Sanyo Eneloop Rechargeable Batteries
Digital camera enthusiasts are all too familiar with the “replace batteries” sign that pops out on the screen at the most inopportune moments. Many point and shoot cameras such as my Canon Powershot A 610 and Wuan’s Canon A95 uses four AA batteries. We opted for the rechargeable AA batteries. Nickel-metal hydride rechargeable batteries or more commonly known by it abbreviation NiMH are not exactly cheap but are cost efficient in the long run as they can be recharged up to 500 times. We have been using Sanyo NiMH because it is one of the more reliable brand of rechargeable batteries available.
Although NiMH is said to last 500 recharging cycles, that is usually not the case. Ours would usually die out at around 300 cycles. The one thing I dislike about NiMH is that it self discharges over a period of time. A single charge will last between three to seven days. We have to remember to charge the batteries one day before we need to use it. Most times we forget. That is one of the reasons why I have a spare set of alkaline batteries in my knapsack at all times.
A set of four fully-charged 2700 mAh NiMH will provide enough power to shoot 200 to 300 shots with 50% flash usage and zoom. The 2700 mAh batteries are supposed to hold the charge longer. I have progressively used 1800 mAh, 2100 mAh, 2300 mAh and 2700 mAh since I first stared using a digital camera in 2003. All have been Sanyo NiMH.
When I was in Tokyo, I first saw the Sanyo Eneloop batteries. The sales staff in his broken English told me that these batteries will last up to 1000 recharging cycles.The best thing was that they came fully charged. Normal NiMH batteries have to be charged first before they can be used. I was skeptical but bought a set anyway for Wuan and bought the Sanyo NC-MR58 refresh charge that came with four 2700 mAh NiMH betteries and another set of four 2700 mAh NiMH batteries.
The refresh function of the Sanyo NC-MR58 is supposedly to keep the lifespan of the batteries longer. This is achieved by the discharging the batteries first with the press of a button on the charger and then it will automatically recharge the batteries to full to prevent the memory effect that is prevalent with NiMH batteries. The memory effect prevents NiMH batteries from being fully charged.
The performance of the Eneloop batteries was tested to the full when Wuan and I went to Kota Kinabalu. I filled up my 512 Mb SD and a quarter of my 2 Gb micro SD over a period of four days without having to recharge the batteries. And it still had enough power for me to shoot occasionally over the next few weeks. Having been convrted to Eneloop, will never use the normal NiMH batteries again. The low self-discharge ability and the fast that it can last 1000 recharging cycles justifies its cost.
A set of four Eneloop batteries is currently selling for around RM67. Eneloop batteries are rated at 2000 mAh. I have seen them displayed at IT Hypermarket in Low Yat Plaza and Best Denki at 1-Utama. AAA size are avalable too. There is also a Eneloop charger set with two batteries. According to the sales staff I spoke to in Japan, the Eneloop batteries can be charged using the normal chargers. I have three of those already. Besides the Eneloop charger can only hold two batteries.
I have no qualms in recommending the Sanyo Eneloop batteries to digital camera enthusiasts and people who are looking for AA sized NiMH rechargeable batteries. It is reliable, gives the best bang for the buck and comes pre-charged. GP has also come out with its pre-charged NiMH batteries called the Recyko+. I do not know how good they are. I have never used that brand as I am happy with Sanyo. Perhaps when it is time to get another set of rechageable batteries, I will consider getting the GP Recyko+ just to see if it measures up to the Eneloop.
Related entry:
Sanyo Chargers And Ni-MH Rechargeable Batteries
Peer Counseling Workshop 2007 Malaysia
The week that just passed was a hectic one. Wuan accompanied me to the Peer Counseling Workshop at Institut Latihan Majlis Kebajikan dan Pembangunan Masyarakat Kebangsaan Malaysia (MAKPEM) in Sentul. This workshop was organised by Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Malaysia (JKMM) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The workshop began on Monday and ended on Thursday. I was only able to attend the workshop from Tuesday onwards as Wuan was not around. She went back to Ipoh for a short holiday.
It was good meeting Hiroko Akiyama and Aiko Tsutsumi again. They were invited a resource persons for the workshop. Hiro and Aichan, as they would prefer to be known, were here in 2005 to conduct the Independent Living Workshop. Hiro and I have met several times in Tokyo, Bangkok and here in Malaysia for related activities. This was Aichan’s second trip to Malaysia.
When I was in Tokyo, Aichan had taken me to the Odakyu Department Store in Shinjuku to purchase a pair of adaptive chopsticks called the hashizokun. It was already worn out and I needed another pair desperately to enjoy my bak kut teh and noodles. When Adriene was back for a holiday recently, I had asked her to get another pair for me. Adriene is currently pursuing her post-graduate studies at the Sophia University in Tokyo.
After much coordinating between Hata, AiChan and Adriene in Tokyo, I finally got a new pair of hashizokun that Adriene managed to buy and passed through Aichan to me. Adriene also got me 2 sets of 4 Sanyo Eneloop batteries each. I just realised that these batteries are available in Malaysia already although much more expensive as compared to the price in Japan.
