Partial strobe flood, need new batteries Are Sanyo Eneloop XX worth the extra $

[JohnN]

So I had a partial strobe flood on my YS-110, fortunately the only casualty seems to be the Eneloop (white) batteries.

I foolishly didn't have backups, so I burned through a bunch of Alkaline AAs, but I was able to take pictures

For running a flash, are the Eneloop XX worth the price premium?

 

[Luko]

I'd say no.
I am only using standard Eneloops I have 4 sets of 4, using two strobes, that helps me charging while I'm using the fresh ones (Eneloop batteries sold on limited edition color sets will help you recognize which are the ones that are fully charged from already used ones).

With Inon Z240 I can easily stand 2 wide angle dives, most of my friends tell me they keep the same batteries for the third dive, I prefer to change them. In any case you'll be safer to change after 3 dives. Hence I don't see where the XX Eneloop will bring you extra value.
Keep in mind that batteries get used with charging and decrease their power capacity through time. The key for battery capacity is to change them at least every 3 or 4 years, hence I would rather buy more sets of standard Eneloop batteries more often than fewer XX Eneloops expecting them to last longer. It would be a similar cost but the new batteries will ensure they're still up to their initial capacity

 

[KeithG]

So I had a partial strobe flood on my YS-110, fortunately the only casualty seems to be the Eneloop (white) batteries.

I foolishly didn't have backups, so I burned through a bunch of Alkaline AAs, but I was able to take pictures

For running a flash, are the Eneloop XX worth the price premium?

$1 per battery extra? That works out to somewhere around 0.00001 cents per use over the lifetime of the battery. (Give or take a whole pile of decimal points as I just made up that number.) Go for the premium blacks. You deserve the best. Regardless of what your dive buddy says.

They are both good products. I have a mix of whites and blacks. Since the blacks are 2550mAh vs 2000mAh for the whites I always default to using the blacks when given a choice. All of my replacement purchases are now blacks (including my AAA's).

Like Luko I also run with a complete spare set so that I can swap in freshly charged batteries at any point. I generally default to swap every dive (unless I am stuck doing a 2 tank boat dive and I do not open the rig on the day boat).

How many dives they last depends upon how many times you fire your strobes and at which power level. I have managed more than once to run down a set of fresh new batteries on a single dive. My dive buddy says I take too many pictures. I think it is mostly related to using burst mode on the camera. And maybe using the strobe focus lights as my night dive lights. YMMV.

 

[bvanant]

In my hands at least the XX versions are not worth any premiums. I believe that the XX versions are a kind of hybrid battery; with higher internal discharge than the standard eneloop ( to get higher capacity) and at least in my computerized tester they actually get a bit fewer strobe recharges than the 2000 mAh versions. They are better for constant current applications like running an external monitor, but for high current uses (charging a strobe capacitor) they don't work quite as well.
Bill