SunLabz Batteries and Charger, StorACell Battery Holder

Batteries.

The love and hate relationship I have with them is long standing and lined with dashed hopes, frustration, and a lot of research time. Now, you probably are wondering why I am covering something so seemingly everyday as batteries on a site devoted to hobbies. Well, for the EXACT reason that batteries are so everyday is why I am devoting a small but profound discovery I made this year in battery tech.

I'm not only someone who relies on batteries to power my various electronics and some toys in my collections, but also someone who is very much into the idea of living up the the Boy Scout Motto of "Be Prepared". That means when the power goes out, a sudden storm hits, a campfire goes out, literally anything expected... you need reliable tools to get you through the tight and unexpected spots in life.

I lived that for many years in more reserved way when I was in Boy Scouts on campouts, and later in much more adrenaline infused moments as a night time security guard for the Power and Light District in Kansas City.

One of the absolute necessities in your list of tools you should have on you when doing security is a good flashlight, and I chose one by Nebo that performed admirably (well, when the batteries would that is...). I started off by using what everyone else would, your average alkaline batteries. But after weekends of usage, that started to add up on costs.

So, I switched to various brands of rechargeable batteries from Energizer to Duracell, and something that always puzzled me was why when I'd charge up my batteries immediately after work on Sunday morning, get them all ready for next weekend... only to find that they were almost dead in my flashlight by the next time I'd use them.

Well, without going into all the details (which you can look up here, if you REALLY want to understand battery science), your average rechargeable battery is capable of high voltage output, but terrible at long term storage of said voltage. Ergo, even after I would charge up my rechargeable batteries, by the time even a few days had passed, something like 80% of the charge is just gone. It's a fact that battery companies do not readily admit to, and that's mainly because your average consumer doesn't really care.

So what to do? I wanted a battery that I could recharge, and keep an eye on the environmental impact of throwing away batteries (which on a separate note, a lot of places take all kinds of batteries for recycling now), and I wanted one that could keep it's charge intact for when I needed it.

After some research, much reading of battery forums full of enthusiasts, and asking a lot of other flashlight hobbyists, I found out about a small handful of companies that manufactured great answers to my battery needs. After marveling at the snazzy website, and reading many reviews and seeing these work in person, I decided to purchase a set of SunLabz batteries (8 AAA's) and a Charger, along with a nifty battery organizer/holder off of Amazon made by StorACell.

Rarely do I make a jump into buying products from two companies that I really didn't know much about aside from some online reviews and their respective websites... but what's life without a gamble or two? 

(Right) StorACell 6 Battery Carrier (Left) SunLabz Battery AA/AAA Charger

So lets get down to the form, function, and reliability of these. All of the batteries from SunLabz came pre-charged, so I took three of them and put them in my Nebo light that I carry with me everywhere I go. The first test was to see what intermittent limited usage would yield. It was trying to see if they would hold charge as the website says they would. So right out of the package and into the light the three went. It's been now just over 2 weeks. And I was impressed. They indeed were holding their charge. So far so good.

No moving parts, very compact storage option for batteries.

The other five that were remaining, I placed into the StorACell battery holder, and placed them in my daily carry bag, to see if after being carried around, in cold weather outside, to heated areas like my house to my workplace, if there would be any degradation to the power they were carrying. I tested each one, and all so far also have full power showing when placed on the charging unit.

They come in a few different colors, but I gotta stick with my favorite, green.

The StorACell battery holder is a wonderfully simple and very robust bit of design. The only thing it doesn't do for you is keep your batteries dry. But it does offer protection to the contacts on both ends, has no moving parts that can break, and you can opt to put batteries in pointing up or down to signify a depleted battery that needs charging, or a fully charged one. And if you are wanting a bit more protection, there is a pouch available for the SlimLine models (like the one I am reviewing) on their site.

The batteries all fit snug, no noise or rattling, and it's very easy to get them out of the holder.

And all of that above is cool, but here is the best part. It's 100% made in the U.S.A. Check out their site for the facts in the FAQ section.

The charger has a few nice details to it that blow by conventional ones you'll find at Wal-Mart.

Now sure, you can get a charger for your batteries just about anywhere. But few of the ones out there can charge one AA or AAA battery at a time. Nor will they tell you if the cell is bad, or just how much charge is left, or provide over charging protection to alleviate "cooking" your battery by leaving it on the charger too long.

The one from SunLabz shown above does all of that. There are higher end ones that can also reset the charging cycle of your battery to lengthen the life of your batteries, which for people really interested in that, many of those are available online with prices around $60 and up. But this one came in at the very reasonable price range of $20.

The construction is solid, the LCD light up panel is a great addition, and as you can see above, it does charge one battery and two batteries at the same time. 

So, what's my final take on these? I would hug everyone at SunLabz for getting these out there. It's refreshing to see a company take a forward stand in quality of product, environmental impact, and wonderful design aesthetic. I cannot recommend these enough, and am patiently awaiting C, D, and 9 Volt battery models from them to be released.

StorACell hits it out of the park for me on being an American company, and producing a well designed and reliable product that is priced right. That's the kind of thing that makes me a life long customer.

I hope I've brought to light some knowledge on batteries, preparation, and just a touch of science to your day today that was enjoyable, and turned you all onto some great necessities that people don't think about. 

So until next time, thanks for reading, keep researching, collecting, and finding new hobbies! - Mario, the Rogue Hobbyist

Stats	Rating/Information
Item	8 Pack 400mAh NiCd AAA Rechargeable Batteries
Made by	SunLabz
Availability	Available online currently. Not found readily at local retailers.
Classification	N/A
Condition	New
Procured	Amazon.com
Worth	N/A
Investment	$8
Further Research	http://sunlabz.com/
Trivia & Fun Facts	In 1859, Gaston Planté invented the lead-acid battery, which could be recharged by passing a reverse current through it. The lead acid cell consisted of a lead anode and a lead dioxide cathode immersed in sulfuric acid. Both electrodes react with the acid to produce lead sulfate, but the reaction at the lead anode releases electrons whilst the reaction at the lead dioxide consumes them, thus producing a current. These chemical reactions can be reversed by passing a reverse current through the battery, thereby recharging it.

Stats	Rating/Information
Item	AA/AAA Battery Recharger
Made by	SunLabz
Availability	Available online currently. Not found readily at local retailers.
Classification	N/A
Condition	New
Procured	Amazon.com
Worth	N/A
Investment	$20
Further Research	http://sunlabz.com/
Trivia & Fun Facts	The term "recharge your batteries" came into popular jargon and conversational speak right around the 1960s. Nowadays commonly heard around corporate offices every Monday morning as weekend happenings are recounted.

Stats	Rating/Information
Item	6 AAA Battery Holder
Made by	StorACell
Availability	Available online currently.
Classification	N/A
Condition	New
Procured	Amazon.com
Worth	N/A
Investment	$5
Further Research	http://www.storacell.net/
Trivia & Fun Facts	The company designs, engineers and manufactures the battery caddies in St. Charles, Illinois with parent company, Foreman Tool & Mold. Made in the U.S.A.