The workshop was also a good opportunity to catch up with the latest from friends from Malaysia that I seldom get the opportunity to meet like Siti, Elaine and Say Leng, and also make new friends. Although I was one of the local resource persons and conducted one of the sessions, it was still a learning process for me just like some of the newcomers. There is much to learn about Independent Living and Peer Counseling.
The dream of setting up a Centre for Independent Living in Malaysia has not materialised yet. Unfortunately JICA’s 3-year programme for Independent Living here will conclude by the middle of next year. There is an urgent need now to tap into JICA’s resources to realise this dream of liberating severely disabled Malaysians as the programme enters into the final phase. Can we make it before the programme ends? All I can say is that I will try my level best. The rest, I leave it up to God to show me the way.
Tags: Sanyo Eneloop
Sanyo Chargers And Ni-MH Rechargeable Batteries
Among my prized acquisitions from Tokyo was a set of Sanyo charger together with four rechargeable batteries and two packs of four rechargeable batteries each. These are all for use with Wuan’s and my digital cameras. I favour digital cameras using AA rechargeable batteries over those using proprietary battery packs for convenience’s sake. If the rechargeable batteries go flat, they can easily be replaced with widely available alkaline batteries.
Sanyo NC-MR58 Quick Charger with refresh and battery check functions.
The Sanyo NC-MR58 Quick Charger has a refresh and battery check function. The refresh function is for conditioning rechargeable batteries. It discharges and then automatically charges the batteries to its full capacity. Each battery is individually charged. The charger came with four Sanyo (HR-3UG) 2700mAh Ni-MH batteries.
Top L-R: Sanyo HR-3U 2500mAh, Panasonic ZR6XT Oxyride, Sanyo HR-3UG 2700mAh, Sanyo HR-3UTG Eneloop 2000mAh and Panasonic LR6T Alkalines.
I also bought one pack of four Sanyo 2700mAh Ni-Mh batteries and one pack of Sanyo Eneloop Ni-NH batteries. The Eneloop batteries are unique. They come fully charged and can be used out of the pack as opposed to normal Ni-MH batteries that needed to be charged before use. The other plus point about Eneloop batteries is that they can be recharged one thousand times whereas the normal Ni-Mh batteries can only last approximately four hundred charges. When I last checked, the charger and batteries were still not available in Malaysia.
L-R: Wuan’s Sanyo NC-MQH01, Sanyo NC-MQR02U and Sanyo NC-MR58.
Sanyo chargers and batteries are reliable. I have been using them for nearly as long as I have owned digital cameras. My first charger was the Sanyo NC-MQR02U Quick Charger. I used it to charge two Sanyo 1800mAh Ni-MH batteries for my first digital camera, the Nikon 3100. The batteries did not last very long. I switched to 2100mAh and then 2500mAh.
Amazingly, the four 2500mAh used in my Canon A610 lasted over two hundred shots on a single charge. I had used the A610 extensively when I was in Tokyo and Bangkok with the 2500mAh and did not miss a single shot due to flat batteries. Now, I am itching to test the other batteries that are in my possession, namely the Sanyo Eneloop 2000mAh Ni-MH and Panasonic’s new generation disposable batteries called the Oxyride. Panasonic claimed that the Oxyride are good for 315 shots in the Panasonic DMC-LC43 digital camera as compared to 144 using Panasonic Alkaline Plus.
Tags: Sanyo Eneloop
Tokyo Tales – Day 9: Monday, January 23, 2006
The taxi ride from Hino to Hachioji is always a pleasure. The blue sky and the clean uncluttered road is such a difference from the usual we see back home. There are not many skyscrapers here. Along the way, Maejima-san, our JICA coordinator would explain to us the finer points of Japanese culture.
First session of the day, Alliance with PWD in Asia was conducted by Akiyama-san. The topic covered included solidarity and advocacy of the Independent Living movement in Seoul, Thailand, Pakistan and The Philippines. Through the work of JICA and the Human Care Association, this concept is being spread throughout Asia.
The name Shoji Nakanishi is synonymous with the Independent Living Movement in Japan and Asia. Therefore, it was a great privilege to listen to him speak on the history and current development of the movement. He spent two hours with us, sharing his strategies and vision in empowering people with disabilities towards self-determination.
Jun Morita, the Personal Assistant Coordinator for Human Care Association presented the last session. Recruitment, Interview and Training of PA was an interesting topic. This system is not available in Malaysia. However, with this service, people with severe disabilities will be able to achieve independent living. This is one of the services that we are exploring to adopt in Malaysia.
After the lectures, we went to withdraw our allowance from the bank. Dazzling neon lighted up the city like I have never seen before. We then went to Yodobashi Camera, one of the more popular chain stores in Tokyo. On display there were some of the latest digital cameras. I wanted to get some nickel metal hydride batteries. Instead, I acquired more than what I had planned to buy. The booty included a Sanyo Quick Charger with four 2700 mah batteries, another set of four 2700 mah batteries and four Eneloop batteries. I have not totalled up the damage yet as I handed the cashier Y10,000 and did not count the change.
Tags: Sanyo Eneloop
