GPS Alkaline vs NiMh Test

Just a comment, I used Energizer E2 lithium AAs last time out, the walk lasted just short of 6 hours
and I didn't have to change batteries. I've been using Duracell up until now and I've always had to
change batteries. I've just switched on my GPS and battery strength is indicating fully charged.
While I don't think this can be correct, I'm happy with these batteries - they did cost £6.00 for
two though!

KRO

In a recent message <[email hidden]>, Mike Clark <[email hidden]> wrote.

[...]

Quoted message said:

I know my Geko 201 seems to give a longer life with NiMh cells if I set the unit to expect
Alkaline. When set to NiMh with NiMh cells its shuts down a couple of hours early.

[...]

Slightly OT, but have you tried these in your Geko?

tinyurl.comwzeuOpen ↗

They give me over seven hours in mine, I'm very pleased with them, especially at that price.

Usual disclaimers, no connection whatsoever, et cetera, et cetera.

Regards, Nick.

--
Nick Hopton and Anne Hopton Caversham, Reading, England <[email hidden]

Mike Clark said:

Has anyone else done such a comparison?

Yepp. Buddy of mine who has a Legend experienced a much longer life when using NiMh cells, while
track logging in Greece. He's got himself 2000mAh NiMh cells and gets some +10 hours from them.

I bought new 1800mAh NiMhs and used them in the Legend another buddy lent me and was down to "30%
left", operating the thing on the handlebar of my off road bike, after app. 5 hours of uninterrupted
use in rather cold (<10°C) conditions.

IMO NiMhs clearly are superior over Alkaline batteries. First, they last longer and after having
paid for the charger they are the much cheaper way to go.

I got me a pocket charger that comes with 4x 1800mAh NiMh cells, a 12V car plug and a 220V wall
plug, very convenient: at.conradcom.de!Open ↗
oduktdetail&product_show_id=512022&p_page_to_display=fromoutside

P.

Quoted message said:

The tracklogs website in the UK has published a comparison of Alkaline versis NiMh cells in which
they are claiming that for some eTrex models the NiMh last much longer.

see

<URL:http://www.tracklogs.co.uk/cgi-bin/publ/user.cgi?obj=home&page=news&id=143>

Quoted message said:

Has anyone else done such a comparison?

I know my Geko 201 seems to give a longer life with NiMh cells if I set the unit to expect
Alkaline. When set to NiMh with NiMh cells its shuts down a couple of hours early.

For a comparison of NiMH batteries see imaging-resource.comBATTS.HTMOpen ↗

I use GPS 800s in my Geko, purchased from tantronics.co.ukTantronics UK HOpen ↗
igh_Capacity_Rechargeable_Batteries_28.html

(Based on previous posts by others in sci.geo.satellite-nav)

I have not conducted any measurements, but I have the impression that the GP 800s last longer than
Uniross 600mAh batteries that I got in Currys.

Michael Chare

Nick Hopton <[email hidden]> schrubte:

Quoted message said:

Slightly OT, but have you tried these in your Geko?

Don't think that's OT :-)

Quoted message said:

tinyurl.comwzeuOpen ↗

They give me over seven hours in mine, I'm very pleased with them, especially at that price.

I use 900mA (nominal) NiMH nonames and reach about the same runtime. A pair as backup in the pocket
and I get a day out without running out of energy ...

Wastl

Peter Renner said:

Mike Clark said:

Has anyone else done such a comparison?

Yepp. Buddy of mine who has a Legend experienced a much longer life when using NiMh cells, while
track logging in Greece. He's got himself 2000mAh NiMh cells and gets some +10 hours from them.

I bought new 1800mAh NiMhs and used them in the Legend another buddy lent me and was down to "30%
left", operating the thing on the handlebar of my off road bike, after app. 5 hours of
uninterrupted use in rather cold (<10°C) conditions.

IMO NiMhs clearly are superior over Alkaline batteries. First, they last longer and after having
paid for the charger they are the much cheaper way to go.

I got me a pocket charger that comes with 4x 1800mAh NiMh cells, a 12V car plug and a 220V wall
plug, very convenient: at.conradcom.de!Open ↗
roduktdetail&product_show_id=512022&p_page_to_display=fromoutside

P.

If you look up "powerstores" on UK ebay, he does a great fast charger and 2300mAh cheap. Decent make
too. Mike.
--

'02 GSF1200 in silver
Email address spamtrapped.
Remove "your clothes" to reply.

But does that matter because you can charge them up again.

Have used alkaline, lithium and NiMh in a Vista in all sorts of conditions. It seems to be a toss up
between lithium and NiMhs for long life. I've gone for NiMh because I can recharge them and they
therefore work out cheaper provided you buy good quality ones. Bought some poor quality and they
were worse than alkalines. Alkaline were by far and away the worst performing.

Mike

"Stuart Robinson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I would agree with that, the capacity of AA Alkalines and NiMh are now fairly similar,
2200mahr or so.

However whilst a NiMh is fairly linear with regards current drain and life, with Alkalines you
only get the quoted life (2200mahr or so) at low current drains. At high current drains you get a
much reduced capacity.

Downside of course is that the self discharge of Alkalines is very low, 5 years or so, whereas
NiMh will self discharge in a few months.

Stuart.

"KRO" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just a comment, I used Energizer E2 lithium AAs last time out,

<snip>

Quoted message said:

they did cost £6.00 for two though!

Buy them from www.7dayshop.com for £5.49 for FOUR. P&P costs 95p. You can also get your Uniross
Nimhs much cheaper there.

