Rechargeable batteries draining without use

I have a few eneloop pro rechargeable batteries in both AA and AAA.

While using them in the devices I do, they are great and I seem to get expected use from them.
I always have spare ones charged using a quad nitecore charger.

If I have not used the spares for a couple weeks I put them on the charger to top them up before use. When I put them on they seem to be drained a fair bit going by the indicator on the charger.
They can take around 2 hours to top back up.

Is that normal or do I have some duds?
It happens with both AA and AAA

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1% per week drain is normal for rechargeables. anything more then its a dud

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Originally Posted by gonetropo

1% per week drain is normal for rechargeables. anything more then its a dud

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Thanks. Definitely having more than 1% drain.
If it was just one set I wouldn't have worried.

Strange however that I get the same runtime in my devices that others seem to with the same device.


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eneloops are generally ok.
i suggest batterycell in wellington for good rechargeable or battermasta in christchuch

Can get lsd (not that type) limited self discharge ones, they reckon they will drop to 80% but no lower

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Originally Posted by berg243

are you leaving them in the charger with it turned off once charged? years ago there used to be available plastic battery cases for storing batteries so they couldn't discharge through contact with any metal.wondering if you putting them somewhere with a bit off moisture or enough metal contact for them to start leaking charge as you say you get the run time from them.

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No. Charger is constantly in use with other batteries.

I have little plastic tub I store the batteries in when charged.
Doubt moisture is an issue as well.
I will try some things to see if I can improve on the discharge.


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Originally Posted by R93

I have a few eneloop pro rechargeable batteries in both AA and AAA.

While using them in the devices I do, they are great and I seem to get expected use from them.
I always have spare ones charged using a quad nitecore charger.

If I have not used the spares for a couple weeks I put them on the charger to top them up before use. When I put them on they seem to be drained a fair bit going by the indicator on the charger.
They can take around 2 hours to top back up.

Is that normal or do I have some duds?
It happens with both AA and AAA

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http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/a...self_discharge

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Originally Posted by stretch

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/a...self_discharge

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I think heat might have to do with my issue.
Been like an oven for weeks in our garage.

I will do some testing and see what happens.

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My Eneloop Pro rechargeable batteries (the Black ones) I not very happy with them
In my Trail Cams - even though I now use 6v Gels - I still have 8 AA in also.
The Trail Cams show 75% immediately they installed and I also see they appear to be self draining when stored in proper 8 pack plastic holder
When charging now - I swap them around in the charger after the charger shows Full - they then keep charging more and leave on till charger is cold.

I was buying Lithium AA out of Germany at approx 40% of cost here - but last lot every 2nd pack of 4 was a dud - so thats when I went to the 6V Gels in Cams - got to expensive.
There are a lot of clone/fake product floating around these online sites like TM and EBay

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Originally Posted by Sarvo

My Eneloop Pro rechargeable batteries (the Black ones) I not very happy with them
In my Trail Cams - even though I now use 6v Gels - I still have 8 AA in also.
The Trail Cams show 75% immediately they installed and I also see they appear to be self draining when stored in proper 8 pack plastic holder
When charging now - I swap them around in the charger after the charger shows Full - they then keep charging more and leave on till charger is cold.

I was buying Lithium AA out of Germany at approx 40% of cost here - but last lot every 2nd pack of 4 was a dud - so thats when I went to the 6V Gels in Cams - got to expensive.
There are a lot of clone/fake product floating around these online sites like TM and EBay

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Interesting. I have the black eneloop and they are the same. I will try swapping them around in the charger and see what happens.

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Keep in mind the eneloop pros are 1.2 v and read 1.4 on the meter when fully charged and the likes of the energizer liths are 1.5v and show well over 1.6 when new. I just checked some pros that have been sitting for a few weeks they show 1.37v average over 6 batts so a small drop but not bad for rechargeables.

Add: the pros are rated at 2450mah and IIRC the lith ultimate are 3000?

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Originally Posted by sneeze

Keep in mind the eneloop pros are 1.2 v and read 1.4 on the meter when fully charged and the likes of the energizer liths are 1.5v and show well over 1.6 when new. I just checked some pros that have been sitting for a few weeks they show 1.37v average over 6 batts so a small drop but not bad for rechargeables.

