Sanyo has been releasing a lot of cool NiMH AA batteries for the past couple of years, and they have been revising the Eneloop line, releasing even more versions to confuse the consumers. I have done some research and summarise the differences of these AA cells. 1. Eneloop (rated 1000 recharges, 2000mAh) 2. Eneloop (rated 1500 recharges, 2000mAh) 3. Eneloop XX (rated 500 recharges), increase capacity to 2500mAh, sold in most countries 4. Eneloop Harmolattice (rated 500 recharges), very similar to XX, different packaging, sold in many Asian countries 5. Eneloop Lite (rated 2000 recharges), capacity reduced to 1000mAh These are for AAA cells. No XX or Harmolattice versions are not released for AAA. 1. Eneloop (rated 1000 recharges, 800mAh) 2. Eneloop (rated 1500 recharges, 800mAh) 3. Eneloop Lite (rated 2000 recharges), capacity reduced to 600mAh When Adrian posted in his FB wall about Harmolattice version, I posted my opinion about them. I have tons of 1st version of Eneloop, both AA and AAA. They have extremely good lifespan, and they hold charges extremely well too. So instead of buying more standard versions, I decided to buy some XX and lite versions, for different purposes. XX is rated at 500mAh more than the standard Eneloop, but it has shorter lifespan. Since none of my batteries have been recharged more than even 100 times, I guess XX is probably a better buy for my cell phone battery pack which runs on 4 AAs. They are also excellent for camera flashes if you are a heavy user. Lite version is completely opposite. I bought the AAA version for clocks, remote controls, or other low power devices. They are just RM20+ for 4 pieces, and it is only 25% lower than standard, unlike AA cells which is 50% lower than the standard.
You made a good point in that we are unlikely to actually recharge our batteries more than 500 times. I still have my first set of Eneloops and I don't think I've reached the century mark yet... although the rate my son's going with his toys, things could change real fast! Then again, except for Ryan's toys, I haven't really "run out of power" with my 2000 mAh Eneloops just yet. I'm not sure if the 2500 mAh Harmolattice batteries can really deliver 25% more battery capacity than the Eneloops. Chai, what was your experience like? Close to 25%? Interesting idea. I didn't think of getting the Lite version for AAA. How often do you recharge the ones you use for the TV remote? BTW, I "invested" in D-sized adaptors so I can use my Eneloops in devices that require D-sized batteries. No idea why they are so expensive though - they are just plastic adaptors!
Those Lite and XX batteries are still on the way. Haven't actually tested them. But many sites have test results of the XX, and it really stores about 25% more than the standard versions. I didn't get the Harmolattice since it is not sold in most countries and I have no clue how good or bad it is. Another thing about these batteries are, they are very reliable. If it has not reached the rated recharge cycles, you may probably be able to restore it by doing some recharge cycles. Especially if you use it in pairs, it may be caused by unbalanced charge. For example, cell A may be charged to 1.2V, but cell B is only charged to 1.0V even though the charger has stated it is fully charged. This can be a problem if the charger does not use individual circuits. I can't even remember when I recharged the TV or air con remotes. But they do last a long time.
There are quite a number of dealers selling Harmolattice here. I'm planning to get more batteries, but just not sure if I should go for Harmolattice or Eneloops. The Eneloop is cheaper at about RM 13 per piece. I think the Harmolattice batteries cost about RM 16 per piece.
I heard a lot of that Eneloop - I'm going to give them a try since they are good. Back then I used to have the Grandcell batteries. Unfortunately, they lasted for 50 charges before they got seriously busted!
You mean the Harmolattice? Quite a number of online camera shops offer them. They are even in Lelong and Groupon.
I got the real deal from here, instead of the Harmolattice. Harmolattice is not even mentioned in the Sanyo website. http://www.ebay.com.my/itm/Sanyo-XX...692681466?pt=US_Batteries&hash=item3f068a86fa Since this is quite a reputable vendor and sold more than 800+ for XX model only, I got it from here instead. Let me receive and give more feedback.
That's the funny thing, isn't it? I can't seem to find any official Sanyo references to Harmolattice. Is it a genuine product?
This is why I bought the XX instead. At least it's official, and it's much cheaper, almost the same price as the standard Eneloop.
Same charger will work fine, just like any other NiMH AA batteries. In fact, I don't use Eneloop chargers.
These are the batteries that I bought from Korea! Less likely to be fake I hope! Got it from Evilbay. But the Eneloop lite is not the 2000 recharge cycle version. So hopefully they will resend me the correct version for free!
Yeah. The first version of the Eneloop lite only has 1000 recharge cycle. While the new version has 2000.
I bought a Powerex MH-C9000 battery analyser. And I found some interesting results. I have quite a number of different Eneloop batteries. My older batch can only hold charge of just around 1500mAh, while the newer batch can still hold around 1800-1900mAh which is pretty close to the rated. I will try to analyse the newer Eneloop XX and the AAA batteries.
But it has to charge-discharge-recharge to analyse the battery, so it will take up to 10 hours... It can also refresh your battery if it is 'dead'.
