The battery question

[+user13371]

Not a discussion of how long the batteries last in your GPS, but more of a shopping consideration. Imagine you're shopping for a GPS and find one that does everything you want at a good price. And one set of batteries lasts "X" hours before you have to change or charge them...

 

What value for "X" would you say is too short, and make you decide NOT to buy that gadget?

Edited September 13, 2010 by lee_rimar

[+dfx]

depends on the type of battery. proprietary (or otherwise rare) form factor (read: cell phone/PDA battery): at least 12 hours. AA batteries: at least 6 hours. and not just according to the specs, but real life battery life.

[+user13371]

Dfx, I'm guessing the basis for your answer is you don't want to swap batteries more than once a day in the field -- or if using a rechargeable device you want go a full day without looking for a power outlet. Does that sum it up accurately enough?

[+dfx]

Dfx, I'm guessing the basis for your answer is you don't want to swap batteries more than once a day in the field -- or if using a rechargeable device you want go a full day without looking for a power outlet. Does that sum it up accurately enough?

no, that's not the reason at all. i don't mind swapping batteries. however i do mind having to buy special spare batteries (which usually are quite pricey) which are only good for a single specific device and which i also have to charge seperately and specially, either by swapping them around in the device again, or by using a special charger (which usually you also have to buy seperately).

 

but yeah, having to swap batteries more often than once a day would be a show stopper too.

 

edit: after turning this around in my head a few times, i think we might actually be saying the same thing.

Edited September 13, 2010 by dfx

[frozenflyboy]

Not a discussion of how long the batteries last in your GPS, but more of a shopping consideration. Imagine you're shopping for a GPS and find one that does everything you want at a good price. And one set of batteries lasts "X" hours before you have to change or charge them...

 

What value for "X" would you say is too short, and make you decide NOT to buy that gadget?

If you are referring to the specs on a GPS, I would be suspicious of the claims of how long batteries last. My mileage isn't even ballpark to what their claims are.

[+randco]

Stick with a unit that uses AA batteries. I use rechargeables but always carry a spare set of AA Alkalines with me.

[frozenflyboy]

Stick with a unit that uses AA batteries. I use rechargeables but always carry a spare set of AA Alkalines with me.

I carry a # of spare rechargeable batteries.

 

They're cheap as dirt on eBay... Here are some samples

http://cgi.ebay.ca/4pcs-AA-2600mAh-Ni-MH-R...=item4aa49014a0

 

Get another charger on there cheap as dirt also...

http://cgi.ebay.ca/6-Channels-AA-AAA-Batte...=item563f6e9787

 

All you're doing here is cutting out the middle man Walmart.

[+user13371]

Folks, the original question wasn't "do you trust manufacturer's battery claims?" or "what batteries are best?" Restated: What's the shortest battery runtime you're personally willing to accept in a GPS?

Edited September 13, 2010 by lee_rimar

[frozenflyboy]

Folks, the original question wasn't "do you trust manufacturer's battery claims?" or "what batteries are best?" Restated: What's the shortest battery runtime you're willing to accept in a GPS?

Lee, Your question is still rather vague. What do you mean by battery runtime? Do you mean if you turn on the gps with the default settings and leave it in the corner how long will the same set of batteries last? You see every unit has a multitude of options. Each option uses varying amounts of juice. If you never use the anchor drag option your runtime will be better. It depends on how you use the thing. For instance I have heard that certain option on certain models were energy pigs in the past but newer designs have eliminated the issue. Everybody has their favourite options when they geocache so their mileage will vary.

 

What has been replied is that manufacturers put #s in their specs as to how long batteries will last. These numbers (in my opinion based on experience with two GPS units and a multitude of other electronic units ) are at best a lousy, overinflated guess. It depends on a number of things that you have not included in your question. The problem is that manufacturers will claim a long battery life so you will buy based on that. The worst manufacturers will lie the most.

 

Rather than beat around the bush tell us what units you are talking about so people can tell you their mileage.

 

A number of things will affect mileage with batteries ie, back lighting, electronic compass etc.

 

This topic has been beat to death with a dizzying # of threads. You are lucky to get any replies.

