Hello List, I paddle with several devices that are powered with conventional alkaline AA and C dry cell batteries (flashlight, head light, strobe, weather radio sometimes, etc). Ideally, all my paddles would begin with absolutely new batteries, however I must confess that I venture out with old, never used batteries (following a quick check that they work) and batteries that have only been used a little. Being used "a little" is judged by a very subjective memory (mine). Starting each trip with absolutely new batteries is certainly possible, though perhaps a little costly. Then there's the problem of what to do with the "slightly used" batteries that they replace. So I have two questions for the list: 1. What do you do with slightly used batteries that you don't want to take to sea? There is only so many times I can stick them in the TV and VCR remote. (Note- TV and VCR remotes represent a class of devices that I feel don't need to be reliable.) Perhaps they could be donated to children's toys, even if you don't have any children. Fresh ideas are needed!!! 2. Are rechargeable AA and C batteries a practical alternative to conventional alkaline cells? Do they work as long when needed? Are there problems with charging memories (theirs, not mine)? Naturally, when I'm through with the batteries, I dispose of them in an environmentally friendly way. My local library has a collection container. Wishing everyone a great new year.... Bill Leonhardt *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Bill Leonhardt wrote: > > I paddle with several devices that are powered with conventional alkaline > AA and C dry cell batteries (flashlight, head light, strobe, weather radio > sometimes, etc). [snip] > 1. What do you do with slightly used batteries that you don't want to > take to sea? Same as you -- put 'em in noncritical devices. For me, that's usually some flashlight. Seems like we use those up pretty fast. I also buy the alkalines with the little strip on the side which allows you to check their capacity (Duracell "PowerCheck" is one type) before each trip. With the PowerCheck, seems like there is plenty of capacity (for at least 1/2 hour of transmitting on my VHF) until the strip moves off the middle of the green range. > > 2. Are rechargeable AA and C batteries a practical alternative to > conventional alkaline cells? Do they work as long when needed? Are there > problems with charging memories (theirs, not mine)? NiCads can fail unexpectedly, so I do not use them in critical devices, such as my VHF. There are some rechargeable alkalines out, now, which might be a better alternative. I believe there are some new variants on NiCads which may have greater reliability. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
> Bill Leonhardt wrote: > > > > I paddle with several devices that are powered with conventional alkaline > > AA and C dry cell batteries (flashlight, head light, strobe, weather radio > > sometimes, etc). [snip] > > > 1. What do you do with slightly used batteries that you don't want to > > take to sea? Dave Kruger wrote: > Same as you -- put 'em in noncritical devices. For me, that's usually some > flashlight. Seems like we use those up pretty fast. I also buy the > alkalines with the little strip on the side which allows you to check their > capacity (Duracell "PowerCheck" is one type) before each trip. With the > PowerCheck, seems like there is plenty of capacity (for at least 1/2 hour > of transmitting on my VHF) until the strip moves off the middle of the > green range. > > > > 2. Are rechargeable AA and C batteries a practical alternative to > > conventional alkaline cells? Do they work as long when needed? Are there > > problems with charging memories (theirs, not mine)? > > NiCads can fail unexpectedly, so I do not use them in critical devices, > such as my VHF. There are some rechargeable alkalines out, now, which > might be a better alternative. I believe there are some new variants on > NiCads which may have greater reliability. > > -- > Dave Kruger > Astoria, OR We just got a Nikon 900S digital camera that eats AA cells, so all the slightly used cells from headlamps and such go into a bag for the cam. (Not a water resistant camera, but great for photographing stuff for websites). The advent of the digital camera has created suficient demand that a new class of rechargeable is available at "reasonable" cost. NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride, or if you prefer, National Institutes for Mental Health) batteries have about 50% more capacity than NiCads, and can be recharged indefinitely at rates of up to .5C. For example, the capacity of an AA NiMH is about 1400 maH (milliamp-hours) and can be recharged at 700ma in about 2 hours. They live for over 1000 cycles and the cost has got down to $2.50 each in qty 10 from mail-order sources. NiCad chargers work fine with NiMH cells. Also available is a charger that accepts 12 - 19 volts input and works with your car's cigar lighter or with 18v solar panels. I'm still researching the available hardware, so I won't post sources until I've tried them personally, but if you search with "solar battery charger", "NiMH", and "photovoltaic", you'll