I tested Costco, AC Delco, Sunbeam and IKEA near the end of the rechargeable AA battery video. Thanks for watching! th-cam.com/video/0A1GvQ40j0Q/w-d-xo.html Here are the batteries tested in this video. Thank you and best regards, Todd Amazonbasics: amzn.to/3aNFFI7 Energizer: amzn.to/2EsGLgi Duracell Quantum: amzn.to/2COEETG Duracell: amzn.to/2EnP4KD Rayovac: amzn.to/31lwsne Enegizer Lithium: amzn.to/3aVdF5G Eveready: amzn.to/32aToFa
I was told lithium is the choice for anything that is subjected to subzero temps like leaving a flashlight in your car over a northern winter, as they do not freeze.
@@adamziemanis4120 Yes lithium batteries will outperform alkaline batteries in cold weather due to having a higher energy density. Both batteries do poorly an extreme cold weather and both will probably freeze at around the same temperature. In some cases, cold temperatures can cause alkaline batteries to burst and leak. For that reason alone it would be better to use lithium batteries where freezing temperatures put your devices at risk of damage. I should also mention that there are now solid-state lithium batteries that are even safer. But they come at a premium price. But unlike the AA lithium batteries, these are rechargeable.
why this channel is one of the best - doesnt start with a shitty intro - basically doesnt give a sh*t about brands - unbiased results - no sweet talks - no raid legends sponsorship - "we're gonna test that"
No criticism intended here, but I would have done it slightly different. I would have loaded all the testing slots with the same battery and then done that for every different companies battery and averaged the results, just to rule out errors in battery manufacturing and the discharger as well. It would in all honesty come to the same result. Awesome reasearch and look forward to more consumer information like this.
Alot has changed in the last few years. Every manufacturer has looked for ways to reduce cost since covid. You should conduct this test again and see if the results are the same. Love your channel! Great work
@@ProjectFarm It's true. Your model is ingeniously simple. You're putting in the wok that consumer reports used to, only this time it's with common products that effect us all. Your methods are sound, and you've got the technical chops to pull them off without compromising scientific integrity.
@@dramchaser1022 that's when you tell them, I haven't seen the right batteries for this. Of course don't lie, personally I'm highly against it , but just don't look in the places where they might have them, or you might run across them. Then you're screwed and you've got to buy them and now you're starting from scratch again. I say don't ever lie to your kids, no one wants to bring up a liar or condone it but while they're young enough you can fudge a little and still not lie, yeah???
@@4nd3rzzon maybe. But this is what youtube was intended for. Fortunately there are still top notch channels out here, like this one. And they are the reason I even stick around on youtube.
I switched to standard Energizer batteries years ago. They've just always seemed to last longer than most brands, including Duracell. It's good to know Energizer is the better choice.
Can we just appreciate that the battery draining tests took, on average, A FULL DAY. All in, this video took a few weeks just to drain the batteries, much less record the results, and relaying that information to us. Good on you, sir, for saving us the time and effort of testing these for ourselves.
Should have tried the Dollar General Alkaline battery not the heavy duty ,that is what I use for my game camera,s that take 8 AA batteries .The Dollar General heavy duty battery does not last long for me .The Duracell batteries are too expensive compared to the DG alkaline batteries .
I like the Energizer over the Duracell mostly because the Duracell batteries seem to leak more than the Energizers. If you could find a way to test for leakage, that would make an awesome video!
I went to Energizer Max for everything once an expensive flashlight was ruined by leaking batteries. I would definitely be interested to see if I’m wasting money:)
Lithium batteries would never leak. Unfortunately they are way too expensive now. But, in my experience Energizer max doesn't leak as easily or quickly as Duracell
@Project Farm batteries tend to leak if they are fully discharged. This is due to the electrolyte that is eating up the zinc around the o ring gasket. If you want to test leakage the fastest way is bringing up the temp while shorting the battery with somewhat like a 10 ohms resistance.
Yeah, but he must be in love with the sound of his own voice, when an Excel spread sheet would provide the data in a glimpse. Which, he did at the end. His chatter was not needed.
@@sunzeneise -- With any test, it's important to know the methods used, and it helps to see the data unfolding, too. I hope you're more careful when you evaluate the statistics presented in political arguments. Besides, Mr. Project Farm is entertaining and energetic.
sunzeneise - I’m sure you could find that dull-as-dust spreadsheet on the web. For the rest of us it was good to see the full methodology. He fast-forwarded massively through the dull bits, as indeed can you.
Thanks for the tests. One thing to note: If a cell is marked 'Heavy Duty', it means that it is an older technology simple Zinc Carbon (a.k.a. Zinc Chloride) cell. The title is a throwback to the days when only Zn-C/ ZnCl Leclanché cells and batteries were available for portable equipment. The 'Heavy Duty' descriptor meant that the cell could sustain a higher current than standard cells of the time without depolarising. That's why the portable, battery-powered light was called a 'flashlight'; you could only flash the light for short periods before having to wait for the battery to recover. Once 'Heavy Duty' cells became available, flashlights could be used as torches - i.e. continuously - and the old-fashioned name, 'flashlight' was dropped in the U.K. (It still persists in the U/S.) Nowadays, we call them 'torches' for good reason. Unfortunately, and mainly because of the ineptitude of legislators, manufacturers were never required to state the cell capacity on the label. So once Alkaline cells became available, they were allowed to continue to describe the inferior cells as 'Heavy Duty'. The outdated Standard Duty cells were discontinued, some years later. People around the globe are duped by the now misleading name to this day. *We need a worldwide concerted campaign to persuade lawmakers to require manufacturers to state clearly the minimum guaranteed capacity on each cell.* (Not tucked away on a website, as we find today.) That will go some way towards restricting the ongoing dishonest behaviour of cell manufacturers. It has only been enforced with rechargeable cells, so far.
Flash light came from the Germans the light had a small hand crank generator when the handle was turned it would light up causing it to flash but wouldn't stay on continually thus a flash flashlight
If you go on eBay, you can find loads of "9800mah" 18650 cells that only put out around 10% of their advertised capacity. The genuine batteries have genuine capacities but the fake ones that are rampant on eBay do not.
Well said, and NEVER NEVER put non rechargeable batteries into your little power outlet chargers, some advertising i have seen suggests this is possible, it corrodes the hell out of the terminals in your charger, maybe they give off a corrosive gas,I don't know but it stuffed mine.
Zinc Carbon batteries are great for low power and intermittent use devices such as tv remote controls, smoke detectors, and clocks. They deliver the power for a longer time at cheaper cost in those types of devices. It isn't inferior, simply meant for specific use. Alkaline batteries are good for other things like electric toothbrushes, toys, and game controllers. Lithium batteries are specifically designed for higher drain devices that also need to be lightweight such as the point and shoot digital cameras with built-built-in flashes everyone used to have. They also make good helmet lights for workers as extra weight is uncomfortable for extended periods. All in all, there are different battery types for different applications. It helps to know what the right tool for the job is to make the most of your money.
I’ve watched all your videos, and for some reason this one has blown my mind the most. It seems there’s no situation where a Dollar General battery is of good value. Great work!
Would definitely really like to see your AAA video. You have the most informative breakdowns by far. I don’t watch all your videos all the time because I’m not always in the market to see which product is better than another. But when I am looking for a specific product and want to know which one is best, your videos are priceless.
@Sharron Clark I agree. Duracells leaking have ruined more of my flashlights than any other brand. I am also a firm believer in Rayovac for my long term seldom used lights. After watching this, I will be checking out the Amazon Basics.
I've already done this test with 10 year Duracell AA batteries and they FAILED. About 60% of the batteries in several 24 packs that I had started to leak at about the 6-year mark. The batteries were in my basement where it is cool and dry. I also had some big packs of AAA batteries leak well before the 10-year advertised life too. I was quite disappointed and have switched to Amazon Basics.
The lithium batteries have two additional advantages - they don’t leak when stored in a device and they have a longer storage life. Lots of alkaline batteries say they are leak proof, but I’ve seen plenty of those leak.
Alkaline batteries used to not leak, period. Even after discharge they could sit for years. Now they leak before they die, and Duracell seems to be the worst. I've got a sneaking suspicion this is related to the new greener and less toxic formulations. The original designs just had to work, which simply meant provide power until it ran down, and then don't leak. When you add new priorities to the design of a product, you often compromise the original performance. Getting rid of mercury in alkaline batteries is a good thing. However, it was there for a reason, and I wonder if it somehow served to suppress hydrogen gas formation, which causes the pressure buildup that leads to leakage in alkaline batteries. I've switched to lithium exclusively in stuff I care about. You have to include in the price equation the time and money spent cleaning, repairing or replacing equipment damaged or destroyed by leakage. Some of my stuff, like a 30+ year old remote control for some stereo equipment I have, would be well-nigh irreplaceable. Fortunately, alkaline leakage cleans up easier and seems to be less corrosive than the acidic leakage from old zinc-carbon batteries.
Makes for a good High School project. Demonstrates the principle that even electrons have mass. Too bad so many High Schools are prevented from operating by idiotic politicians and unions uninterested in real education and science.
I just discovered this video today and I can’t say how appreciative I am for you doing this. I’m know going to dive into your channel and see what other valuable information you have
The advantage of the Energizer Lithium is when you need cold temperature performance. They are highly recommended when you have an outdoor application. It would be pretty neat to run the test again at freezing and hot day temp equivalents.
@@colinsouthern yep. For my EoTech red dot and my Gen 3 night vision, lithium AA all the way. Not worth saving a couple dollars to risk a corrosion problem.
I was welding this morning and my angle grinder battery died, and swapped it out, then had the idea of you making a battery video and see a battery video up now! Coincidences? I think not.
I went to Walmart last week and researched which double A battery was best and watched a ton of videos but none of them were very reliable as there were many factors in each that could've prevented real, consistent results. This video is probably going to get the most views out of all the other videos with time. I'm calling it Project Farm.
Project Farm When you are going to test rechargable batteries, buy the LADDA 2500 batteries at IKEA. They are $5, rebranded Eneloop Pro, and they are the Best!!!
Iexpedite1 the thing I really love about them over alkaline batteries is when they finally shit the bed they don’t usually leak inside of the device corroding away the terminals if you’re lucky, circuit board traces and vias if you’re less lucky :-/
@@JamesReedy Alkaline batteries shouldn´t do that either, however it can happen with certain brands. Try the Ikea ones, I´ve never had one leaking. However I remember the ones from Aldi (German supermarket) having destroyed something I used to own (don´t know what).
Can confirm that. We had those things up to 100000 ft on high altitude balloons. They got frozen to -50 C and still performed flawlessly, even when sourcing a hundred mA.
Almost all of my experience with AAs is with Energizer and Duracell. Haven't compared capacity the way you did, but I have noticed that when batteries are left in something for a long time after they have pretty much discharged, the Duracell's frequently leak, but the Energizers virtually never do. So I never by Duracells any more, because of that difference
I’ve found the same thing. If you are going to swap batteries frequently do duracell or Kirkland costco batteries. If you’ll leave them in a while or in your glove box, always use Energizer so they don’t leak
Duracells leak constantly. It got so bad that I banned them from my household. Everything gets energizer lithium or rechargeables. I keep some regular energizers for times I know I’ll run them down quickly.
I’m a professional photographer, and I use a camera-mounted strobe “speedlite” frequently. The problem with alkaline batteries in this unit is that as you use them the recycle time (the time it takes for the strobe to get back to full power) keeps increasing. Lithium batteries, on the other hand, maintain their rapid recycle time until the battery is drained, at which point the strobe just doesn’t recycle. In any job where you have to shoot quickly (e.g. weddings) recycle time is critical. After using lithiums for several years I discovered the Panasonic Eneloop rechargeable batteries. It turns out that they have similar characteristics to lithiums, but they’re rechargeable. And it further turns out that the Amazon Basics rechargeable batteries are similar to the Eneloops. That’s all I use now.
I'm a wedding photographer and in the manual for canon flashes, says do not use lithium batteries as explosions can occur due to heat being generated. Lithium batteries are indeed better in flashes, however they get extremely hot and can damage a flash if you aren't careful.
Wow ! Thats strange ! Ive used NI Mh type batteries for like 10 years! They existed before lithium was main stream! And for sure they can deliver a lot of current even when it almost dead. Very useful for application when you need a lot of current. Also they are very safe you can just shot its terminals and it would heat and heat and still wont burst until it heats up a lot. As a teen I used them In all thing from rc toy to pocket digital cameras
They used to be equal like back in the 70's and 80's. However today, I have used both on the same clock and the Energizer has outlasted the Duracell every time. It is unfortunate, I used to swear by Duracell but not these days.
@@toysoldier46552 They used to be equal in the 70s and 80s. I remember distinctly however energizer took a dip in the 90s. My gameboy lasted longer with duracell every time. But they did come back in the early 00s while duracell then declined pretty bad infact until around 2010. But they still arent as good as they once were.
@Ebiegberi Adonkie In life everyone is trying to maximize profits, you don't go into any business or job to lose money. If you weren't a greedy government welfare fed jealous loser you'd see that to be true.
