Station X wrote:
As a person that is in the Audio Visual industry I'd look at where you
get your batteries from. Why? Well if you can buy them for some
rediculas low price then just keep buying the alkalines. It's just a
lot less fuss!!!

I say this based on the fact we use mainly 9 volters in about 6 radio
mikes on most gigs. We end up paying approx $1.50 per battery. For us
we know we can get 8 - 9 hours straight out of one alkaline battery.
As not many gigs go past this time you simply work on the fact that
each time you use a radio mike you put a fresh battery in.

See Nical Metal Hydride rechargables are the ones that don't develope
memory problems - but they are more expensive than the normal
Alkaline. They also "go flat" faster because they are still only 8.4
volts at best. So when you weigh it all up any rechargable and
especially the old Nic Cads when fully charged aren't really
delivering the volts the mike wants. Yes but it's only 20 cents of
electricy to recharge it up again! True! But it will still go flat
faster than the Alkaline as it is behind the eight ball from the
start. Then if you "kill" it by "over charging" or giving the old Nic
Cads "memory" then your economys are shot. Yes!

Seriously I'm sure the numbers work in the my favour if you do some
sums. Remember rechargables "loose their charge" if let sit too.
Factor that into your sums. You will see i'm right - a lot less fuss -
just get a big box of alkalines and keep feeding them in.

My company buys alkalines by the pallet load (for real). We never send
anything out with a rechargeable, due to the cliff effect looking very
bad on live TV. That being said, I use nothing but rechargeables for my
PERSONAL stuff. Alkalines are a big disposal issue, as they cannot be
discarded in the normal waste stream.

I use Ray O Vac Alkaline batteries in everything.Except for my Gyration
Radio controlled mouse www.gyration.com I use for my computer,,,,
also my Gyration Radio controlled mini keyboard, but for that keyboard,
I use Ray O Vac Alkaline batteries.I use Ray O Vac Alkaline batteries
www.rayovac.com in my Wet TV (''Wet''?) keyboard and my Wet TV hand
held remote too.
cuhulin

On Apr 17, 8:54*am, wrote:
-
- I use Ray O Vac Alkaline batteries in everything.Except
- for my Gyration Radio controlled mouse
- *www.gyration.com*
- I use for my computer,,,, also my Gyration Radio controlled
- mini keyboard, but for that keyboard,
- I use Ray O Vac Alkaline batteries.
- I use Ray O Vac Alkaline batteries
- www.rayovac.com*
- in my Wet TV (''Wet''?) keyboard
- and my Wet TV hand held remote too. *
- cuhulin
-

Cuhulin - Always Knew You Were All 'Wet" ! ;-} ~ RHF

On Apr 16, 11:24*am, junius wrote:
Hello Group,
I'm rather tired of burning through alkalines on my portable sets (not
to say that the 7600G & GR aren't easy on batteries) and I'm
interested in switching to rechargeables. I would appreciate any
recommendations. Not surprisingly my concerns are longevity and
reliability. Are NiMHs the way to go? I'm using NiMHs in an AOR
8200MkIII since they were supplied with the unit. Usage time between
recharging is not as impressive as I would have hoped for. But then
I've been spoiled by the Li-ion battery in the R20. Any
recommendations are most welcome.

I've had excellent luck with two sets of rechargeable NIMH batteries
that came with the Degen DE1103 radio I got directly from China. I
use a relatively slow 12 hour recharger that seems to do a more
complete job of recharging than the fast charge units.

Life between recharges is directly related (obviously) to the kind of
usage. If you run the speaker that will take more than running a pair
of headphones.

On Apr 17, 5:42*am, RHF wrote:
On Apr 17, 1:38*am, Bart Bailey wrote:



In posted on
Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:55:50 -0400, Bob Campbell wrote: Begin *

The important point is to get a good charger. * The best will have 4 (or 8
or whatever) INDIVIDUAL charging circuits, so batteries are NOT charged in
pairs. * Charging in pairs results in 1 or both batteries not completely
charged.

That was always an issue back in the days of awkward three cell
flashlights and NiCADs.

MAHA is a good brand. * The one I have has 8 slots, so 1 to 8 AAs or AAAs
can be charged in any combination. * It has settings for a "soft" charge
which takes longer but does not heat up the batteries so much, or a higher
current charge if you are in a hurry, but the batteries get quite warm. * It
also will do a complete discharge and recharge to "condition" batteries..
This takes about 12 hours.

That would be this one;http://tinyurl.com/4rqtax
It's very versatile, easy to use, and effective. If you have a spare
counter top to use as a charging station, this should be on it.
Only complaint, and a minor one at that, is the angle for best viewing
of the LCD readout could be improved.

