BH Tracker IV - Battery type?

[devan]

Hi Guys,

Newbie Question I am waiting for my first MD to arrive and purchased 2 x 9v Alkaline batteries today ( cost me a good $12.80 )

I want to know if I can use re-chargable batteries with the BH Tracker IV MD, as their user manual states the following:

Use 9-volt ALKALINE batteries only.
Do not use Heavy Duty batteries.
Do not use ordinary Zinc-Carbon batteries

I do NOT want to damage my first MD, but would like to save costs on batteries by using re-chargables if possible, thanks in advance
for your help.

Devan

[slowNsteady]

It's kind of a toss up. The main problem with rechargeable 9V batteries is that most are not a true 9V. Your machine is designed to use 9V alkaline batteries which will stay above 9V for quite a while. A regular "9V" NiMH rechargeable battery (actually 8.4V) when fully charged is above 9V (about 9.4V-9.7V), but it won't stay there for long. When the voltage drops too far, the machine will tend to go nuts. There are true 9V rechargeables out there which maintain the proper voltage for an extended length of time. Try zbattery.com to look at them. Make sure you get the highest mAh you can.

All machines are different. People have reported everything from the machine works fine with them to the machine went nuts with them. There's really only one way to find out. I will tell you this. I use the generic 8.4V 250mAh NiMH in my pinpointers without trouble. I use the PowerEX 9.6V 230mAh battery in my Fishers and a BH Land Star without trouble. You do need to have a backup set when you are in the field. For what it's worth.

[devan]

Hi slowNsteady,

thanks for the info, will try a few types and see what works.

Devan

[Gretchen]

I use the cheapest 9 volt batteries I can find, from the 99 cent stores. On your hunts take a spare with you. Been using them for years. Also as cheap 9 volt batteries are getting harder to find, I bought a bunch of energizers from eBay at a good price.

[ivan salis]

you can use the 9 volt (8.4 actually) rechargibles in a tracker IV --problem is the amount of use time you will get willl be less *--since it will drop below the minimum level of power needed faster .--- so you would be wize to carry some "charged" back ups (carry a "spare" set)--think of the using rechargibles like using half used alkiline 9 volts .

[P.B. and Dylan]

I can't help with your question about rechargeables but I can tell you that the batteries last a decent amount of time in my BH IV.

[Chopinco]

Hi, congrats for ur new MD!!! U and i must have the same story!

My first (and only one so far) MD has been BH Tracker IV, and ive only used re-chargable 9v batteries, never ever had any problem, it works perfectly fine and u do save a lot of money!

I asked the same question once too, and even read the same stuff u posted here and asked that :P i just didnt know this forum so i tried them and now i have nothing to worry about.

Congrats, once u learn how to use it well, u can really get a lot of fun and a lot of good stuff found too!