Lithium Vs Alkaline?

[+chuckwagon101]

I just got an Explorist 200 . What would be the best batteries to feed it?

 

I have Alkaline Energizers right now but was thinking of those Lithium batteries that work

so well in my digital camera.

 

Soooo will Lithium batteries give me better or longer performance....or....what?

 

Chuck

[+Renegade Knight]

I had thought the explorist used Rechargable Lithiom Ion, but maybe that was the higher end ones.

 

My first piece of advice is to take it back and replace it with a 210 or other Explorist which lets you connect it to a computer.

 

For batteries NiMH is the way to go. Lithium will last longer than Alkaline for a higher price. Lithium also performs better in the cold. NiMH will give you about the same performace as Alkaline and you can then recharge them for much lower overall costs.

[+Miragee]

I purchased an Energizer 15-minute recharger with four 2500 Energizer batteries at Target for $25.00.

 

I have used those batteries for months now and love the convenience of having fresh batteries in just 15 minutes. They last for about 12 hours in my Garmin Vista C.

 

Unless you are out in really cold weather, in which the lithiums work best, NiMH is the only way to go, IMHO.

[planewood]

I purchased an Energizer 15-minute recharger with four 2500 Energizer batteries at Target for $25.00.

 

I have used those batteries for months now and love the convenience of having fresh batteries in just 15 minutes. They last for about 12 hours in my Garmin Vista C.

 

Unless you are out in really cold weather, in which the lithiums work best, NiMH is the only way to go, IMHO.

 

I just saw that same set of 4 NiMH energizers with a charger at Sam's Wholesale for $19.98.

[+chuckwagon101]

I purchased an Energizer 15-minute recharger with four 2500 Energizer batteries at Target for $25.00.

 

I have used those batteries for months now and love the convenience of having fresh batteries in just 15 minutes. They last for about 12 hours in my Garmin Vista C.

 

Unless you are out in really cold weather, in which the lithiums work best, NiMH is the only way to go, IMHO.

 

I just saw that same set of 4 NiMH energizers with a charger at Sam's Wholesale for $19.98.

 

 

Goooooo Walmart! LOL!

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

I use both the Lithiums and the 2500 MaH rechargables that Energizer makes, both are about as good. The Lithiums do last longer (but you can't recharge) but are costly. I would say in cold weather use the Lithiums and otherwise use the 2500 rechargables.

[+jaym]

I use Energizer Lithiums in most of my electronic devices. They're lighter and last longer, to me at least those things are worth the premium paid.

[+Miragee]

But you are still throwing them away after you use them.

 

NiMH batteries are much better for the environment, and your pocketbook, unless you need your electronic device to work in very cold weather, where the Lithiums are the best option.

[+Sputnik 57]

About 6 months ago, AtlantaGal ran a long test with lithiums on her 76CS, posting the results in the main forum. The bottom line, as I recall, was that they last three times as long, but cost three times as much.

 

Also, the output of lithiums is very steady until they are nearly gone, and then drop off suddenly, so your battery meter may show three bars one minute, and then the unit suddenly goes dead. Edit: Chart.

 

Keep track of your hours using Li, and don't rely on the battery meter.

 

Lithiums are lighter. The 60C acutally floats when using lithiums (a picture to prove it somewhere in the forums).

 

Most battery threads (like this one) recommend NiMH rechargables in the 2300-2500 mAh range as the most cost effective way to go. I concur.

 

Link to prior thread.

Edited March 8, 2006 by Sputnik 57

[jackrr]

Why play around with lithiums or rechargeable batteries for normal use. Here in Canada you can buy alkaline batteries for 23 cents each (and that price includes the tax) and you never have to bother with recharging. In the States you can probably get them cheaper. I can see buying lithiums for cold weather but rechargeables just don't make sense to me.

[+TheGeoHunters]

I feel pretty much the same way as the previous post - I just picked up a ton of batteries at the local discount store that were marked way down - the batteries were still fresh - good till 2010 but they were only 50 cents for 2 AA so I grabbed a bunch. I just use them and toss them. I figure it's the cost of having fun. I get 2 or 3 days of use, keep an extra set in a backpack and throw them out when they are done.

Eventually I will get a charger but it has to charge in 15 minutes, none of those overnight jobs.

[rmm200]

Let me just note it is now illegal to discard batteries in household garbage in California.

 

That is right - discard a AA battery and go to jail.

 

Well it is California...

 

We get to save up all our battery discards and take them to designated recycling centers.

No curbside pickup.

 

The list of things we can not discard in garbage is way longer than what we can discard.

 

Robert

[+TheGeoHunters]

Just one of the countless reasons I moved out of California - but that's for another thread.

[+chuckwagon101]

Just one of the countless reasons I moved out of California - but that's for another thread.

 

Yeah, but you have ....."THE TERMINATOR"

 

Hasta LaVista...Babeee! LOL!

[peter]

I feel pretty much the same way as the previous post - I just picked up a ton of batteries at the local discount store that were marked way down - the batteries were still fresh - good till 2010 but they were only 50 cents for 2 AA so I grabbed a bunch. I just use them and toss them. I figure it's the cost of having fun. I get 2 or 3 days of use, keep an extra set in a backpack and throw them out when they are done.

Nobody's claiming that you'll go broke buying alkaline cells, but it still seems like a waste of money (and landfill space) compared to getting rechargeables.

 

My set of four 2500 mA-hr NiMH cells last longer than alkalines per charge and have now been recharged over 600 times. If I had bought alkalines at the price you mention ($1 per set of 4) this would now have cost me $600. Instead the NiMH cells cost me $8.95 at WalMart for a savings of $591 - enough to buy a new 60CSx plus a bunch of mapping software. And it's generally more convenient since I don't have to remember to buy new batteries nearly as often.