[MtnHermit]

Folks, the original question wasn't "do you trust manufacturer's battery claims?" or "what batteries are best?" Restated: What's the shortest battery runtime you're willing to accept in a GPS?

2 days of backpacking which is about 12-14 hours of run time. On while moving, else off.

 

When I got my first GPS, a color eTrex, it would go 4-days of on a pair of 2700mAH NiMH, very impressed. Then I wanted more features and I got a Colo, it would go 2-days, that was acceptable. I got a Nuvi which at best will run 5-hours, unacceptable. I would be VERY reluctant to purchase any handheld which was below 2-days.

[+user13371]

...Your question is still rather vague ... This topic has been beat to death with a dizzying # of threads. You are lucky to get any replies.

 

FFB, You raise a very good point that MANY battery questions have been "beaten to death." But that's exactly why I asked what I did and how I phrased it -- and it's genuinely funny that you thought it vague.

 

I think this is THE battery question, what all of the others really come down to. Make it personal, specific, to YOU. Don't worry about what others are using or what manufacturers claim for any other device. Think in terms of the GPS you are using, features, system settings and techniques you personally apply in your own real-world application.

 

How short of a battery life are you personally willing to put up with? At what point would you say "Nah, changing or charging that often is unacceptable."?

Edited September 13, 2010 by lee_rimar

[+ecanderson]

The re-run of the cell phone battery life issue is a bit transparent. Different angle of approach, same question.

[+PokerLuck]

To answer your original question, which some people seem unable to do, I don't mind changing batteries after six hours. That's about how long my current GPSr lasts on a set of batteries. I might be willing to go lower, but four hours seems a bit too often. I base this on the fact that I don't do very long cache runs, and six hours would handle most of them. I carry two sets of spare batteries with me (three sets if you include the ones in the GPSr), so I could go eighteen hours without totally running out of power. I've never cached that long in one day.

 

To answer a question you didn't ask, my GPSr uses AA batteries, so in a pinch I could stop off at just about any store and get more batteries, but as I said, I've never had to do that.

Edited September 13, 2010 by PokerLuck

[NordicMan]

For my needs, a dedicated GPS receiver needs to be able to run at least 12-15 hours "continuous" on whatever battery pack it uses, be it a couple of AA's or a proprietary pack.

 

I often head out in the morning either for boating/fishing or hiking or ATV'ng, and want to be able to maintain a continuous plot trail of my day's travels. That's "my need", your mileage may vary

 

It doesn't matter if I can carry several sets of backup batteries (I do, lol) I don't want to be changing batteries mid-day and wind up breaking up my plot trail.

[+user13371]

Re-run of the cell phone battery life issue ... Different angle of approach, same question.

Not a rerun, a refocusing.

 

And it's not the cellphone battery question. It's the DeLorme PN-30 battery question. Or the Magellan eXplorist GC question. Or ANY device someone is talking about when they praise or curse the battery.

 

I'm trying to get some sense of what individuals think IS "long enough" for them personally. Do you have any input about your own device & usage?

[+ecanderson]

I'm trying to get some sense of what individuals think IS "long enough" for them personally. Do you have any input about your own device & usage?

My longest runs with any GPS device are for caching. As a somewhat trivial use, the world doesn't end if I screw up with batteries, although it ruins my good humor when it happens. A 12 hour summer caching day that starts after breakfast (around 9:00am) and ends at dusk (around 9:00pm) is as long as I'd probably ever run a set. The unit stays on for a large part of that time, and I tend not to fool with backlight intensity settings on either the Oregon or Dakota during the course of the day, leaving them at max. That's my operational malfunction, but I hit shade often enough that it's easier just to leave it that way. Time-out is set to 15 seconds. If there's any direct sun at all, there's zero reason to light up the screen on either the Dakota or Oregon -- the reflective method creates a very bright, high contrast display. I don't bounce back and forth between map and compass. I stick primarily with compass, so I'm not causing the backlight to keep coming on by zooming in and out on the map view as I've seen some cachers do.

 

My Dakota can manage this full-day kind of run on a pair of NiZn cells. My Oregon 450 (bigger screen and brighter backlight) sometimes does not (quite), so I wind up throwing in another pair towards the end of the day. My Summit HC has no problem with a full day no matter what.

