battery question

[bomber]

first question, how low do u go b 4 changing batteries and #2, rechargable or batteries

 

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[Sandman]

If your detector has a battery check, use it. The cheap ones don't and you just have to guess or detect till they die.

Some good detectors have rechargables installed when you buy them. If they are battery paks, they are fine. The rechargable batteries you get in drug stores, etc. won't give you any warning when they are low, they just stop. Naturally this always happens way out away from the car or when you didn't bring the back up batteries.

Sandman

 

[Jeffro]

I use rechargeable in my high drain items like digital camera, etc. For my detector I just use the el cheapo dollar store batteries. They last not quite as long as your brand names, but I can buy 2 to 5 batteries for the price of one duracell. Using headphones will make your batteries last longer, too.

 

[bomber]

when i use reg batterys on the dfx i top at 12.3,rechargable i hit 10.8,i just put lithium batterys in last nite and got 14.5(WOW)

 

[bomber]

when i use reg batterys on the dfx i top at 12.3,rechargable i hit 10.8,i just put lithium batterys in last nite and got 14.5(WOW)

 

[cryptodave]

You know, I was using the dollar tree akalines for awhile, and they worked fine, but if you ever catch the enegizer max batteries on sell, grab them! They last for a very long time.

And if I don't know how long it will be before I use the detector again, I take the batteries out.

 

[stringfrenzy]

I run the energizer max in my GTAx 1000. I buy in bulk from Sam's club and it comes out to only a about 3$ to change my batteries out each time then i think. They really do seem to last quite awhile.

 

[joe_black]

I'd recommend the alkalines for a MD. I've been using rechargeables for everything in my house except clocks and remote controls, for over 4 years now. And Jeffro is right, the alkalines will function much longer in those "low-drain" applications. Plus, rechargeables will have to be recharged after a few weeks even with no use, whereas alkalines will will be there for you for years before they go dead.

 

[Farmercal]

I prefer to buy batteries once and use them for 5 to 10 years. It more economical and better for the environment IMHO. What I did for my Explorer II and Xterra 70, was purchase a Sony 15 minute charger with four 2500 mAh NiMH batteries for about $40. I then purchased 8 other extra batteries (same brand and type) for an extra $20.00. That gave me one complete set for both detectors. I can charge 8 batteries with that charger in less than 30 minutes. These batteries don't hold memory so I can charge them at any time. I also have a DC to AC converter I carry in my car so I can use the charger out in the field if necessary but I carry the extra battery pack for the EXII and four alkaline for the XT70 so that should not be an issue. So, I spent $60 dollars for my batteries and charger for two machines and I won't have to buy replacement batteries for quite some time. Instead of using my clad for batteries I prefere to use it to buy lunch.

 

[Michigan Badger]

I've written on this too many times already but I'm a big believer in using fresh alkaline batteries. I buy the AA RAY-O-VACs in 24 packs. My machine uses 8 batteries and it cost me about $3 a load if purchased from Wal-Mart. Sometimes K-Mart is even cheaper.

Personally I'm not at all for rechargeables. For one thing, from the start you're hunting on low voltage. That is, unless your machine was originally designed to opporate at maximum with the voltage of recharagables.

See, an alkaline AA battery delivers 1.5 volts. An AA rechargeable delivers only 1.2 volts.

The time you add it all up you're losing lots of power with a pack.

Maybe some machines are different With my Tesoro, if my batteries get 6 hours on them I lose a lot of sensitivity to tiny non-ferrous objects. However, it will still work great for another 4-8 hours on iron relics and larger coins.

I reload my machine every 6 hours now and my old button and coin finds have greatly increased.

Badger

 

[Farmercal]

Badger if you like fresh batteries, to each his own. I am a computer repairman by trade and can tell you from experience in electronics that an electronic unit of any kind will operate on a specific voltage between x value and y value and I can assure you that the 9.6 Volts is within the x and the y value. The specifications for the explorer rechargeble battery pack supplied by Minelab are as follows: NiMH Rechargeable Battery 9.6V, 1600mAh. Now, I am using 2500 mAh batteries which supplies the exact voltage as the company battery pack just for a longer period of time. If the voltage was too small for the detector to work, then it wouldn't even have a display or the display would be dim, which is not the case. I guess we just have a difference of opinion but I have been using rechargibles for years with much success and will continue to do so. HH

 

[Stainless Steet Rat]

I grabed some lithium 9 volts when the Radio Shack near me closed I went in the last day and they sold me 2 of them for about 1.50 each. I have used them in my 3300 for over 12 hours so far and I am still showing full battery bar. It also feels like they might be a bit lighter than standard batteries.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Badger if you like fresh batteries, to each his own.

I admit this generally is not accepted today. Back 20 years ago it was common knowledge amongst THers.

Like I've written too many times before, maybe it's just certain machines or maybe just sort of physiological phenomenon...however it works...it works.

I posted this all last Spring but I'll give it in abbreviated form here again.

The day the frost was out of the ground by the big old tree in our front yard, I took my new Tesoro out and hunted every inch of the ground around the base of the tree. All I could find were square nails and trash. I rechecked that area 3 or four times...nothing good there. Now note, this was a tiny area only some 3x6 foot (one side of the tree).

I then noticed my batteries where down about 30% (2 bars) so I went into the house and reloaded fresh batteries.

I returned to immediately dig 1 V nickel 1902 (2 inches deep), 1 1880 Indian cent approx. (3 inches deep), 1 antique piece of jewelry (2 inches deep) NOTE: I posted all these finds here some months back. I was using the exact same settings as before and did the exact same area with the exact same swing speed, etc.

This isn't the only time I've had this happen. Since that time last spring I've repeated this at least 3 times at different locations.

Coincidence? Maybe, however it works...it works.

Extra Note: After I posted this last Spring I had other THers on here contact me to say they also found this to be true with their machines (other brands). Many don't like to post these things cause I guess they wish to be nice and not offend

If I spend $30-$50 for gas, $20 for food and goodies, what's $3 for batteries? And too, a bad cell Alkaline is easier to replace than a rechargeable that suddenly goes bad in the field

 

[EDDE]

Ive found that rechargeable 9 volts that i use if they have a full charge i get chatter for an hour into using them. then they will drop off pretty fast(as apposed to reg alkaline) i have 3 battries i rotate around one in the charger one ready in detector bag and one that i forget to charge somewhere floating around but lately Ive found myself using alkalies more

 

[ferrouser]

There are microprocessor controlled battery chargers that will
allow the recharging of alkaline batteries, along with the various
rechargable types. But you can't let them discharge as low when
trying to charge them. Wait several days after charging before
retesting to see if they kept the charge, and did not leak. If
they did not hold any power, or leak, toss them.
This can only be done so many times, unlike nicads, and the
newer rechargables.

 

[Monty]

I have NiMH batteries and also use Ray-O-Vac batteries in my GTI 2500. It seems to work better with the non-rechargeables and they last almost twice as long as the rechargeables. This is especially true if I use them in cold weather. The NiMHs will loose part of their charge just sitting idle too. I rarely use them for that reason. I found that I charge them up but when I need them they are only about half charged, whereas new alkalines are always 100% when new. I can go about 20 hours before changing. Monty

 

[Born2Dtect]

Monty,

NiMH batteries are not like the old nicads. Once you charge them and run them through a good use cycle, you can charge them any time, not just when they get low. You can also leave them in the charger so they will be at full charge when you need them. I find that in real cold weather I get half the out of any type of battery, rechargeable or alkaline.

Ed Donovan