[jackrr]

>Nobody's claiming that you'll go broke buying alkaline cells, but it still seems like a waste of money (and >landfill space) compared to getting rechargeables.

 

>My set of four 2500 mA-hr NiMH cells last longer than alkalines per charge and have now been recharged >over 600 times. If I had bought alkalines at the price you mention ($1 per set of 4) this would now have >cost me $600. Instead the NiMH cells cost me $8.95 at WalMart for a savings of $591 - enough to buy a >new 60CSx plus a bunch of mapping software. And it's generally more convenient since I don't have to >remember to buy new batteries nearly as often.

>

 

 

You must be a GPS power user!

Lets see: 4 batteries X 600 recharges is equivalent to 2400 batteries.

Need 2 batteries for a GPS > 2400/2=1200 uses

Batteries last about 3 days > 3X1200=3600days

3600/365=9.9 years of daily use

 

Are you sleeping with your GPS turned on?

[peter]

You must be a GPS power user!

Lets see: 4 batteries X 600 recharges is equivalent to 2400 batteries.

Need 2 batteries for a GPS > 2400/2=1200 uses

Batteries last about 3 days > 3X1200=3600days

3600/365=9.9 years of daily use

 

Are you sleeping with your GPS turned on?

 

A ) The batteries don't last for 3 days when using the GPS to record tracklogs - one day's use of about 10 hours in 'normal' mode is about all I get out of a set of new alkaline cells (or a single charge of NiMHs). YMMV based on GPS model, use of backlight, etc. (the new 60CSx would use a bit less).

B ) they're not only used in my GPS - I also regularly use them in my digital camera and my commuting bike light and sometimes in other devices as well.

 

As a result they've been recharged on about a daily basis for the last two years.

Edited March 9, 2006 by peter

[+Team Cotati]

Let me just note it is now illegal to discard batteries in household garbage in California.

 

That is right - discard a AA battery and go to jail.

 

Well it is California...

 

We get to save up all our battery discards and take them to designated recycling centers.

No curbside pickup.

 

The list of things we can not discard in garbage is way longer than what we can discard.

 

Robert

 

I just wish that I owned the patent for that mobile battery detecting thingie. Me makie big bucks!!

[+Team Cotati]

I just got an Explorist 200 . What would be the best batteries to feed it?

 

I have Alkaline Energizers right now but was thinking of those Lithium batteries that work

so well in my digital camera.

 

Soooo will Lithium batteries give me better or longer performance....or....what?

 

Chuck

 

Just as with most every other application, lithium batteries will far out live regular alkaline batteries in GPSr units. In any event, good quality rechargables are the way to go from both a cost and environmental perspective. Go to: http://www.thomas-distributing.com/recharg...e-batteries.php for the best selection and quality around. The 2500's are my personal recommendation.

Edited March 9, 2006 by Team Cotati

[+Woodbutcher68]

A few years ago, I was at a Remington Outlet store and found an alkaline battery recharger. They take about 14 hours and it brings them up to 80-90%, enough to last a few hours. I bought a NiMh set at WalMart last month, so now I have the option to use either. I also get used AA batteries from work and recharge them. Who needs to buy batteries?

[+GPSOkie]

I highly recommend the 2500 Energizer NiMH batteries ! I use them for both my camera and GPSr as well as various other things an have had excellent performance with them.

[HokieBird]

I fully understand the "penny saved, penny earned" argument for rechargeables. However, there is some expense for charging (electricity). Is the amount of current drawn so minute that it's not a factor? Or does is actually cost a few cents to charge up the batteries? Any know how to calculate?

[+JohnnyVegas]

Like RK said, take back the 200 and get a 210, the 210 is a much better gps and allows the use of a data cable to load waypoints and Maps.

 

As far a batteries. AA lithiums are expensive, unless you are in a colder climet were other batteries may not function you do not need them.

[peter]

I fully understand the "penny saved, penny earned" argument for rechargeables. However, there is some expense for charging (electricity). Is the amount of current drawn so minute that it's not a factor? Or does is actually cost a few cents to charge up the batteries? Any know how to calculate?

Each of the new NiMH cells has a total energy/charge of about 3 W-hrs (2500 mA-hrs x 1.2 V). So you could charge them 333 times on a single kW-hr of electricity if the process were 100% efficient. Unfortunately most chargers aren't very efficient and they vary quite a bit, but an efficiency of 15% is reasonable and would allow 50 charges/kW-hr.

 

The cost will then depend on the cost of electricity in your area. If you pay $0.10/kW-hr you'd get 500 charges per dollar. So over the life of the cell it adds about a dollar, but is still negligible compared to alkaline cell costs.

[+Team Cotati]

I fully understand the "penny saved, penny earned" argument for rechargeables. However, there is some expense for charging (electricity). Is the amount of current drawn so minute that it's not a factor? Or does is actually cost a few cents to charge up the batteries? Any know how to calculate?

Each of the new NiMH cells has a total energy/charge of about 3 W-hrs (2500 mA-hrs x 1.2 V). So you could charge them 333 times on a single kW-hr of electricity if the process were 100% efficient. Unfortunately most chargers aren't very efficient and they vary quite a bit, but an efficiency of 15% is reasonable and would allow 50 charges/kW-hr.

 

The cost will then depend on the cost of electricity in your area. If you pay $0.10/kW-hr you'd get 500 charges per dollar. So over the life of the cell it adds about a dollar, but is still negligible compared to alkaline cell costs.

 

I agree.