Fake AA/AAA Batteries – can you even buy genuine ones online now…

Anyone good at spotting fakes??

Bought some Duracell industrial batteries the other day, but they looked odd. Pulled the label off and no way do they look right:
– barcode is printed on the battery
– end is rough and looks cheap
– no air vent

Bought some more from amazon direct, are these even genuine!?

Amazon ones on the left, suspicious ones on the right:

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r129/nathb89/Bike/9C7BDBB4-309C-40DE-AF82-9AEEBA1155C8.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r129/nathb89/Bike/00628330-E6B8-4108-824D-65A7CF6A2D77.jpg

Original seller is adamant they’re genuine..

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/anyone-had-issues-with-photobucket-stopping-image-embedding

ta, updated the links.

Real duracells have the batch number embossed on the side of the cell.
Fake on the right

Anyone good at spotting fakes??

The people to ask would be Duracell.

The two batches might look different but could have just been made in different production facilities.

Original seller is adamant they’re genuine..

He might thinks they are – maybe he’s been duped.

I’ve emailed Duracell, forgot to put that in my original post.

Neither are coloured at the bottom 🙁

There are some things you should only buy from trusted sources. Batteries and shaving cartridges 🙂 washing powder and liquid also sometimes targets.

There are some things you should only buy from trusted sources. Batteries and shaving cartridges washing powder and liquid also sometimes targets.

And electric toothbrush heads, as we discovered. And these were from Amazon – a reseller, not Amazon themselves admittedly.

I remember a Which magazine article on fake SD cards, where they’d ordered 20 sandisk cards online and were going to go through which were fakes and compare performance with the real ones, except that every single one was a fake

I’d be at least a bit wary of sellers on Amazon – it doesn’t really prove much apart from their ability to set up an Amazon sellers account (though Amazon do appear to at least police their sellers a bit, so you don’t tend to get the worst scammers on there). Not quite as bad as ebay, but heading that way.

Generally the quickest and easiest way to test for fake cells is to weigh them – unless the fake market has caught up and started making them heavier?

Both sets of batteries weigh 24g – exactly per duracells spec 😐

I don’t really know where ‘Industrial’ sits on Duracell’s scale of superlatives. Does ‘Quantum’ have more or less electricity in than ‘Ultra’ or ‘Pro’? Its all a bit opaque. Whats a ‘Simply’ in amp hours?

The last time I saw any comparative tests though Ikea own-brand batteries outperformed all of Duracell’s products – in fact they out performed everything on the market bar Energizer’s Lithium batteries (which are far, far more expensive). Many supermarket brands outlast Duracell too. When Duracell’s adverts say their batteries last longer than ‘others’ the other batteries they are referring to are other ones they produce – they don’t compare themselves to competitors.

Rather than paying duracell prices and getting fakes you’re probably better off paying less for better batteries.

Wouldn’t use anything but IKEA batteries.
Loads of tests show them to be best value.

Interesting. I’d always thought batteries were on of those things where you got what you paid for.

“Ah ha, no” thinks I, you’re not fooling me with your third-of-the-price-of-Duracell batteries, you’re just going to last a third of the time and hence be a false economy and create more waste than necessary. But it turns out I’m just getting screwed. Stupid modern world. I’m going to bed and then I’m going out to ride my bike.

Interesting. I’d always thought batteries were on of those things where you got what you paid for.

You get what the marketing department pay for 🙂

What I think is a shame is the whole market – from the big brands to the own brands – conspire to make their products un-comparable. You have no idea what you’re paying for. As I say you get a bunch of different superlatives – Extra, Ultra, Mega and no indication as to which of those things is a better performing battery – whats giving you more all out performance or whats giving more spark per buck. Duracell’s own literature says their “Simply” batteries are a ‘better value’ alternative to the rest of their range. That chart show that demonstrably they’re not.

I always by bulk orders of 7 Day Shop batteries they’re great batteries.

what drac said – I use them as well

If you must do it online chose a reputable company and be prepared to a higher price than you get them/something from another online seller

Wouldn’t use anything but IKEA batteries

And if there’s no IKEA near by?

Don’t IKEA do mail order now?

And if there’s no IKEA near by?

Ikea don’t sell them directly online but you can buy them on ebay

oh teh ironing.

Why is anyone using rechargeable batteries in any number? A Technoline Bl700 charger and Uniross or GP ‘hybrio/recyko+/eneloop” rechargeables. Don’t go flat when left and have a higher capacity than Alkaline.

They’re only a little more expensive to buy than quality alkaline and last years (and even if they’re a bit more than Ikea you’re avoiding the waste).

+1 for ikea batteries

always pick up a couple of packs every time I’m in (thankfully averaging less than 1 trip per year 🙂 🙂 🙂 )

Ikea don’t sell them directly online but you can buy them on ebay

They’re fake 😀

Why is‘nt anyone using rechargeable batteries in any number?

… I presume you mean.

I tried this a couple of years ago to cut down on battery waste. I found there were lots of things that didn’t like the lower voltage, and they went flat far quicker than I was expecting. Now most stuff (mainly bike lights) have built-in lithium-ion so no real need for them.

Not sure why li-on AA/AAA packages haven’t caught on.

Now most stuff (mainly bike lights) have built-in lithium-ion so no real need for them

obviously there is otherwise this discussion wouldn’t be taking place. I just don’t like the idea of sending a big pack of Ikea alkalines to landfill (or recycling) when it’s not necessary (and I bet most alkalines end up in landfill – does everyone here actually dispose of them properly?)

