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Posts: 956
Location: Home of the 2016 World Series Champion Cubs | Looking for opinions on E-Cell batteries. I know they sponsor MuskieFirst and would love to support them for doing so. Not wanting to foolishly spend my money on a brand new product/technology without knowing anything about it, I want some feeedback before spending some money. I've read through their website. I would like some honest opinions on their performance. Right now Im looking to use them in digital cameras and handheld GPS. What kind of life can I expect per charge? How long does it take to charge a dead battery? Any other points of interest regarding the batteries and chargers would be appreciated. Overall rating???
Thanks,
Karl |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I've used them since last spring in all my AA and AAA applications. You can buy an overnight charger or one that takes a couple hours. One nice feature is the cells can be left in the charger indefinitely, no worries about overcharging or keeping the cells in 'banks' together. There's no 'memory' to worry about either, so you can recharge an E-cell from partially charged to totally dead. Another neat feature is the amperage stays at peak all the way through the discharge cycle.
Zach did some tests in his handheld GPS and found an E-cell set outlasted new alkaline by about 1 1/2 times. I'm finding about the same results, but would be delighted if it was equal because I always have 6 in the charger hot and ready to go. The E-Cells will take at least 1000 recharge cycles. The company tells me they should last many times that. So, 1 E-cell replaces a minimum of 1000 alkalines, and when it IS time to throw it away, in the garbage it can go. Green technology. Alkalines are actually hazardous waste.
I have an 8 bank for my AAA and AA recharging. I also have a 4 bank for the AA size.
E-Cells hit their stride and really shine after the third recharge cycle. I think retail is about $24 for the 4 bank charger and E-cells.
Can't wait for the trolling motor applications...... 
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| I suppose you can't buy these at Best Buy? |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Scheels in Appleton carries them. I believe if you go on E-cells web page that it shows you where they have them for sale in different parts of different states. That being said I would just order them off the internet as I had to special order mine and it took about 7 to 8 weeks to get them. I look forward to getting lots of use out of mine. |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | The E-cell fuel cells are in stock in most of the retailers they had set up early. Shoreline Sports in Escanaba has them, too. Give Marty a call up there, I'm sure he'd be happy to ship you some right away. 906.233.0397 |
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Posts: 507
| I have been using mine around 6 months, and I am really into them.
There are 4-hour chargers and 8-hour chargers, depending on which package you buy. the charger pictured above is a 4-hour charger.
When my kids XBOX 360 controllers quit, they pull out the old E-Cells and drop in two new ones right out of the charger. When my hand-held GPS batteries go dead I do the same. My wife does the same with her digital camera. Everything is as advertised. They last longer that alkalines and have no memory. I have tested them side by side.
The biggest plus for me is they can sit in the charger indefinitely without any danger of overcharging or overheating, until you need them. They have reformed us as a household that went through hundreds of batteries per year, never knowing which batteries were new and which ones were not, into a responsible one that always has a fresh supply of fully charged batteries.
There is literally no downside to switching over to E-cells that I have been able to come up with, only upside. You will love them. |
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Posts: 1270
| I have been using Ecell's in AA for about 8 months in my digital camera and can not say enough good about them. My camera would go through a set of batteries every week wether I took any pictures or not. With Ecells the batteries last for about 1-1/2 months in my camera and that includes taking a bunch of pictures. |
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Posts: 956
Location: Home of the 2016 World Series Champion Cubs | Can any of you give times for how long a charge will last. I have Ni-cad's right now that I can constantly pull from a charger but that to a certain point is part of the problem, they dont work for very long. Say a fresh set of batteries (e-cell) in your gps will last how long? 8,12,16, 24 hrs of use???? can I get more than 16 hours form a full charge in a hand held gps. The unit I have uses 4 AA batteries. on reg disposables and I get approx 16 hrs. On my Ni-Cad's I get about 8-10. |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | Now that the E Cells have been out for a couple of years, I was just looking for a review or two before I look for a set for handheld gps, headlamps, kids toys etc. Is everyone who uses them, still happy with them? Have a set or two lasted a year or two? Lastly, where is the best place to obtain a set in central WI? Thanks in advance! |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Use 'em for all sorts of applications, and have never had to toss a set to date. Click on the link onsite and order from the StowMaster website. |
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| These might be just what I need for the lights I use for night diving and cave diving...seem to go through too many batteries. Any issue traveling via airplane with these? Thanks. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I've had no problems taking them through airports or on planes. Good batteries for sure, I've still got ever set i've ever owned still in use! |
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| how do they hold up in cold weather?
my camera batteries don't last for squat this time of year
be nice to have some reliable ones |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Lakeshore,
They hold up great in cold weather, I power my Ice Camera DVR with them. |
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