 

I have zero problem throwing in a replacement set at some point during a caching day. I always have one spare pair in my pocket or car anyway. So I would say that anything safely more than half of a 12 hour day (7 hours or so) would be acceptable on whichever unit I'm running.

 

I use the NiZn cells mostly to avoid ever dealing with compass calibration during the course of a day, but all of the above info is drawn only from "fair weather caching". I'll be very interested to see how all of this plays out when it starts to get cold again. I suspect that the NiZn is going to have quite an advantage over NiMH once we get to winter. No battery chemistry likes to work cold, and with the nominal 1.2V of NiMH, cold will drop the voltage on those below the operating threshold of any of my Garmins long before they're actually exhausted. When things start getting cold again, I expect that with their higher nominal voltage and flat discharge profile, the NiZn will be able to deliver far more of their total capacity before the Garmin calls a "time out". That's just based upon what I suspect, however. No empirical evidence yet since I started using them in May and haven't seen "cold" with them yet.

[frozenflyboy]

Thanks for the NiZn suggestion. First I heard of them. Found an interesting article on them;

http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/09/powerge...y-some-cells-w/

 

!.6 volts....

[+ecanderson]

Thanks for the NiZn suggestion. First I heard of them. Found an interesting article on them;

http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/09/powerge...y-some-cells-w/

 

!.6 volts....

Yeah, and as is often the case, the brain-dead configuration of the boards won't allow a search on something as short as "NiZn", unique as it is. There have been two threads that I can remember where we were beating around chargers and battery chemistry where I described how these things worked in my handhelds. As I say, the biggest benefit I'm seeing in nominal temperatures and above is that these cells have a very flat discharge profile. Since it's the voltage sensitivity of the electronic compass chip (both 2-axis and 3-axis versions) that cause them to get wonky as the batteries start to wear down over the course of the day, the flat discharge profile of the NiZn really avoids the issue nicely. Then again, the one downside is that the gas gauge on the front panel is pretty worthless. Since they hold voltage so well through the course of their ability to deliver juice, the NiZn cells show a full bars until they're just about ready to crap out, then poof, they're done. You'll want to have that spare pair in your back pocket because you won't get much if any warning that they're done.

[frozenflyboy]

As I say, the biggest benefit I'm seeing in nominal temperatures and above is that these cells have a very flat discharge profile. Since it's the voltage sensitivity of the electronic compass chip (both 2-axis and 3-axis versions) that cause them to get wonky as the batteries start to wear down over the course of the day, the flat discharge profile of the NiZn really avoids the issue nicely. Then again, the one downside is that the gas gauge on the front panel is pretty worthless. Since they hold voltage so well through the course of their ability to deliver juice, the NiZn cells show a full bars until they're just about ready to crap out, then poof, they're done. You'll want to have that spare pair in your back pocket because you won't get much if any warning that they're done.

Did you try changing the battery type in the prefs or setup section. I would guess from what you said that a NiCad would be a closer profile as they are a flatter discharge profile. Mine doesn't have NiCad. it has Alky, Li, and NiMH.

Edited September 13, 2010 by frozenflyboy

[+ecanderson]

Did you try changing the battery type in the prefs or setup section. I would guess from what you said that a NiCad would be a closer profile as they are a flatter discharge profile. Mine doesn't have NiCad. it has Alky, Li, and NiMH.

Negative - negative. The chemistry type selection has to do with sensed battery voltage vs. expected available capacity. NiCd is a "low voltage" chemistry like NiMH. Alkaline is in the middle. NiZn and Lithium are up at the top.

 

When using the NiZn cells, the closest comparable voltage you'll get is lithium ion, so for the Powergenix cells, the closest Garmin setting to reality is Lithium. But for reasons noted, it won't matter much. The voltage drop prior to exhaustion doesn't occur until right at the end, and isn't significant enough that the Garmin gas-gauge algorithm will see it more than a few minutes before they're toast.

[+The Ravens]

Quick reply.... 8-12 hours.

 

Long answer... 8-12 hours equates to popping in a newly charged set as I walk out the door and it lasts me all day. When it comes down to it I don't really care how fast my GPSr eats batteries as long as it's not a ridiculously short amount of time like 2-4 hours. I use rechargeables so the cost is minimal and I always care 2 extra sets with me.

