What type of batteries do you use?

[billwerth]

What type of battery do you use most often in your GPS?

[+briansnat]

I use alkaline partly because that is what the mfr. recommends and partly because I find charging my own batteries to be more of a pain in the butt than its worth in savings.

 

I keep an eye out for battery sales, which happen frequently at my local supermarket. They are often half price and sometimes below that, so when I see them on sale, I throw a few packs into my shopping cart. I guess I go overboard, because at last count I had over a hundred AA batteries stockpiled and I keep finding packs of them all over...in my daypack, my backpack, luggage, glove compartment, junk drawer, etc...

 

I've started using them as trade items. I figure they would be a welcome find to a Geocacher who is running low on battery power.

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Kelle

 

[This message was edited by BrianSnat on August 21, 2002 at 04:06 AM.]

[+Rusty & Libby]

I have an inverter in the car and keep 4-AA batteries on the charger all the time. I use them in my GPSr, digital camera, and flashlight. We have 12 total NiMH and haven't spent a dime on batteries in over a year. They have about 10% less power than alkalines but work great for me.

 

Rusty...

 

Rusty & Libby's Geocache Page

[+Metaphor]

I switched from alkaline (new and recharged) to lithium early this summer. It always seemed like after an hour or two the alkies were draining low. I'm very happy with the lithium; in fact, I haven't had to change them at all in over a month and a half of regular use.

 

"All of us are standing in the mud, but some of us are looking at the stars." Oscar Wilde

[Geo Quest]

I was a regular user of standard alkalines until I started packing for a backpacking trip. I noticed that lithium batteries are WAY lighter than anything else. Slip a couple into your GPSR and see for yourself. After I converted for the weight savings I noticed a significantly longer run-time when compared to other batteries. They are the best choice if you don't mind the increased cost.

 

"There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

[+Shoebox]

I bought 2 sets of NiMH batteries and always travel with a fully charged battery in reserve. And I invested in another 12 to replace the ones in my daughter's toys and one set for my wife's recorder. I used to be buying batteries in bulk every couple of weeks but since the replacement with rechargeables I haven't had to buy a single one. This will save us a lot of money in time (especially on the toys!)

[+Lil Devil]

NiMH and Alkaline don't work worth a sh!t when the temperature drops below about 55 degF. During the winter months I use Lithium batteries, especially when I'm riding my dirtbike, where the wind-cooling effects outweigh the self-heating of the GPSr.

 

Now if I could just find size AA rechargeable lithium batteries...

 

Lil Devil

[k2dave]

quote:

---

NiMH and Alkaline don't work worth a sh!t when the temperature drops below about 55 degF.

---

 

I have used both in temps below 0F while skiing with no problem excpet during startup in the morning - it works but I can't make out the screen till it warms a bit. 55f is not nearly low enough to really effect them - sounds more like you want an excuse to use lithium.

 

----(sig line)---> Did you ever do any trail maintainence? - if so you will know that all but the most worn trails need continuous maintenance to prevent mother nature from reclaiming it. herd paths are quickly reclaimed - k2dave

[+EScout]

Alkalines have twice the energy density of NiMH and should last twice as long. And they do not lose their charge after sitting for a couple of weeks.But you have to buy new ones all the time.

 

Alkaline 4-packs are 99cents at the store of the same name. They cost about the same in bulk at Cosco.

 

I use alkalines in my GPS as a back up, but run it off cigarette lighter power in car or a large external rechargable pack (NiMH or gell-cell) out of the car. The packs charge directly from the cig lighter socket.

 

My GPS has an internal voltage regulator and accepts a range of voltages (10 to 36VDC) on external power.

[Tahosa and Sons]

Lithiums are the way to go. I usually let the GPS run all day because I'm doing track logs and making maps. They still have power at the end of the day. I usually have to change the alkalines before the day is out.

And when it gets to be winter lithiums work when the rest of them whine for Florida.

 

The "Bushwhacker"

Exitus acta probat

>>--->

[+Runaround]

The Energizer lithiums are the best. They ain't cheap but they keep on going and going and going.....

 

Maybe they should use that in their advertising?!?!?

 

Now where did I park my car???????

[+st_richardson]

Garmin is starting to add a battery type selector to their GPSr units. See the latest Ledgin & Vista beta releases.