@Victor Camargo Can the math equation expert explain us the uneducated why Amazon doesn't pay almost any taxes for example? And how corporations are good for the common people when they are rigging the system?
@@ProjectFarm Duracell rechargables are horrible for the price, they error on both my chargers and cheap supermarket ones don't. As a Lifitng inspector I use a lot of rechargables batteries for lamps on helmets and torches so I would LOVE a independent test of the known brands :D
Po 66 Ikea and Eneloop are made in the same factory :) Same goes for Fujitsu. And they will all outperform single use batteries, well maybe not the lithium ones. Also NiMH and lithium are better suited for high drain devices, such as flashlights, strobes and such. Being 3-4USD/Pc there are much better buy than primaries. Also Li-ion's are way ahead of NiMH in terms of capacity. One Sanyo 18650 GA has the same capacity as 4 best Eneloops, costs about 5USD, and can be drained with 7-10A without any problem.
Since the price keep changing, I used your MAH measurements to re-calculate the "MAH per penny". For a 20 pack at this time, both Duracell and Energizer edged the "Amazon Basics" (offered better value) so went with Energizer. Great video!
@@jonathanrogers9961 they are good. I had some 2000mih ones I used in a small RC car. They were so good it popped wheelies and broke both diffs as well as all 4 axles. Unfortunately I left one of them in a clock that was in a camper we sold :( so now I only have 3.
Can you please test rechargable AAs. Most importantly Eneloop Pro vs. the big variant of the IKEA rechargable batteries because all evidence points to them being the same battery.
All Ni-Mh that are made in Japan are all made in the same factory (Fujistsu). ie: Eneloop Pro, Ikea Ladda High Capacity, Amazonbasics High Capacity, etc.
An important consideration with a private label like the Amazon battery is consistency. At any given time they might be contracting with a different manufacturer so you really don't know what battery you're getting. In theory with the name brands you should always get a consistent result.
I work with clients that manufacture for private labeling. Not only can you not be certain that it will remain the same over time, there can be more than one private label suppliers at any given time.
This is true. One would think that a company as large as Amazon would perform rigorous quality engineering sample testing before adding a mfr to sell under their brand. However, this info is considered trade secret (and not accessible to the public).
I watched this video years ago and it really has influenced how i use batteries. For TV remotes, the cheapo batteries are just fine, its coin flip odds on whether the batteries die or corrode first. But for the important things and high-power devices such as a digital camera w/flash or an RC car, nothing beats the Energizer. And for everything in-between, the Amazon Basics are great! Thank you for continuing to make great videos Mr Farm!
In addition, we use Energizer Lithiums in our pinball machines not because they last longer (though that is nice), but because they won’t leak if you forget to change them before they die. Leaks from Alkalines do a lot damage to the PCBs the batteries are mounted on.
@@fredhamilton1701 My experience too. I've had other brands, including other premium brands, leak and kill kit. The Energizer lithium cells are expensive, but they have a great energy capacity and I've not had any leak on me yet.
Do a rechargeable test and make sure to include the Ikea Rechargeables. They are a re branded sanyo eneloop and awesome performing cells. I have used enough rechargeables over 25 years to know.
I've been using Amazon Basics for the past couple of years in my trail cameras and I've been pleased with the performance. I felt they were the best value and your test confirms that. Thanks! I'm going to keep using them.
Love this video. I am a flight medic in the Air Force and our comm systems run on AA's. The lithiums feel like the way to go since they last the longest, allowing me to focus on the tasks at hand
Absolutely, they all have their place. That's why they are premium. Safer and longer. It's all relevent. If u can change batteries often like toys or clocks etc the cheaper ones are the go.
@@yohellghost2115 Well even then he shows the cheap one's arent the way to go. You may not need to go energizer lithium but you'd want to go energizer or amazon basics to get the best value for your money. Really at no point are the dollar store/harbor freight (cheap) batteries the way to go. You waste your money and barely get any juice. Thats the take away from this video..
@@AwesomeMan2696 I said cheaper ones. Not the the rock bottom cheap and nasty ones. They are just trash. Just like buying eBay no-name power tool batteries, absolute rubbish that don't last a month.
Rayovacs are cheapest trash, no thanks. Those damn things will leak, EVERY TIME, if you even think of leaving them in when you're not using them. Do yourself a favor, skip that cheap garbage.
@@jpcreativeimagery Well... you aren't supposed to leave batteries inside your device if you're not going to use it for more than a week. Also use the cheapest carbon-zink batteries for low power, long term usage like remote controllers. I learnt his the hard way and had a nasty remote controller (I was 12 at the time and was properly educated in batteries after).
It’s been nearly 40 years since I performed my AA battery test, using a simpler setup, since I didn’t have a nice testing tool like the one you used. However, the Energizer was the top performer even back then, with Duracell in a fairly close second. The overall capacities have surely improved, but the relative ranking hasn’t changed.
True, I think the biggest takeaway is that you don't save any money by buying garbage harbor fraud or dollar general batteries, you're just going to replace a lot more batteries..
@@matrixist The Energizer Lithium are a completely different cell chemistry, they don't leak. Every other alkaline leaks at some point. People speculate they have become worse and they were all higher quality in the past. I'm not sure if that's true, but I don't trust alkalines anymore. I either use Lithium or Eneloop rechargeables for everything that is worth more than 20 bucks.
Anecdotally, I've had at least a dozen Amazon rechargeable AAs that I use for all my remote controls, flashlights and game controllers. They are pretty reliable for those devices and can last a few years.
I have about 16 AA Eneloops and 8 AAAs - part of the Costco multipack - and I must say the amount of pollution it has saved the environment not to mention the cost savings makes me very happy. Xbox and Wii controllers with their force feedback vibration motors seem to just chew through batteries, even the 2300 mah Eneloops!
@@ProjectFarm Was going to make this comment, glad I checked first! I would be happy to send a pack for testing if you don't have a costco near you(just tag me and I'll post contact email if so desired).
@@ProjectFarm I was wondering if you could test the Vape batteries for the next project? Batteries like the LG 18650 3000mAh 3.7v batteries against it's competitors? Vape batteries would be an interesting project to do I feel. :)
The Lithiums by a mile. They effectively have zero self-discharge, maintain a stable voltage for far longer into the life-cycle, and unlike alkaline they won't leak acid into your electronics (the chemistry isn't capable of leakage). ...The application they were originally specifically designed for is low current long duration electronics. Having said that I do personally use rechargables or buy good quality alkalines for high-discharge applications as the price/W is quite a bit lower, but for low draw applications I'll go with Energiser lithiums every single time without fail.
Partially because many remotes can be different. Plus the bulk of people just put cheap batteries in remotes anyways because of their low-power usage. The times it does matter is with things like cameras or other portable devices that use a lot of power--that's when it may pay to put a more expensive battery in.
EXCELLENT VIDEO. After trying many batteries over the years, I have ended up with the Energizer Lithium for one simple reason: I have never had one leak. Duracell used to be in that category, but they changed something in their manufacturing a few years ago, and are now on par with the Amazon Basics and Kirkland batteries. Keep them in an appliance long enough (often less than one year) and they will leak, even in room temperature conditions. In fact, I recently saw a Duracell 9V battery leaking IN ITS CASE, on the shelf at Costco. My tools are too expensive for me to care much about the cost of high quality batteries. Having said all that, we do use the Amazon Basics for lit up Christmas decor, and throw them away at the end of the season. Thanks for the awesome video!
To answer your question…YES, , I would love to see a battery test for AAA batteries! That is actually what I was looking for. Also, if you read the reviews by *Personal* users on consumer reports, there are a lot of complaints about the Duracell Quantum batteries LEAKING. A leak test would be excellent, as well!☺️ Just found your site today and I will be recommending it to my husband!
i would say... and this is just my opinion... theres no point in doing a AAA test... we already know which brands put what in quality and.. based off the AA results I would bet it would be the same in the AAA category. Same batteries just a bit smaller size
While I understand the thought behind Feras’ reply, I do think there’s value in testing the AAA batteries. Obviously they aren’t made exactly the same way so there might be a performance difference.
@@ProjectFarm is the absolute, best channel on TH-cam when it comes to product information. We love finding out how well the products hold up from someone that is totally honest and unbiased. Thank you, thank you sir. Best regards.
I've been using Energizer Ultimate Lithium for about 15 years now. Advantages: high capacity, can be stored for a long time and also work very well in the cold. And most importantly: no leakage so far! With almost all alkaline batteries, sooner or later I had the problem that they leaked - regardless of their discharge status. This phenomenon even completely destroyed some devices. Regardless of whether it is low consumers such as a wall clock or high consumers such as flash units - Energizer Ultimate Lithium reliably supplies all types of devices with power.
Only place I've had a problem with the Lithium units is TI graphing calculators. Their voltage is a little higher and they make the screen fully dark even with the brightness all the way down.
Ive watched quite a few of Todds videos by now and I have to say, as interesting as the info on batteries is, what's more interesting is seeing how much progress he has made in the last 6 years at producing these videos. Keep up the good work!
The one feature of the Lithium, which would be extremely difficult to test in your format, is self-discharge rate. In an emergency flashlight or an extremely low-drain device, the Lithium might have quite an advantage. Too bad we would have to wait a decade or so to see the results.
I have an LED flashlight that I bought 12+ years ago that came with Energizer lithiums. I generally used the flashlight at very low power, when it wasn't sitting in a drawer for years on end, with the batteries still inside. The flashlight is still going strong, with no issues whatsoever. The ones that had alkalines, OTOH, were all damaged by leaking batteries. At least 2 of them could not be fixed, at least not without heavy tools.
My smoke detector is a 10yr non-replaceable rechargeable! Not made anymore. Who wants to sell smoke detectors that last 10 years! I'm on year 8! Kiddie brand.
@Matt Laclair THat beeping my god.., some can't be removed in some places that I lived. Carbon detectors are very important in my opinion for batteries.
Duracell LEAK!!! Too many times in the past I have had Duracell batteries leak inside of the device. I will NEVER purchase or use them again. I use the Energizer Lithium for my computer mice. They last about a year each and are lighter than normal AA batteries. The Energizer Lithium batteries are about 1/2 the weight in the mice and make using my mouse 12 - 14 hours a day so much nicer. I use them in my wireless mikes for tv production. I use about 1/3 less batteries per year using the Energizer Lithium. Great video as always!
I did notice you were using the dollar store heavy duty batteries versus the Duracell. For an accurate test you’d need to do both sets alkaline. Huge difference in power and drain. Love your channel!
@@ProjectFarm That bothered me too, but it did show why non-alkaline is not even worth considering. Harbor Freight 'blue' alkalines go on sale for $5 a pack and would probably do well for the money.
@@ProjectFarm this is the first video of yours I've watched. Nice presentation. Have now read a few of your polite and receptive replies, this one above cinched it. You've got a new subscriber. Blessings
@@mikekazigian4437 Carbon zinc batteries are more tolerant of freezing temperatures, and they won't leak. They also won't self-drain over time. Not recommended for high drain applications though.
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Dude, I've always wanted to do this and always wondered what the best battery is, THANK YOU! Here are some of my thoughts: * From my experience I will tell you that I have found that Duracell batteries leak more often (almost ten to one) more than any other battery. * It's important to note that you may want to consider that while the Amazon Basics battery is bringing you the most power for your penny, the time it takes to have to stop what you're doing and change batteries makes an excellent case for buying a more expensive battery that may last longer - because time is also money. * It's important to note that some manufacturers of electronic equipment specifically state that you should not use a lithium battery in their equipment. Kwikset digital locks is one of them. After getting tired of replacing batteries so often I actually went against their advice and used lithium batteries in my digital lock. I've been doing it for years and there have been no bad ramifications and I absolutely love the fact that I only have to replace those batteries about once a year now compared to about once every 4-5 months. * Truth be known, lithium batteries are really no competition for alkaline batteries because a lithium battery will outperform alkaline battery any day of the week, however, it is good to see how they perform as an option.
One other consideration is chemical leakage. Over the years I have been an energizer and duracell user. In long term applications I have had far more problems with leakage from energizer cells. In cases like a glove box flashlight, my experience has been that duracell seems to do much better sitting multiple years. Something I consider for emergency devices like radios, lights, etc.
I just don’t install batteries to things for long term. They have always leaked, I had to clean the terminals on my Wii Controllers, and a label maker that had been there for about 4 years. If I use the electronics some what often is fine, but long term it has never been good to me. Duracell mostly, Energizer I don’t buy as often simply because the stores near me seem not to carry them , not all. Hence why Duracell is my choice.
@@nyki7fykxtjxyi Check to see what Duracells you have. I've had issues with the ones made in China, usually grabbed from end caps at the grocery store. The ones that I have that are US made rarely ever leak, though seem to be harder to find recently.
Todd, I have been a fan of you and your channel. I discovered this video yesterday and just realized that it was made in 2018. I do not expect the older heavy duty batteries to compete against the newer alkaline and lithium batteries. There are many establishments selling their own brand of AA alkaline batteries now (Costco Kirkland, Sam's Club, Harbor Freight Thunderbolt EDGE,...). I would love to see an updated video.