[+EScout]

I have the PN-30 which does not like the low voltage of NiMh rechargeable AAs. I have been using the NiZn for a couple weeks and so far I like them. They also work well in one of my cameras that also does not like NiMh, and needs the higher voltage.

 

Shnoop had a deal recently of the 12 PowerGenix NiZn AAs and the charger for $19 delivered, so this is what I got. I do not have the cold weather concerns, but these are worth trying.

 

In the PN-30, I use the setting of Lithium (not the rechargeble Li-ion setting.)

Edited September 14, 2010 by EScout

[+yellow-bird]

All them bells and whistles,that you really don't need.I use an solar charger.Neat as can be,especially ,You guessed it,in the back country ,no electricity. Some day gps manufacturers will have solar powered gps's.Oh,,gee,did I give them an profitable idea?

[+Arrow42]

Oh,,gee,did I give them an profitable idea?

 

No, not realy. Solar powered portable devices has been a holy grail of portable electronics since the solar powered calculator. However... there are some very key problems. The main issue is power density. They would need to double or triple the efficiency of a solar cell before it would be practical in a hand-carried unit.

 

As far as the actual question of this thread... well, in short - "A days worth a cachings" whatever that means. Most often that's a few hours and my cell-phone based GPS is fine for that. On the other hand, if I'm on a trip then a day's caching might be 5-12 hours. In that case my more traditional GPSr's AA seems to do the trick.

 

So, I guess in short.:

 

Casual Day: 4 hours

Serious Day: 12 hours*

 

*But... I would only be slightly annoyed by needing to change my AAs.

[+ecanderson]

All them bells and whistles,that you really don't need.I use an solar charger.Neat as can be,especially ,You guessed it,in the back country ,no electricity. Some day gps manufacturers will have solar powered gps's.Oh,,gee,did I give them an profitable idea?

No. There's no photovoltaic technology that delivers the current needed to charge GPS batteries quickly enough in anything near a size you could actually integrate into a handheld GPS. Besides - where would you put the panel? You need it pointed at the sun, and that sorta tends to be where the screen is for the user to read. The handheld GPS just got a whole lot bigger than the largest of automotive units!

 

I like the other guy's idea -- put the solar panel on your hat. Just stay out from under the trees.

[+EScout]

With all the features of the new units (touch screen, multiple mapping, big data base, calculating hike profiles, camera and geotagging) I think we are at the limit of 2 AA batteries. Maybe we should go to 3 or 4 AAs. Or have the unit better utilize the voltage and capacity of the specific battery chemistry of each type including the NiZn.

[+ecanderson]

Or have the unit better utilize the voltage and capacity of the specific battery chemistry of each type including the NiZn.

Much as I like NiZn, the energy density really isn't all that special. If you compare mWh of NiZn to mWh of NiMH, a high capacity NiMH actually wins -- but that assumes that the device being powered can manage as the voltage starts to droop so as to really utilize the cell's charge. The difference is that the NiZn holds its voltage across the entire capacity of the battery, so it performs as well or better than the NiMH -- you just don't get any warning (voltage drop on a "gas gauge") when they're about to be fully depleted. Assuming a half efficient bit of internal voltage regulation on the GPS, the NiZn is already being used pretty much to capacity.

 

The holy grail is always "higher energy density", which is to say, more poop per cubic inch (or cubic centimeter, if you prefer). Looking back at the little NiMH, it's certainly seen improvement in that area since they first starting coming out with them for consumer use, but they appear to have hit a limit.

 

What's the next hot thing? Dunno.

Edited September 19, 2010 by ecanderson

[frozenflyboy]

All them bells and whistles,that you really don't need.I use an solar charger.Neat as can be,especially ,You guessed it,in the back country ,no electricity. Some day gps manufacturers will have solar powered gps's.Oh,,gee,did I give them an profitable idea?

No. There's no photovoltaic technology that delivers the current needed to charge GPS batteries quickly enough in anything near a size you could actually integrate into a handheld GPS. Besides - where would you put the panel? You need it pointed at the sun, and that sorta tends to be where the screen is for the user to read. The handheld GPS just got a whole lot bigger than the largest of automotive units!

