Fresh Eneloop BK-3MCCE/8BE AA / Nimh Review - Quality evaluation

[Kiriakos GR]

Happy and confused these are my first feelings after purchasing this latest Panasonic Eneloop cells.
I did select this fresh generation of BK-3MCCE/8BE, and now while the cells them are perfect all eight of them, from the other hand Panasonic managed to confuse me and possibly thousands others.

Panasonic – Eneloop using printed product codes over their batteries for identification, and this is good when you do it with the right way.
 
Some people in their attempt to identify Eneloop product according their generation, they started to record product codes and dates.
BK-3MCCE this is a recent product code, but this is not complete, the other half this is printed over the carton, and in my case this is /8BE.
The sum of product code this is now BK-3MCCE/8BE, so far so good, the carton box this mentioning 70% charge retained after 5 years.
Now at 2015-2016 Panasonic catalogs this specific code is mentioned with 70% retaining capacity for 10 years time.
Bellow is my proofs and pictures.

Personally I am old customer of Eneloop, still own one cell from Eneloop 1st generation HR-3UTG production of September 2009, from four cells only one managed to partially operate up to 2016 and I use it at non-demanding applications.
 
From Eneloop 2nd generation HR-4UTGA-4BP production at February 2012, from a total of eight cells only six managed to be operational up to date, and even them now have about 1600mAh capacity, but even so they are usable.

Supposedly BK-3MCC this is Eneloop 4th generation, but here starts another debate due to recent made BK-3MCCE because some people describe them as Eneloop 5th generation.

Possibly Panasonic enjoying the trouble and confusion which their own actions of it marketing team causing to people.
Many people posting on-line messages in one attempt them to identify if they got fake Eneloop from on-line retailers’ or older revision.
This causing noise about Eneloop and from a sick way of view, this is good as FREE advertising – brand boost. 
What people need to know, this is if their BK-3MCCE this are from the recent version which this comes with a promise from Panasonic that them will survive for 10 years or more.

 
In my case, those batteries came from a local web-shop with psychical representation at my own City, and therefore I do not have any complain and they do look genuine enough and they are made in Japan.

Naturally I have sent all ready a message to Panasonic Europe, so even me to find out what is happening.
Why there is such specifications’ conflict between the printed specifications’ over the product packaging in contrast with Panasonic own Catalogs?
     
My own test results of just 80% retained charge after just of a single year from  production, this does not seems very optimistic, because supposedly the other 10% this it would be lost after another four years if them stay unused?
I am sorry but I need to use my batteries right away and I do not have plans to verify Panasonic theories about five or ten years regarding retaining capacity.

In summary:
Eneloop 1st generation this gave me almost two years of trouble free life-cycle.
Eneloop 2nd generation this gave me almost three years of trouble free life-cycle.
Eneloop 4th or 5th generation (what ever it is), this will possibly show a better behavior compared to older generations.

[Kiriakos GR]

It is an advantage having your own forum and this to work as active log of your own actions.

Here is my older Eneloop purchase (second generation 1500 recharges) .
The information printed over the blister that in three years the battery this will fall down to 75% of capacity this it did happen, and as I mentioned and above, two cells from the total of eight, them shown greater damage and I had to send them for recycling.

Sanyo Eneloop 1500 series NiMH Review  -  http://www.ittsb.eu/forum/index.php?topic=60.0 

And a link to my own first generation of Eneloop.
Eneloop Nimh 1,2V AA HR-3UTG ( of 2010 ) started to shown marks of aging http://www.ittsb.eu/forum/index.php?topic=677.0

And finally if the story which mentioning that Sanyo Twincell 1600mAh this is the grandfather of Eneloop cells, this is true?  Luckily I have a personal experience to share about them too.
These old cells of 2002-2003 they did shown one remarkable lifespan of about 10 years.
Battery Impedance Meter SM8124 mini review 
http://www.ittsb.eu/forum/index.php?topic=966.msg2677#msg2677
 

[Kiriakos GR]

Today visited Panasonic EU website so to find more info about this  5 Years / 10 Years statement of remaining capacity.
And I took a screen shot from their website as proof for my own proofs collection. 

Basically them they can correct things by making an public announcement by saying: Sorry for the confusion.. we did a wrong printing over the blister packages...   

The new question is whom will take the responsibility so to make this public announcement?
The second question this is :  If they have so much faith to their products? Why they do not offer seven years written warranty?   

http://main.panasonic-eneloop.eu/en/batteries/eneloop/eneloop-aa-1900-mah-8-wideblister

No I am not an idiot and I am capable reading text in English.
If I took seriously their printing information,  this is saying that in five years time Eneloop cell capacity will deteriorate down to 70% , this translates that in ten years this will further deteriorate and become about 50%,  this translates to 1000mAh capacity.
Now their text about 10 Years, this translates that never used products them will retain from initial charge at the factory, about 70% of charge. 

The all story does not make any sense as is, and this is my final verdict.   
Panasonic this is today with their pants down, and they are obligated to explain all details to European consumers. 
 

[Kiriakos GR]

I wish to thanks Eneloop Europe for replying at my message.

Personally I am going to simply re transmit their answer with out commenting it.

Dear Kiriakos,
we saw your comment and want to explain some connections.
As you maybe have seen, eneloop celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2015. This is the reason why we've decided to adapt our communication to 10 years instead of 5 years only. Of course, the probability that somebody is buying eneloop batteries and keeps them unused for 10 years is low, but we did real internal testing with the start of the eneloop production in 2005 and noticed that 70% of the energy was left after these 10 years of storage.
The package of your eneloop batteries you owe claims the "old" statement and we also communicate this on our website since there are still lots of blisters showing the "old" claim in the market – this could be confusing for customers. But we will adapt the information soon.

Thank you for your interest in our products and for testing them.
Best regards and (still) a happy new year  your eneloop Team

[Kiriakos GR]

New update after 2 years and 5 months in Use.

I made today internal resistance measurements of four from eight batteries.
 
News are so and so.
Batteries when-new they did measure 19 to 20 milliohm its one.

Now batteries started aging and internal resistance this increased but differently from cell to cell, and imagine that those cells operate always as team of four.
This translates that any amount of use or abuse, this is equal to all.

According to my own batteries naming:
M8 = 28 Milli ohm     
M7 = 29 Milli ohm
M6 = 22 Milli ohm
M5 = 24 Milli ohm

Measurement was taken with cells fully charged.

Now according my experiences so at about 45 Milli ohm its cell would have lost 50% of capacity.

[Kiriakos GR]

5 years, 5 months, 20 days

Time for retirement of the production of 2015 Eneloop.
In the positive side of things, all cells still stay balanced, but they cannot serve the digital camera for more than fifteen minutes (taking or reviewing pictures)

Panasonic did not changed product model code, BK-3MCCE/8BE it is here too with production date of 11-2020.
I did purchase the cells two weeks ago = 7 months, 28 days after production date.
   
Panasonic at 2017 tried to justify again the 10 Years self life by mentioning some sort of their own testing.
Additionally they added and another blurred information as justification of the claim of 2100 recharge cycles, by mentioning one test that they did at just 600 cycles.
 
Consumers will not read or notice all these fine print information's if they do not own a microscope.
And I decided to give them a bit of  help.