Minelab Etrac and Explorer Users: rechargeable or AA's?

[ATwardo223]

Hey everyone.

Anyone have any comments on which option you use and why? Also what brand of AA's? I've been using rechargeable mostly but I feel like the battery dies quick... does the AA option last longer?

Thanks!


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[Dan(NM)]

If I were you, I'd buy the R-N-B battery system, the charge outlast AA or regular rechargeables hands down. One of the best accessories you can add to the Etrac or Explorer.

 

[ATwardo223]

If I were you, I'd buy the R-N-B battery system, the charge outlast AA or regular rechargeables hands down. One of the best accessories you can add to the Etrac or Explorer.

Is there any way you could post a link for this? I can't find it online.

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[No gold in NY]

All you need to do is Google R-N-B battery system and you will see that Kelleyco and others have it.

 

[KELLYCO*SCUBA*CHRIS]

https://www.kellycodetectors.com/catalog/ml-3100-rechargeable-battery-system-minelab-e-series

Call me! TNet members receive a discount!

 

[detectorben]

Yes! Get an RNB for sure. I would never hunt without one now. They last for days on a single charge. I was going through batteries like crazy before I bought one.

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[Tom_in_CA]

Yes, those here who recommend the RNB ml-3100 are right. I had nothing but problems with standard nicads. No matter how much I tried to avoid the "memory" phenomenon (waiting till full deplete before full recharge), they still tended to eventually not hold charge for too long. And I found myself constantly having to clean the contact points to get a good connection to even power on.

Using AA batteries gave longer life, of course, but that can get expensive. And for whatever reason, they too seemed to drain quick.

That all changed when I got the RNB ml-3100. I got like 3 straight full days of hunting before I ever got the low battery notice !

 

[SD51]

Got the RNB this year and never looked back. Have been out detecting now for at least 20 hours and still on the original charge of the batteries. Also, the recharge time is < 2 hours vs. the 18 hours the E-Trac rechargeable batteries require.

 

[ATwardo223]

Sounds like I need the rnb

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[Tommybuckets]

I swing a safari and got rechargeable AAs . The thing might as well shoot them out the side like spent casings coming off an M-60! They die quickly when you are furthest from your car. I bring a spare set (8) or at least 4 in the field to keep the hunt alive. Will RNB fit my machine?

 

[SD51]

Tommybuckets - the RNB that fits the E-Trac will fit your Safari.

 

[AlienLifeForm]

Im going to have to invest in one of those RNB packs. My factory rechargeable croaks way too fast and AA's get pricey.

 

[KirkS]

I'll go against the grain here. My Explorer SE came with only the AA pack, and I recently picked up the 1600 rechargeable battery on ebay from a sponsor here.

I hunt 99% at night, and have the backlight on 99.999% of the time, so I am almost using max battery power during my hunts (I use headphones, so there's some power savings).

With the AA pack loaded with 8 Eneloops, I average 4-5 hunts, 3-5 hours per hunt. I have never had them die completely. So I'm getting a solid 20-24 hours of use per charge.

The rechargeable pack I used for the first time the other night, and it died at around the 3 hour mark. Not so great. Disappointing, actually.

The AA pack also weighs a bit less then the rechargeable pack (can't remember the exact difference), so there's a tiny advantage as well.


So for me, I'm perfectly happy with the AA pack. It may have something to do with using a good charger (Maha), and I do take care of my batteries. The RNB's are supposed to be great, but for the (absurd) price, I really can't see an advantage (for me) over the Eneloops. I would suggest trying a set of eneloops (about $20+/-) before dumping $120+/- on the RNB battery. Just my 2¢...


***UPDATED BELOW***

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... Just my 2¢...

When my explorers were new, they too lasted a long time on an AA pack. But for some reason, as the machine and the packs got old, I had nothing but problems with the contacts, and it started to eat the batteries faster (both alkalines and nicads). I guess to be totally fair, I'd have to put a year or so on the RNB pack to make an accurate comparison

 

[RobRieman]

I've got 3 years on my V3i's RNB pack and 2 on my Etrac's and there are no difference in performance from the day I bought them.

 

[KirkS]

An update.

I just got back from a 4 hour hunt, using the rechargeable. I had the backlight on the entire time, and at the end of the hunt, the battery indicator was one notch below full. I had it charging for about 2-3 days before using it tonight, so there is a chance it wasn't fully charged the other time. In any case, it worked well, but I prefer the AA holder.

 

[cudamark]

I too love the RNB batteries. I must have put almost 60 hours of hunting with my Excal before I had to recharge it. Even after I got the low battery chirp, i hunted another 4 hours before it quit. The one in my E-Trac lasts almost as long, but, I get only about a half hour after the low battery signal before it dies.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I bought the RNB battery for my Etrac. At that time I wasn't getting out as much as I try to do now.

What I really liked about the RNB was that I didn't even turn my Etrac on for fully 6 months, and it was a full charge when I did turn it on. I picked up the RNB for my Excal, and I get 40 hour plus out of it before I have to recharge it again - and the full recharge takes only a few hours, where I recharge the others overnight to get to full capacity.

In fact!!! A couple days ago I went in the water with my Excal, pushing 6 month since my last immersion, and that RNB was hot for the hunt - just taking off the shelf and just hitting the water. With that RNB I have zero charging issues, love it absolutely, period!!!