After having depleted my battery stores replacing variousdevice batteries and Halloween decorations, I will need to stock up again for Christmas. In the past I was big on Duracell, but switched to Eveready a couple years ago. I appreciate that everyready never leak., but I have noticed in some devices they are draining faster than I would expect. They have have been steadily getting more expensive the last couple years. The last round was Interstate. I don't have an opinion on them yet. What are people impressions of AC Delco and Tenergy?
What size battery?? AA ?
Most everything Automation related use CR-123A and CR-2 in my home. Wireless keyboards and trackpads all use AA, as do the flashlights my kids use, I have locks that use AA and I'm using Duracell but that's because I get a 40 pack from Costco and Duracell is what I easily find there.
For CR-123A and CR-2, I've been using Panasonic Industrial. I've used Tenergy and a couple others in the past but the most recent restocking or two have been Panasonic Industrial.
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I have been getting the TENergy for the CR123A batteries and they seem to work good.
@csteele I read somewhere that the "Kirkland" batteries they sell right next to the Duracell at Costco are made at the same factory. Anyway, I usually get the Kirkland because I am a cheap a$$ and thy have been working fine for me.
I did get Duracell for the CR2032 in a big pack at Costco and they work good as long as you don't mind having to occasionally sand off the anti-baby bitter flavor stuff, depending on where the devices contact points are. It really does not taste good and lingers for hours, would not recommend trying it, I can for sure see a baby spitting it out right away.
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Yes, I should have been more clear. AA and AAA. Currently, I don't have much with the CR123s, I think just two of those. I Recently replaced both of them with Panasonic Industrial LiOn. Most everything else is either AA, CR2032 or CR2450. For the latter two, I buy Panasonic or Riata from Digi-Key.
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For AA I found the chart below. It still has too high a drain to be representative of the HA usage but it is relative for other batteries.
As for Duracell / Costco; They've ruined so many of my electrical devices that I will not use them even if given for free.
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Generally good products. I've been buying Panasonic Industrial CR123A of late, but I'm down to only 1 device (a Ring version 1 contact sensor) that needs this battery. It's been lasting forever on Hubitat, wheas it would die every three weeks when joined to the Ring Alarm hub, even with the Ring repeater just 5 feet away from the sensor and 10 feet from the Ring hub.
For AA I invested in Tenergy AA Rechargeable NIMH Battery 2000mAh Pre-Charged and Tenergy Premium Rechargeable AAA Batteries, High Capacity 1000mAh. No more alkalines for me unless absolutely necessary. Just don't like the massive polution associated with them.
Only non-rechargeable AA I use are Energizer L91SBP Ultimate Lithium AA for our Nest Protect. Just had to replace them in two of our detectors. I have pathlight on the Low setting enabled on them, and those two are in high traffic areas, so replacement time is roughly every three years. Not much choice there, since the detector needs to see that 1.5 volts, so recharageable doesn't cut it. Expensive, but required and I'm a Nest Protect fan for many reasons, so I'll accept the associated cost with minimal complaining.
One additonal note, is that I will use just about any alkaline when I absolutely have to, but not Duracell. They are not like they were when I was a kid, and they have leaked on me every single time I've used them. They're permanently on the Do Not Buy list. Kirkland also have a tendency to leak. Energizer alkaline, or any of the Japanese brands seem to be very good at not leaking.
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I use Procell Intense or Procell Constant for AA or AAA. However, in my Yale Assure2, my Procell Intense batteries died after only 4 months which didn't seem long enough. I just replaced them with some new batteries I'm trying cause they were cheap and highly rated: Uline Ultra. So far they're doing well in my Yale lock.
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Curious, have you had any issues with the AA (or AAA) cells discharging on the shelf? One reason I stick with Alkalines is the expectation that in emergency they will be there ready to power my flashlight etc. I realize this is not HA related.
UPDATE
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There's that, but the Tenergy seem to be very good at holding their charge. Better than my experience with the older Panasonic Eneloop. Maybe the Eneloop pro perform better, but their too expensive.
I have an MBT-1 battery tester that can specifically test Ni-MH battery types under load, and it confirms these are keeping their charge well. However, probably the longest I've left any without a charge is 3 months. My wife likes the led flicker candles, so we have those all over the house. We cycle our batteries pretty regularly.