I also have the one they make for battery packs on the handy talkies;
http://tinyurl.com/6tpuj

- - I can endorse and recommend the Powerex/Maha units
- - as being the best consumer grade (smart) chargers I've
- - found, plus are stocked by the local HRO for convenient
- - availability.
- - From cruising their site, I notice they too have the newer
- - formula slow discharge nimmies (IMEDION),
- - I'll have to get a few.
-
- ? IMEDION ?
-
- 2100mAh 4-Pack AA IMEDION
- "Ready When You Are!" Rechargeables
- http://www.mahaenergy.com/store/view...?idproduct=426
- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ZHAUM6
- http://www.thomasdistributingshop.com/_p_199-1080.html
- *.
- Price is not bad and getting better. ~ RHF

Here are several of the "Low Discharge" AA NiMH Batteries
http://www.thomasdistributingshop.co...rge_c_199.html

For me these Low Discharge AA NiMH Batteries would
most likely work best in the Digial Cameras which I only
pick-up and use once a Month.

Usually the e2 type NiMH AA Batteries get swapped-out
of the Radios about every two weeks so 'low discharge
is not needed.

~ RHF

Bob Campbell wrote:

Batteries and chargers are available on eBay. Retail prices for NiMH
batteries are absurdly high.



It becomes a relative thing. If they last for 500 charges, the cost
suddenly becomes a lot more appealing.

In Calgary, Alberta, the average price for four 2500 mah AA cells is
roughly fifteen to twenty dollars.

How much would the equivalent 2000 normal AAs cost?

Then there is the recycling issue, waste of resources...etc..




mike

On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:23:26 GMT, m II wrote:

Bob Campbell wrote:

Batteries and chargers are available on eBay. Retail prices for NiMH
batteries are absurdly high.



It becomes a relative thing. If they last for 500 charges, the cost
suddenly becomes a lot more appealing.

In Calgary, Alberta, the average price for four 2500 mah AA cells is
roughly fifteen to twenty dollars.

How much would the equivalent 2000 normal AAs cost?

Then there is the recycling issue, waste of resources...etc..




mike

Mike you are missing the obvious on the recycling of batteries; we get
the raw materials for them from digging them up from the earth then we
complete the recycling by burying the expended batteries back in the
earth. How much more perfection do you want? Sheesh, next thing ya
know you'll be telling me it'w wrong to pour waste oil into a hole dug
in your back yard. Yes, my employer had their annual Earth Day fair
today............sure am glad I went and got educated.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. A lot of great
information provided. Since there's an HRO in my area, I'm thinking to
go with the MAHA 2700 mAh NiMHs. The MH-C801D charger seems a good
choice: I like the 2 hour soft charge option. Since I've recently
begun scanning about a lot with the AR-8200MkIII and the GRE PSR-500,
it'll be good to have a more rapid charge than what the internal
charging processes provide on these units. Alkalines have served me
well with the Sony ICF-SW7600G & GR, SW07 and sundry Eton and Sangean
portables. But these wideband handhelds and scanners suck up a lot of
juice to do what they do. So the transition to rechargeable has become
essential. Thanks again to everyone for the many suggestions and
insights.

Junius

Those regular rechargable batteries (Ni-Cads, aren't they? [Brit speak,
Isn't it?] You have to ''train'' them new ones.Charge em up, put them in
a flashlight, leave the flashlight(s) turned on, let the flashlights run
completely down.Repeat ((Pete and Repeat were two Crows, sittin on a
fence.Pete said to Repeat,,, {What is your name?} Repeat said,
Repeat.Pete said, {What is your name?} the same process at least three
times.It is good to drain those batteries all the way down at least once
a month.When the flashlight(s) run all the way down, turn off the
switch, wait a few minutes and turn them back on, the flashlight(s) will
come back on for at least a few seconds.I use ordinary Ray O Vac
Alkaline batteries and throw them away when they wear out.
cuhulin

"m II" wrote in message news:OuUNj.83$XI1.81@edtnps91...
Bob Campbell wrote:

Batteries and chargers are available on eBay. Retail prices for NiMH
batteries are absurdly high.



It becomes a relative thing. If they last for 500 charges, the cost
suddenly becomes a lot more appealing.

In Calgary, Alberta, the average price for four 2500 mah AA cells is
roughly fifteen to twenty dollars.

My point was that *retail* prices are absurdly high, which you just proved.
$20 for 4 batteries? You can get 12 of these batteries on eBay for $20
including shipping.