QUESTION: For rechargeable batteries that you use on a regular basis, do you ALWAYS discharge them before you start the charging process? Or do you only charge those batteries each time? Or do you alternate and discharge before charging every other time?

Carolyn-

I use Sony 2500 mAh NiMH AA batteries, with the included Sony charger, for my Xbox 360 controllers (not photo related, sorry). I refresh (as Sony calls it) them about every 3 - 4 charges. The refresh cycle is a complete discharge and recharge (if I recall correctly). The batteries are about a year and a half old and my runtime with them has been pretty consistent. I have one set I keep in use and the other set gets charged or refreshed and tossed in a drawer until needed. Granted, this application is probably not as hard on batteries as photography.