@@ProjectFarm Duracell AAA batteries LEAK. I won't buy them anymore. I've had them leak in the sealed pkg. Stored in my 'stash' in the bedroom closet at around 75 deg. Also they have ruined several devices .
Rechargeable Hearing aid batteries if your lucky, last about two and a half to three years, then need to be replaced, How can you test the rechargables? Id like to know what brand would be the best!Or last the longest. TYheres bsicly two types, one is the battries are built into the Aids, and the other ones are replaceable. im writing this in 2021, and the batteries are stronger now than several tears ago, "new"
@@salmanila1334 funny you mention this. I buy those bulk packs where you get like 20 batteries. I went to the drawer today to get 2 AAA Duracells and 3/4 of the package had a rusty brown coloured material over all the batteries. That package was maybe 6 months old snd stored in a dry, room temperature drawer. I won’t be buying Duracell again anyways after watching this video… I’ll go with Energizer from now on.
So, some thoughts about the lithium vs alkaline, 1) Lithium batteries will not corrode over time. I specifically use them in equipment that isn't used much, but may be needed in a pinch, such as emergency lights and radios. 2) If you retested this, it would be good to see some plots of the voltage vs. time while the batteries were draining, as the lithium batteries are supposed to maintain their nominal voltage for longer, before suddenly dropping off. 3) The lithium batteries are much lighter and therefore good for weight saving applications like a handheld radio that requires 9 AA. I have a few more ideas about testing some of this, but this comment is long enough as is, but you can message me if you like. All that said, keep up the good work. :)
Yeah I use Energizer lithiums in my dmm and tv remotes. When you need the battery to Outlast the device! Lol. Seriously though the branded ones seem to be advertising that that have a long shelf life and don't leak. Usually when I find a leaking battery it's a generic, I've had quite a few harbor freight alkaline batteries leak. Those low power zinc carbon batteries do have their uses, I like to use those in low draw devices like tv remotes. They usually outlast cheapo alkalines,bc they seem to leak before the zinc carbon would die.
Lithium also has higher discharge capability. They're preferred over alkaline in things like camera flashes because they charge the flash capacitor faster.
I was going to say points 1 & 2 but you said it better. Personally, I have gotten to the point where I will not put anything but lithium into devices I care about. Even Energizer and Duracell seem to corrode more often than they use to. When you factor in the cost of replacing expensive items from corrosion, alkaline batteries just don't make sense. That said, if manufacturers cared about the "quality" devices they sold, they would build devices with a sacrificial battery holder that can be replaced when the batteries corrode.
Yeah, after losing a few expensive flashlights to leaking alkalines, I've switched over to Energizer Lithium for almost all devices. The only exceptions are things that get used every day, where I use rechargeable lithium-ions instead.
I've read that the Eneloop is the best rechargeable and would really enjoy a showdown on PF. I try to avoid rechargeable batteries in my camera gear since most are 1.2 volts over the 1.5 volts for standard alkaline batteries. Another awesome feature of the lithium is their storage & anti leak life. Nothing worse than an alkaline battery swelling & ruining a piece of kit. I would guess the AA & AAA performance are fairly similar.
Althouse a rechargeable AA battery has a lower voltage than a throwaway battery when you are not taking any current from it, this situation reverses when you take current. You can take several amps from the rechargeable battery and it still holds nearly 1.2 volts, but at the same current the throwaway battery wilts from 1.6 volts to maybe 0.5 or less. Some digital cameras will not work with throwaway batteries because of the inability to deliver the amount of current the camera needs. On value for money the rechargeable battery wins a hundredfold or more, even when you include the cost of the charger that you have to buy. There used to be applications in which you needed throwaway batteries, like a clock, or a flashlight or radio that you keep in a drawer in case of emergency. This was because the old nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries used to go flat in a couple of weeks even when not used. Now there are nickel-metal-hydride and lithium-ion rechargeable batteries that hold a charge for years. There is no justification for the continuing sale of throwaway batteries.
I’m always blown away by the high quality content you produce. Some of these videos do not even apply to me, but I watch them anyway. Love this channel!
I use a lot of batteries in trail cameras and would really love to see rechargeables vs energizer and energizer lithiums. Cold weather testing would be great too. Great job on all your videos! One of the best on TH-cam! Thank you.
Some years back the company I worked for did a join project with an Israeli military contractor. They tested every brand, type, and size of readily portable battery AAA, AA, C, D, 9v ( not rechargeable as they are not practical in the field), for longevity at maximum load. This was a very high drain application. I don't have the raw data for you, but they determined that, of all the brands and sizes available at the time, the Energizer AA performed the best In all temperature/humidity conditions.
I have some experience with the lithium batteries. Both while in the military in Afghan and when I hiked the Appalachian Trail, I used lithiums and they do last longer in the cold. I was using alkaline batteries twice as fast or more in the cold months.
@@jbdavis2933Hey brother thank you for your service. Hats off to you. I haven't used lithium's before only alkaline, but I have found energizer to be the absolute worst at leaking followed by Duracell. I'm in Texas, little bit warmer so to speak, so I wonder did they leak in Afghanistan? Much obliged for your insight. BW
I used to have a job where I managed sound equipment for a church and was very familiar with AA batteries. All the wireless microphones required AA batteries and anecdotally, I always noticed that the Duracell batteries lasted far longer than any other brand (save any lithium batteries). So I always tried to buy Duracell. In that usage and application, it was no competition. Duracell all the way. It typically lasted at least 50% longer than energizer batteries. Just my personal experience from an actual real world example.
Thank you! Excellent breakdown, especially the mAh/penny. I use a lot of AA in my trailcams and suspected Duracell was lasting longer than the Rayovac. Thinking some day I’d run head to head tests in identical flashlights, but this was HUGELY better. ^THIS is in my opinion one of the most useful videos I have seen.
ASAP Killerr - for those in a hurry here's the results, for those interested in the science, it's here too for when you have time to watch. Sometimes you need batteries right away or you're going to the store and remember this video you saw and it's good to be able to have the results handy to refer to (thanks Greyztone!). I wish all videos - especially product reviews and comparisons like this one- had an index of sorts, like DVD Chapters. Maybe the next version of TH-cam will offer such things, until then much thanks to folks like Greyztone for sharing where the practical part of the info is located, and of course to the video producer who has performed the tests and documented the results to help us make an informed purchase!
No, it does not. I had an old one sitting around, dropped it on my bench, zero bounce. Dropped the new one, bounced off the bench and onto my foot. Heading to urgent care now.
Yet another AWESOME, useful, helpful and professionally done test and video!!! I too use a significant number of double A batteries around our farm and ultimately, it’s a balancing act between value and life. A better value yet having a shorter life isn’t necessarily the better choice when your device dies at the most in opportune time which is when they always seem to die. For me, the good balance is a reasonable endurance without an astronomical price. This makes the standard Enegizer my best choice. I did start using the Enegizer Lithium in my camera equipment because ultimately I prefer maximum field use without having to change batteries. Thank you again for answering yet another one of life’s “million dollar questions”!!
I've been a Duracell faithful since the late 80's. I think now I will be jumping to the pink bunny. For a budget I will also consider amazon basics after energizer. Thanks for the extensive research. Liked how you made a ghost comparison of the bounce effect. Awesome job great detail.
Michael Alvarez That’s what I was saying this whole video man I’ve been being way too faithful to Duracell when Energizer lithium is way better than the quantum I’ve been wasting my money on.
I'm a former Duracell addict... but lately I'm weening off that brand and going with Rayovac (yes battery addiction can be dangerous to your wallet lol)... cheaper and about the same performance if not better. ymmv
@@BillAnt Unless Rayovac changed to the newer technology... I've always had bad experiences with other brands except Duracell. Even the Energizer battery seems to fall short of the Duracell's capability/durability.
@Mars Flee < Not sure what has changed in Rayovac, but for low amperage draw devices like remotes and such it works perfectly fine. The difference seems to be so minor that it's does not warrant to spend the extra buck per battery. and I used to be one of those "Ewww! Rayovac!" guys too. lol
It'd be a bit more expensive, but I'd love to see an apples-to-apples test like this for lead-acid car batteries. There's a very prevalent theory I regularly hear , which I believe to be true, but cannot confirm, that says that all batteries from supermarkets and chain auto parts stores (EverStart, AutoCraft, Duralast, and SuperStart from WalMart, Advance, Autozone, O'reilly's, respectively.) come from the same manufacturer (Johnson Controls), and are thus identical. I've also heard that outside of Johnson Controls, the only other lead-acid battery makers in the US are Interstate and Exide. A good roundup could tell weather all the supposed Johnson Controls batteries are the same, and whether Interstates or Exides are better. Really enjoy what you do here BTW. This is TH-cam/the internet put to it's best use IMO.
You are correct about Johnson controls making those. Interstate batteries are made by Johnson... exide makes own. The folks I buy my humvee batteries from at Interstate batteries confirmed this info.
You forgot optima batteries are also produced by Johnson. If you guys have a rural king in your area, get you car batteries there. They are made by excide. And a whole lot cheaper then even Walmart. I paid 79 bucks for a 1000cc for my truck. Auto parts stores wanted double that.
I've been to manufacturing plants that swap out molds, dies, chemicals, etc. when they run different brands. Sometimes there's a real difference. Sometimes the Chinese stuff is the same.
It's important to note that he used the cheapest "Heavy Duty" batteries they sell. You can often get a 24 pack for $2. They also have alkaline options which are better.
WHISTLE BLOWER ON HF...REMEMBER WHEN 9.6 HF ELECTRIC DRILLS 1st SOLD...I TOOK A BATTERY APART...THERE WAS A WET PAPER TOWEL IN IT CAUSING THE BATTERY CONNECTORS TO RUST AND FAIL...UH HUH...GOT AN OLD ONE...TAKE IT APART & SEE FOR YOURSELF...(oh...NiCd...)
I used to tap mine together they make a hollow sound when they're discharged and a more solid and they're full. Thank you again for all your great content
I buy batteries at a well known membership store. They had Energizer batteries for years, but they switched to Duracell. During the time they had Duracell, I noticed decreased performance but also much more frequent leakage and equipment damage by Duracells. I was very happy when they switched back to Energizers, which I have long thought provided superior performance, and I've only had one Energizer leak on me but even that was in a device forgotten in the attic for years.
If you will test rechargeable batteries take a look at the Lada 2450 from Ikea. I'm pretty positive it's the exact same battery as the way more expensive Eneloop pro battery.
I bought the LADA 1000 and I have been using them in my computer mouse. I am NOT impressed, one battery fails before the other, and they just don't last long at all. Not too surprising as they are only 1000 ah, but I would never buy them again even at their low price.
My grandads expression is "buy once, cry once". His tools are old but they still work after years (and decades for some) of use. He is also METICULOUS about putting tools up clean and in their respective drawer. He's a grumpy old dude but he definitely takes care of his business!
You'll find out like I did a lot of your fathers statements are not true.......that statement won't always be true. But I do agree with it on this subject.
Blew my mind right here. I always bought Duracell when possible and always thought Energizer was just a little better than the cheap brands. Always seemed that Duracell lasted longer in the remotes, but looks like Energizer been stepping up to the plate. Great video you just saved me money. 💰
You may, or may not be correct, a regular infrared remote control uses so little energy that the battery's self-discharge rate will usually be greater. The battery with the most time remaining on its shelf life will likely last the longest in that application. This test, whilst useful is only one way to judge performance, even the 100mA test (Not mAH as the graphs incorrectly show) is actually pretty high current draw from AA batteries, how many devices do you have that will drain batteries in less than 4 hours? It's actually a very complex topic and 'which battery is best?' is not a question that has just one answer. It's like asking which vehicle is best.
I was just about to buy some batteries on Amazon, then I thought “ I bet project farm has a video on this”. I was not disappointed, thank you project farm!
I've done this test with my electric toothbrush. The Kirkland brand lasted 2 months longer than the Duracell. I am not sure who is supplying Kirkland with batteries but after watching this PF vid I suspect it might be Engerizer.
Absolutely! I think they are a bit more challenging to test however. Charging rate / discharge rate. Would be really worth watching!! You do a really great job on these videos! I'm sure you stayed a lot cleaner on this one then sum of the other ones LOL.
I would love to challenge this guy to do a test on these batteries myself. For one, I use them, for 2, there's many different variables between them and a whole lotta lies to get you to buy them...mostly cause many companies rewrap others and brand them as their own. But you have differences like Mah, voltage, initial amps, holding amps...etc. good luck. But not something I see him doing anyway.
I am transitioning over completely to li-ion and have had good success with my rechargable lithium in a 9V package. I purchased several lithium ion batteries in a AA package that are regulated to 1.5 volts and charge via micro USB(5v). I also have some 3.7V li-ion cells that are AA package but unregulated, I am careful with those and have made AA dummy batteries out of a dowel and copper tape to power all of my 3.+V LED strings and such. I volunteered to do analysis on some of those and submit them to "Project Farm" person(s), I really appreciate the time and effort these TH-camrs put in. PS. Just over the border from California, in Nevada they are building some new li-ion cells that are even bigger than the 18650 package, I am looking forward to that! I think Elon Musk/Tesla is going to soak all of those up but they will eventually hit the market(where is the competition?)
