Best Battery Types

[+Colorado Cacher]

I am now noticing that the Ray-O-Vac Maximum Plus's I have been using are lasting foreeeeeevvvvvvver in my Magellan. I don't use rechargeables, maybe I should, I thought it would be interesting to get input from fellocachers on the batteries they use and how long they usually last. Include the positives and negatives of your "battery" experiences. Thanks and keep caching.

[+CYBret]

I use Ray-o-vak Ultra Rechargeables (NiMH). I've got about 6 pair that I rotate among my GPS and a few other electronic devices. They seem to make it about 12-16 hours, but it's rare that I have the GPS on that long anyway. Normally I swap them out after one use and top them off again. From what I've read this seems to be what they like.

 

The initial cost wasn't too bad and when I compare it to buying non-rechargebles, it's definitely a big plus!

[+briansnat]

I use whatever is on sale, or I can get a get a 48 pack of Toshiba batteries for $8, or a similar sized pack of Duracells for $12 at BJ's Wholesale Club. The supermarket near my home often has Panasonic Digital batteries on sale, or Eveready Gold, so I'll throw a few packs of them in the cart.

 

I find that the big names, Eveready Energizer and Duracell last quite a bit longer than the others, but since the others are a lot cheaper, it often evens out cost wise.

Edited March 26, 2004 by briansnat

[+Mastifflover]

Whatever is cheapest!!! I have not bought into the rechargeable batteries for my gps yet as I already have a hard time remembering to charge the pda and cell phone.

[4x4luv]

I dont care what anybody says. About three years ago I bought 4 sets of 1600 batteries. I use my GPSR about 6 hrs a day (I use it as a speedometer on my truck). But have them marked as sets (1 thru 4), I use them till they die all the way then I charge them fully put them in a zippered case. There is no known detereration of the charges.that is the equivalant of about 576 batteries for $32.00 that is about 5 cents a battery and they still work.

[CacheNCarryMA]

I like Energizer Lithiums (the blue and silver ones). They last a real long time, but are kinda pricey - around $10 for a four pack.

[+DavidMac]

I use the Raovac NiMH rechargeables in both the GPS and camera. I keep about 5 pair, and bought a 1 hour charger at Walmart that came bundled with both a car and AC adapter. The whole setup cost me somewhere around $30, but has paid off since my camera cannot use regular alkaline batteries. I always keep a 4 pack of cheap dollar store disposable batteries in the caching kist just in case I run out of juice on a long hike, but since I usually get 12 hours out of the rechargables I have yet to need to use them.

[+RJFerret]

I dont care what anybody says... ...I use them till they die all the way then I charge them fully...

 

That's good rechargable hygiene--just don't let them drop below 1.0 volts or you mightn't be able to recharge them! (Most modern electronic devices shut off then anyway.)

 

Similarly, of the 3 charger types, "intelligent" CPU-driven fast chargers are best, as they won't "cook" the batteries and can charge partially depleted cells.

 

Chargers that stop based on temp will cook off the chemical designed for such--which you can only do so many times before you start cooking off what provides the power (thereby shortening life).

 

Trickle-chargers should only be used on fully depleted batteries (but be SURE to not go too low) with a timer. You can shorten the timer if you measure the voltage w/a digital voltmeter for partially depleted batteries.

 

(Higher milliamp-hour batteries have less of the chemical that tolerates bad charging practices.)

 

I've used cordless power tools since the 80's, NiCD beard trimmer, NiMH rechargeables in Palm devices, FRS radios, cameras, and GPS without failure for over 5 years now.

 

Also remember to charge before storing!! (Otherwise they can drop below a volt and refuse to charge when you go to use it a year later...)

 

hth,

 

Randy

 

PS: For things like the Palm, I have two sets, when they die I toss in the others and charge the first. Everything else I charge before I go.

[+NimravusHSSR]

I like Energizer Lithiums (the blue and silver ones). They last a real long time, but are kinda pricey - around $10 for a four pack.

Walmart has Lithiums for $16 for 8. Coscto has them cheap too.

[+Cache Viking]

I like Energizer Lithiums (the blue and silver ones).  They last a real long time, but are kinda pricey - around $10 for a four pack.

I too have been using the same lithiums with good results. Compared to alkaline batteries they are saving me in the long run. Only problem is they do not generally fade they just simple go dead so I always have a spare set in my pack.

 

EDIT: Walmart is where I get mine.

Edited March 27, 2004 by Cache Viking

[+wildearth2001]

I used to use the batteries you do and think they are great! They are the best non chargable batteries you can get and they are fairly cheap. Now I am starting to use the Rayovac NiMH Recharables but I still have a brick of 500 of the Rayovac Maximum Plus's in my car and another 500 brick in my house as spares

[+The Gowen Family]

We use rechargeables and only use the others if we are in a pinch. We like the Ray-O-Vac's, they have a pretty good recharge rate and are a good price as well. Depending on how much we get to go out caching, we recharge about once a month. We also use them in are digital camera, we can go about 1-2 months.