 

I like the other guy's idea -- put the solar panel on your hat. Just stay out from under the trees.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/06/so...indarra-dtx.php

 

http://www.thesolarguide.com/solar-power-u...r-clothing.aspx

 

[sviking]

Folks, the original question wasn't "do you trust manufacturer's battery claims?" or "what batteries are best?" Restated: What's the shortest battery runtime you're personally willing to accept in a GPS?

 

Why do you care? If one guy says 20 hours and another says 3, does that affect you in ANY way as to your GPS decisions/usage?

 

My personal desire is around 14 hours and nobody else's "measurement" is going to change that.

[+user13371]

SViking, it doesn't affect MY usage at all -- and you raise a very good point that someone else's needs aren't necessarily mine (or yours).

 

The reason for framing the question precisely as I did is that folks will frequently assert that the batteries in one device or another don't last long enough -- and seem to think what is true for them must be true for everyone.

 

What I am getting from this thread though -- as a general rule of thumb, not a hard and fast certainty -- is almost bleedin' obvious: Most folks around here are happy if they can get by a whole day without changing batteries. Once during the course of the day isn't TOO much of a nuisance for most folks -- unless you're trying to record a continuous track. But any more often than that is a pain in the arse.

[sviking]

Once during the course of the day isn't TOO much of a nuisance for most folks -- unless you're trying to record a continuous track.

 

Why is that a "nuisance"? When the batteries get low...STOP...save track...change batteries...turn on...start new track log. "Stitch/combine" when you get home on the computer.

[+user13371]

...Why is that a "nuisance"...

Ask NordicMan; see post #14.

[+TotemLake]

Once during the course of the day isn't TOO much of a nuisance for most folks -- unless you're trying to record a continuous track.

 

Why is that a "nuisance"? When the batteries get low...STOP...save track...change batteries...turn on...start new track log. "Stitch/combine" when you get home on the computer.

Some folks, such as myself, have the sounds turned off to not disturb any wildlife we might encounter (including the trail hikers). So, knowing exactly when the batteries die is more an art form when the alert is disabled which means you can end up losing a large section of trail tracking making the effort useless.

 

So to answer the Op's question on battery life... with the features I need (or want) enabled, 10 hours is my minimum. If I can achieve that by purchasing the Lithium x8's, then so be it. Fortunately, with the PN-60, this endurance has increased by a significant amount.

Edited September 21, 2010 by TotemLake

[frozenflyboy]

Once during the course of the day isn't TOO much of a nuisance for most folks -- unless you're trying to record a continuous track.

 

Why is that a "nuisance"? When the batteries get low...STOP...save track...change batteries...turn on...start new track log. "Stitch/combine" when you get home on the computer.

Some folks, such as myself, have the sounds turned off to not disturb any wildlife we might encounter (including the trail hikers). So, knowing exactly when the batteries die is more an art form when the alert is disabled which means you can end up losing a large section of trail tracking making the effort useless.

 

So to answer the Op's question on battery life... with the features I need (or want) enabled, 10 hours is my minimum. If I can achieve that by purchasing the Lithium x8's, then so be it. Fortunately, with the PN-60, this endurance has increased by a significant amount.

More than 10 hours. Wow. So how much more than the previous GPS? Which was your previous GPS?

 

Personally the main reason I bought a second GPS was to have a track record of my sailing. I have a Hobie Tiger and I love to see how fast and where I went.

[sviking]

Some folks, such as myself, have the sounds turned off to not disturb any wildlife we might encounter (including the trail hikers). So, knowing exactly when the batteries die is more an art form when the alert is disabled which means you can end up losing a large section of trail tracking making the effort useless.

 

So to answer the Op's question on battery life... with the features I need (or want) enabled, 10 hours is my minimum. If I can achieve that by purchasing the Lithium x8's, then so be it. Fortunately, with the PN-60, this endurance has increased by a significant amount.

 

Oh come on...please... You really have to have a *zen* to know when your batteries are going to die? You don't know *about* how long they last?