There is already a LOT of testing being done on 18650 batteries by knowledgeable people. Imho there would be no point. Look at lygte-info.dk for example. You can se extensive tests with advanced information and compare allmost all 18650's out there.
One thing to keep in mind is that rechargable batteries are 1.2 volts whereas the non-rechargable are 1.5 volts. This does tend to make them last not as long generally. You have to make sure you are getting an appropriate milliamp rating for your uses.
Adding on, because the rechargeable are 1.2v instead of 1.5v as Kyle points out, they are a weaker output, for a remote and toys it may not be an issue worth fussing over but higher powered things, or even your average torch really suffer from it, in a torch the light is noticeably duller by the second or third use, and becomes practically unusable for anything other than finding something on your bedside or making your way around in the dark. Anything you need to see in detail or need a half decent size beam of light is a real pain to get done
Nice video. Any chance of running this again at around 20 deg. F or some other wintry temperature? The reason is that I know that some batteries (Li ion and automotive lead-acid starting batteries) have additives that improve low temperature performance. I'd bet that some of the higher end batteries here have similar additives.
Energizer Lithium is the only one that works in extreme cold. I've had them in a headlamp down to -40 F, alkaline batteries at that temp do not work at all.
The lithium battery works at a voltage that will break down water so the electrolyte solution is based on organic solvents. These organic solvents, and the additives to the electrolyte, are designed to work at lower temperatures.
@D.O.A. If you're into chemistry, do some google searching you'll find that the solvents (as of over 10 years ago, when I worked with them) are, or were, a mixture of organic carbonates such as ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, possibly diethyl carbonate and maybe some other additives. The electrolyte has primarily been LiPF6 (but several others have been examined and might be in use, such as LiBF4 and organic derivatives of that compound). Some additives can be put in with the solvents to lessen flammability and to improve lower temperature performance. The chemistry of the cell is quite complex, but the interpersonal politics of the group I was in were more complex. I was glad to be transferred to another project.
@D.O.A. The big words are the names of the chemicals. The optimal operating range depends on a lot of things, but as a rule of thumb batteries have more power as the temperature goes up (to a certain point). Generally, all chemical activity goes up with temperature but temperature increases also make side reactions become significant. Batteries are complicated. There are reactions that occur at both electrodes (including several significant side reactions) and there is an involvement in some of those reactions by the solvents in the electrolyte. They can decompose and form films on the electrodes. In some cases those films might even be a bit beneficial. As and example of side reactions, the "simple" lead acid battery (this is something I was told about but wasn't involved in) can have it's lifetime extended with some additive (I don't know what it was) but that additive interferes with the low temperature performance of the battery. Well, cars have to be able to start cold so they can't use that life extending additive. They didn't patent or publish that work because they could be sued for not using it (inferior product) and they could have been sued for using it (unreliable cold performance). Legal issues have made a mess of this (I'm in the US) country. The separator is another matter entirely. Keep in mind that if it fails, it internally shorts out the battery, causes a rapid release of energy, boils the solvent causing the case to burst and the solvent to catch fire. Not pleasant. Remember those compounds that contain fluoride in the lithium cell? Well, they can partially come apart (it's called dissociation) and the free fluoride that is released can wreck havoc on the battery case, on components of some of the electrodes, and attack the solvents in the electrolyte. That's why they were working on organic derivatives of boron as part of the electrolyte. I don't know where that stands because I'm (gratefully) retired.
Every test I've seen on batteries has shown the Energizer to be the best there is. I was pleasantly surprised to learn from your video that Amazon Basics AA batteries are the best value overall. That is really valuable information! Thanks Todd! And YES! Please do the AAA batteries and the rechargeables. I use a ton of AAA batteries as well and have rechargeables, though don't use them much. And you will notice that rechargeables are slightly bigger than regular batteries, making them a tight fit in some battery compartments.
I'm very interested in this test as well. AAA both rechargeable and non rechargeable is probably the battery type I use the most. I tend to use Eneloop Pro for flashlights around the house, Eneloop regular for things like remotes that don't have as fast of a drain, and Energizer Lithium for flashlights on backpacking trips when I don't want to bother with packing spares or bringing a power bank to charge batteries. Also, now I finally have proof to tell my dad to stop buying those harbor freight batteries that not only need to be replaced every other day but also leak and ruin everything they're used in.
It also depends if you need the battery life. As someone that firms I would paid extra for longer battery life cause changing them every hour is a pain and someone you miss what you wanted to record.
Love how you do your videos and how honest you and your testing is! Many thanks 🙏 for what you do 😅 How’s your green thumb? What’s the best garden soil for the price? 😅
I tested Costco, AC Delco, Sunbeam and IKEA near the end of the rechargeable AA battery video. Thanks for watching! th-cam.com/video/0A1GvQ40j0Q/w-d-xo.html
Here are the batteries tested in this video. Thank you and best regards, Todd
Amazonbasics: amzn.to/3aNFFI7
Energizer: amzn.to/2EsGLgi
Duracell Quantum: amzn.to/2COEETG
Duracell: amzn.to/2EnP4KD
Rayovac: amzn.to/31lwsne
Enegizer Lithium: amzn.to/3aVdF5G
Eveready: amzn.to/32aToFa
Project Farm excellent.
you forgot the ikea batteries??😂
Wow you really made that test far better than I could have expected.
I was told lithium is the choice for anything that is subjected to subzero temps like leaving a flashlight in your car over a northern winter, as they do not freeze.
@@adamziemanis4120
Yes lithium batteries will outperform alkaline batteries in cold weather due to having a higher energy density. Both batteries do poorly an extreme cold weather and both will probably freeze at around the same temperature. In some cases, cold temperatures can cause alkaline batteries to burst and leak. For that reason alone it would be better to use lithium batteries where freezing temperatures put your devices at risk of damage.
I should also mention that there are now solid-state lithium batteries that are even safer. But they come at a premium price. But unlike the AA lithium batteries, these are rechargeable.
why this channel is one of the best
- doesnt start with a shitty intro
- basically doesnt give a sh*t about brands
- unbiased results
- no sweet talks
- no raid legends sponsorship
- "we're gonna test that"
Thanks for watching!
And these videos were _not_ sponsored by Nord VPN or SkillShare!
Great video, but horrific 'music', if that's what that was. Jesus
even he thanked very straight forward
Yes . .. this is my guide in buying things.. 😁
Proper unbiased testing, minimal shit talking....its like I've waited my whole life for this guy. Keep up the good work my friend
Thank you for the feedback!
plus that strong american accent 😁
nick chondros . Exactly!!
What about 0:34 - 2:18
No criticism intended here, but I would have done it slightly different. I would have loaded all the testing slots with the same battery and then done that for every different companies battery and averaged the results, just to rule out errors in battery manufacturing and the discharger as well. It would in all honesty come to the same result. Awesome reasearch and look forward to more consumer information like this.
This Man and channel should be protected at all cost.
Agreed
He is a saint and a hero.
I agreed. But there is one huge advantage to lithium batteries. They don’t puke there guts out in your device and destroy it. Worth every penny.
Hell yeah
Protected from what?
Alot has changed in the last few years. Every manufacturer has looked for ways to reduce cost since covid. You should conduct this test again and see if the results are the same. Love your channel! Great work
Thanks for the suggestion.
I would love to see this done again
D battery !
The $6 energizer lithium for a pk 4 2019
2024: $14
Yeah!
Id love to see Panasonic Evolta Neo, Fujitsu Premiums and Varta Lithiums.
This guy is easily putting out some of the most valuable information available on youtube
Thanks for the nice comment!
@@ProjectFarm It's true. Your model is ingeniously simple. You're putting in the wok that consumer reports used to, only this time it's with common products that effect us all. Your methods are sound, and you've got the technical chops to pull them off without compromising scientific integrity.
Tend to agree 👍
@@ProjectFarm you have saved me hundreds of dollars, I hope you get recommended to more people,
He knows what he’s talking about
The cheapest batteries for noisy kids toys. No need to prolong the torture.
lol. I agree!
This man is ahead of the curve
The torture does continue after the batteries die. They’ll keep on telling to change the batteries. 😭
@@dramchaser1022 that's when you tell them, I haven't seen the right batteries for this. Of course don't lie, personally I'm highly against it , but just don't look in the places where they might have them, or you might run across them. Then you're screwed and you've got to buy them and now you're starting from scratch again. I say don't ever lie to your kids, no one wants to bring up a liar or condone it but while they're young enough you can fudge a little and still not lie, yeah???
Then they take it out of your remote 🤣
this has quickly become one of my favorite channels. no nonsense content, honest reviews. this is what youtube is all about.
Thanks for watching!
Unfortunately that's not what youtube is for anymore, it's mainly for mainstream media now
@@4nd3rzzon maybe. But this is what youtube was intended for. Fortunately there are still top notch channels out here, like this one. And they are the reason I even stick around on youtube.
@@JerimyRobinsonFixxxeR yeah there are still some channels left worth watching thankfully
@@ProjectFarm Thanks for recording!
I switched to standard Energizer batteries years ago. They've just always seemed to last longer than most brands, including Duracell. It's good to know Energizer is the better choice.
Thanks for the feedback.
Fun fact: Energizer snatched up the Duracell Bunny after they let it go cold.
I switched to Energizer from Duracell as the Eergizer last longer and the Duacell have a problem leaking and destroying things.
@@darrellnewbury5051 Yes! I stopped using Duracell for the same reason. Ruined a couple nice flashlights!
@@darrellnewbury5051 Thank you Darrell. I just wanted to know which battery to buy. If you like Energizer, I'm sure I will too.
Channels like these open the gateway to a totally different realm in You tube recommendation list.
Thank you very much!
yup... the word "realm" is really the best definition for it.
North
Can we just appreciate that the battery draining tests took, on average, A FULL DAY. All in, this video took a few weeks just to drain the batteries, much less record the results, and relaying that information to us.
Good on you, sir, for saving us the time and effort of testing these for ourselves.
You are welcome!
You should try the Kirkland brand batteries from Costco
They are re-labeled Duracell's.@@henryelias2750
If Darrell liked Energizer, I'm sure I will too.
“I wouldn’t recommend the harbor freight or Dollar General, unless it’s for a kids toy that you want to die very quickly”... that one got me!😂😂😂🤣🤣
Thanks for the feedback.
😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣
that really made me laugh
@@rogerjoseph2532 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Should have tried the Dollar General Alkaline battery not the heavy duty ,that is what I use for my game camera,s that take 8 AA batteries .The Dollar General heavy duty battery does not last long for me .The Duracell batteries are too expensive compared to the DG alkaline batteries .
I like the Energizer over the Duracell mostly because the Duracell batteries seem to leak more than the Energizers. If you could find a way to test for leakage, that would make an awesome video!
Thanks for the suggestion.
I went to Energizer Max for everything once an expensive flashlight was ruined by leaking batteries. I would definitely be interested to see if I’m wasting money:)
Lithium batteries would never leak. Unfortunately they are way too expensive now. But, in my experience Energizer max doesn't leak as easily or quickly as Duracell
@Project Farm batteries tend to leak if they are fully discharged. This is due to the electrolyte that is eating up the zinc around the o ring gasket.
If you want to test leakage the fastest way is bringing up the temp while shorting the battery with somewhat like a 10 ohms resistance.
eevblog actually did an experiment, results were inconclusive
Everyone should really appreciate this man's work. This is easily the most expensive test ever done.
Thank you very much!
Expensive? Probably got change from $20.
Time consuming? Yes. Looks like one helluva lot of hours went into this vid!
Much appreciated.
Yeah, but he must be in love with the sound of his own voice, when an Excel spread sheet would provide the data in a glimpse. Which, he did at the end. His chatter was not needed.
@@sunzeneise -- With any test, it's important to know the methods used, and it helps to see the data unfolding, too. I hope you're more careful when you evaluate the statistics presented in political arguments. Besides, Mr. Project Farm is entertaining and energetic.
sunzeneise - I’m sure you could find that dull-as-dust spreadsheet on the web. For the rest of us it was good to see the full methodology. He fast-forwarded massively through the dull bits, as indeed can you.
Thanks for the tests. One thing to note: If a cell is marked 'Heavy Duty', it means that it is an older technology simple Zinc Carbon (a.k.a. Zinc Chloride) cell. The title is a throwback to the days when only Zn-C/ ZnCl Leclanché cells and batteries were available for portable equipment. The 'Heavy Duty' descriptor meant that the cell could sustain a higher current than standard cells of the time without depolarising. That's why the portable, battery-powered light was called a 'flashlight'; you could only flash the light for short periods before having to wait for the battery to recover. Once 'Heavy Duty' cells became available, flashlights could be used as torches - i.e. continuously - and the old-fashioned name, 'flashlight' was dropped in the U.K. (It still persists in the U/S.) Nowadays, we call them 'torches' for good reason.
Unfortunately, and mainly because of the ineptitude of legislators, manufacturers were never required to state the cell capacity on the label. So once Alkaline cells became available, they were allowed to continue to describe the inferior cells as 'Heavy Duty'. The outdated Standard Duty cells were discontinued, some years later. People around the globe are duped by the now misleading name to this day.
