I found something in my boombox

Discussion in 'Chat Area' started by Mister X, Oct 26, 2019.

  1. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    16,469
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    I think these are from the 80's, I've seen some ads in my information searches. Only one has a little dust on the top but they look almost unused. They feel kind of top-heavy, I wonder how big the cell is on the inside, I've got Eneloops but you put in an AAA inside the D cell adapter.

    Anybody remember BatteryMaker? He used to take vintage batteries and put new insides in them, I wonder if he's still kicking around the forums.

    DSCN0177.JPG
     
    Mystic Traveller likes this.
  2. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

    Messages:
    3,855
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    AA Nicads were typically about 500 or 600mAH. Sub Cs in power tools reached about 1500mAH.
    As these are labelled 1.2A Hours I would guess something that size in there.
    You should try charging them (in a suitably old charger) to see if they will take a charge.

    I bet they were expensive when new. Here are some UK prices from 1985 in the Argos catalogue.

    Ever Ready.jpg

    £9 each for NiCad D Cells in 2018 money.
    They don't even say the capacity

    The charger. Item 27 was £7.99 (£24 in 2018). I have a similar one that I have been trying to sell at Hamfest for 20p for the last couple of years. It seems a shame to just throw it away.

    I notice normal Duracells weren't cheap either.
    However I don't think they were as prone to leaking as the ones you get now.
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2019
  3. Mystic Traveller

    Mystic Traveller Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,816
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    St. Petersburg, Russia - Oxford, GB
    Interesting! Couldn't even imagine that advanced stage of the "back-to-the-past" disease. :).
    Did he do it for himself or for others as well?
     
  4. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

    Messages:
    3,855
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    About half an hour before your post I found something that might be of interest in one of my Radios.

    Rayovac.JPG Rayovac 2.JPG
    Made in the USA.

    These are supposed to be good for around twenty to thirty recharges and like to be topped up so that is what I did using my Ray-O-Vac charger.
     
    Mystic Traveller likes this.
  5. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    16,469
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    I think batterymaker was mostly keeping the vintage look to the batteries by using the old printed wrapping, I just looked up and he was on the forum 10 or so years ago.

    Your right about the cost on the rechargable batteries Longman, I remember them being way to much to justify buying them, I went with new batteries and my monthly free battery from Radio Shack to keep my players going but even a day at the beach was like $4.00 in batteries.
     
    Mystic Traveller likes this.
  6. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

    Messages:
    3,855
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    :ok
    I forgot to say that I have seen people putting new cells into old casings when the batteries are the large square block ones used in valve/tube radios as many of the batteries are no longer made. A quick search gave

    https://www.classicradioshop.info/valve-and-transistor-radio-batteries/

    We used to get the free batteries in Tandy's (Radio Shack) as well. I also recall having a couple of the very long 5 x D cell grey plastic torches. I think you got the torch for about 50p if you bought the batteries to go in it.

    Last night I went to change the clock on a little used DVD recorder and found the Duracell batteries in the remote leaking. It has now got Eneloops in it.:ok
     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2019
    Mister X likes this.
  7. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    16,469
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    I jumped on Eneloops as well, I bought a starter kit awhile back and I keep buying more AAAs to replace standard batteries, I had no idea how many battery powered things (besides audio) I had around the house. Instead of milking batteries until they are dead dead I can throw them on the charger and have freshy fresh.
     
  8. Mystic Traveller

    Mystic Traveller Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,816
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    St. Petersburg, Russia - Oxford, GB
    They are good, if not the best. So sorry about Sanyo's gone.
     
  9. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

    Messages:
    3,855
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    Eneloops are still available from Panasonic who bought Sanyo. The ones we get in Europe are actually made by Fujitsu in the original Sanyo factory in Japan.

    It is a shame they have never sold C or D cell Eneloops here. I have to make do with Lidl's Tronic ones which area bargain when they have them at £2.99 for two 4500mAH D cells.
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2019
    Mystic Traveller likes this.
  10. Mystic Traveller

    Mystic Traveller Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,816
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    St. Petersburg, Russia - Oxford, GB
    Yes, I know, also have a few Eneloops already by Panasonic, just sorry about Sanyo.
     
  11. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    16,469
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    I use the adapters, they power the boomers and Walkmens just find and an extra set only takes up the space of the AAAs. Highly recommended!
     
  12. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    16,469
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    I did read an internet article that said IKEAs may be Eneloops in disguise if your in need for some now.
     
  13. nickelindimer

    nickelindimer Active Member

    Messages:
    415
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Oh-man, do I remember that... My dad took such advantage of that program, he had enough cards to be a dealer at a Blackjack table!
     
    Mister X likes this.
  14. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    16,469
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    It was kind of dumb, you could go once a month and get your card punched, or you could go more often and get a new card everytime, there must have been a reward for getting it fully punched.
     
  15. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

    Messages:
    3,855
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    Thanks to this thread I just bought
    IMG_5470.JPG
    The last two packs on Amazon.co.uk
    Eneloop Pro (XX) in disguise for less than the price of regular Eneloops
     
    Mystic Traveller likes this.
  16. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    16,469
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Mystic Traveller likes this.
  17. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

    Messages:
    3,855
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    Interesting. These are NiNH and made in Japan so hopefully they should be alright. I know that when Panasonic took over Sanyo they were forced to sell the Eneloop factory to FDK as otherwise they would have had a monopoly on NiMH production in Japan. They still make the Eneloops there for some markets but others are made in China and apparently not of as high quality.

    https://eneloop101.com/batteries/how-to-read-the-code-and-manufacturing-date/

    Back to Alkaline Batterys it is Duracells (or batteries purporting to be Duracell) that have been disappointing for me recently. I found a flashlight oozing blue liquid from around the switch at the weekend, the second Duracell leak I have discovered in the last week.

    Having, just finished reading the article I will add that here in the UK / Europe any shop selling household batteries has to offer a collection point for batteries (of any kind). In many Supermarkets this is a transparent plastic tube about 1ft (30cm) in diameter. It is amusing how many laptop batteries and the like you see put in them.
     
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2019
    Mister X likes this.
  18. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    16,469
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    I didn't hear that about Eneloop, I checked mine and they say "Made In Japan" Hopefully they are decent quality. Our collection points are starting to stop collecting the batteries, some of them tend to get hot and start on fire.
     
  19. Mystic Traveller

    Mystic Traveller Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,816
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    St. Petersburg, Russia - Oxford, GB
    Are those really Eneloops - is this confirmed info?
    There are still plenty on Ebay UK for £9.95 per pack of 4.
    Started thinking whether to buy too - thanks for the heads-up!
     
  20. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

    Messages:
    3,855
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    I will let you decide.
    https://eneloop101.com/batteries/rewrapped-batteries/
    Hopefully, Amazon themselves don't sell fakes, which might be more common on Ebay.
    I have bought the same Fujitsu batteries for about the same price (about £8 a pack) from 7dayshop, but they don't seem to stock them any longer.
     
    Mystic Traveller likes this.

Share This Page