Best rechargeable D batteries: which ones hold a charge in storage
Updated 2026-11-10 · Pick: Tenergy Centura D 8,000 mAh, 4-pack (P/N 19015): $34.99 on power.tenergy.com (checked 2026-11-10): https://dealectric.com/go/tenergy-centura-d-8000mah-4-pack
Short answer. The best rechargeable D batteries for most homes are Tenergy Centura NiMH D cells: 8,000 mAh true D cells that Tenergy rates to keep up to 85% of capacity after a year in storage, for up to 2,100 recharges. Tenergy's 10,000 mAh D cells state no storage figure.
Searched as: best rechargeable D batteries true D cell NiMH capacity Tenergy EBL Powerex reviews
How this table was made: each figure comes from the maker's own US product page or manual, or from the reviewer named next to it, checked 2026-11-10. Dealectric does not test units itself. Rows with a Buy link are products Dealectric lists: the links are affiliate links, and their codes are re-tested in the brand's own cart every day (last check 2026-11-13).
| Model | Rated capacity | Maker's storage claim | Maker's cycle claim | Cost per rated Ah | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenergy Centura D 8,000 mAh, 4-pack (P/N 19015) | 8,000 mAh | Up to 85% after 1 year | Up to 2,100 | $1.09 (4-pack); $0.80 (16-pack) | $34.99 on power.tenergy.com, 2026-11-10 | Buy |
| Powerex Precharged D 10,000 mAh, 2-pack (MHRDP2) | 10,000 mAh rated; 9,000 mAh minimum | Up to 85% after 1 year | Up to 1,000 | $2.35 rated; $2.61 per minimum Ah | $46.95 for 2 (maker, 2026-11-10) | |
| Tenergy D 10,000 mAh NiMH, 4-pack (P/N 91119) | 10,000 mAh | Tenergy's page gives no percentage or time period | Up to 1,000 | $0.82 | $32.99 for 4 (maker, 2026-11-10) | |
| Tenergy Premium D 10,000 mAh, 4-pack (P/N 90424) | 10,000 mAh | No retention wording on Tenergy's page | Up to 1,200 | $0.92 | $36.99 for 4 (maker, 2026-11-10) | |
| EBL D 10,000 mAh, retail 4-pack | 10,000 mAh | 80% after 3 years (D page); EBL's combo page claims low self-discharge for AA/AAA only | '1200 Tech' named, no count given (D page); up to 500 for C and D (combo page) | $1.00 (retail 4-pack); $0.72 (D2 4-count) | $39.99 for 4 (maker, 2026-11-10) | |
| Tenergy Centura Lite D 3,000 mAh, 4-pack | 3,000 mAh | 85% after 1 year | Up to 2,100 | $1.42 | $16.99 for 4 (maker, 2026-11-10) |
What the differences mean
- Charge left after a year on the shelf. Centura: 0.85 × 8,000 mAh = 6,800 mAh per cell. Powerex: 0.85 × 9,000 mAh minimum = 7,650 mAh. Tenergy's 10,000 mAh and Premium D pages give no storage percentage, so there is nothing to work out for them.
- Cost per rated amp-hour. Centura 4-pack: $34.99 ÷ 32 Ah = $1.09. Centura 16-pack: $101.99 ÷ 128 Ah = $0.80. Tenergy D 10,000 4-pack: $32.99 ÷ 40 Ah = $0.82. Premium: $36.99 ÷ 40 Ah = $0.92. EBL retail pack: $39.99 ÷ 40 Ah = $1.00. Powerex: $46.95 ÷ 20 Ah = $2.35 per rated Ah. Using Powerex's printed 9,000 mAh minimum instead, it is $46.95 ÷ 18 Ah = $2.61 per Ah.
- Capacity per gram, a check on the label. Centura: 8,000 ÷ 145 g = 55 mAh/g. Tenergy D 10,000: 10,000 ÷ 165 g = 61 mAh/g. Premium: 10,000 ÷ 162 g = 62 mAh/g. EBL lists 4.45 oz (126 g) per cell, so 10,000 ÷ 126 g = 79 mAh/g, which is 29% above the Premium for the same chemistry. BudgetLightForum user flydiver reported EBL D cells at 6,500–7,000 mAh, which works out to 52–56 mAh/g.