 

You say 10 hours min. Do you go all that time without ever looking at the GPS? What about a watch, cell phone (set alarm to VIBRATE), etc? You have something that keeps time. CHANGE the batteries out well before you know they're going to die if you're going to be out longer than you think they'd normally last. Like, say, after 8 hours if they normally die at 10. Ain't that hard...

[+TotemLake]

 

More than 10 hours. Wow. So how much more than the previous GPS? Which was your previous GPS?

 

Personally the main reason I bought a second GPS was to have a track record of my sailing. I have a Hobie Tiger and I love to see how fast and where I went.

I own a Magellan Meridian Platinum. 10 hours was as good as it got until I went with Lithiums. When it factory reset out in the field, I went to the PN-40. 12 hours was a reliable run on the Lilthium x8 batteries. With The PN-60, it can be a two day run with a careful watch on the battery level towards the end. Although turning off the unit at night will break the track plot, the points are next to each other and can be easily joined with no loss with the accompanying Topo software.

 

Sorry for diverging.

[sviking]

More than 10 hours. Wow. So how much more than the previous GPS? Which was your previous GPS?

 

10 hours is impressive? I routinely get 20+ hours on my 60CSx with Sanyo Eneloop rechargeables. That's with some decent backlight use (since it got dark), but I never really use the electronic compass, which is also a big battery "burner" type function. What really surprised me was getting about 22 hours over the course of an entire day in NYC. I turned it on at O'dark thirty when we left the house in Connecticut and turned it off after the train ride back and getting home. The amazing thing was it lasted that long doing overtime on processing all those strange signal paths bouncing around in the urban canyons. It tracked surprisingly well, too.

[+TotemLake]

Some folks, such as myself, have the sounds turned off to not disturb any wildlife we might encounter (including the trail hikers). So, knowing exactly when the batteries die is more an art form when the alert is disabled which means you can end up losing a large section of trail tracking making the effort useless.

 

So to answer the Op's question on battery life... with the features I need (or want) enabled, 10 hours is my minimum. If I can achieve that by purchasing the Lithium x8's, then so be it. Fortunately, with the PN-60, this endurance has increased by a significant amount.

 

Oh come on...please... You really have to have a *zen* to know when your batteries are going to die? You don't know *about* how long they last?

 

You say 10 hours min. Do you go all that time without ever looking at the GPS? What about a watch, cell phone (set alarm to VIBRATE), etc? You have something that keeps time. CHANGE the batteries out well before you know they're going to die if you're going to be out longer than you think they'd normally last. Like, say, after 8 hours if they normally die at 10. Ain't that hard...

No, I don't wear a watch, and if the trail is clear, I don't monitor the GPS. My cell phone is tucked away in the backpack and not pulled out. I'm typically in non-cell coverage so it is off for the duration. Believe what you want do what you want.

[+make-it-so]

My usage may vary a little from the norm around this site. I use my GPS (Garmin 20) mainly for backpacking. I go in for several days at a time. I have to carry enough batteries to last the entire trip. I just got the GPS and have not used it on a multiday trip yet. When I do I will turn on the "Battery Save" mode and disable all the things I don't need. If I don't get at least two days of hiking from one set of batteries I will run out before the trip is over. I would not be a happy camper should that happen. So far, even without the battery save mode on I am getting around 8-10 hours from a set of batteries. I am usnign 2450mhA NiMH rechargable batteries.

[+GOT GPS?]

10 hours at the least when tracklogging car, bike, or foot mode, during the day's activities.

 

For Tracklogging I use a Garmin, that is on a non-active screen, like a blank Routes screen, and leave it in a canvas holster on the belt, and refer to it occationally to see if it is still ON.

- For this GPS it has to run all day, so I use Eneloop long lasting NiMH batts.

 

I use the iPhone during the day, and I just use it occationally, and keep it in sleep mode, also I have a plug-in external battery to bump up the charge when needed.

 

I don't like energizer regular NiMH, can't trust them in my 60CSx, for they like to shut off too early at times.

[+movemaine]

For me the batteries need to be at 16 hours minimum - not just for convenience, but for environmental reasons. Batteries are incredibly toxic - so I use rechargables, but the unit needs to last even with them.

[gpscybr]

- For this GPS it has to run all day, so I use Eneloop long lasting NiMH batts.