Add: the pros are rated at 2450mah and IIRC the lith ultimate are 3000?

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Yes - you a 100% correct
The Lithium batts show 1.6 - 1.7 and the Eneloop Pros show 1.2 - 1.3
I still put it down to 50/50 on what you buy these days online - I do know the Eneloop Pro are the best - but source of supply determines the product quality and genuine origin etc

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Originally Posted by R93

Interesting. I have the black eneloop and they are the same. I will try swapping them around in the charger and see what happens.

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Ok so I just put some fully charged units back in the nightcorefor a trial top up , resulted in no voltage gain at all.

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Originally Posted by sneeze

Ok so I just put some fully charged units back in the nightcorefor a trial top up , resulted in no voltage gain at all.

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I charged some today. Left them out for the day and put them back in. They started to charge but were at 1.44 volts.

Have stored some away and will put them in the charger next week for a bit of a test.

I use the AAA in my muffs. They went flat in a few weeks with intermittent usage.

Plenty good enough if I remember to charge them every now and then.

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Are you measuring these with the volt reader on the charger or using an actual multimeter? Your charger may be incorrect - would be interesting to compare them


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Originally Posted by Smiddy

Are you measuring these with the volt reader on the charger or using an actual multimeter? Your charger may be incorrect - would be interesting to compare them


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Just on the charger mate. I will compare with a multimeter as well next time the charger shows a big drop.

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Measuring resting voltage of cells is a minefield. It's what they do under load that matters. By the time the resting voltage has dropped measureably, they've probably lost most of their capacity.

Another issue is making sure you're comparing apples with apples. Lithiums generally lose very little charge over time compared to say old NiCds. My Bosch cordless drill lithiums sit for months and months and seem to lose bugger-all. The old NiCds from years back were noticeably down after two months.

I'd advise basing comparisons between cells on actual run-time rather than open-circuit voltage measurements before deciding which to throw out.

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Originally Posted by Puffin

I'd advise basing comparisons between cells on actual run-time rather than open-circuit voltage measurements before deciding which to throw out.

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They do seem to get a good/expected runtime when charged. So probably not worth worrying about.

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I’m having the same problem with the eneloop pro AA using a nightcore charger. If I let them sit between uses they seem to loose a lot of their charge. Been using them in my head torch and pretty much have to charge them before going out every time. If I don’t charge them between trips I notice significantly lower run time in both the battery in the head torch and the spare I carry round with it.


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Originally Posted by LittleDave

I’m having the same problem with the eneloop pro AA using a nightcore charger. If I let them sit between uses they seem to loose a lot of their charge. Been using them in my head torch and pretty much have to charge them before going out every time. If I don’t charge them between trips I notice significantly lower run time in both the battery in the head torch and the spare I carry round with it.


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Lithium batteries do lose charge. Unsure what the rates of loss are but I have to top mine up between use. I’m using the same as you
Is it a problem charging them before trips? If you charge them at least you have the peace of mind they are full

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Originally Posted by LittleDave

I’m having the same problem with the eneloop pro AA using a nightcore charger. If I let them sit between uses they seem to loose a lot of their charge. Been using them in my head torch and pretty much have to charge them before going out every time. If I don’t charge them between trips I notice significantly lower run time in both the battery in the head torch and the spare I carry round with it.


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Like @R93 - I also having issues with the Eneloop Pro's
I put it down to - there is a lot of crap (2nds) out there in the "online" marketplace

Can't prove - but I most deff have with Lithium AA's
Had 50% of one batch of 80 out of Germany were dud's

So I think in future I might buy from a Camera shop and if a problem take back - they generally source from Head Manufacturer - I hope ?? - maybe not

keep them in a sealed container in the fridge. cold slows down the discharge.

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Originally Posted by LOC

Lithium batteries do lose charge. Unsure what the rates of loss are but I have to top mine up between use. I’m using the same as you
Is it a problem charging them before trips? If you charge them at least you have the peace of mind they are full

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Yeah they seem to loose quite a lot of charge, I’m also not sure what the discharge rate is. It just feels like it shouldn’t be that bad, the nimh batteries I use are good for a lot longer. It isn’t much of a problem charging them but I’d imagine they have max amount of charges before they run out of life.


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