has anyone used a Z240 type 3 with regular rechargables?

I know INON recommends sanyo eneloop batteries with the inon Z240 type 3 strobe,

but I was wondering if anyone has used them with regular rechargables, and if it caused any problems.

I was just wondering what kind of chance I would be taking if I used MAHA 2700mh rechargables with the strobe on a dive trip.

thanks!

Scott

Scott,

Check the previous wetpixel thread

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showt...n+Z240+type+III

My understanding (somebody else can confirm) is that you could if you never ever use the focus light. Too much of a chance that that button will be pushed and you won't realize it for a while.

The eneloop are not very expensive compare to the strobe.

I bought mine online at thomas distribution I think. I'd say get new batteries, don't gamble that the focus light will never get turned on.

Sylvie

The strobes are supposed to overheat with repeated discharges with standard NiMH batteries. It is now getting much easier to find Eneloop-type batteries (identified by being charged up when you buy them). I believe that true Eneloops have been discontinued...

Tim

Yes I do (2500 mHr NiMh). So does the UK INON distributor...

Not all low-discharge NiMH batteries are high-current capable like the Eneloops are and I wouldn't simply substitute another brand. If Eneloops are discontinued that's a shame. Inon isn't specifying Eneloops because of their well known features, they spec them for the very high currents they deliver.

Thomas Distributing is still selling Eneloops.

In the US I get Eneloops at Costco; I bought 2 sets with 8AA and 4AAA and a charger in each pack for $12 a pack about a month ago. (Yes $24 and change for 16AA's)

In the US I get Eneloops at Costco; I bought 2 sets with 8AA and 4AAA and a charger in each pack for $12 a pack about a month ago. (Yes $24 and change for 16AA's)

Eneloops are still available at Costco and at Thomas Distributing. Costco sells them with a charger and some plastic inserts that lets the AA batteries work in gizmos that need either C or D size

Bill

Can someone please tell me the real difference between the MAHA 2700 NiMH and the Eneloops? I have 16 of the 2700 MAHA's that I use with my Z220's/Z22 and just about everything else that takes AA's in my house. I just purchased 2 Z240's, (which I haven't received yet). I was planning to use the MAHA's in the Z240's. I have read that "warning" only 1 website so far that its "recommended" to use the Eneloops. I did not find that warning on the Inon America site before they took down the site the other day. My "problem" with this whole issue is that a friend bought the Eneloops (at Costco) and said "they are crap" meaning they don't hold a charge and I really would prefer to stay with the MAHA NiMH's. I really don't want to buy yet another charger and batteries (that I spent over 200 bucks on), but on the other hand, if all this is true that the MAHA's will overheat my brand new strobes.....

Can someone please tell me the real difference between the MAHA 2700 NiMH and the Eneloops? I have 16 of the 2700 MAHA's that I use with my Z220's/Z22 and just about everything else that takes AA's in my house. I just purchased 2 Z240's, (which I haven't received yet). I was planning to use the MAHA's in the Z240's. I have read that "warning" only 1 website so far that its "recommended" to use the Eneloops. I did not find that warning on the Inon America site before they took down the site the other day. My "problem" with this whole issue is that a friend bought the Eneloops (at Costco) and said "they are crap" meaning they don't hold a charge and I really would prefer to stay with the MAHA NiMH's. I really don't want to buy yet another charger and batteries (that I spent over 200 bucks on), but on the other hand, if all this is true that the MAHA's will overheat my brand new strobes.....

I don't own Eneloops and I don't own Inon strobe, not yet, going to ...

But I read everything on Wetpixel, so far what I read is you CAN use 2700NiMH battery IF you don't use the focus light on the Type 3 Z240. Folks discourage because it's very easy to flip the focus light on and that might just help the over heat process. I am planning on getting a couple Z240, so I am very focus on different threads about them. Share your experience once you started using them with whatever battery you put in them.

Cheers !

Can someone please tell me the real difference between the MAHA 2700 NiMH and the Eneloops? I have 16 of the 2700 MAHA's that I use with my Z220's/Z22 and just about everything else that takes AA's in my house. I just purchased 2 Z240's, (which I haven't received yet). I was planning to use the MAHA's in the Z240's. I have read that "warning" only 1 website so far that its "recommended" to use the Eneloops. I did not find that warning on the Inon America site before they took down the site the other day. My "problem" with this whole issue is that a friend bought the Eneloops (at Costco) and said "they are crap" meaning they don't hold a charge and I really would prefer to stay with the MAHA NiMH's. I really don't want to buy yet another charger and batteries (that I spent over 200 bucks on), but on the other hand, if all this is true that the MAHA's will overheat my brand new strobes.....

If you have the Maha charger, you do not need another charger for the eneloops or the Maha equivalent, Imedion.

If you have the Maha charger, you do not need another charger for the eneloops or the Maha equivalent, Imedion.

What is Maha charger ?

