More 600EX-RT/Battery questions...fun!

[nuncle]

Greetings all!

I've seen several discussions about batteries and the flash, but I'm just trying to get the "definitive" answer 🙂

I've got two 600EX-RT's. The first one died on me at Christmas last year. While shooting, I discovered that the batteries became hot...really hot. The next time I tried to turn on the flash...nothing. Brand new batteries did nothing.

I had some extra money at the time and my flash was almost 2 years old so I bought a new 600 in January. While shooting with it about a month ago, the same thing happened. The batteries got so hot that, after I took them out and put them into my pants pocket I had to take them out because they were burning my leg!

That flash was still under warranty, so I sent it in and it's fixed now.

I have always used non-rechargable batteries...and I've used the Duracel Ultimate, for the most part...or the Eveready version. Don't remember the name, but I've always bought the "strongest, longest-lasting" type of whichever brand, on the theory that "The stronger the bettery, the longer it'll last".

Are rechargeable batteries better for the 600EX-RT? Are they worse? What's the Straight Dope? 🙂

[Skirball]

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@nuncle wrote:
 How long does a slow charge vs a fast charge take, approximately?

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It depends on the rate you choose.  There's a lot of discussion on various charging rates on the internet, nobody really agrees. Many recommend a slow charge 0.1C - 0.2C; in other words, 10 - 20% of the max capacity, which is about 2000 mA, so 200 - 400 mA.  Others claim that that chargers can't reliably determine charge at that slow a trickle and use 0.5C.

Usually I just charge them overnight, so I use 200 mA, which takes about 8-9 hours.  If I'm in a hurry I use 1000 mA, which takes about 2.  I've done a 1 hour charge in a pinch.

The good battery chargers have a recondition phase, which charges them up, slowly discharges, and slowy chargers again.  It takes a good long while, but I've heard stories of it bringing dead batteries to life.  I do it after doing a 1 hour charge.  I have no data to support if it does anything, but I figure it can't hurt.  That said, even my 3 year old Eneloops are still going strong.

[TCampbell]

Like Skirball -- I typically set my charger (which I think might be the Lacrosse) to the 200mA rate and let it charge overnight. These chargers let you set the charging rate -- you can pick a faster rate.

When I bought my Enelooops, it came in a pack with many AA and a few AAA size... but also included a charger. When I checked the charging rate on the included charger, it was fairly low (200 or 300mA as I recall.) I'll try to remember to check it when I get home and post back with the answer.

[Skirball]

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@nuncle wrote:
 Maybe I'll head down to Best Buy today and see what they have. I'm not assured of anything online getting here in time for a Tuesday morning flight, unless I pay more in shipping than the item costs... 😛

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You can check out Best Buy, but you're going to pay a premium for them.  I just picked up a 16 pack of the new ones for $40 something on Amazon.  If I were you I'd just buy them cheap online and use Alkaline for the trip if they don't get there in time.

[Skirball]

I've been happy with my Maha.  The only thing I would do differently is get an 8 battery charger instead of a 4.

The other major brand is Lacrosse.  I debated between the two for a bit, and came to the conclusion that it's like Canon and Nikon.  I'm sure they both work fine, allow various charging rates, reconditioning, etc.