Rechargeable Batteries?

So with all the remotes we have around our houses, what rechargeable batteries do you use? I've been using regular batteries forever, and it's time to kick the habit and switch.
 
I'd like a nice charger that can charge a bunch at a time.
 
Amazon has a battery line that has a lot of great reviews, but also a lot of not so great reviews (about their performance, not because it wasn't delivered on time or other petty-type negative reviews). I also see that Panasonic has a line that is a bit more expensive, but the reviews appear to be much better.
 
Thoughts/comments?
 
Thanks!
 

We use the Panasonic eneloop batteries, no complaints.  I also like the La Crosse chargers.  They only do four batteries at a time, but it'll do any number (doesn't have to be pairs), and they have a really nice display showing the charge state.  It's a good way to see if any specific battery is taking too long to charge, which means it's wearing out.

I also like the Panasonic Eneloop batteries, as well as the Maha Imedion batteries.  These days, I only buy the low discharge NiMH batteries, although I still have some older types.
 
I use a Maha C204W charger, which has worked well for me for years.  There are some more sophisticated chargers out there, like the Maha MH-C9000 but I didn't think it was worth 3x the cost - at least for me.
 
Recently, I've been thinking it might be nice to have a charger that can charge more batteries at once, like the Maha MH-C801D.
 
I thought about trying the Amazon brand batteries. At 1/2 the cost they are certainly attractive.  But then again, I'm a great believer in you get what you pay for.  Since the Amazon batteries are spec'd for 1/2 the number of charge/discharge cycles of the Eneloop, that might explain the cost difference.   But in some applications, that might not matter.
 
There's a new brand of batteries and chargers, SunLabz, that came on the market recently.  I don't quite trust them enough yet to buy any. Most of the reviews on Amazon appear to be shills.

Another vote for Eneloops. I've been using them for photography uses for about 3 years now - GREAT batteries that maintain their charge for a long time (standby).
 
I also have the MH-C801D charger, which is awesome because it charges each battery independently of the others. With many of the cheap chargers they will charge in pairs, which can leave some batteries under-charged. The 801D also offers the deep conditioning cycle to fully drain and restore batteries.

Using eneloop here.  Unlike most other batteries I've tested, they really do seem to deliver the mah's they claim to.
 
Also looked into 18650 Lipo batteries, but I've read there's a huge amount of counterfeiting going on in that category, possibly resulting in fire hazards.  It's not uncommon to read an Amazon review where someone reports an actual fire.  Some of that may be user error, but I'm not sure all of it can be attributed only to user error and not to , say, faulty or outright counterfeit batteries.  All it takes to create a counterfeit is a plastic wrapper put over an inferior battery.  Also, the mah claims made by most 18650 LiPo batteries seem highly exaggerated.

I'm leaning towards the Panasonics.
 
Quick question - can I check batteries using a multi-meter? I'm contemplating the pricier charger because it has the meter. If I can test batteries with a multi-meter I will move to the lower priced charger.
 
What do you guys do for C's and D's? There doesn't seem to be a lot of chargers out there for them. My flashlights will also need to be switched to rechargeable.

GadgetBoy said:

I'm leaning towards the Panasonics.
 
Quick question - can I check batteries using a multi-meter? I'm contemplating the pricier charger because it has the meter. If I can test batteries with a multi-meter I will move to the lower priced charger.
 
What do you guys do for C's and D's? There doesn't seem to be a lot of chargers out there for them. My flashlights will also need to be switched to rechargeable.

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The Maha MH-C808M does AAA, AA, C and D.  I've had one for about 6 or 7 years and it works great.  A multi-meter can be used for checking batteries.  Voltage will give an indication of condition, but doesn't tell you the whole picture.  Ideally the battery should be tested under load.  The ones built-in to a charger may not do anything more than a voltage meter, so check the specs on it.  
 
Cheers
Al
 
PS Google "check batteries with multimeter" and you'll find lots of info on how to do it properly

I have used a voltmeter to check rechargeables but the curve is very sharp and nonlinear. As Sparkman1 stated above a load test would be best to indicate internal impedance giving some battery life (not charge) left indication.
 
 
For flashlights not many used C's or D's anymore as the LEDs improve. I always preferred double D's myself.

Sparkman1 said:

The Maha MH-C801D referenced above does AAA, AA, C and D.  I've had one for about 6 or 7 years and it works great.  A multi-meter can be used for checking batteries.  Voltage will give an indication of condition, but doesn't tell you the whole picture.  Ideally the battery should be tested under load.  The ones built-in to a charger may not do anything more than a voltage meter, so check the specs on it.  
 
Cheers
Al
 
PS Google "check batteries with multimeter" and you'll find lots of info on how to do it properly

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As mentioned above, I have the MH-C801D... I have no idea how you'd charge C's or D's with it. I haven't tried as I don't have any C or D rechargables. The Maha site doesn't reference anything about this either:
http://www.mahaenergy.com/mh-c801d/

Maha has a different model from the C801D that will charge D cells as well as AAA, AA and C cells - it's the MH C808-M

drvnbysound said:

As mentioned above, I have the MH-C801D... I have no idea how you'd charge C's or D's with it. I haven't tried as I don't have any C or D rechargables. The Maha site doesn't reference anything about this either:
http://www.mahaenergy.com/mh-c801d/

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Sorry, I have the MH-C808M. Corrected my post above.   
 
Cheers
Al

Sparkman1 said:

Sorry, I have the MH-C808M. Corrected my post above.   

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Do you have a brand of NiMH D-Cells that you like?  Many of them seem to be little more than a single AA cell inside the body of a D cell. And the reviews of many of the true 10,000mAh D-cells seem mixed.

RAL said:

Do you have a brand of NiMH D-Cells that you like?  Many of them seem to be little more than a single AA cell inside the body of a D cell. And the reviews of many of the true 10,000mAh D-cells seem mixed.

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+1  I'm curious too.  If there is a true 10,000mAh D-cell NiMH, it would be compelling.
 
On the charger question, I'm using this charger:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331325504524?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
It doesn't do D's, but it does the other typical ones, plus 18650's.  It's the only charger I know of  that can do a legitimate 18650 capacity test (based on draining the battery at a constant current).  The 18650's are gaining in popularity because you can find LiPo's in that format. The Panasonic 18650 LiPo's seem to be the best engineered--and the most expensive too.  For solar charging, LiPo's seem popular, I think maybe because the charge termination cut-off is easier to figure out, especially when the amount of charging current varies all over the map and may be low.

RAL said:

Do you have a brand of NiMH D-Cells that you like?  Many of them seem to be little more than a single AA cell inside the body of a D cell. And the reviews of many of the true 10,000mAh D-cells seem mixed.

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The only C &D ones I have are the Energizer ones.  I believe they are basically the AA cells inside the larger body.  I don't have a lot of devices that use C and D anymore, so have never bothered to look for better ones.
 
For AAA and AA I use mainly the Imedion ones.  They have large capacity C and D, but I've not tried those.
 
Cheers
Al

There is also AAAA batteries.  Tiny miniatures of the AAA batteries.
 
I use these for my Bluetooth stuff.  Last over a year and never have to worry about recharging my bluetooth.  I went nuts with these when they were offered and puchased a few of the headsets.