Cheers, Jiffy

KRO said:

Just a comment, I used Energizer E2 lithium AAs last time out, the walk lasted just short of 6
hours and I didn't have to change batteries. I've been using Duracell up until now and I've always
had to change batteries. I've just switched on my GPS and battery strength is indicating fully
charged. While I don't think this can be correct, I'm happy with these batteries - they did cost
£6.00 for two though!

Try www.mx2.com next time, they've got them for around half that price.

--
Boo

"Jiffy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"KRO" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just a comment, I used Energizer E2 lithium AAs last time out,

<snip>

Quoted message said:

they did cost £6.00 for two though!

Buy them from www.7dayshop.com for £5.49 for FOUR. P&P costs 95p. You can also get your Uniross
Nimhs much cheaper there.

Cheers, Jiffy

Thanks for that, two packs ordered!

KRO

Sebastian 'Wastl' Koopmann said:

I use 900mA (nominal) NiMH nonames and reach about the same runtime. A pair as backup in the
pocket and I get a day out without running out of energy ...

Are you sure they are NiMH and not NiCd? If NiMH, they must be quite old since typical capacity a
few years ago was 1600mAh and now is around 2000mAh.

Ted

MX2 is half price, because the packs are half size. They are only 2 packs....

Making the price a battery @MX2: 1,55£ And price a battery @7dayshop: 1,3725£

"Boo" <boo@spam_me_no_spam.net> skrev i en meddelelse "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

KRO said:

Just a comment, I used Energizer E2 lithium AAs last time out, the walk lasted just short of 6
hours and I didn't have to change batteries. I've been

using

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Duracell up until now and I've always had to change batteries. I've just switched on my GPS and
battery strength is indicating fully charged. While I

don't

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

think this can be correct, I'm happy with these batteries - they did cost

£6.00

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

for two though!

Try www.mx2.com next time, they've got them for around half that price.

--
Boo

Ted Edwards said:

Are you sure they are NiMH and not NiCd? If NiMH, they must be quite old since typical capacity a
few years ago was 1600mAh and now is around 2000mAh.

I understood he was talking about the AAA size, as used in Geko.

--
Rgds Snay

Want to create your own maps for your GPSr? plrecgps.pp.org.plMapAuthoringOpen ↗

Ted Edwards <[email hidden]> schrubte:

Quoted message said:

Sebastian 'Wastl' Koopmann said:

I use 900mA (nominal) NiMH nonames and reach about the same runtime. A pair as backup in the
pocket and I get a day out without running out of energy ...

Are you sure they are NiMH and not NiCd? If NiMH, they must be quite old since typical capacity a
few years ago was 1600mAh and now is around 2000mAh.

Sure I'm sure :-) I talked of AAA-size because I own a Geko ... I'm not longer using NiCd, if
possible (i.e. standard cells). My AA-size cells are all NiMH with 1500 mAH up to 2000 mAH.

Wastl

Sebastian 'Wastl' Koopmann said:

Sure I'm sure :-) I talked of AAA-size because I own a Geko ...

Sorry about that. I missed that little detail! :-)

Ted

Stuart Robinson said:

Just be aware of the fact that NiMh self discharge fairly quickly and the aint a lot of good as
'spare' batteries unless you rotate them every couple of months or so, versus every few years for
alkalines.

What do you mean by rotate? I've been using the same NiMh rechargeables since 1999 and they're still
working fine. They seem to discharge more quickly when not used for a while and perhaps don't have
the same capacity as they used to, but I still get at least 6 hours out of them (8 hours
originally). These are 1300mAh (sets of four used in a GPS12, I don't use battery save mode).

I always fully charge the batteries when they run low (best to store them charged I believe) and I
now have a fast charger which I use to top them up just before I go out if they haven't been used
for a while. It usually only takes 30 minutes or so to top them up. One set usually lasts me for a
single walk, plus a spare set just in case. I take more on weekends.

Paul
--
The October Project 2003 - Updated
wildwales.fsnet.co.ukoctober.htmlOpen ↗
wilderness-wales.co.ukwilderness-wales.co.ukOpen ↗
photosig.comuserphotosOpen ↗

Stuart Robinson said:

Quoted message said:

What do you mean by rotate?

You need to dig the 'spares' out of the bottom of your sack every couple of months and replace
them with freshly charged cells.

I wouldn't leave NiMh's for that long. I'd recharge them at least once every week or two.

Paul
--
The October Project 2003 - Updated
wildwales.fsnet.co.ukoctober.htmlOpen ↗
wilderness-wales.co.ukwilderness-wales.co.ukOpen ↗
photosig.comuserphotosOpen ↗

See also the Battery Shed, which, having used both companies is the best for delivery by far and
prices are the same but for a few pence.

www.battery-shed.com

Mike Mason "Jiffy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:gJ4yb.14810$dw4.124464190@news-
text.cableinet.net...

Quoted message said:

"KRO" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just a comment, I used Energizer E2 lithium AAs last time out,

<snip>

Quoted message said:

they did cost £6.00 for two though!

Buy them from www.7dayshop.com for £5.49 for FOUR. P&P costs 95p. You can also get your Uniross
Nimhs much cheaper there.

Cheers, Jiffy

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 08:28 +0000 (GMT Standard Time),

(Stuart Robinson) said:

Quoted message said:

I wouldn't leave NiMh's for that long. I'd recharge them at least once every week or two.

If you want to get close to maximum life out of a spare set (and they are NiMh) then I would agree.
Although the capacity loss in a couple of weeks is only going to be 10%-15% or so.

Lower capacity cells tend to have a lower self discharge rate as well. However since they are a
lower capacity to start with......

Quoted message said:

Stuart.

--
79.84% of all statistics are made up on the spot. The other 42% are made up later on. In Warwick -
looking at flat fields and that includes the castle.