 

Eneloops are great batteries but I do not use them in my 62st or Oregon as I find that I have to force them too much to fit in - they seem to be a bit too big and I am worried they could eventually break or damage the contact plates. The energizers and other brands fit fine.

 

Does anybody think that they are oversized as well or do I have a bad batch?

[sviking]

I'm typically in non-cell coverage so it is off for the duration.

 

Sounds like you need to learn about "airplane mode".

[sviking]

Eneloops are great batteries but I do not use them in my 62st or Oregon as I find that I have to force them too much to fit in - they seem to be a bit too big and I am worried they could eventually break or damage the contact plates. The energizers and other brands fit fine.

 

Does anybody think that they are oversized as well or do I have a bad batch?

 

Nope, never had this problem. I just stood some up next to a few other brands of AAs, including Duracell, and there's no difference in height or circumference.

[+TotemLake]

I'm typically in non-cell coverage so it is off for the duration.

 

Sounds like you need to learn about "airplane mode".

You're pretty arrogant aren't you? I know about my devices' modes. I turn the device off to save on the battery. I hike without wanting to know what time it is or how long I've been out. Time is not an issue when I'm on the trail. Battery longevitiy is. Let it rest with that. I made my answer to the OP. You don't need take it upon yourself to try to teach me "new" tricks.

[+ecanderson]

Batteries are incredibly toxic...

Sounds like you might want to consider changing battery chemistry if you feel that strongly about it. Mine aren't toxic - unless you happen live in California where nickel is for some reason more toxic than anywhere else in the universe. Then again, I'm pretty sure anything that crosses the state line into California has been shown to cause cancer at one time or another.

 

Whatever your choice -- had you considered RBRC? It's the environmentally 'friendly' thing to do, and the manufacturers all pay into the kitty to fund the program. Might as well take advantage of it -- it winds up getting built into the price of your cells as the cost gets passed along: http://www.call2recycle.org/

[+Team CowboyPapa]

- For this GPS it has to run all day, so I use Eneloop long lasting NiMH batts.

 

Eneloops are great batteries but I do not use them in my 62st or Oregon as I find that I have to force them too much to fit in - they seem to be a bit too big and I am worried they could eventually break or damage the contact plates. The energizers and other brands fit fine.

 

Does anybody think that they are oversized as well or do I have a bad batch?

No, you do not have a bad batch. I am certain that I have a different batch than you do and those in my batch have a larger diameter than expendables of brands such as Maxell and Energizer.

[gpscybr]

- For this GPS it has to run all day, so I use Eneloop long lasting NiMH batts.

 

Eneloops are great batteries but I do not use them in my 62st or Oregon as I find that I have to force them too much to fit in - they seem to be a bit too big and I am worried they could eventually break or damage the contact plates. The energizers and other brands fit fine.

 

Does anybody think that they are oversized as well or do I have a bad batch?

No, you do not have a bad batch. I am certain that I have a different batch than you do and those in my batch have a larger diameter than expendables of brands such as Maxell and Energizer.

 

For some reason, my energizers fit fine but my eneloops do not. I bought them when they were on sale at Costco - got one of those multi packs.

 

I compared them side by side to energizers rechargeables and they are physically different. The eleloops as was mentioned are fatter, and at least mine are a tiny bit longer with the positive nib sticking out a bit more.

 

I tried loading my eneloops in the GPS but I am not confortable with the amount of force that is required so I stopped trying.

Edited September 23, 2010 by gpscybr

[sviking]

You're pretty arrogant aren't you? I know about my devices' modes.

 

Nope...just smart, worldly and beautiful...don't be a hater.

[+dfx]

For some reason, my energizers fit fine but my eneloops do not. I bought them when they were on sale at Costco - got one of those multi packs.

 

I compared them side by side to energizers rechargeables and they are physically different. The eleloops as was mentioned are fatter, and at least mine are a tiny bit longer with the positive nib sticking out a bit more.

 

I tried loading my eneloops in the GPS but I am not confortable with the amount of force that is required so I stopped trying.

odd, the eneloops here (also from costco) fit just fine. i just compared them to some other nimh batteries and they're exactly the same size, both in diameter and length.

Edited September 24, 2010 by dfx