I have one type 3 Z240. The T3 Z-240 ca also be used with 4 other different types of batteries. My reseller delivers Z-240s standard with a set of GP Recykos. They're supposed the capacity is 2050 mAh, but according to my reseller they can provide as many flashed as a 2700 mAh battery, don't ask me how. Another advantage is that the GP recykos keep their capacity voor something like 80% after a year. BTW, you don't need a new charger for these batteries.

best, Udo

Eneloops are still available at Costco and at Thomas Distributing.

None of the major UK on-line or retail outlets have Eneloops available.

I haven't had any problems with Ansmann or GP low-discharge AAs yet; I did find that the power drain on older Ansmann AAs was too great, and the strobes failed to charge if the batteries weren't regularly topped up, a problem that never happened with my Inon Z220 strobes.

Tim

None of the major UK on-line or retail outlets have Eneloops available.

 

I haven't had any problems with Ansmann or GP low-discharge AAs yet; I did find that the power drain on older Ansmann AAs was too great, and the strobes failed to charge if the batteries weren't regularly topped up, a problem that never happened with my Inon Z220 strobes.

 

Tim

 

http://www.guardianecostore.co.uk/Guardian...productid=17123 seems to have them in many flavors as does amazon.co.uk. Not sure if they are major or not but they have them.

Bill

None of the major UK on-line or retail outlets have Eneloops available.

 

I haven't had any problems with Ansmann or GP low-discharge AAs yet; I did find that the power drain on older Ansmann AAs was too great, and the strobes failed to charge if the batteries weren't regularly topped up, a problem that never happened with my Inon Z220 strobes.

 

Tim

 

http://www.guardianecostore.co.uk/Guardian...productid=17123 seems to have them in many flavors as does amazon.co.uk. Not sure if they are major or not but they have them.

Bill

Share your experience once you started using them with whatever battery you put in them.

Yes, if I fry the new 240's using the 2700 MAHA's, I certainly will post it! All kidding aside, I, like this thread starter Scott, am a little concerned about blowing up the 240's by using the 2700's. I don't use the focus lights anyway because I noticed when using the 220's focus light it tended to scare the fish and critters and haven't really needed a focus light except on a few occasions. And thanks to someone for posting the other thread on this issue, that was helpful.

Which reminds me to add the 240's to my insurance policy, just in case.

Yes, if I fry the new 240's using the 2700 MAHA's, I certainly will post it! All kidding aside, I, like this thread starter Scott, am a little concerned about blowing up the 240's by using the 2700's. I don't use the focus lights anyway because I noticed when using the 220's focus light it tended to scare the fish and critters and haven't really needed a focus light except on a few occasions. And thanks to someone for posting the other thread on this issue, that was helpful.

 

Which reminds me to add the 240's to my insurance policy, just in case.

Use the red filter supplied with the strobe. You'll find many creatures are less freaked out by it.

My "problem" with this whole issue is that a friend bought the Eneloops (at Costco) and said "they are crap" meaning they don't hold a charge

My experience has been completely opposite that of your friend who said "they are crap". I will say right off the bat that I don't use the newer type 3 Inon Z240 strobes but I use the older version. I went to Indonesia this past fall and used Costco Eneloop batteries exclusively in my Inon strobes for the entire trip and never had a problem. In fact, I was often able to do several dives without recharging the batteries.

In addition, I also use Costco Eneloop batteries in topside applications and haven't had any problems.

I'm wondering if your friend got a bad batch of batteries.

Ellen

Thanks for the replies, Ellen & Drew. That's possible about the bad batch of batteries. I think he returned them to Costco but didn't replace them. I will check out the red filter when I receive the strobes. I haven't got them yet, they are being shipped. I think I've been sufficiently scared enough by these threads to go buy some Eneloops, or lower power NiMH than the 2700's.

None of the major UK on-line or retail outlets have Eneloops available.

Amazon UK had them at Christmas Tim.

Paul C

Getting lower power conventional NiMH batteries won't help anything. They are more likely to hurt.

If you don't shoot rapidly and/or don't use full power then you have less of a problem. The problem is too great a current draw causing internal heat buildup in the batteries. Lowering the demand or using a battery capable of the load is what you need to do. High power rated batteries have better high current capability if the constuction is the same. High current batteries generally have lower capacity ratings but simply buying a lower rated battery is likely to get you a cheaper battery, not a better one. Note that capacity ratings are given at low discharge rates. A proper 2000 mAh battery could give more strobe cycles than a 2700mAh one because of the heavy load.

Here is a list of discharge curves for a variety of batteries including many AA's. You will note that the Eneloops are only one of two AA batteries that have a respectable discharge curve with a 10A load. The Elite 1700 is the highest current AA battery I've seen and I've purchased sets of those for use with my Inons. For my focus light I'm using conventional 2700's to get the burn time. Charger is the same for both.

In the battery tests above, you can see the performance of a RayOVac Eneloop clone. It did not do as well. Don't buy another brand of low self-discharge batteries assuming they work as well as Eneloop.