Yes, it isn't very pleasant to think about that failure rate. I think Rayovac took their manufacturing to a Chinese ODM a few years ago. Having worked in the ODM space a few years, I can appreciate the trouble they would face with quality control. They'll probably take the ODM down with them though. Battery makers are large scale operations.
I had a pack built with those Sanyo industrial NMH AAs (qty 11). At 39WH, it's quite a pack. I kept the AA form factor to minimize weight for backpacking. D cells weigh about 170g, but AAs are around 26g. 73, matt W6NIA On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 14:55:35 -0700 (PDT), you wrote: >Matt, > >That would explain why, on the Yahoo Group, we were seeing complaints of a >cell or two out of eight, failing right out of the box!!! I was amazed at >that. > >FYI, All Electronics sells a Tenergy cell that is a D size cell with a >capacity of 10,000 maH: > >http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/NMH-D/NIMH-RECHARGEABLE-D-CELL-10-000MAH/1.html > > >I don't have one, but they do not appear to be AA cells in a D size >sleeve...not with that capacity! They won't fit in a KX3, but I had thought I >might build a tube of these as an external battery pack. Unfortunately, I >don't think it would be much less expensive than a similar size pack of LiFePo >cells. I wouldn't have to buy the balanced charger, but would have to make up >a constant current charger myself...or else charge with a variable voltage >power supply while manually adjusting the voltage to keep the current >relatively constant. Makes the newer lithium technology look better and >better. > > >Now, if I could just get myself to trust Lithium technology enough to charge >them in my living room... > > >Mark >KE6BB >(Hoping someone can convince me). > > > > >________________________________ > From: Matt Zilmer <[email protected]> >To: Mark Petiford <[email protected]> >Cc: Elecraft Reflector <[email protected]> >Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 2:29 PM >Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Source of NiMH cells? > > >Hi Mark, > >You caught me in the middle a battery research project (day job) and I >found some dirt on Rayovac -literally-:ALK and NiMH both. Pretty >severe manufacturing issues, though the details about the >contamination weren't spelled out. No CPSC issues though, so they're >still in business. > >It got so bad that Rayovac has to put a banner on all retail blister >packs: "Lasts As Long As Duracell" or some such. > >Everyone seems pretty pleased with the Eneloops, so that's good. I >used them on the KX3 for a while, then ran a few tests and ended up >with Tenergy Premium. To each his own! > >73, >matt W6NIA > >On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 14:13:40 -0700 (PDT), you wrote: > >>Correct, Matt. I am actually running Panasonic HHR210AAB cells right now, >>which appear to be Enelooops with a different jacket, based on my research. >>We used them in my work, but only recharged them a few times, so I was able >>to get them cheap, and they work well. I have a lot of experience with >>Eneloop 2000 maH cells at home...probably a more severe environment than my >>work! They seem to be very forgiving so long as you don't discharge them >>below 0.9 volts per cell. >> >>I think early this year, we were seeing a lot of out of the box "infant >>mortality" with the Rayovac rechargeable NiMH cells. Not sure if that is >>still a problem. >> >>Mark >>KE6BB >> >> >> >> >>________________________________ >> From: Matt Zilmer <[email protected]> >>To: Mark Petiford <[email protected]> >>Cc: Rose <[email protected]>; Elecraft Reflector >><[email protected]> >>Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 12:51 PM >>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Source of NiMH cells? >> >> >>Just to be clear, there are Sanyo's Eneloops out there at retail, but >>also a line of Sanyo commercial cells generally sold only as OEM >>product. I had a 14.8V pack built from the latter: 39 WH - so good >>for several days of KX3 CW ops. >> >>73, >>matt W6NIA >> >>On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 12:43:07 -0700, you wrote: >> >>>The Sanyo's are also known as Eneloops. Be sure to get 2000mah or higher >>>capacity cells. >>> >>>Mark >>>KE6BB >>> >>>Sent from my iThingie. >>> >>>On Jun 27, 2013, at 11:56 AM, Matt Zilmer <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Sanyo, Tenergy, Powerex, Imedion, Panasonic, etc. >>>> >>>> matt W6NIA >>>> >>>> On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 18:51:22 +0000, you wrote: >>>> >>>>> I'm guilty of not paying much attention to reflector >>>>> chatter concerning batteries, as I didn't expect to >>>>> need any. (:-) >>>>> >>>>> Now I have a new KX3 (S/N 4437) and find I need >>>>> a set to keep the clock running when it's off 12V. >>>>> >>>>> Who's a good source? >>>>> >>>>> 73! >>>>> >>>>> Ken - K0PP >>>>> [email protected] >>>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>>> Elecraft mailing list >>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>>> Post: mailto:[email protected] >>>>> >>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>> Elecraft mailing list >>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>> Post: mailto:[email protected] >>>> >>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>______________________________________________________________ >>Elecraft mailing list >>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>Post: mailto:[email protected] >> >>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
