eneloop Starter Kit in Blue Case (Power Pack 1st Gen)

by Sanyo

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9 x 2 x 8 inches ; 1.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000WPJIME
• Item model number: Power Pack
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,635 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 3, 2007

Product Description

8 AA, 2AAA, 2C and 2D adapters 1 MQN06 four slot charger and Blue Tote Case! 1st Generation eneloop Starter Kit in Blue Case - (SEC-N10SETGEN) Combining all of your battery needs into a convenient kit - that is the idea behind SANYO's eneloop Starter Kit. This Power Pack comes equipped with a four position charger, eight AA eneloop batteries, two AAA eneloop batteries, two eneloop C spacers and two eneloop D spacers, which makes this the perfect "battery store for your drawer." - Model# Sanyo SEC-N10SETGEN - eneloop Starter Kit -Pre-charged NiMH rechargeable battery kit - Economical: 1 eneloop = 1000 alkaline batteries -Worry-Free: eneloop works in any device that uses AA, AAA, C or D batteries -Convenient: eneloop batteries are pre-charged and ready to use when you are Battery Charger Features: -(Worldwide Voltage) - Charges both AA and AAA NiMh rechargeable batteries -Foldaway plug; No cords or wall adapters needed -Multi-color LED charge indicator lights. World Wide Voltage ready! *note blue case is not covered under warranty this is a shipping container! - 1st Generation eneloops

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

136 of 138 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every family should receive one for Christmas, November 25, 2007

By 

NLee the Engineer (Nashua, NH) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 10 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: eneloop Starter Kit in Blue Case (Power Pack 1st Gen) (Electronics)

If I were Santa Claus, I would give one Sanyo Eneloop Battery Charging Kit to every family in America!

We all know that using rechargeable NiMH batteries (instead of alkaline cells) is good for the environment and the pocket book. But why do most family still buy (and throw away) dozens of alkaline cells every year? The main reason is that most traditional NiMH cells are undependable and inconvenient to use. They may completely self-discharge within a few weeks or even a few days, so you always have to recharge them just before use. The other problem is with battery chargers. Most low-cost slow charger are 'dumb' and can over-charge your cells. Rapid ("15-minute") chargers are particularly bad for battery cycle life, so your cells may go dead after just 50 cycles, instead of 500 cycles as advertised.

With this Eneloop Battery Charging Pack, there is no more excuse! You can now use those rechargeable cells just the way you use alkaline cells (except you don't throw them away, of course). This is because:

1. Those cells come pre-charged and are ready to use - right out of the package.

2. You can choose to top-off those cells anytime with the included MQN05 smart charger - there is no risk of over-charging.

3. Once charged, those cells can retain 80% of their charge even after 6-12 months in storage. That means you can keep a set as backup in your drawer, ready for use anytime.

The only minor complaint I have is with the charger. It only works with 110V AC, so it should not be used as a travel charger. It is also relatively slow because, at 300mA charging current, it takes 7 hours to fully recharge four 2000mAh AA cells. But since you can charge up those cells well in advance (instead of just before use), speed is not a serious limitation.

As you discover more applications for rechargeable batteries, you may want to pick up additional low-self-discharge cells, such as the Sanyo eneloop 4 Pack AA or Rayovac Hybrid 4 pack AA. I have tested both brands and found them to be equally good. If you need a faster and more advanced charger, then the La Crosse Technology BC-900 AlphaPower Battery Charger is probably your best choice. Make sure Santa knows what you want for Christmas!

[Update on Dec 2, 2007]
Those eneloop cells in the package I bought have date code of '0609', which I interpret as '2006 Sept'. I tested four AA cells using my BC-900 and MH-C9000. Their remaining capacities were around 70-73% of full capacity after 14 months of storage!
(In comparison, most Energizer 2500mAh cells I tested lost 30% of their charge within one week)

Possible reasons why those cells are not at 85% as Sanyo has claimed:
1. They were not fully charged when they leave the factory (which presumably uses fast-charging method and hence cannot achieve 100% capacity)
2. They may have been stored at temperature higher than 20 degree C (which is the storage temperature assumed in Sanyo's simulation).

[Update on Nov 18, 2008]
I still recommend the Sanyo eneloop, but the present price of this package is completely out of line. So it is better to check out the Sanyo Eneloop Power Pack, which is sometimes available at a lower cost. If you don't need the C- and D-cell adapters, consider buying the AA/AAA batteries separately, then add a better charger (such as the Duracell Mobile Charger).

[Update on July 26, 2010]
There is a NEW eneloop package available now. It features second-generation eneloop cells, but with the same old MQN06 charger that charges in pairs only:
Sanyo Eneloop Ni-MH Charger and 8 Rechargeable AA and 4 Rechargeable AAA Batteries

64 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, rechargeable batteries for your remote., November 26, 2007

By 

Cleo (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: eneloop Starter Kit in Blue Case (Power Pack 1st Gen) (Electronics)

Nickel metal hydride batteries have been notorious for not holding their charge for more than a month or two. These new batteries hold their charge. Independent testing has shown to have a retention rate of about 70% for up to a year (search on google for a review by "Stefan"). These batteries will now be utilized in items that previously only had alkalines in them: clocks, remote controls, and thermostats. Basically, all electronics with low power demands.

One caveat: Although I didn't purchase this item from Amazon, I did notice that a retailer where I purchased from (famous warehouse "C"lub) had two different versions of this Charging Kit. One with a charger as depicted here, MQN05 (has a cover over the charger), and another kit with MQN06 (without a charger cover). MQN05 charges each cell independently (you can charge just one battery, if you want) while the MQN06 charges them in pairs (must charge either two or four; can't charge just one). This may be important if you need to charge single batteries.

Also comes with adaptors so that you can use your AA battery for C and D sizes.

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great pack, October 13, 2007

By 

bunnielly (so cal United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: eneloop Starter Kit in Blue Case (Power Pack 1st Gen) (Electronics)

This pack comes with 4-aaa and 8-aa batteries. Also included is a 4 battery charger. What I like the most is that the pack includes sleeves that holds a aa battery and converts it to a C or D size battery. There are 2 sleeves for the C and 2 for the D. You can read other reviews about how great these batteries are. They hold a charge longer than my other Ni-MH batteries. Now I can let my digital camera set on a shelf for a few weeks and have confidence that it will work when I need to use it. Too often my other rechargeable batteries failed the time test.