Energizer E2 15 min Battery Charger

[The Critic]

Thinking about picking up an Energizer 15 min Battery Charger for $30. It comes with four 2500mAh batteries (AA size). My current Canon PowerShot A570IS is destroying my generic 2300mAh batteries (several years old); I'm only getting 10-20 shots out of them, they must be at the end of their lifecycle.

Am I better off buying the Energizer 15 min one for $30 (four batteries included) or should I buy the slow charger? The slow charger is also an Energizer but comes with eight 2500mAh batteries as well as four AAA rechargeables for $26 total.

Thanks

 

[oilyriser]

also clean the camera's battery contacts

 

[Al]

I have the Duracell 2650's. The enigizers didn't hold up well. I use them for backups while i charge the other's. I think the conventional charger with 8 batters might be the way to go. But who knows.

Olyriser might have a point. Maybe that's a problem with my old ones dying.

 

[drm7]

I think Critic's camera is brand new if I remember a previous thread plus I think the A570 just hit the streets a few weeks ago. I've heard that the energizer batteries aren't as good as others. My brother follows camera forums and said people like PowerEx at Thomas Distributing. Also, people like the Maha chargers. I have 2 Maha chargers but I don't use them a lot. I have Lion cameras now.

Maha charger:
http://www.thomas-distributing.com/maha-powerex-mh-c204w-nimh-battery-charger.htm

PowerEx batteries:
http://www.thomas-distributing.com/maha_2700_rechargeable_batteries.php

 

[surfstar]

If you're going to spend that much on some rechargeables, get some Eneloops or Rayovac Hybrids. My Duracell 2650s will drain in 2-3 weeks of no use after a full charge. These "new" batts hold their charge in storage much longer.

 

[eljefino]

I like the idea that with a 15 minute charger one can pick a booth at McDonalds, with an outlet for the floor buffer, eat a happy meal, and borrow enough electrons to take tons more pictures.

 

[Crashbox]

The fast chargers- while convenient- are very tough on the battery chemistry and will shorten the useful life of same. Slower chargers are much more battery-friendly.

I also have a Maha second-generation charger; it's great 'cause you can charge just about any small-to-medium NiCd, NiMH or Li-Ion battery regardless of dimensions.

Just my 0.02-

 

[Carbonics]

I have the radio shack 15 minute one, works great - I would go for the 15 minute one personally.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Quote:

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The fast chargers- while convenient- are very tough on the battery chemistry and will shorten the useful life of same. Slower chargers are much more battery-friendly.

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That's what I've read too, although it was some years ago, so I don't know if the technology has improved since then. From personal experience, I have a Rayovac 1 hour charger, and noticed that while charging, the batteries get very hot. My sister has a 12 hour charger where batteries don't get hot at all. Not sure if that means anything for how stressed the batteries get. On the other hand, I think I'd rather put up with shorter useful battery life than having to wait 12 hours for my batteries to charge...

Also, I found that the 2000mAh, 2300mAh, 2500mAh versions of Energizer NiMh batteries didn't last any longer than the older Energizer 1800mAh ones, even though they took longer to recharge. Maybe my charger can't handle higher capacity batteries?

 

[ekpolk]

Yep, my 15 min charger, use now discontinued, killed my three sets of Energizer rechargeables very quickly. I bought some more, but found that they died very quickly, even over short periods of non-use (in or out of the camera). I now have some Duracell NiMH 2650s (and one set of a brand I can't recall at the moment), slow charged only, much better results. I have the fast charger still, figuring I can use it if I encountered some picture-taking emergency (what -- a saucer full of beautiful naked aliens might soon land in my back yard???). Go with the slow charger unless you really need fast, and try something other than the Energizers.

 

[Al]

Quote:

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I found that the 2000mAh, 2300mAh, 2500mAh versions of Energizer NiMh batteries didn't last any longer than the older Energizer 1800mAh ones,

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My 2650mAh lastes orders of magnitudes longer than Radio Shack 1600 mAh

 

[The Critic]

$26.32 + tax at Sam's Club, deal or no deal guys?

 

[Al]

That is a good deal. The enigizers did not last though for me. Its a good enough deal though to try. I just may have had bad luck. And even if they don't last that well, you will know the next time. And you will have the charger for free.

 

[Carbonics]

http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pRS1C-2266692w345.jpg

$5.97 for a 4 pack at radio shack, can't find the charger...

Lightning-quick charges.

Powered by revolutionary technology, these rechargeable "AAA" batteries charge in just 15 minutes with the help of the I-C3 charger. The high-power capabilities provide longer-lasting results and make them ideal for high-tech devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players, PDAs, handheld video games and more.


Rechargeable "AAA" batteries charge in just 15 minutes with the I-C3 charger (charger not included)

Batteries charge in any other Ni-MH charger, but at a slower speed

High-power capabilities provide long-lasting results

Can be recharged up to 1,000 times

1.2V/800mAh Ni-MH chemistry

only 1.2v? can't say they last any less than regular batteries, have easily recharged them over 200 times - lasts for about a week in the digital camera, but that doesn't mean anything since no one uses a camera 24/7

 

[Al]

Quote:

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$5.97 for a 4 pack at radio shack, can't find the charger...

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The ones I bought at Radio Shack were only 1500 mAH. Thats useless for cameras. Hopefully they are higher now. 2500mAH is minimum for cameras.

 

[The Critic]

BOUGHT IT! $28.XX out the door from the Sam's Club.

I've been charging the first four AA batteries for the past 2hr 45 min, and they are barely even warm. I should have all eight charged up before my trip to Santa Cruz on Tuesday.

Off-topic, but I spotted a Energizer 75 Auto Battery there with a 36 mo free replacement warranty, 720CCA, for $45. What a steal...

 

[ekpolk]

Mike:

If I may make a recommendation, try a set of Dynex AA rechargeable. Currently, I have a rotation of three sets (all NiMH), one Duracell 2650, one DC 2500, and one Dynex 2000. For whatever inexplicable reason, I'm getting absolutely phenomenal endurance out of the "lower" capacity Dynexes. The Duracells are good too, far better than my last sets of Energizers, just not as good as the "lowly" 2k Dynexes. I'm still using the Energizer slow chargers though (good call staying away from the fast charger).

 

[JHZR2]

OT: Interesting that the packge is in English and French, not English and Spanish, which is the norm on most everything these days...

JMH

 

[Master ACiD]

those super quick chargers are hard on batteries, and they wont fully charge a battery in 15 mins. they will typically 80-80% a battery in 15 mins, but at the expense of a greatly reduced battery life.

as an alternative, just grab a dozen new batteries and keep them in banks. for instance, my camera takes 4 aa's. so i have a set of 4 with a 1 on them. a set of 4 with a 2 on them, and a set with a 3 on them.
this way when i am in the field i awalys know which ones are fully charged and which are empty because i awalys start the day on my #1 set.

also because i have a slow-medium rate charger that takes about 2 hours to top off a set of 4 2250mah, i have enough batteries that i can continously trade out dead packs for fresh with the charger.