*We need a worldwide concerted campaign to persuade lawmakers to require manufacturers to state clearly the minimum guaranteed capacity on each cell.* (Not tucked away on a website, as we find today.) That will go some way towards restricting the ongoing dishonest behaviour of cell manufacturers. It has only been enforced with rechargeable cells, so far.
Thanks, Rauh. You're pretty smart.
Flash light came from the Germans the light had a small hand crank generator when the handle was turned it would light up causing it to flash but wouldn't stay on continually thus a flash flashlight
If you go on eBay, you can find loads of "9800mah" 18650 cells that only put out around 10% of their advertised capacity. The genuine batteries have genuine capacities but the fake ones that are rampant on eBay do not.
Well said, and NEVER NEVER put non rechargeable batteries into your little power outlet chargers, some advertising i have seen suggests this is possible, it corrodes the hell out of the terminals in your charger, maybe they give off a corrosive gas,I don't know but it stuffed mine.
Zinc Carbon batteries are great for low power and intermittent use devices such as tv remote controls, smoke detectors, and clocks. They deliver the power for a longer time at cheaper cost in those types of devices. It isn't inferior, simply meant for specific use. Alkaline batteries are good for other things like electric toothbrushes, toys, and game controllers. Lithium batteries are specifically designed for higher drain devices that also need to be lightweight such as the point and shoot digital cameras with built-built-in flashes everyone used to have. They also make good helmet lights for workers as extra weight is uncomfortable for extended periods.
All in all, there are different battery types for different applications. It helps to know what the right tool for the job is to make the most of your money.
I’ve watched all your videos, and for some reason this one has blown my mind the most. It seems there’s no situation where a Dollar General battery is of good value. Great work!
Thank you!
OMG you watch this channel too?! How’s your Broken collar bone? Hope you get well soon.
Seth's Bike Hacks .......hey Seth......2 of my fav you tubers .....you and project farm. Hope your recovery is going well
Get well soon Seth!
Hi Seth, didn't knew you like strange experiments without bikes also. :)
Would definitely really like to see your AAA video. You have the most informative breakdowns by far. I don’t watch all your videos all the time because I’m not always in the market to see which product is better than another. But when I am looking for a specific product and want to know which one is best, your videos are priceless.
Duracell: "Guaranteed 10 years"
Project Farm: "We're gonna test that"
I'll be waiting for that one in 2029
Thanks for sharing.
I still have Duracell batteries that have 5 years left. since they supposedly last 10 years unused. Just 5 more years
@Sharron Clark I agree. Duracells leaking have ruined more of my flashlights than any other brand. I am also a firm believer in Rayovac for my long term seldom used lights. After watching this, I will be checking out the Amazon Basics.
@Sharron Clark Rayovac are garbage. I just threw out the rest of my AAAs because they were leaking in the package...brand new.
I've already done this test with 10 year Duracell AA batteries and they FAILED. About 60% of the batteries in several 24 packs that I had started to leak at about the 6-year mark. The batteries were in my basement where it is cool and dry. I also had some big packs of AAA batteries leak well before the 10-year advertised life too. I was quite disappointed and have switched to Amazon Basics.
The lithium batteries have two additional advantages - they don’t leak when stored in a device and they have a longer storage life. Lots of alkaline batteries say they are leak proof, but I’ve seen plenty of those leak.
Thanks for the feedback.
Alkaline batteries used to not leak, period. Even after discharge they could sit for years. Now they leak before they die, and Duracell seems to be the worst. I've got a sneaking suspicion this is related to the new greener and less toxic formulations. The original designs just had to work, which simply meant provide power until it ran down, and then don't leak. When you add new priorities to the design of a product, you often compromise the original performance. Getting rid of mercury in alkaline batteries is a good thing. However, it was there for a reason, and I wonder if it somehow served to suppress hydrogen gas formation, which causes the pressure buildup that leads to leakage in alkaline batteries.
I've switched to lithium exclusively in stuff I care about. You have to include in the price equation the time and money spent cleaning, repairing or replacing equipment damaged or destroyed by leakage. Some of my stuff, like a 30+ year old remote control for some stereo equipment I have, would be well-nigh irreplaceable. Fortunately, alkaline leakage cleans up easier and seems to be less corrosive than the acidic leakage from old zinc-carbon batteries.
Good info, man.
You can recharge them ! 4x
@@dr.a.w i found duracell leak a lot too. Someone in electronics told me this too so I swapped Energizer. Been happy. Looking forward to this test.
My wife's gonna think I lost my mind when I'm drop testing every battery in the house
lol Thanks for watching.
You should see how it works with car batteries lol.
Makes for a good High School project. Demonstrates the principle that even electrons have mass. Too bad so many High Schools are prevented from operating by idiotic politicians and unions uninterested in real education and science.
🤣🤣🤣 "hard times hun!"
Lol.. that's funny.i can just see it too....lmao
I just discovered this video today and I can’t say how appreciative I am for you doing this. I’m know going to dive into your channel and see what other valuable information you have
Welcome! Thanks so much! Glad to hear!
The advantage of the Energizer Lithium is when you need cold temperature performance. They are highly recommended when you have an outdoor application. It would be pretty neat to run the test again at freezing and hot day temp equivalents.
Great point
I was going to say this. When you need to know the temperature inside of kegerator to know if the beer is cold enough, you need the lithium batteries.
@@colinsouthern yep. For my EoTech red dot and my Gen 3 night vision, lithium AA all the way. Not worth saving a couple dollars to risk a corrosion problem.
Also, the discharge rate of a lithium is much more linear
@@colinsouthern
Lithium batteries can swell and explode, its common in cheap lithium so just you know that they are not completely innocent,
I was welding this morning and my angle grinder battery died, and swapped it out, then had the idea of you making a battery video and see a battery video up now! Coincidences? I think not.
lol. Amazing!
Project Farm yeeeee
Coincidence, no . Synchronicity, yes .
I went to Walmart last week and researched which double A battery was best and watched a ton of videos but none of them were very reliable as there were many factors in each that could've prevented real, consistent results. This video is probably going to get the most views out of all the other videos with time. I'm calling it Project Farm.
Project Farm When you are going to test rechargable batteries, buy the LADDA 2500 batteries at IKEA. They are $5, rebranded Eneloop Pro, and they are the Best!!!
I use the energizer lithium in my driveway alarms and my freezer alarms. They maintain their voltage better in cold temperatures.
Iexpedite1 the thing I really love about them over alkaline batteries is when they finally shit the bed they don’t usually leak inside of the device corroding away the terminals if you’re lucky, circuit board traces and vias if you’re less lucky :-/
@@JamesReedy
Alkaline batteries shouldn´t do that either, however it can happen with certain brands.
Try the Ikea ones, I´ve never had one leaking.
However I remember the ones from Aldi (German supermarket) having destroyed something I used to own (don´t know what).
Can confirm that. We had those things up to 100000 ft on high altitude balloons. They got frozen to -50 C and still performed flawlessly, even when sourcing a hundred mA.
I use them in outdoor trail cameras and weather stations. Vastly superior in extreme cold.
I use them in my weather station for cold weather down to -20f
Almost all of my experience with AAs is with Energizer and Duracell. Haven't compared capacity the way you did, but I have noticed that when batteries are left in something for a long time after they have pretty much discharged, the Duracell's frequently leak, but the Energizers virtually never do. So I never by Duracells any more, because of that difference
I’ve found the same thing. If you are going to swap batteries frequently do duracell or Kirkland costco batteries.
If you’ll leave them in a while or in your glove box, always use Energizer so they don’t leak
Thanks!
I have ruined a dozen flashlights over the years from corrosion with Duracell batteries. AA, C, & D cells, it took me a long time to wise up.
Duracells leak constantly. It got so bad that I banned them from my household. Everything gets energizer lithium or rechargeables. I keep some regular energizers for times I know I’ll run them down quickly.
I heard a little bit of dielectric grease on the terminals helps avoid battery discharge
I’m a professional photographer, and I use a camera-mounted strobe “speedlite” frequently. The problem with alkaline batteries in this unit is that as you use them the recycle time (the time it takes for the strobe to get back to full power) keeps increasing. Lithium batteries, on the other hand, maintain their rapid recycle time until the battery is drained, at which point the strobe just doesn’t recycle. In any job where you have to shoot quickly (e.g. weddings) recycle time is critical. After using lithiums for several years I discovered the Panasonic Eneloop rechargeable batteries. It turns out that they have similar characteristics to lithiums, but they’re rechargeable. And it further turns out that the Amazon Basics rechargeable batteries are similar to the Eneloops. That’s all I use now.
Thanks for sharing.
I'm a wedding photographer and in the manual for canon flashes, says do not use lithium batteries as explosions can occur due to heat being generated. Lithium batteries are indeed better in flashes, however they get extremely hot and can damage a flash if you aren't careful.
Did U ever get batteries that leaked Acid. I got a lot of Duracell batteries that leaked. I like the Lithium batteries.
All batteries leak at some point. You just need to remove them if you don't use the device for some time.
Wow ! Thats strange ! Ive used NI Mh type batteries for like 10 years! They existed before lithium was main stream! And for sure they can deliver a lot of current even when it almost dead. Very useful for application when you need a lot of current. Also they are very safe you can just shot its terminals and it would heat and heat and still wont burst until it heats up a lot. As a teen I used them In all thing from rc toy to pocket digital cameras
His smile at the beginning of each video makes me a very happy person.
This channel should be a world heritage site.
This may be the most important video on the internet for parents with small children. LOL
lol. Great point. Thank you!
Nah I just want my Xbox controller to last longer
Seriously. I feel like I should have had to pay for that information because of how much it's going to save me in time and money 😁
Yeah because they buy the ones that get empty the quickest xD
@@HRANCH same reason I'm watching
Thanks!
Thanks for supporting the channel! I really appreciate it!
I’ve always felt that Duracell was the best, but clearly you’ve just proved that Energizer is the best buy.
Thank you! I've always like those Duracells as well. I'm surprised at just how well the Energizer performed.
They used to be equal like back in the 70's and 80's. However today, I have used both on the same clock and the Energizer has outlasted the Duracell every time. It is unfortunate, I used to swear by Duracell but not these days.
Same here. I like Outdoors sales look but it seems like it's time to switch to Energizer. Now I can feel right and be right.
@@toysoldier46552 They used to be equal in the 70s and 80s. I remember distinctly however energizer took a dip in the 90s. My gameboy lasted longer with duracell every time. But they did come back in the early 00s while duracell then declined pretty bad infact until around 2010. But they still arent as good as they once were.
@@ProjectFarm Id be interested to see how the Energizer Lithium compares to the Duracell Lithium ultra.
Thank you for running these tests. I appreciate the data.
Thank you!
@Ebiegberi Adonkie In life everyone is trying to maximize profits, you don't go into any business or job to lose money. If you weren't a greedy government welfare fed jealous loser you'd see that to be true.
@Hassan 2k Whiteside
Fuck the liberals and fuck the greedy corporations that have taken our freedom from us
@Victor Camargo
Office slave
@Victor Camargo
Can the math equation expert explain us the uneducated why Amazon doesn't pay almost any taxes for example? And how corporations are good for the common people when they are rigging the system?
I vote for a rechargeable test!!
Thank you!
@@ProjectFarm Duracell rechargables are horrible for the price, they error on both my chargers and cheap supermarket ones don't.
As a Lifitng inspector I use a lot of rechargables batteries for lamps on helmets and torches so I would LOVE a independent test of the known brands :D
Eneloop is the best one
Po 66 Ikea and Eneloop are made in the same factory :)
Same goes for Fujitsu.
And they will all outperform single use batteries, well maybe not the lithium ones.
Also NiMH and lithium are better suited for high drain devices, such as flashlights, strobes and such.
Being 3-4USD/Pc there are much better buy than primaries.
Also Li-ion's are way ahead of NiMH in terms of capacity. One Sanyo 18650 GA has the same capacity as 4 best Eneloops, costs about 5USD, and can be drained with 7-10A without any problem.
I'd love to see eneloop and tenergy going head to head!
Since the price keep changing, I used your MAH measurements to re-calculate the "MAH per penny". For a 20 pack at this time, both Duracell and Energizer edged the "Amazon Basics" (offered better value) so went with Energizer. Great video!
Thanks! Thanks for sharing.
I smell rechargable battery test coming
Great video idea!
@@ProjectFarm eneloop are best rechargeables, hold charge longer, more recharges, love them
@@jonathanrogers9961 they are good. I had some 2000mih ones I used in a small RC car. They were so good it popped wheelies and broke both diffs as well as all 4 axles. Unfortunately I left one of them in a clock that was in a camper we sold :( so now I only have 3.
I use rechargeable batteries almost exclusively, I'd love to see that. 9 Volt batteries too.
@@ProjectFarm rechargeables lose power over time. test would only work with brand new batteries, and then after like a year of use.
Can you please test rechargable AAs. Most importantly Eneloop Pro vs. the big variant of the IKEA rechargable batteries because all evidence points to them being the same battery.