see what's out there. Roger, in North Plains, OR where the cricks are risin' and if I stay healthy, looking forward to a New Year's Day paddle on "Lake Tualatin". > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ > *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Roger Korn wrote: > [snip] The advent of the digital camera has created suficient demand > that a new class of rechargeable is available at "reasonable" cost. NiMH > (Nickel Metal Hydride, or if you prefer, National Institutes for Mental > Health) batteries have about 50% more capacity than NiCads, and can be > recharged indefinitely at rates of up to .5C. For example, the capacity > of an AA NiMH is about 1400 maH (milliamp-hours) and can be recharged at > 700ma in about 2 hours. They live for over 1000 cycles and the cost has > got down to $2.50 each in qty 10 from mail-order sources. NiCad chargers > work fine with NiMH cells. Thanks to Roger, a partner in suffering-from-rainfall, for the NiMH info. The capacity increase over NiCads makes these attractive. In my VHF, ordinary NiCads will only provide about 30 - 45 minutes of transmit time, marginal for handling a typical emergency. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR over the hill from Roger -- on the *wetter* side of the Coast Range of Oregon *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
At 06:14 AM 12/29/98 -0800, Roger wrote: The advent of the digital camera has created suficient demand >that a new class of rechargeable is available at "reasonable" cost. NiMH >(Nickel Metal Hydride, or if you prefer, National Institutes for Mental >Health) batteries have about 50% more capacity than NiCads, and can be >recharged indefinitely at rates of up to .5C. For example, the capacity >of an AA NiMH is about 1400 maH (milliamp-hours) and can be recharged at >700ma in about 2 hours. They live for over 1000 cycles and the cost has >got down to $2.50 each in qty 10 from mail-order sources. NiCad chargers >work fine with NiMH cells. > >Also available is a charger that accepts 12 - 19 volts input and works >with your car's cigar lighter or with 18v solar panels. I'm still >researching the available hardware, so I won't post sources until I've >tried them personally, but if you search with "solar battery charger", >"NiMH", and "photovoltaic", you'll see what's out there. > >Roger, in North Plains, Hey Roger, These new NiMH batteries sound like they have tremendous sea-going potential. One question: do you happen to know what happens if they get salt water wet? I ask because I used to carry Lithium batteries, tremendously expensive but very long-lasting (plus I theorized I could swallow a couple to control those violent mood-swings-). I used them for longer crossings in the GPS, to avoid having to change batteries at sea, and was planning to get some as a back-up set for the VHF. Then I read that Lithium batteries can become explosive if exposed to brine. I don't think we're talking blow-off-your-hand or sink-your-boat impact here, but I imagine they could destroy the appliance, especially since the gaskets on GPSs or VHFs would tend to hold pressure in. So even though both my GPS and VHF are rated waterproof, and I carry them in waterproof baggies as well, the idea that both levels of protection might fail, or that I might have to change batteries at sea, and slop in a little brine in the course of this, has turned me off Lithium. So what, I wonder is the situation with NiMH? Cheers, Philip T. **************************************** Mountain Equipment Co-op 1655 West 3rd Avenue, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6J 1K1 Tel: 640-732-1989 Fax: 604-731-6483 email: pid_at_mec.ca Visit our website at: http://www.mec.ca ***************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
You need to be careful how you store the batteries with the powerstrip. Improperly stored, you may find they discharge themselves. I've tried to find the Duracells without the strip, seems they don't make them any more. Too bad. Robert Dave K. wrote: >Same as you -- put 'em in noncritical devices. For me, that's usually some >flashlight. Seems like we use those up pretty fast. I also buy the >alkalines with the little strip on the side which allows you to check their >capacity (Duracell "PowerCheck" is one type) before each trip. With the >PowerCheck, seems like there is plenty of capacity (for at least 1/2 hour >of transmitting on my VHF) until the strip moves off the middle of the >green range. >> *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Robert C. Cline wrote: > > You need to be careful how you store the batteries with the powerstrip. > Improperly stored, you may find they discharge themselves. I've tried to > find the Duracells without the strip, seems they don't make them any more. > Too bad. Good point. In fact, I *have* had batteries do exactly that, when I packed them tightly in a cylindrical container so that they were pressed together. In the radio case, there is sufficient gap between cells that they do not self-discharge through the PowerCheck strip. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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