[+Klondike Mike]

I picked up two packs of sanyo NI-MH( 4 AA 2100mAh and 2AAA 800mAh) at costco and couldn't be happier. I use the AAA is the cheapo digital camera that seemed to eat batteries " for breakfast" and rotate the AA in the gps and a few other devices. I don't know how long they are lasting in the gps but it's a lot longer then any other battery I tried.

Edited March 27, 2004 by Geo-Explorer

[+Night Stalker]

I have been using NIMH with 1600 MAH and have had pretty good luck with them though I change them out after every geocaching adventure. I just picked up a set of 2100 MAH NIMH. I will be interested to see how long they last.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Duracell Ultra.

I used to work where we had 1000's of battery operated clock timers,the only ones that ever really held up for the longest was Duracell and they still do for me anyway.

 

What happens if you loose power for a couple of days how do you or will you charge your batteries then??

Do you keep back-ups for emergencies?

Or if stranded in the woods for over 16-20 hours?

 

Just some thoughts I always carry fresh batteries with me.

and have some more in my Emergency backpack.

[+Melrose Plant]

What happens if you loose power for a couple of days how do you or will you charge your batteries then??

Do you keep back-ups for emergencies?

Or if stranded in the woods for over 16-20 hours?

Although I use rechargeable batteries exclusively in my GPSr and digital camera, I always keep a spare set of alkalines in the backpack as a safeguard. I use these because they can hold a charge for years of non-use, unlike rechargeables.

 

Because of this, I do not find that it is good to use rechargeables in a flashlight which is seldom used. One generally finds that when he needs to use the flashlight in a power outage, all the charge has gone out of the batteries.

[+Colorado Cacher]

Just a note about digital cameras: I first used my DX4900 and the batteries were real yummy for my camera-they went fast. I noticed that if you only turn the camera on to takee pictures and then turn it right off, before and after picture taking, they will last twenty times longer. Dont leave the camera on unused. CYA time to go geocaching here in Colorado.

[+ADKcachers]

Maybe you could use a couple of "taters."

 

[+bamageek]

I've been trying to figure out what the best batteries are as well. So far the best I've found are Energizer 2100mAh NiMH batteries.

 

My Garmin GPS has a setting for the battery type and the avilable types are Alkaline, NiCad, NiMN, and Lithium. I don't know how the NiMH batteries compare to the other types though.

 

Coincidentally, I went to buy some extra batteries just yesterday. Best Buy had them for sale for about $15 for a pack of 4. Target has the exact same batteries for $9.95! Needless to say I bought the Target ones!

[+TRIOGEO]

I have been using these NiMH, http://www.thomas-distributing.com/mh-4aa220.htm in my Meri Gold, Digital Camera, Child's toys and the TV remote with very good results.

 

I purchased a package deal with batteries, a smart charger and free battery cases. I was so pleased with the results, I purchased a second charger that I keep in the Cache Mobile for long trips and camping.

 

TRIOGEO

[+Quoddy]

I, too, use the PowerEx batteries (2200's) along with this excellent charger from Thomas Distributing. I use a Meridian Color with the backlight on full (all the time), and have yet to deplete these in a day's caching. http://www.thomas-distributing.com/mhc401fs.htm

[+NimravusHSSR]

Maha chargers are one of the best for giving a complete charge. No matter how good your batteries are if you put it in a cheapy $25 charger, you won't get a full charge. But running 90% capacity on 2100 Energizers are still pretty good for the price.

 

Just make sure you have one bank per battery. That means you can charge 1, 2, 3,4 batteries at one time. If your charger has 2 batteries for one bank, it's not efficient. It should be able to charge just one battery.

 

Get one with a cig. adaptor and install it in your glove box, then you have fresh set brewing in the car all the time! The MAHA MH-C401FS is a very nice unit for a decent price.

Edited March 28, 2004 by FlashMaster

[+Alan2]

In the car where I use my GPS for navigating I keep my GPS plugged into the cigarette lighter cable so my alkalines are fresh when I get to the trailhead. This method works regardless of the type of batteries you use.

 

Alan

[+NimravusHSSR]

I wish Garmin would have included a charger port on the GPSMap 60cs so NiMH batteries could be charged in the GPSr. Oh well.

 

I don't like alkaline because of their discharge curve. It keeps dropping and dropping.

 

Lithiums and NiMH batteries have a much flatter discharge curve which is why they last longer in certain applications such as Digital Cameras and such.

 

And in personal independant testing, Rayovac Maximums perform better than Duracell Ultra and Energizer Max. Tests are non-scientific. Just set my DigCam to take pictures every 5 minutes and use 2 identical flashlights side by side. I've done this dozens of times swapping flashlights to eliminate the bulb as the source of more discharge. Every time, the Rayovacs come out on top. Go figure.

Edited March 28, 2004 by FlashMaster