Really? Interesting.... all I thought when I saw this video was eneloop rechargeables.
Thank you!
All Ni-Mh that are made in Japan are all made in the same factory (Fujistsu). ie: Eneloop Pro, Ikea Ladda High Capacity, Amazonbasics High Capacity, etc.
Rechargable battery test sounds very interesting!!
I've used Energizer rechargeables for a while now, wonder if they're actually worth it.
An important consideration with a private label like the Amazon battery is consistency. At any given time they might be contracting with a different manufacturer so you really don't know what battery you're getting. In theory with the name brands you should always get a consistent result.
Good catch
I thought about this too but they may change suppliers and such too.
How did you come to this conclusion?
I work with clients that manufacture for private labeling. Not only can you not be certain that it will remain the same over time, there can be more than one private label suppliers at any given time.
This is true. One would think that a company as large as Amazon would perform rigorous quality engineering sample testing before adding a mfr to sell under their brand. However, this info is considered trade secret (and not accessible to the public).
I watched this video years ago and it really has influenced how i use batteries. For TV remotes, the cheapo batteries are just fine, its coin flip odds on whether the batteries die or corrode first. But for the important things and high-power devices such as a digital camera w/flash or an RC car, nothing beats the Energizer. And for everything in-between, the Amazon Basics are great! Thank you for continuing to make great videos Mr Farm!
You are welcome!
When it is 40 below in northern Canada the energizer lithium is the only one that keeps working in outdoor sensors, otherwise I use the energizer.
Great information! Thank you
That is exactly what I found and batteries I use in different applications. 👍👍
Yep! I only use lithium on my avalanche rescue transceivers.
In addition, we use Energizer Lithiums in our pinball machines not because they last longer (though that is nice), but because they won’t leak if you forget to change them before they die. Leaks from Alkalines do a lot damage to the PCBs the batteries are mounted on.
@@fredhamilton1701 My experience too. I've had other brands, including other premium brands, leak and kill kit. The Energizer lithium cells are expensive, but they have a great energy capacity and I've not had any leak on me yet.
All your videos are such ridiculously high-quality, very scientific-method based content. Instant sub, glad I found this channel!
Thanks for watching and subscribing!
I like how this video is to the point. Some TH-cam people just talk too much and off topic.
Do a rechargeable test and make sure to include the Ikea Rechargeables. They are a re branded sanyo eneloop and awesome performing cells. I have used enough rechargeables over 25 years to know.
Thank you
Great video. Please do a rechargeable test! I would love to see it include Ansmann, Amazon Basics, and Eneloop.
Project Farm yes!!! Please try the ikea ones I’m super curious!!!
I've been using Rayovac rechargeable 4 for $5, they last me around 2 years. And is battery memory true?
+1 on rechargeable ones, read somewhere Amazon ones are a rebrand.
I'm a big fan of rechargeable. would greatly appreciate a rechargeable battery review.
Great video idea! Thank you
i know LG MJ1's are the best 18650 battery. 18650's are the only recharge-ables i ever bothered researching.
I haven't bought a disposable battery in years. Rechargeable is where it's at.
The Sanyo NCR18650GA has the same capacity and a bit better voltage sag under load. Neither is good for extremely high-load applications.
@@Billy_Darley They're nice for high output multi C discharges like Vaping mods and Teslas :)
You're becoming my go-to for everything. I used to go by reviews, now I go by your demonstrations! Thousand times more accurate!
Wow, thank you!
I've been using Amazon Basics for the past couple of years in my trail cameras and I've been pleased with the performance. I felt they were the best value and your test confirms that. Thanks! I'm going to keep using them.
Thanks for sharing!
Love this video. I am a flight medic in the Air Force and our comm systems run on AA's. The lithiums feel like the way to go since they last the longest, allowing me to focus on the tasks at hand
Absolutely, they all have their place. That's why they are premium. Safer and longer. It's all relevent. If u can change batteries often like toys or clocks etc the cheaper ones are the go.
@@yohellghost2115 Well even then he shows the cheap one's arent the way to go. You may not need to go energizer lithium but you'd want to go energizer or amazon basics to get the best value for your money. Really at no point are the dollar store/harbor freight (cheap) batteries the way to go. You waste your money and barely get any juice. Thats the take away from this video..
@@AwesomeMan2696 I said cheaper ones. Not the the rock bottom cheap and nasty ones. They are just trash. Just like buying eBay no-name power tool batteries, absolute rubbish that don't last a month.
Lowes sells 60 packs of those Rayovacs AA/AAA for $12 every so often. Lasts me an entire year and @ 20 cents a battery makes it the best value!
Thank you for the feedback
Rayovacs are cheapest trash, no thanks. Those damn things will leak, EVERY TIME, if you even think of leaving them in when you're not using them. Do yourself a favor, skip that cheap garbage.
@@jpcreativeimagery Well... you aren't supposed to leave batteries inside your device if you're not going to use it for more than a week. Also use the cheapest carbon-zink batteries for low power, long term usage like remote controllers. I learnt his the hard way and had a nasty remote controller (I was 12 at the time and was properly educated in batteries after).
@@jpcreativeimagery You are so full of it. l Ive been using rayovacs for YEARS and Ive had great luck with them. No brand is immune to leaks btw.
Rechargeables are the best value actually
First time watching this guy, was his seafoam test on his truck. I have been hooked on this channel ever since. Honest non biased. Simply awesome!
Thank you!
Duracell: "Guaranteed 10 years"
Project Farm: "We're gonna test that"
I'll be waiting for that one in 2029
Same!
It’s been nearly 40 years since I performed my AA battery test, using a simpler setup, since I didn’t have a nice testing tool like the one you used. However, the Energizer was the top performer even back then, with Duracell in a fairly close second. The overall capacities have surely improved, but the relative ranking hasn’t changed.
Thanks for sharing!
True, I think the biggest takeaway is that you don't save any money by buying garbage harbor fraud or dollar general batteries, you're just going to replace a lot more batteries..
Every energizer I have ever used leaked within 12 months.
@@matrixist my only Energizer leak was an 8 year old forgotten plushie.
@@matrixist The Energizer Lithium are a completely different cell chemistry, they don't leak. Every other alkaline leaks at some point. People speculate they have become worse and they were all higher quality in the past. I'm not sure if that's true, but I don't trust alkalines anymore. I either use Lithium or Eneloop rechargeables for everything that is worth more than 20 bucks.
Rechargeable yes, I want to buy amazon rechargeable and also what software you use for graphing charts?
FixItNick Excel probably
@@ekuapa Looked like Excel to me too
Anecdotally, I've had at least a dozen Amazon rechargeable AAs that I use for all my remote controls, flashlights and game controllers. They are pretty reliable for those devices and can last a few years.
rumor has it that the amazon rechargables are rebadged eneloops.
I have about 16 AA Eneloops and 8 AAAs - part of the Costco multipack - and I must say the amount of pollution it has saved the environment not to mention the cost savings makes me very happy. Xbox and Wii controllers with their force feedback vibration motors seem to just chew through batteries, even the 2300 mah Eneloops!
I would love to see some Costco Kirkland signature brand batteries enter the fray.
Thank you!
@@ProjectFarm Was going to make this comment, glad I checked first! I would be happy to send a pack for testing if you don't have a costco near you(just tag me and I'll post contact email if so desired).
Yes! Please do another test but include the Costco batteries.
Exactly my thoughts. I've wondered if they are just rewraps of another brand.
as far as i know duracell makes kirkland
These videos seem like they would be so mundane, but they’re honestly SO interesting.
The most useful test that nobody will ever do: minimal drain/durability. That is, in practice, how long the batteries will survive in your remote.
Thank you for the feedback
@@ProjectFarm I was wondering if you could test the Vape batteries for the next project? Batteries like the LG 18650 3000mAh 3.7v batteries against it's competitors? Vape batteries would be an interesting project to do I feel. :)
The Lithiums by a mile. They effectively have zero self-discharge, maintain a stable voltage for far longer into the life-cycle, and unlike alkaline they won't leak acid into your electronics (the chemistry isn't capable of leakage).
...The application they were originally specifically designed for is low current long duration electronics.
Having said that I do personally use rechargables or buy good quality alkalines for high-discharge applications as the price/W is quite a bit lower, but for low draw applications I'll go with Energiser lithiums every single time without fail.
Partially because many remotes can be different. Plus the bulk of people just put cheap batteries in remotes anyways because of their low-power usage. The times it does matter is with things like cameras or other portable devices that use a lot of power--that's when it may pay to put a more expensive battery in.
*how long will it last in an xbox controller
EXCELLENT VIDEO. After trying many batteries over the years, I have ended up with the Energizer Lithium for one simple reason: I have never had one leak. Duracell used to be in that category, but they changed something in their manufacturing a few years ago, and are now on par with the Amazon Basics and Kirkland batteries. Keep them in an appliance long enough (often less than one year) and they will leak, even in room temperature conditions. In fact, I recently saw a Duracell 9V battery leaking IN ITS CASE, on the shelf at Costco. My tools are too expensive for me to care much about the cost of high quality batteries.
Having said all that, we do use the Amazon Basics for lit up Christmas decor, and throw them away at the end of the season.
Thanks for the awesome video!
To answer your question…YES, , I would love to see a battery test for AAA batteries! That is actually what I was looking for.
Also, if you read the reviews by *Personal* users on consumer reports, there are a lot of complaints about the Duracell Quantum batteries LEAKING. A leak test would be excellent, as well!☺️
Just found your site today and I will be recommending it to my husband!
Welcome! Thanks for the suggestions!
i would say... and this is just my opinion... theres no point in doing a AAA test... we already know which brands put what in quality and.. based off the AA results I would bet it would be the same in the AAA category. Same batteries just a bit smaller size
While I understand the thought behind Feras’ reply, I do think there’s value in testing the AAA batteries. Obviously they aren’t made exactly the same way so there might be a performance difference.
So do Duracell Optimum leak not even 2 years old!
You sir, are a hero! All the testing you do to help us out is unmatched! Keep up the good work! And Thank You!
Thanks and you are welcome!
@@ProjectFarm is the absolute, best channel on TH-cam when it comes to product information. We love finding out how well the products hold up from someone that is totally honest and unbiased. Thank you, thank you sir. Best regards.
I've been using Energizer Ultimate Lithium for about 15 years now. Advantages: high capacity, can be stored for a long time and also work very well in the cold. And most importantly: no leakage so far! With almost all alkaline batteries, sooner or later I had the problem that they leaked - regardless of their discharge status. This phenomenon even completely destroyed some devices. Regardless of whether it is low consumers such as a wall clock or high consumers such as flash units - Energizer Ultimate Lithium reliably supplies all types of devices with power.
Only place I've had a problem with the Lithium units is TI graphing calculators. Their voltage is a little higher and they make the screen fully dark even with the brightness all the way down.
So, to put it in other words, the Lithium batteries are the Toyota and Hondas of the batteries ! There expensive, but last longer!
Ive watched quite a few of Todds videos by now and I have to say, as interesting as the info on batteries is, what's more interesting is seeing how much progress he has made in the last 6 years at producing these videos. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, will do!
The one feature of the Lithium, which would be extremely difficult to test in your format, is self-discharge rate. In an emergency flashlight or an extremely low-drain device, the Lithium might have quite an advantage. Too bad we would have to wait a decade or so to see the results.
Thanks for the feedback.
I agree, I've also never had a lithium battery form corrosion inside a device before, that alone is worth it to me.
@@mrjoehimself Yep. I use them in remotes and high end devices like cameras.
They also do better with high current draws
I have an LED flashlight that I bought 12+ years ago that came with Energizer lithiums. I generally used the flashlight at very low power, when it wasn't sitting in a drawer for years on end, with the batteries still inside. The flashlight is still going strong, with no issues whatsoever. The ones that had alkalines, OTOH, were all damaged by leaking batteries. At least 2 of them could not be fixed, at least not without heavy tools.
Lithium for my smoke detectors...Amazon basics for all the others.
Thank you
Yea I have no issues with amazon yet... Only issue for some would be quality control for bad batteries..
My smoke detector is a 10yr non-replaceable rechargeable! Not made anymore. Who wants to sell smoke detectors that last 10 years! I'm on year 8! Kiddie brand.
@Matt Laclair THat beeping my god.., some can't be removed in some places that I lived.
Carbon detectors are very important in my opinion for batteries.
My carbon monoxide detcor beepars 1nce, buT i still thiNkinh Runs go0d. Ok.
Duracell LEAK!!! Too many times in the past I have had Duracell batteries leak inside of the device. I will NEVER purchase or use them again. I use the Energizer Lithium for my computer mice. They last about a year each and are lighter than normal AA batteries. The Energizer Lithium batteries are about 1/2 the weight in the mice and make using my mouse 12 - 14 hours a day so much nicer. I use them in my wireless mikes for tv production. I use about 1/3 less batteries per year using the Energizer Lithium. Great video as always!
We've found Duracell that have gone reverse polarity! We only buy Energizer in bulk now.
Wow! Thanks for this information.
Just curious why are you on a PC 14 hours a day
Ive never had an issue with duracell and always had a walkman or cd player on me when I was younger. Doesnt surprise me though.
