Rechargeables for Tejon

[NWMP]

Anyone have any luck with rechargeable batteries in their Tejon? If so, please describe the performance, battery brand etc. Thanks.

 

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[Sandman]

I haven't tried it with the Tejon, but Tesoro told me not to use them in the Tiger Shark. It made it very unstable but I don't remember which brand I used. It was a few years ago and maybe things are different now.

 

[Monkeywrangler2]

If you're trying to use a rechargeable "9v" battery remember they are really about 8.4v. AA rechargeables are 1.2v not 1.5v. NiMh rechargeables will work better imho than Nicads (no 'memory'), but you still have to account for the voltage diffs between alkalines and NiMh.

 

[LittleJohn]

So if they are truly 1.2 volts each, then I am only running 9.6 volts through a system that is designed to run on 12 volts....right?

 

[Monkeywrangler2]

I've been running a rechargeable '9v' in my Cib this month, and it works surprisingly well. I seem to get longer battery life than the Energizer INdustrial Alks I was using. My 9v is new, and is the 250MaH, Tenergy, from http://www.batteryjunction.com/te9v25nihica.html . The Cib seems as stable as before. If you look around on their website they do offer other voltage rechargeable packs, up to 24v, and also Li-Ion and Li-poly if one wants to try those with their attendant risks. Perhaps they make one in a configuration to fit your Tejon. If not, you can try the individual batteries, and I bet it will run, and probably be stable. Mine is, anyway.

 

[LittleJohn]

I was thinking of trying two NIMH 1.2v batteries, one "dummy" battery, and one 3.6V lithium Ion rechargeable battery. That would give me 6 volts per side, and a total DC voltage of 12 volts, which is what the machine is designed to run on. No one can tell me if this will work...so I may just try it to find out wht happens.....12Volts is 12 Volts, but my concern was with mixing nimh batteries with lithium ion batteriesand how they would "discharge" together......can anyone answer this?

 

[Monkeywrangler2]

All I can say is be careful with the Li-ion rechargeables. If you get in to a reverse-charging situation, you will kaboom your detector...as in Vent with flames...not good, and toxic to boot. Do a search on candlepowerforums for info on lithium kb's. It's not pretty when it happens. Also most rcr-lithiums are 3.7v or higher off the charger.

You might do better with a LiFePO4 lithium. Lower initial voltage, and incapable of venting with flames. They can still vent, but at least it isn't nearly so violent as the other kind.

 

[LittleJohn]

Ok....on that note I will just be happy with the performance I get from the NiMh batteries...I am not gonna carry a fire extinguisher too....thanks for the heads up.

LittleJohn

 

[LittleJohn]

Using the NiZn batteries. These are 1.6 volts each. Looking forward to seeing how they hold up over time.

 

[George (MN)]

I used to have a detector that used 8 AA & had precise voltage reading to nearest 0.1 volt. When fully charged they read 11.4 volts (1.45 volts per battery), but would quickly drop to about 11.2 volts (1.4 volts per battery). They would stay between there to 9.6 volts (1.2 volts) for most of the use time, then go dead very fast.

When the old style NiMH batteries were shipped, they were shipped uncharged (1.2 volts) so had to be charged before use. Now they have some that come pre-charged & will hold most of the charge for 1 year if not used.

Some detectors can use heavy duty carbon zinc, others are made to shut themselves off if these are used. Most detectors will accept rechargeables, but battery life may be brief, and you get about no warning when they are going dead on a detector that can't read voltage more precisely than to nearest volt. HH, George (MN)

 

[Monkeywrangler2]

When the old style NiMH batteries were shipped, they were shipped uncharged (1.2 volts) so had to be charged before use. Now they have some that come pre-charged & will hold most of the charge for 1 year if not used.
HH, George (MN)

These are called Eneloops or Low Self Discharge NiMhs. They do hold charge well in storage, but still start out at the lower voltage of 1.2v.

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

I've used Duracell 2650 mah in my Tejon for years. They work great for about 10-12 hours, and then quickly fizzle out. You'll only get 5 beeps or so to start, but after 8 hours you still have 4 or 5 beeps. I got them at Walmart, along with the charger.

 

[LittleJohn]

These new NiZn rechargeables that I have been using have been great. They last for quite a while compared to the NiMh batteries, however if you keep a couple sets of NiMh batteries on hand, you will never want for battery power, and they do a fine job. You can buy AA's off of fleabay for next to nothing, compared to what you will pay at radio shack or wally world.

I bought 16 of the 3000 mAh NiMh batteries, and they were shipped directly to my house from Hong Kong for around 11-12 dollars total. They work great, and hold a charge a very long time. I would recommend that if you go with the NiMh's get a "smart" charger, I use a Maha 9000c and it really takes great care of the batteries and keeps them in top performing condition. A cheap charger will ruin your batteries faster than anything.

LittleJohn