SlashGear Japan
For most people, a battery is a mysterious little pack of magic, containing the juice that makes our gadgets flash and bleep (and then run out just when we really need them). For Energizer, it seems, batteries are an opportunity to perform some mild deception: it turns out that inside the chunky, D-sized casing of an Energizer rechargeable is a spacer-clad sub-C cell AA battery offering far less power than you’d expect.
Update: Commenter huskyboy1978 points out that’s not an AA battery, but a production-sized sub-C cell.
In fact the Energizer ‘D’ battery has less than a third of the power, at 2,500mAh, of some rival rechargeables, despite being priced at around 400-percent of the cost of the AA they’re based on. What you’re paying for, seemingly, is the plastic shell the company wraps the AA in.
Now you can go into conspiracy mode and accuse Energizer of offering poorly performing rechargeables so that they can continue to sell more powerful (but obviously only single use) disposable batteries, or you can say “it’s just the same as food packaging” which so often is far bigger than the contents in the hope that buyers will pay more attention to physical bulk than the actual weight of the goods contained. What makes it slightly more dubious is the fact that few mainstream consumers understand mAh, and merely assume that a bigger battery means a more powerful one; yes, Energizer clearly mark the battery with its capacity, but it’s hard enough explaining fat percentages on cookies, never mind what “mAh” are.
6 Responses to “Energizer ‘D’ rechargeable battery cracked open: cheaper, low-power AA lurks inside”
huskyboy1978 August 27, 2009
Here’s the facts. The Energizer D is a consumer (retail) version rechargable D which has in the past by all manufacturers (Duracell, Rayovac, Radio Shack) been a dummy case with a smaller cell (normally a sub-C cell).
The Energizer D does not have a AA inside it is in fact a production size sub-C cell. It is not deceiving in that it plainly lists the capacity on the label.
+2Chris Davies August 27, 2009
Thanks for the feedback, I’ve updated the mistaken-identity for the inner cell.
As for deception, as I said in the article the issue is not so much what Energizer describe their battery as, but how consumers may not recognise the differences between the rechargeable D and a standard D-sized disposible, the latter of which can offer much more than 2,500mAh. Not only that, but other manufacturers offer D-sized rechargeables that don’t wrap a smaller cell in a dummy case, and obviously offer more mAh than this Energizer D.
Whether we need more customer information so that buyers know what they’re looking at when mAh is listed on a battery, or manufacturers charging more reasonable amounts for halfway measures like this Energizer, I don’t know. What do you think?
-1Jeff Bachmann August 27, 2009
Hi Chris,
I am posting this comment on behalf of Energizer.
All Energizer NiMH batteries have the mAh capacity rating on the label. There is no deception concerning the battery capacity and the D size designation only represents the batteries physical dimensions. We have found that most D size devices will work satisfactorily with the Energizer NiMH batteries and the rechargeability of the product is the true advantage of this chemistry.
D size rechargeable batteries have historically used a smaller internal unit cell. The main driving force behind this design is to keep the battery affordable to the average consumer. High capacity rechargeable batteries are more expensive than our standard rechargeable D size battery due to the increased volume of materials needed. In addition, they require a higher capacity charger to deliver acceptable recharging times which are also more expensive. Our research indicates that the high upfront cost for high capacity rechargeable batteries and special charger would discourage many users from trying these batteries.
Clearly a high capacity D size NiMH battery would be beneficial in certain applications but we have found that the market for this type of battery is minimal due to overall cost. Energizer will continue to evaluate this market and look for a cost effective opportunity for higher capacity NiMH batteries.
+1Jeff Bachmann August 27, 2009
Chris,
I noticed my previous post left off my name. My name is Jeff Bachmann and I was writing on behalf of Energizer. Please feel free to contact me with any further questions.
Thanks,
+1Jeff
w4csc August 27, 2009
http://www.mahaenergy.com/stor.....roduct=342
Truely 11AH D cells. Running my power hungry 5V portable hotspot of a Cricket A600 USB modem and Cradlepoint CTR350 mini wifi router off 4 of them in series. Charged slowly at 1.6A for 16 hours, they will run the 350ma modem idle, 600ma modem transmit load a long time.
2 for about $32 on the street. Excellent quality.
Neutralxpcracker October 21, 2009
Hello Jeff of Energizer,
Perhaps Energizer should put some thoughts into creating a new AA to D size adapter as seen from the picture, Energizer sure can do a better job than other vendors at this.
Searching online, cost of Energizer AA 2450mAh is ~USD 3.50 a cell, while Energizer D is ~USD 4.10 a cell, that means the adapter is ~USD 0.60, which is about 2.5 times less than the price of what others are selling (~USD 1.50/pc).
As your “research indicates that the high upfront cost for high capacity rechargeable batteries and special charger would discourage many users from trying these batteries”, having a 60 cents adapter will surely benefit these users and who knows, it may drive your sale of those AA cells up…
So, in the name of benefiting the users, perhaps you can take down the production line of these low capacity potentially deceiving minimal market less cost effective D-sized 2500 mAh cell and charger and start planning for a new AA to D (and maybe C) cell adapter? …
Good day to you. :)
Neutral