@@anthonyvandyke5108 Work?? lol. Not like you can ignore some jobs when you get home. Emails always need to be answered.
I did notice you were using the dollar store heavy duty batteries versus the Duracell. For an accurate test you’d need to do both sets alkaline. Huge difference in power and drain. Love your channel!
Thank you! Thanks for the constructive feedback.
@@ProjectFarm That bothered me too, but it did show why non-alkaline is not even worth considering. Harbor Freight 'blue' alkalines go on sale for $5 a pack and would probably do well for the money.
@@ProjectFarm this is the first video of yours I've watched. Nice presentation. Have now read a few of your polite and receptive replies, this one above cinched it. You've got a new subscriber.
Blessings
@@mikekazigian4437 Carbon zinc batteries are more tolerant of freezing temperatures, and they won't leak. They also won't self-drain over time. Not recommended for high drain applications though.
Dude, I've always wanted to do this and always wondered what the best battery is, THANK YOU!
Here are some of my thoughts:
* From my experience I will tell you that I have found that Duracell batteries leak more often (almost ten to one) more than any other battery.
* It's important to note that you may want to consider that while the Amazon Basics battery is bringing you the most power for your penny, the time it takes to have to stop what you're doing and change batteries makes an excellent case for buying a more expensive battery that may last longer - because time is also money.
* It's important to note that some manufacturers of electronic equipment specifically state that you should not use a lithium battery in their equipment. Kwikset digital locks is one of them. After getting tired of replacing batteries so often I actually went against their advice and used lithium batteries in my digital lock. I've been doing it for years and there have been no bad ramifications and I absolutely love the fact that I only have to replace those batteries about once a year now compared to about once every 4-5 months.
* Truth be known, lithium batteries are really no competition for alkaline batteries because a lithium battery will outperform alkaline battery any day of the week, however, it is good to see how they perform as an option.
Thank you very much! Also, thanks for the information you provided.
Batteries usually leak when mixed with other brands.
I agree on the leaky Duracell. Won't even buy them anymore.
This tickles my confirmation bias so nicely: that's exactly my conclusion: AmazonBasics for value, and Energizer Lithium for maximum performance.
Thank you!
Thanks for saving me 10 min
and Energizer for the balance of battery life and price
bit.ly/2SHXr7b Have you tried the new Battery? Try it now
One other consideration is chemical leakage. Over the years I have been an energizer and duracell user. In long term applications I have had far more problems with leakage from energizer cells. In cases like a glove box flashlight, my experience has been that duracell seems to do much better sitting multiple years. Something I consider for emergency devices like radios, lights, etc.
Duracell leaks a lot more these days. Leakage is a big issue it can ruin your devices
I just don’t install batteries to things for long term. They have always leaked, I had to clean the terminals on my Wii Controllers, and a label maker that had been there for about 4 years. If I use the electronics some what often is fine, but long term it has never been good to me. Duracell mostly, Energizer I don’t buy as often simply because the stores near me seem not to carry them , not all. Hence why Duracell is my choice.
My experience with duracell is the opposite. It leaks reliably. Only some chinese brand (I don't rember the name) hasn't, in my experience.
I have bad luck with Rayovac leaking, just sitting in the fancy battery holder I have not touching anything.
@@nyki7fykxtjxyi Check to see what Duracells you have. I've had issues with the ones made in China, usually grabbed from end caps at the grocery store. The ones that I have that are US made rarely ever leak, though seem to be harder to find recently.
Todd, I have been a fan of you and your channel. I discovered this video yesterday and just realized that it was made in 2018. I do not expect the older heavy duty batteries to compete against the newer alkaline and lithium batteries. There are many establishments selling their own brand of AA alkaline batteries now (Costco Kirkland, Sam's Club, Harbor Freight Thunderbolt EDGE,...). I would love to see an updated video.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Best Value: Amazon Basics
Best Performance: Energizer Lithium
Thank you
Ha thanks man, i was scrolling for this answer, although i watched this video a long time ago
Have you just Spoiled the whole video?
Thank you for the summary.
Thank you... my head was spinning and feeling bad that I did not study hard enough :)
Yes, a AAA and a Rechargeable showdown would be awesome! Thanks!
Thanks for the suggestion.
@@ProjectFarm Duracell AAA batteries LEAK. I won't buy them anymore. I've had them leak in the sealed pkg. Stored in my 'stash' in the bedroom closet at around 75 deg. Also they have ruined several devices .
i would also like to see AA rechargeables showdown. Please include at least Eneloop (regular white), Eneloop Pro (black), Energizer
Rechargeable Hearing aid batteries if your lucky, last about two and a half to three years, then need to be replaced, How can you test the rechargables? Id like to know what brand would be the best!Or last the longest. TYheres bsicly two types, one is the battries are built into the Aids, and the other ones are replaceable. im writing this in 2021, and the batteries are stronger now than several tears ago, "new"
@@salmanila1334 funny you mention this. I buy those bulk packs where you get like 20 batteries. I went to the drawer today to get 2 AAA Duracells and 3/4 of the package had a rusty brown coloured material over all the batteries. That package was maybe 6 months old snd stored in a dry, room temperature drawer. I won’t be buying Duracell again anyways after watching this video… I’ll go with Energizer from now on.
So, some thoughts about the lithium vs alkaline,
1) Lithium batteries will not corrode over time. I specifically use them in equipment that isn't used much, but may be needed in a pinch, such as emergency lights and radios.
2) If you retested this, it would be good to see some plots of the voltage vs. time while the batteries were draining, as the lithium batteries are supposed to maintain their nominal voltage for longer, before suddenly dropping off.
3) The lithium batteries are much lighter and therefore good for weight saving applications like a handheld radio that requires 9 AA.
I have a few more ideas about testing some of this, but this comment is long enough as is, but you can message me if you like.
All that said, keep up the good work. :)
Great points! Thank you
Yeah I use Energizer lithiums in my dmm and tv remotes. When you need the battery to Outlast the device! Lol. Seriously though the branded ones seem to be advertising that that have a long shelf life and don't leak. Usually when I find a leaking battery it's a generic, I've had quite a few harbor freight alkaline batteries leak. Those low power zinc carbon batteries do have their uses, I like to use those in low draw devices like tv remotes. They usually outlast cheapo alkalines,bc they seem to leak before the zinc carbon would die.
Lithium also has higher discharge capability. They're preferred over alkaline in things like camera flashes because they charge the flash capacitor faster.
I was going to say points 1 & 2 but you said it better. Personally, I have gotten to the point where I will not put anything but lithium into devices I care about. Even Energizer and Duracell seem to corrode more often than they use to. When you factor in the cost of replacing expensive items from corrosion, alkaline batteries just don't make sense.
That said, if manufacturers cared about the "quality" devices they sold, they would build devices with a sacrificial battery holder that can be replaced when the batteries corrode.
Yeah, after losing a few expensive flashlights to leaking alkalines, I've switched over to Energizer Lithium for almost all devices. The only exceptions are things that get used every day, where I use rechargeable lithium-ions instead.
I've read that the Eneloop is the best rechargeable and would really enjoy a showdown on PF. I try to avoid rechargeable batteries in my camera gear since most are 1.2 volts over the 1.5 volts for standard alkaline batteries. Another awesome feature of the lithium is their storage & anti leak life. Nothing worse than an alkaline battery swelling & ruining a piece of kit. I would guess the AA & AAA performance are fairly similar.
Althouse a rechargeable AA battery has a lower voltage than a throwaway battery when you are not taking any current from it, this situation reverses when you take current. You can take several amps from the rechargeable battery and it still holds nearly 1.2 volts, but at the same current the throwaway battery wilts from 1.6 volts to maybe 0.5 or less. Some digital cameras will not work with throwaway batteries because of the inability to deliver the amount of current the camera needs. On value for money the rechargeable battery wins a hundredfold or more, even when you include the cost of the charger that you have to buy.
There used to be applications in which you needed throwaway batteries, like a clock, or a flashlight or radio that you keep in a drawer in case of emergency. This was because the old nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries used to go flat in a couple of weeks even when not used. Now there are nickel-metal-hydride and lithium-ion rechargeable batteries that hold a charge for years. There is no justification for the continuing sale of throwaway batteries.
This video was worth watching just for the drop test 👍🏽
Thank you!
Seriously! That was satisfying lol
That was cool!
Who ever thought about this
I’m just saying you can get like 30 batteries at harbor freight for 4$ or sometimes even free
I’m always blown away by the high quality content you produce. Some of these videos do not even apply to me, but I watch them anyway. Love this channel!
Thank you!
I use a lot of batteries in trail cameras and would really love to see rechargeables vs energizer and energizer lithiums. Cold weather testing would be great too.
Great job on all your videos! One of the best on TH-cam! Thank you.
Thanks and you are welcome! Thanks for the suggestion.
Some years back the company I worked for did a join project with an Israeli military contractor. They tested every brand, type, and size of readily portable battery AAA, AA, C, D, 9v ( not rechargeable as they are not practical in the field), for longevity at maximum load.
This was a very high drain application. I don't have the raw data for you, but they determined that, of all the brands and sizes available at the time, the Energizer AA performed the best In all temperature/humidity conditions.
Me too!
I have some experience with the lithium batteries. Both while in the military in Afghan and when I hiked the Appalachian Trail, I used lithiums and they do last longer in the cold. I was using alkaline batteries twice as fast or more in the cold months.
@@jbdavis2933Hey brother thank you for your service. Hats off to you. I haven't used lithium's before only alkaline, but I have found energizer to be the absolute worst at leaking followed by Duracell. I'm in Texas, little bit warmer so to speak, so I wonder did they leak in Afghanistan? Much obliged for your insight. BW
I used to have a job where I managed sound equipment for a church and was very familiar with AA batteries. All the wireless microphones required AA batteries and anecdotally, I always noticed that the Duracell batteries lasted far longer than any other brand (save any lithium batteries). So I always tried to buy Duracell. In that usage and application, it was no competition. Duracell all the way. It typically lasted at least 50% longer than energizer batteries. Just my personal experience from an actual real world example.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! Excellent breakdown, especially the mAh/penny. I use a lot of AA in my trailcams and suspected Duracell was lasting longer than the Rayovac. Thinking some day I’d run head to head tests in identical flashlights, but this was HUGELY better.
^THIS is in my opinion one of the most useful videos I have seen.
Thanks and you are welcome!
Please do this test for *RECHARGEABLE AA/AAA BATTERIES* please!! There are also lithium batteries to try!!
Thank you!
... and rechargeable vs regular. So far, I’m not impressed with the rechargeable batts.
+1 on rechargeables
PLEASE test the expensive ennerloop pro batteries! Love your channel
This! Would love to see the rechargables results also compared against the alkalines
7:32 for overall results and graphs, including value for money.
Thank you
Thanks!
@Greyztone Why would i skip all the good science, and the effort he put into it
Not all heroes wear capes
ASAP Killerr - for those in a hurry here's the results, for those interested in the science, it's here too for when you have time to watch. Sometimes you need batteries right away or you're going to the store and remember this video you saw and it's good to be able to have the results handy to refer to (thanks Greyztone!). I wish all videos - especially product reviews and comparisons like this one- had an index of sorts, like DVD Chapters. Maybe the next version of TH-cam will offer such things, until then much thanks to folks like Greyztone for sharing where the practical part of the info is located, and of course to the video producer who has performed the tests and documented the results to help us make an informed purchase!
I'll be buying lithium for emergency kits and Amazon basics for everyday. This is exactly what I needed. Thank you so much. Subbing.
You are welcome! Thanks for watching and subscribing!
Does the bounce test work on car batt
Very funny 😄 I
Only if you drop it from your roof.
No, it does not. I had an old one sitting around, dropped it on my bench, zero bounce. Dropped the new one, bounced off the bench and onto my foot. Heading to urgent care now.
Probably works on a 900 kilograms tesla battery
MAD MAX 😂😂😂😂
Yet another AWESOME, useful, helpful and professionally done test and video!!! I too use a significant number of double A batteries around our farm and ultimately, it’s a balancing act between value and life. A better value yet having a shorter life isn’t necessarily the better choice when your device dies at the most in opportune time which is when they always seem to die. For me, the good balance is a reasonable endurance without an astronomical price. This makes the standard Enegizer my best choice. I did start using the Enegizer Lithium in my camera equipment because ultimately I prefer maximum field use without having to change batteries. Thank you again for answering yet another one of life’s “million dollar questions”!!
Thanks and you are welcome!
I've been a Duracell faithful since the late 80's. I think now I will be jumping to the pink bunny. For a budget I will also consider amazon basics after energizer. Thanks for the extensive research. Liked how you made a ghost comparison of the bounce effect. Awesome job great detail.
Thank you!
Michael Alvarez That’s what I was saying this whole video man I’ve been being way too faithful to Duracell when Energizer lithium is way better than the quantum I’ve been wasting my money on.
I'm a former Duracell addict... but lately I'm weening off that brand and going with Rayovac (yes battery addiction can be dangerous to your wallet lol)... cheaper and about the same performance if not better. ymmv
@@BillAnt Unless Rayovac changed to the newer technology... I've always had bad experiences with other brands except Duracell. Even the Energizer battery seems to fall short of the Duracell's capability/durability.
