Question 1

What is the difference between the "Black" and the "White" AmazonBasics rechargeable batteries?

Accepted Answer

I purchased the white label 1900mAh batteries and black labeled 2000mAh batteries several years ago.  Contrary to other's comments, the white batteries are still charging up to full capacity, and the black batteries have all lost significant capacity.  White labels say "made in japan" and black labels "made in china".  Mfg Date of black batteries is AUG2014, and white batteries have "201409" imprinted.  These have all been charged in the same MH-C9000 WizardOne from the beginning.

Question 2

What's the recommended recharge current for the AA and AAA? I'm using a lacrosse bc-700 with three possible charge settings: 200mA, 500mA or 700mA . 
According to the lacrosse manual 200mA is generally suggested, but this is slow, 13 hours for AA. So i wondered about using a higher current to reduce the time, but would…

Accepted Answer

Both of the earlier answers are correct.  I'd recommend slower settings as often as possible.  Degradation of rechargeable batteries is incremental.  Each charge very slightly decreases the maximum charge the battery will hold.  So, with the higher charge rates, your battery's maximum capacity drop from say a 2,000 mA capacity to 1,900 mA capacity to 1,800 ... significantly faster.  I'll keep mine close to their rated capacity longer, thank you.NOTE:  "Smart" chargers are MUCH easier on rechargeables than are the others and they more consistently charge to full capacity.  They aren't cheap but I consider them well worth the extra cost  I NEVER use a "dumb" charger.  Beware! Some manufacturers falsely claim "smart charger;" Energizer for example. Look for "independent charge channels" or "Delta V detection." For the most budget minded, I recommend the four battery Sony BCG34HLD2RN.  I also like the La Crosse BC-700 for it's higher number of feature at a modestly higher cost.  I've owned both and love them.

Question 3

Can these batteries recharge with a Duracell or Energizer charger? I don't want to have to purchase a new charger if I don't have too.

Accepted Answer

AmazonBasics Pre-Charged batteries can be recharged using any good-quality Smart charger designed for NiMH cells. But for longer battery lifespan, avoid ultra-fast (15- or 30-minute) chargers and Dumb (overnight) slow chargers. Most of the Duracell and Energizer chargers you see on the market only charge in pairs, which you should avoid.One inexpensive but Smart charger I often recommend is the ASIN:B003GS6FIE Sony Cycle Energy BCG34HLD. It can recharge each cell individually, which is much better than the official ASIN:B004NSUMTO AmazonBasics NiMH Charger

Question 4

After battery used up, is it better to charge right away and store (possibly years), or to leave discharged and charge prior to using again?

Accepted Answer

Definitely you want them in a charged state as they will maintain longer. You also want to regularly refresh batteries in storage (once a year is fine, even for non LSD batteries) and once or twice should be enough, using a smart charger to test the batteries would be fine and if they need further refreshing it would be easy to do so. Just don't refresh them then test them as testing will 'charge' the batteries before depleting them. You could refresh the non LSD batteries every 3 months but if you are storing them i think as long as you had charged them before storing them in a cool place around (60-70F) and regularly check up on the batteries. LSD batteries don't really require refreshing as much as the charge might be at 70% after non use (Eneloops survive longer according to their info) and you don't really have to refresh them but i think at least refreshing those once a year is perfectly fine. However, i would like to add that storing rechargeable batteries is no better than storing Alkalines. If you bought them you might as well use them, you can even cycle through the batteries that you are not using to keep them in shape and that way there is little need to refresh them. There are times where you might not want to use a certain device or are able to go without using batteries but since i regularly use flashlights, i'd prefer to have rechargeables that i can charge thousands of times (with the proper maintenance) can last up to 10 years or more and i won't have to spend much on wattage (even 12 watts per light bulb is quite much when used in series) so i have found that using flashlights during the night is not a really bad thing and soon i plan on putting some leds in my home powered by NiMH batteries. That way i can keep them running indefinitely without much cost in the end.

Battery Cell Type	NiMH
Recommended Uses For Product	Everyday devices like remote controls, flashlights, clocks, and more
Item Dimensions	9.12 x 1.97 x 0.57 inches
Item Weight	0.45 Kilograms
Unit Count	16 Count
Reusability	Rechargeable
Battery Capacity	2000
Amperage	16 Amps
Voltage	1.2 Volts

Amazon Basics AA NiMh Rechargeable Batteries, Pre-charged, Pack of 16 (Appearance may vary)

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