[+EScout]

As for through-away batteries, alkalines are the most economical.

Their capacity: 2850 mAH for AA

 

They cost about $1 for four AAs.

As for Lithiums, the capacity is about 50% more, which means they last about 50% longer.

The cost is about 5 times more than alakalines.

 

Capacities of typical AA rechargeables:

NiCD 700 mAH

NiMH 1200 mAH

 

So a set of alkalines will last twice as long as NiMH. The rechargeables will be cheaper in the long run because they take several hundred charges.

[+EScout]

"throw-away"

[GeoStars]

I was at the flea market the other day and saw a couple places selling a big packet of batteries (12 or 16) for $1. I thought at first they were Duracell but when I looked closer, they were Dinocell. I checked the expiration and they weren't expired but decided to pass. I didn't want something that would mess up my GPS or the kids games. Anyone ever heard of these or tried them?

 

As far as what we use, it's alkaline although we are considering rechargables.

 

GeoMedic - team leader of GeoStars

[+cachew nut]

I've heard good things from people using 1600 Nimh batteries and the 1 hour Rayovac PS4 charger, so this is what I bought. As sonn as my present batteries wear out, I will experiment with these. If I discover anything interesting I will post it here.

[+culpc]

Sam's Club sells 24 packs of Duracells for next-to-nothing ($8.99) so I always have batteries rolling around loose in the console, glove box, Geocaching kit, etc.

 

Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers. - Socrates

[+culpc]

Sam's Club sells 24 packs of Duracells for next-to-nothing ($8.99) so I always have batteries rolling around loose in the console, glove box, Geocaching kit, etc.

 

Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers. - Socrates

[eyecannon]

quote:

---

Originally posted by EScout:

As for through-away batteries, alkalines are the most economical.

Their capacity: 2850 mAH for AA

 

They cost about $1 for four AAs.

As for Lithiums, the capacity is about 50% more, which means they last about 50% longer.

The cost is about 5 times more than alakalines.

 

Capacities of typical AA rechargeables:

NiCD 700 mAH

NiMH 1200 mAH

 

So a set of alkalines will last twice as long as NiMH. The rechargeables will be cheaper in the long run because they take several hundred charges.

---

 

I'm pretty sure a more accurate rating for Alkaline AA would be around 2000mAH, and the NiMH I use for my digicam, and pretty much everything, are 1700mAH, and Kodak has some very high capacity 1850mAH batteries, which actually break 1900mAH in most tests. It just seems to me like a huge waste to use single use batteries, when NiMH will recharge 800+ times, and in my digicam, last literally 3 times as long as alkalines.

[+juanbob]

I have a set of 1850 MA Kodak NiMH rechargables that work great for me in my gps. I get a good 14 hours of use normally. The one set of alkaline batteries I put in my unit lasted 15 hrs, so not much difference. I have a 1700MA backup set that work nicely too.

 

Juanbob

[+juanbob]

I have a set of 1850 MA Kodak NiMH rechargables that work great for me in my gps. I get a good 14 hours of use normally. The one set of alkaline batteries I put in my unit lasted 15 hrs, so not much difference. I have a 1700MA backup set that work nicely too.

 

Juanbob

[+sparklehorse]

Alkalines may be more energy dense than NiMH, but the bottom line is how things work in the Real World. I'm not an electrical engineer, but here's what I've found using the handy battery timer on my GPSV:

 

Lithium: No question, these are king. They are the lightest weight-wise and on average last 22-24 hours in my GPSV.

 

NiMH: Good 1800 mah batteries last about as long as the best alkalines - about 12-13 hours. The charger seems to be a factor, as some chargers are fast but don't give a complete charge. I'm using the Maha C204F charger and so far very happy with it. No memory issues, but these due self discharge within a month or two.

 

Alkaline: Duracell Ultra, Energizer E2 Titanium, etc., all these top-of-the-line alkalines last about as long as good 1800 mah NiMH: 12-13 hours. No significant difference between the brands as far as I can tell. Surprisingly, the cheap generic store brand alkalines I get here locally are about half the price of the top-of-the-line alkalines but last an impressive 11-12 hours. These certainly are a better deal in terms of dollars per hour of usage.

 

NiCad: Haven't tried these in the GPS and see no reason to.

 

Hope that helps!

sparklehorse

 

"I don't know if I can face the future knowing there's eight quarts of THESE pickles in it!"

