Glenshiel 12th Jan

P.S. My GPS is still running on the same Energizer2 Lithium
batteries I put in 18 hours and 4 walks ago, battery strength
indicating full power (now that I don't believe). Very
impressed, considering that would have been at least 8
Duracells away in that time. And I got them on offer :-)

KRO

On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 12:24:25 +0000 (UTC), "KRO" <[email hidden]> wrote:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Walked up to Bealach an Lapain and eastwards over Saileag, Sgurr a'Bhealaich Dheirg and Aonach
Meadhoin. Ciste Dubh was a pipe dream and it stayed that way!

<snip>

Not surprised Ciste Dubh remained a pipe dream - it would be a long slog from Sgurr an Fhuarail. Did
it in reverse one May a coupla years ago, and found the long northern flank of Fhuarail was a soul-
destroying plod. Somehow we never quite got as far as Saileag that day - cam off down Meall a
Charra. Life is full of isolated Munros that we "almost" climbed!!

Paul Liegh Lancs

Quoted message said:

P.S. My GPS is still running on the same Energizer2 Lithium batteries I put in 18 hours and 4
walks ago, battery strength indicating full power (now that I don't believe).

Lithium cells have the property that their output voltage doesn't drop off with discharge so much as
with other battery technologies. This is good for those GPSRs that use 2 cells because they
typically contain an internal voltage step-up device that draws an increased current as the battery
terminal voltage falls off. So the fact that the battery terminal voltage stays high means that the
current drain stays low. However it does mean that you don't get a very good indication of the
charge state of the cells from the bar graph.

hth,

--
Boo

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

Quoted message said:

Not surprised Ciste Dubh remained a pipe dream - it would be a long slog from Sgurr an Fhuarail.
Did it in reverse one May a coupla years ago, and found the long northern flank of Fhuarail was a
soul-destroying plod. Somehow we never quite got as far as Saileag that day - cam off down Meall a
Charra. Life is full of isolated Munros that we "almost" climbed!!

Yes, that is the annoying thing, it leaves these "isolated" Munros to be done later. Still that's
the nature of the beast. It does leave a few easier days for the future (Ciste Dubh not necessarily
in that bracket). I am puzzled that you managed to come down off Meall a Charra though, didn't you
have to go over Saileag to come down that way?

KRO

Quoted message said:

Not surprised Ciste Dubh remained a pipe dream - it would be a long slog from Sgurr an Fhuarail.
Did it in reverse one May a coupla years ago, and found the long northern flank of Fhuarail was a
soul-destroying plod. Somehow we never quite got as far as Saileag that day - cam off down Meall a
Charra. Life is full of isolated Munros that we "almost" climbed!!

All north Sheil ridge hills were done singly or with a previously visited hill in my round. Weather!

Richard Webb

"Boo" <boo@spam_me_no_spam.net> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Lithium cells have the property that their output voltage doesn't drop off with discharge so much
as with other battery technologies. This is good for those GPSRs that use 2 cells because they
typically contain an internal voltage step-up device that draws an increased current as the
battery terminal voltage falls off. So the fact that the battery terminal voltage stays high means
that the current drain stays low. However it does mean that you don't get a very good indication
of the charge state of the cells from the bar graph.

There's explanations and there's explanations, you've explained that well enough! So are we looking
at a sudden loss of battery usefulness without warning? Going back to the Duracell - at least you
knew they were on their way out. I carry spares though, in fact the same spares since the middle of
December...... I think I paid £6.00 for 4 of these batteries, so it's definately a money saving,
but more than that I now know these batteries are going to give me a lengthy spell in the GPS
without draining.

KRO

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Not surprised Ciste Dubh remained a pipe dream - it would be a long slog from Sgurr an Fhuarail.
Did it in reverse one May a coupla years ago, and found the long northern flank of Fhuarail was a
soul-destroying plod. Somehow we never quite got as far as Saileag that day - cam off down Meall
a Charra. Life is full of isolated Munros that we "almost" climbed!!

All north Sheil ridge hills were done singly or with a previously visited hill in my round.
Weather!

Richard Webb

I make that 12 Munros. I don't know about any Corbetts, etc in the range but is that 12 visits to do
the range? It is a wonderful spot, I've had 3 trips so far (including the south Glensheil ridge) and
have "guesstimated" at another 4 to finish off, that's 3 to do the remaining Munros, and 1 to show
my wife why she should get out more......

KRO

Quoted message said:

There's explanations and there's explanations, you've explained that well enough! So are we
looking at a sudden loss of battery usefulness without warning?

It's on the cards...

Quoted message said:

Going back to the Duracell - at least you knew they were on their way out. I carry spares though,
in fact the same spares since the middle of December...... I think I paid £6.00 for 4 of these
batteries, so it's definately a money saving, but more than that I now know these batteries are
going to give me a lengthy spell in the GPS without draining.

The main advantages of lithium cells is the fact that they're half the weight of alkaline cells
(only really an issue if you're carrying a shedload of them) and also that their low temperature
performance is better. They should also give a better lifetime in items like GPSRs for the reason I
gave. Lifetimes in a headtorch are likely to be no better than a pair of alkalines but if you do use
them in a torch then the difference you notice is that the light stays white throughout the burn
without going yellow and fading. I gave up on lithiums for "normal length" walks of up to a week or
so because alkalines are so much cheaper. For day or weekend use then 1800 or 2000 NiMH rechargeable
work really well IME and end up being much cheaper than either lithiums or alkalines. It's not very
practical to recharge them in the wild, though there are some solar panels around that purport to
let you do this. I haven't tried them but I suspect they're too small to be useful or else to big to
be worth carrying.

There's a battery comparison website somewhere (unfortunately I've lost the bookmark) that tested
lots of different brands and types of batteries for use in bike lights and it said that Boots own
brand were the best value. Duracell were the worst performers and the priciest !

Regards,

--
Boo

Quoted message said:

I make that 12 Munros. I don't know about any Corbetts, etc in the range but is that 12 visits to
do the range? It is a wonderful spot, I've had 3 trips so far (including the south Glensheil ridge)
and have "guesstimated" at another 4 to finish off, that's 3 to do the remaining Munros, and 1 to
show my wife why she should get out more......

KRO

No I just meant the ones W of the Clunie Inn.. Conbhairean and pals are Glen Moriston. Managed those
Munros in two.. (also, I still consider Carnach a top, and have yet to get up it :-) )

1)Fhuaran on its own from Glen Licht
2)Ciste Dhuibh on its own from Glen Sheil. Both Winter and on foul days.
3)Saileag from Glen Sheil, fled from ridge pretty quickly and returned on a merely foul following
day to continue over to Bhealaich Dheirg.
4)Back up Bhealeach Dheirg, from Achnasheen, via Affric and then on to Aonach Mheadhoin.
5) Ciste Dhuibh from Glen Affric, mid winter and foul.
-------------------------------------
6) Am Batach on its own in mid winter after a slow hitch and late start.
7)Bhealach Dheirg and A.Mheadhoin from Glen Sheil. Full winter conditions in early October.

Still got to do Carnach and Saighead.

The other 5 Munros between Affric an Moriston done on two days. and the two Corbetts on another -
walking in to finally get Beinn Fhionnlaidh.

South Sheil ridge: Rather more conventional.

Richadr Webb