The Tenergy AA Rechargeable NIMH Battery 2000mAh Pre-Charged seem to last about 3-4 months in our door locks. Good enough for me.
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I'm guessing Energizer is using their own Ni-MH batteries for comparison in that chart. I've tried their rechagables and I was not impressed. Their overall life was poor and all of them have since been recycled after just two years of use. Most of the Enloops lasted about 8-10 years. I'm down to just a few of those remaining. Too early to know the longevity of the Tenergy AA Rechargeable NIMH Battery 2000mAh Pre-Charged, but the first set I bought 2 years ago are still going strong. I don't notice any faster discharge from them, but they do get mixed up with the new ones I bought last year, so it's difficult to know for sure.
Energizer L91SBP Ultimate Lithium AA are good, no question. For critical emergency batteries or saftey alarms like the Nest Protect that use them, they're a good product.
I don't really worry about batteries for emergency lights anymore. I have a Makita flashlight that uses my 4Ah batteries and I've got four of those, and two 1.5 Ah batteries for my tools, our lawnmover and a stick vac. There's always at least 4 out of the 6 batteries that are fully charged, and the Makita batteries have a very low self-discharge rate. Additionally, we are very lucky to own an electric vehicle that has V2L capabiliity, so in a power outage we have a full 15A outlet at our disposal to run appliances and charge batteries. Same as a small gas generator, but longer run time, no noise, and no fuel or maintinance requirement.
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I only use Energizer Ultimate Lithium in stuff now. Like @SmartHomePrimer above, I will not use Duracell anymore. They're definitely not the Duracell we grew up with. I've had so many of them leak, that I'd rather plunk down the money and buy something I don't have to worry about. The lithiums last quite a long time and perform well in the cold, but because of their discharge curve, when they're done they're pretty much done without warning.
The other thing I've started doing is writing the date with a Sharpie right on the battery when I put them in something.
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I'll add my two cents as well. Regarding Duracell... I won't use them any more. Just too many issues with short life and (worse yet) leakage. Lately I've been buying Energizer Industrial for AA and AAA, and they seem to work well. Have used the Panasonic CR-123s for different applications and they seem OK for the price. I also use Panasonic for button batteries, and they seem OK as well (although I have one remote for my Mazda that seems to eat batteries, no matter what brand).
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I've moved to all Panasonic for my alkaline and CRx lithium needs. No leakage on the alkalines (I've been bit by Duracell, too.) and good life on both the alkalines and lithiums.
I buy them at a good price from Mouser. I make bulk purchases a couple times per year. AAs delivered to my door for ~$0.40.
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So what you all are saying is that with better batteries you don't have to worry about leaving them in an inactive device for too long and having them leak? I have had batteries leak before but usually its only if it sits idle for a long time, like a seasonal item. So I always make sure to remove all of those batteries when not in use. I have not seen Duracell or Kirkland batteries leak in an active device.
Or are people getting leaks in active devices, because that would be really annoying.
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I have had the same experience as many others with Duracells leaking, That was why I had switched to Rayovacs.
I've had Duracell's leak while still being able to power a device. Last one was a tapewriter, it corroded one battery contact so much it just fell off. And even if it does work after having a leaker, the plating is gone so you end up rapping the flashlight to make it light.
What about rechargeable lithium AA and AAA I use these now for work and my stuff, seem to work very well.
I'm not opposed to rechargeable, I looked at Eneloop previously. I may well have been overthinking it, but the cost of acquisition and tracking the number of charge cycles made it feel like a bigger hassle than it was worth. If I go that route, is there a charger one would tend to recommend? My other concern was with "seasonal batteries" for my wife's holiday decorations. dealing with batteries that may only be partially discharged at the end of the season.
I found a brand called hixon on Amazon it comes with a USB charger. Low power things they seem to work really well on for stuff that requires more pull at times they drain quick but then they only take a hour or so to charge. I just keep a spare pack in my work bag for my remote. The devices I have used them on work better than with alkalines because they are 100% to 0% rather than dropping for ages.
The only issue is most device use that drop to let you know the % of the battery.
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I get the initial upfront cost comment. However, I am not sure what you mean by ‘tracking the number of charge cycles’???
I have been using Eneloop rechargeable AA and AAA batteries for around 20 years. They have always worked great, and have saved a ton of money, especially when the kids were young and playing Xbox and Nintendo console games.
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