- Charge time. On a Tenergy T9688 at 1,300 mA per D slot: 8,000 ÷ 1,300 = 6.2 h for a Centura, and 10,000 ÷ 1,300 = 7.7 h for a 10,000 mAh cell, before charging losses.
| Use | Pick | Deciding figure |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency lanterns, radios and flashlights stored between outages | Tenergy Centura D | 85% after 1 year, up to 2,100 recharges |
| Devices that run down D cells every week or two (baby swings, automatic trash cans, toys) | Tenergy D 10,000 mAh 4-pack (P/N 91119) | $0.82 per rated Ah. No storage figure, so charge right before use. |
| Gear where a printed minimum capacity matters | Powerex Precharged D | 9,000 mAh minimum and 85% after 1 year, at $2.35 per Ah |
| Charging any of them | Tenergy T9688 | D slots at 1,300 mA |
What each maker claims for storage and cycles
NiMH cells lose charge while they sit unused. A low self-discharge claim only tells you something when it gives a percentage and a time period. Here is what each maker says:
- Tenergy Centura D: 'can retain up to 85% of capacity even if stored for 1 year' and is 'Rechargeable up to 2,100 times without significant capacity lost.' Tenergy names its T9688 and TN299 chargers for it.
- Powerex Precharged D: 'can retain up to 85% of their capacity after 1 year in storage', up to 1,000 recharges, and 10,000 mAh rated with a 9,000 mAh minimum. Powerex is the only maker here that prints a minimum capacity.
- Tenergy D 10,000 mAh (P/N 91119) and Premium D (P/N 90424): the 91119 page says 'batteries self discharge on their own' but gives no percentage or time period. The Premium page has no retention wording at all. They claim 1,000 and 1,200 cycles.
- EBL D 10,000 mAh: the retail-package page says 'after 3 years without use, the batteries are still charged up to 80%' and cites '1200 Tech' without stating a cycle count. EBL's own combo page says 'C and D batteries … support up to 500 charge cycles' and gives the 80%-after-3-years claim to AA and AAA only.
None of these product pages states the end-of-life point behind its cycle count or the temperature behind its retention figure. Treat the cycle numbers as each maker's upper limit, not as test results you can rank.
A D cell needs a charger with D bays. Tenergy's TN480U 8-bay charger takes only AA and AAA. The Tenergy T9688 charges four AA/AAA/C/D cells at 1,300 mA each and stops on −ΔV. $40.99: https://dealectric.com/go/tenergy-t9688-universal-charger
Not recommended
Tenergy Centura Lite D (3,000 mAh). It has the Centura name and the same 85%/2,100 claims, but it holds 3,000 mAh, which is 37.5% of the 8,000 mAh Centura (3,000 ÷ 8,000). It weighs 77.11 g against 145 g and costs $16.99 ÷ 12 Ah = $1.42 per Ah, the most per Ah of any Tenergy D cell here. The same caution applies to D-size rechargeables built around a smaller cell: lygte-info (HKJ) found the Energizer NH50 D so light that he guessed it holds 'a smaller cell inside', and it delivers its rated 2,500 mAh, a quarter of a 10,000 mAh label.
Sources
- Tenergy Centura D 4-pack: $34.99, 85% after 1 year, up to 2,100 recharges, 145 g, 33 × 61 mm, T9688/TN299 named, 12-month warranty — power.tenergy.com
- Tenergy Centura D pack prices (2/4/8/12/16) and Centura Lite D 4-pack $16.99 — power.tenergy.com
- Tenergy Centura Lite D: 3,000 mAh, 85% after 1 year, 2,100 recharges, 77.11 g — power.tenergy.com
- Tenergy D 10,000 mAh 4-pack (P/N 91119): $32.99, 165 g, up to 1,000 recharges, no retention percentage — power.tenergy.com
- Tenergy Premium D 10,000 mAh 4-pack (P/N 90424): $36.99, 162 g, up to 1,200 recharges, no retention wording — power.tenergy.com
- Powerex Precharged D 2-pack: $46.95, 10,000 mAh rated / 9,000 mAh minimum, 85% after 1 year, up to 1,000 recharges — mahaenergy.com
- EBL D retail 4-pack: $39.99, 80% after 3 years, '1200 Tech', 4.45 oz per cell — www.eblofficial.com
- EBL combo page: C and D up to 500 cycles; low self-discharge stated for AA/AAA — www.eblofficial.com
- EBL D2 4-count listing: $28.88 — www.eblofficial.com
- EBL D measured at 6,500–7,000 mAh (BudgetLightForum user flydiver) — budgetlightforum.com
- Tenergy T9688: $40.99, 1,300 mA per AA/C/D slot, −ΔV, 1-year warranty — power.tenergy.com
- Tenergy TN480U: AA and AAA only — power.tenergy.com
- Energizer NH50 D: very light, HKJ guesses a smaller cell inside; delivers rated 2,500 mAh (lygte-info, HKJ) — lygte-info.dk
- Tenergy returns: 30 days, buyer pays return shipping, minimum 15% restocking fee if conditions are not met — power.tenergy.com
Published 2026-11-10; updated 2026-11-10. The buy links are affiliate links; see the disclosure. Corrections welcome at [email protected] or /feedback.