I found there were lots of things that didn’t like the lower voltage, and they went flat far quicker than I was expecting. .

Odd – I’ve really not had any problems going back at least 15 years to my first digital camera (bought one that took AA’s so had backup). bikelights, kids toys, Garmin GPS’s, head torches, clocks, remote controls. I don’t think i’ve had any problems with anything.

The Hybrio type are a *lot* better than the standard type which do go flat over time by themselves. Also a decent charger gets better life and lifetime out of them (and the Technoline will ‘recondition’ them if they’ve been mistreated. Still need a cheap basic charger sometimes to give them a kick – the technoline sometimes gives an error if they’ve gone completely flat.

I bet most alkalines end up in landfill – does everyone here actually dispose of them properly?

I do, we have a collection point at work for them.

Anything that gets regular use (eg, Xbox controllers) are using Eneloops – running them on non-rechargeable batteries would be daft. I still use regular alkaline for things like wall clocks and the TV remote, which need new sets of batteries about once a decade.

i only use rechargeable batteries and have done for years

expensive ones will hold a charge

simons_nicolai-uk – Member

(and I bet most alkalines end up in landfill – does everyone here actually dispose of them properly?)

Yep, it gives me great feels of wellbeing and middle class smugness. I even put long life bulbs in the thing at tesco.

Yes, me too. I use rechargeables for most things, but experience has also taught me not to use them in things the kids might leave switched on and run the batteries completely flat – not good economy trashing rechargeables like that when alkalines can actually be bought a lot cheaper.

For stuff using AA/AAA batteries the voltage of LiIon is wrong.

Yup, though you can often run AA items on a 14500 li-on or lifepo and a dummy cell- it’s a bit more than 2 AA but often within a workable spec and about the same as 3 rechargable AAs so a pretty wide range of usability. (course, it doesn’t always work out, I’ve blown up a couple of LED torches frinstance)

Course, the cells and chargers aren’t that cheap

And if there’s no IKEA near by?

Hard to say. Because there is.
Something else probably.

If only someone had posted a useful graph displaying all the best value batteries in order, that would help me to make my decision 🙂

and I bet most alkalines end up in landfill – does everyone here actually dispose of them properly?

I always do.

But we do have a battery bin by the reception door at the office. So it’s not much of an effort.

It’s not that much effort full stop. Plenty of places where you can recycle them – I just collect old ones in a bag until they get taken there. I also have a bag of part used batteries taken from devices which stop working when they still have useful energy in – other devices aren’t so fussy so get refilled from the bag.

expensive ones will hold a charge

Not compared to Duracell etc. NiMh has an inherently high self discharge rate, it’s the chemistry rather than the manufacturer.

Well JY isn’t quite right on the details, but he’s right in general principle – rechargeable batteries with a low self-discharge are now readily available. It’s just that they’re not really any more expensive – at least not from my usual source[/url] where the LSD ones simply have a slightly lower capacity, though TBH they’re now close enough even on that. Still NiMH, but presumably there is some difference in the chemistry or construction.

I love how people think that the batteries going in those bins are being recycled. I know EXACTLY where they are, probably billions of them in one place (thousands of tonnes of them) as I have something to do with them for my job.

I know a couple of people who work in the pro sound and lighting industry and they only use Duracell Procell batteries which come up well in that chart above. All the wireless mics they have use them – even very expensive ones like this one:

http://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Sennheiser-EW-500-935-G3-GB-Wireless-Handheld-Microphone-System-CH-38/C5G?origin=product-ads&campaign=PLA+Shop+-+Sennheiser&adgroup=Sennheiser.+Microphones&medium=vertical_search&network=google&merchant_id=1279443&product_id=15748d1&product_country=GB&product_partition_id=84781792332&gclid=CJe-4-XW69QCFUSfGwodaQcDfQ

They don’t use rechargeable, cost isn’t really an issue but reliability of a battery is utmost and they know where they stand with standard alkalines.

I only use batteries for my mouse, keyboard and dry shaver (only use it when I am very lazy) so I normally used Poundland Kodak cheapo batteries.

They don’t last long but for £1 I just use them to get by …

Now that I know Ikea batteries are good I shall get me some Ikea ones next time I go there, was there last week. 😛

I love how people think that the batteries going in those bins are being recycled. I know EXACTLY where they are, probably billions of them in one place (thousands of tonnes of them) as I have something to do with them for my job.

So what does happen to them?

I know a couple of people who work in the pro sound and lighting industry ….They don’t use rechargeable, cost isn’t really an issue but reliability of a battery is utmost and they know where they stand with standard alkalines.

I don’t think that’s an excuse for the rest of us. Shared kit, not knowing the status of a rechargable coming out of storage. They also don’t wait for them to run down IME – new batteries go in at the start of a day regardless. Theres is a very specific use case – and really, Li-Ion batteries with an indicator would be the best answer but whole loads of legacy.

Wouldn’t use anything but IKEA batteries.
Loads of tests show them to be best value.

Interesting table. It would also be good to see the data behind it. I could imagine that a person might want a battery with a large capacity and willing to pay a bit more for it, rather than just buy the cheapest per mAh

Interesting table. It would also be good to see the data behind it. I could imagine that a person might want a battery with a large capacity and willing to pay a bit more for it, rather than just buy the cheapest per mAh

It is *really* easy to google this stuff.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=ikea+alkaline+mah

http://www.batteryshowdown.com/results-lo.html

Ikea come out really well.