12 replies to this topic

[joez2391]

Just picked up a pair of Sea & Sea YS-110a's but after some searching on the internet I know to buy Eneloop rechargeable batteries but I was confused with which power to pick up, I don't want to burn out the strobes or not maximize power output and recycle time.  Sorry if this has been asked before I just couldn't find it.  Thanks for the help!

[thetrickster]

Don't get hung up on trying to use/find Eneloop. Most of the newer rechargeable batteries now use the same/similar technology.

 

I did the the same last year (trying to find Eneloop!)

 

After researching, I found out that the Energizer Recharge Power Plus (http://www.energizer...er-plus-aa.aspx) batteries are better, same tech and last longer.

 

The key difference these days, is that they can hold their charge for up to a year, where as the older type couldn't.

 

These Energizers can be found almost everywhere.

[Interceptor121]

It is not possible to burn a strobe with the wrong batteries as the delivered voltage is the same

What changes is the capacity. I use Ansmann 2500 mAh, eneloop X are also available at same capacity

The energiser batteries trickster mentions are 2300 mAh

Generally the more mAh the better however not always declared values correspond to real values

[joez2391]

awesome thanks so much for the help! I'm not really an electrical person and I probably would've ended up with the wrong power and fried my strobes haha.  I'll head out later and look for the Energizers, cant tell you how much easier this makes this and I don't have to wait for them to come in the mail  

[diverdoug1]

I have used the Eneloop 2000mAh with my D1 strobes and they work well!

[joez2391]

good to know the 2000mAh work as well! I think I'm going to try the energizer ones for now and switch to the Eneloops if I'm not happy with the performance of the energizers

[Gudge]

Do you really need the extra capacity of 2500mAh?  I looked into the 2500mAh version when they first came out.  Sanyo are claiming on 500 life cycles (ie charging cycles) for the 2500mAh version versus 1800 for the 2000mAh version.  The 2000mAh version had more than enough capacity for three to four dives a day with my Inon Z240 so I figured why pay more for capacity I didn't need and much lower overall battery life based on how many times they can be charged.

[Interceptor121]

Generally speaking batteries die after a give time regardless of charging cycles
Unless you are a pro you are better off with the highest capacity as the batteries will be dead before you hit the charging limit. I use my strobe batteries for other tasks and have to throw them away after a few years regardless of how many charges I did

Edited by Interceptor121, 13 March 2014 - 07:18 AM.

[leepix]

It is not possible to burn a strobe with the wrong batteries as the delivered voltage is the same

What changes is the capacity. I use Ansmann 2500 mAh, eneloop X are also available at same capacity

The energiser batteries trickster mentions are 2300 mAh

Generally the more mAh the better however not always declared values correspond to real values

The INON manual says which battey types can be used, starting with Eneloops and equivalent "next generation" type NIMH,  other (good quality) NIMH, akalines and lithium.  then goes on to talk about high temperature, and voltage lost over time plus discharge rate.  I have successfully used Eneloops 2100 mah and lithiums non-rechargeable.

[Interceptor121]

The INON manual says which battey types can be used, starting with Eneloops and equivalent "next generation" type NIMH,  other (good quality) NIMH, akalines and lithium.  then goes on to talk about high temperature, and voltage lost over time plus discharge rate.  I have successfully used Eneloops 2100 mah and lithiums non-rechargeable.

Inon are very specific with their documentation, I proud myself of having read the whole z240 manual

 

Bad batteries especially Li-Ion can overheat and catch fire regardless of capacity

[mcliffy2]

I also use the Ansmann 2500 mAh for S&S 110a strobes -- they work great.  Just bought mine from Amazon: http://www.amazon.co...nsmann 2500 mAh

[Erbster]

I have sets of both the white 1800mAh and the black 2500mAh cells in my Inon Z-240s. They both last at least 4 dives for me. My intelligent charger often reports delivering over 2000mAh to the white ones if I run them flat (I usually change the batteries before they go flat). I bought lots of sets, because I use them in lots of other devices, as others have suggested.

[Interceptor121]

In theory you should never run flat this type of battery so even if the batteries can do say 4 dives you should replace at 3.

I use a multiplier of declared spec say it is 200 full power cycles i go for 300 so when I get to 300 shots (don't go there to count if strobe or not) i replace them

In some instances (lots of shots at full power) i halve this time

There is nothing more annoying to be in water with a strobe and a set of dead batteries!!!