@Mars Flee < Not sure what has changed in Rayovac, but for low amperage draw devices like remotes and such it works perfectly fine. The difference seems to be so minor that it's does not warrant to spend the extra buck per battery. and I used to be one of those "Ewww! Rayovac!" guys too. lol
Thank you so much for this video! It is very useful to me because my batteries in my lightstick died during a concert and now I know what to buy!
You are welcome! Thanks for sharing.
This dude is brave! I'd be watching out for a van parked down the street after making a video like this...
AAA test, please! THANKS! REALLY appreciate your channel. WE TRUST YOU - and TRUST is a rare commodity these days! - Johnny -
Thank so much Johnny! Thanks for the video idea.
@@ProjectFarm I agree, please make this video. Keep up the great work!
I would be willing to bet the same brands would do as well or bad as in this test using AAA as opposed to AA batteries.
I echo this sentiment. I trust his reviews completely. Nobody else like him on youtube.
It'd be a bit more expensive, but I'd love to see an apples-to-apples test like this for lead-acid car batteries. There's a very prevalent theory I regularly hear , which I believe to be true, but cannot confirm, that says that all batteries from supermarkets and chain auto parts stores (EverStart, AutoCraft, Duralast, and SuperStart from WalMart, Advance, Autozone, O'reilly's, respectively.) come from the same manufacturer (Johnson Controls), and are thus identical. I've also heard that outside of Johnson Controls, the only other lead-acid battery makers in the US are Interstate and Exide. A good roundup could tell weather all the supposed Johnson Controls batteries are the same, and whether Interstates or Exides are better.
Really enjoy what you do here BTW. This is TH-cam/the internet put to it's best use IMO.
That would be a very interesting test, I agree.
You are correct about Johnson controls making those. Interstate batteries are made by Johnson... exide makes own. The folks I buy my humvee batteries from at Interstate batteries confirmed this info.
Great video idea!
You forgot optima batteries are also produced by Johnson.
If you guys have a rural king in your area, get you car batteries there. They are made by excide. And a whole lot cheaper then even Walmart. I paid 79 bucks for a 1000cc for my truck. Auto parts stores wanted double that.
I've been to manufacturing plants that swap out molds, dies, chemicals, etc. when they run different brands. Sometimes there's a real difference. Sometimes the Chinese stuff is the same.
The is one of the most important videos on the internet
Thanks so much!
Definitely.. Top 5
Harbor Freight never disappoints to disappoint.
Why have you bought so much stuff there then? Lol
It's important to note that he used the cheapest "Heavy Duty" batteries they sell. You can often get a 24 pack for $2. They also have alkaline options which are better.
I would rather pay a low price for cheap Chinese tools than a high price for cheap Chinese tools. Wouldn’t you?
@@tedschmitt178 Not ALL Chinese tools are junk.....but the H.F. Hong Kong garbage is the worst of the worst.
WHISTLE BLOWER ON HF...REMEMBER WHEN 9.6 HF ELECTRIC DRILLS 1st SOLD...I TOOK A BATTERY APART...THERE WAS A WET PAPER TOWEL IN IT CAUSING THE BATTERY CONNECTORS TO RUST AND FAIL...UH HUH...GOT AN OLD ONE...TAKE IT APART & SEE FOR YOURSELF...(oh...NiCd...)
I used to tap mine together they make a hollow sound when they're discharged and a more solid and they're full. Thank you again for all your great content
You are welcome!
I buy batteries at a well known membership store. They had Energizer batteries for years, but they switched to Duracell. During the time they had Duracell, I noticed decreased performance but also much more frequent leakage and equipment damage by Duracells. I was very happy when they switched back to Energizers, which I have long thought provided superior performance, and I've only had one Energizer leak on me but even that was in a device forgotten in the attic for years.
Thanks for sharing.
If you will test rechargeable batteries take a look at the Lada 2450 from Ikea. I'm pretty positive it's the exact same battery as the way more expensive Eneloop pro battery.
I bought the LADA 1000 and I have been using them in my computer mouse. I am NOT impressed, one battery fails before the other, and they just don't last long at all. Not too surprising as they are only 1000 ah, but I would never buy them again even at their low price.
I have had good results with the IKEA Laddas, but it is important to have a good, electronic fast charger for the best results.
I have had Eneloops for about 7 years and they work great. They last well over a year in my tv remote.
These results reminded me once again of what my father often says
"who spends more, spends less"
The cheap batteries actually offer the worst value
Thanks for the feedback.
My grandads expression is "buy once, cry once". His tools are old but they still work after years (and decades for some) of use. He is also METICULOUS about putting tools up clean and in their respective drawer. He's a grumpy old dude but he definitely takes care of his business!
Some things are OK to cheap out on. Batteries aren't one of them. Have you done the Costco and Sam's branded batteries?
You'll find out like I did a lot of your fathers statements are not true.......that statement won't always be true. But I do agree with it on this subject.
I've always said this phrase. "Being cheap is costly."
Blew my mind right here. I always bought Duracell when possible and always thought Energizer was just a little better than the cheap brands. Always seemed that Duracell lasted longer in the remotes, but looks like Energizer been stepping up to the plate.
Great video you just saved me money. 💰
Other way around whole time
Yeah, i've always had better length in my camera with Energizer than Duracell...
And no use buying any of the discount brands....
You may, or may not be correct, a regular infrared remote control uses so little energy that the battery's self-discharge rate will usually be greater. The battery with the most time remaining on its shelf life will likely last the longest in that application. This test, whilst useful is only one way to judge performance, even the 100mA test (Not mAH as the graphs incorrectly show) is actually pretty high current draw from AA batteries, how many devices do you have that will drain batteries in less than 4 hours?
It's actually a very complex topic and 'which battery is best?' is not a question that has just one answer. It's like asking which vehicle is best.
I was just about to buy some batteries on Amazon, then I thought “ I bet project farm has a video on this”. I was not disappointed, thank you project farm!
I would like to see what Kirkland brand has up on the competition.
Thank you!
Thank you for the great content.
gonna see if we have a fresh one, i have the exact same charger so results should be comparable.
I've done this test with my electric toothbrush. The Kirkland brand lasted 2 months longer than the Duracell. I am not sure who is supplying Kirkland with batteries but after watching this PF vid I suspect it might be Engerizer.
bkeene12 Duracell makes the Kirkland batteries. This is why Consumers Digest rates them the best value for batteries.
18650 batteries are becoming more and more popular these days. I'd love to see a test of 18650s. Thanks for the awesome content!
Thank you!
Absolutely! I think they are a bit more challenging to test however.
Charging rate / discharge rate. Would be really worth watching!!
You do a really great job on these videos! I'm sure you stayed a lot cleaner on this one then sum of the other ones LOL.
I would love to challenge this guy to do a test on these batteries myself. For one, I use them, for 2, there's many different variables between them and a whole lotta lies to get you to buy them...mostly cause many companies rewrap others and brand them as their own. But you have differences like Mah, voltage, initial amps, holding amps...etc. good luck. But not something I see him doing anyway.
I am transitioning over completely to li-ion and have had good success with my rechargable lithium in a 9V package. I purchased several lithium ion batteries in a AA package that are regulated to 1.5 volts and charge via micro USB(5v). I also have some 3.7V li-ion cells that are AA package but unregulated, I am careful with those and have made AA dummy batteries out of a dowel and copper tape to power all of my 3.+V LED strings and such. I volunteered to do analysis on some of those and submit them to "Project Farm" person(s), I really appreciate the time and effort these TH-camrs put in.
PS. Just over the border from California, in Nevada they are building some new li-ion cells that are even bigger than the 18650 package, I am looking forward to that! I think Elon Musk/Tesla is going to soak all of those up but they will eventually hit the market(where is the competition?)
There is already a LOT of testing being done on 18650 batteries by knowledgeable people. Imho there would be no point. Look at lygte-info.dk for example. You can se extensive tests with advanced information and compare allmost all 18650's out there.
This video is 2 years old..and I love seeing that project farm has a comparison video for something I’ve been researching lol
Thanks for sharing.
This man goes over and above with any testing, that no one else is willing to do.
Thanks!
Rechargeable for sure. Want to know if they are worth it or just better to get many more non rechargeable
Thank you!
Eneloop rechargeable are great. I have had mine for about 7 years. They are the gold standard of rechargables.
One thing to keep in mind is that rechargable batteries are 1.2 volts whereas the non-rechargable are 1.5 volts. This does tend to make them last not as long generally. You have to make sure you are getting an appropriate milliamp rating for your uses.
Adding on, because the rechargeable are 1.2v instead of 1.5v as Kyle points out, they are a weaker output, for a remote and toys it may not be an issue worth fussing over but higher powered things, or even your average torch really suffer from it, in a torch the light is noticeably duller by the second or third use, and becomes practically unusable for anything other than finding something on your bedside or making your way around in the dark. Anything you need to see in detail or need a half decent size beam of light is a real pain to get done
Get the ENELOOP PRO for higher drain devices.
Nice video. Any chance of running this again at around 20 deg. F or some other wintry temperature? The reason is that I know that some batteries (Li ion and automotive lead-acid starting batteries) have additives that improve low temperature performance. I'd bet that some of the higher end batteries here have similar additives.
Energizer Lithium is the only one that works in extreme cold. I've had them in a headlamp down to -40 F, alkaline batteries at that temp do not work at all.
The lithium battery works at a voltage that will break down water so the electrolyte solution is based on organic solvents. These organic solvents, and the additives to the electrolyte, are designed to work at lower temperatures.
@D.O.A. If you're into chemistry, do some google searching you'll find that the solvents (as of over 10 years ago, when I worked with them) are, or were, a mixture of organic carbonates such as ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, possibly diethyl carbonate and maybe some other additives. The electrolyte has primarily been LiPF6 (but several others have been examined and might be in use, such as LiBF4 and organic derivatives of that compound). Some additives can be put in with the solvents to lessen flammability and to improve lower temperature performance. The chemistry of the cell is quite complex, but the interpersonal politics of the group I was in were more complex. I was glad to be transferred to another project.
@D.O.A. The big words are the names of the chemicals. The optimal operating range depends on a lot of things, but as a rule of thumb batteries have more power as the temperature goes up (to a certain point). Generally, all chemical activity goes up with temperature but temperature increases also make side reactions become significant.
Batteries are complicated. There are reactions that occur at both electrodes (including several significant side reactions) and there is an involvement in some of those reactions by the solvents in the electrolyte. They can decompose and form films on the electrodes. In some cases those films might even be a bit beneficial. As and example of side reactions, the "simple" lead acid battery (this is something I was told about but wasn't involved in) can have it's lifetime extended with some additive (I don't know what it was) but that additive interferes with the low temperature performance of the battery. Well, cars have to be able to start cold so they can't use that life extending additive. They didn't patent or publish that work because they could be sued for not using it (inferior product) and they could have been sued for using it (unreliable cold performance). Legal issues have made a mess of this (I'm in the US) country.
The separator is another matter entirely. Keep in mind that if it fails, it internally shorts out the battery, causes a rapid release of energy, boils the solvent causing the case to burst and the solvent to catch fire. Not pleasant.
Remember those compounds that contain fluoride in the lithium cell? Well, they can partially come apart (it's called dissociation) and the free fluoride that is released can wreck havoc on the battery case, on components of some of the electrodes, and attack the solvents in the electrolyte. That's why they were working on organic derivatives of boron as part of the electrolyte. I don't know where that stands because I'm (gratefully) retired.
Great video idea! I'll see what I can do. Thank you
Every test I've seen on batteries has shown the Energizer to be the best there is. I was pleasantly surprised to learn from your video that Amazon Basics AA batteries are the best value overall. That is really valuable information! Thanks Todd!
And YES! Please do the AAA batteries and the rechargeables. I use a ton of AAA batteries as well and have rechargeables, though don't use them much. And you will notice that rechargeables are slightly bigger than regular batteries, making them a tight fit in some battery compartments.
Thank you very much! I'll do both.
I'm very interested in this test as well. AAA both rechargeable and non rechargeable is probably the battery type I use the most. I tend to use Eneloop Pro for flashlights around the house, Eneloop regular for things like remotes that don't have as fast of a drain, and Energizer Lithium for flashlights on backpacking trips when I don't want to bother with packing spares or bringing a power bank to charge batteries.
Also, now I finally have proof to tell my dad to stop buying those harbor freight batteries that not only need to be replaced every other day but also leak and ruin everything they're used in.
It also depends if you need the battery life. As someone that firms I would paid extra for longer battery life cause changing them every hour is a pain and someone you miss what you wanted to record.
Eneloop Pro for cameras - higher capacity, though not as good at keeping a charge in storage.
RixCanDoit may depend on the draw because Duracell out last energizer by two days in a cassette player at work i got 5 day 40 hrs out of Duracell
Love how you do your videos and how honest you and your testing is! Many thanks 🙏 for what you do 😅 How’s your green thumb? What’s the best garden soil for the price? 😅
Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.