-Barney Fife-

[k2dave]

Ok here's my take on it (and I did extensive research in battery tech several years ago)

 

NiCd - getting obsolete fast - really needed to cycle completely each time to avoid voltage depression which is often called memory. Typically 650-1100 mAh then higher the mAh the less cycles you will get due to construction. very good for high drain devices due to low internal resistance. The more power something requires the more efficient these become. I will get apx 4-8 hrs on old NiCd batts in a garmin 3+. Will self discharge 1-2 months.

 

NiMh - replacing NiCd. Needed to cycle completley occationally to avoid voltage depression (maybe once in 5 to 10 uses). Typically 1200 - 1800 mAh. Again the higher the mAh the more prone the battery is to premature falure. Good for high drain devices. NiCd is better but due to higher energy density Nimh simply holds more power though NiCd is more efficient. I will get 12 - 16 hrs in a garming 3+. Will self dischages 1-2 months.

 

Rechargable Alks - Never did anything with rechargable alks so can't really talk about them. What I suspect is that they must be recharged before they are totally dead or cycle life will suffer. Also high internal resistance so high drain devices opperate inefficently.

 

Alks - Higher energy density then NiMh (2000 - 2800 mAh) but due to high internal resistance not good for high drain devices. Due to inefficencies Nimh will outperform them in such applications (digital cameras). But alks will last longer in low drain devices such as radios, clocks and gps's then Nimh. I will get 19 - 25 hrs in the 3+. Long shelf life.

 

Lithium - Highest energy density of all batts currently on the market and also a fairly low internal resistance makes them a good choice but this is the most costly way to power your gps. Will last apx 36 hrs in the 3+.

 

----(sig line)---> Did you ever do any trail maintainence? - if so you will know that all but the most worn trails need continuous maintenance to prevent mother nature from reclaiming it. herd paths are quickly reclaimed - k2dave

[eyecannon]

I'm no environmentalist or anything, but isn't it pretty wasteful and slightly toxic to use alkalines? I know some coal is being burned somewhere to charge my NiMH, but it seems magnitudes more efficient than alkalines.

[k2dave]

Just want to add from to above list

 

High Drain Alks. Such as Duracell Ultra offer no benefit for low drain devices (and might actually be worst). They have lower internal resistance and can deliver power at a high level fairly efficently. I beleive them to have slighlty lower energy density then standard alks but comapnies are not willing to share this info when I last checked. By using these in my 3+ I get the same or slightly less run time then standard alks.18-23hrs.

 

----(sig line)---> Did you ever do any trail maintainence? - if so you will know that all but the most worn trails need continuous maintenance to prevent mother nature from reclaiming it. herd paths are quickly reclaimed - k2dave

[+phantom4099]

Here is a web page that has alot of infromation on batteries, how to charge them and their behavior. http://www.buchmann.ca/part1.asp .

 

Wyatt W.

 

The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your actions.

[mortonfox]

quote:

---

Originally posted by billwerth:

What type of battery do you use most often in your GPS?

---

 

I use alkaline batteries traded out from caches. Not sure about the quality but most seem to last fairly long in an Etrex. (enough for a few weekends of caching) Also, I use the cigarette lighter adapter when driving between caches to preserve battery life.

[mortonfox]

quote:

---

Originally posted by billwerth:

What type of battery do you use most often in your GPS?

---

 

I use alkaline batteries traded out from caches. Not sure about the quality but most seem to last fairly long in an Etrex. (enough for a few weekends of caching) Also, I use the cigarette lighter adapter when driving between caches to preserve battery life.

[+MapLady]

I use rechargable alkalines. I take a spare pair with me and when I get a low battery warning, I switch to the other pair of rechargable alkalines and recharge the low pair when I get home. I've only had to carry a pair of regular alkalines once (on a 4 week trip) to use when my backup pair got the low battery warning. In the long run, rechargable alkalines are cheaper than cheap non-rechargable alkalines.

[+EScout]

The description by K2dave is right on. He says it all, including the fact that high capacity rechargables die sooner. NiMH AAs cost about $2 each at a local electronice swap meet, so this is probably the most cost efficient.

 

For a site that does some comparisons:

 

http://library.solarbotics.net/pieces/parts_elect_pass_batcomp.html