Long ago I reported that my bottom-of-the-line handlebar-mounted eTrex ran 10 hours on NiMH batteries (from CCrane); that slowly wandered down to 6 hours as they were recharged over and over, so I replaced them with new 2200mAh PowerX AA's. These run 15-16 hours on the first charge anyway (in my two eTrex's, the older one ran 15:15 and the newer 16:00). It may get better before it gets worse, since the first charge just sort of limbers up the batteries.
The interesting thing is that that's longer most alkalines do. -- Ron Hardin [email hidden]
Ron, how many cycles did the nimh's take before they become unserviceable . I understand that nimh will survive a bit longer if they aren't drained completely before recharging. Frequent topping up's works better. Pat
Ron, how many cycles did the nimh's take before they become unserviceable . I understand that nimh will survive a bit longer if they aren't drained completely before recharging. Frequent topping up's works better. Pat
Gee, I don't know, probably 500 cycles. The GPS turns off before they're completely drained anyway. They still worked fine, but just held only 6 hours. They got used winter and summer, so all kinds of awful temperatures.
Draining completely hurts chiefly when a stronger battery starts reverse-charging a weaker one, and it never gets that far. -- Ron Hardin [email hidden]
Ron Hardin <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
patrick mitchel said:
Ron, how many cycles did the nimh's take before they become
unserviceable .
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
I understand that nimh will survive a bit longer if they aren't drained completely before recharging. Frequent topping up's works better. Pat
Gee, I don't know, probably 500 cycles. The GPS turns off before they're completely drained anyway. They still worked fine, but just held only 6
hours.
Quoted message said:
They got used winter and summer, so all kinds of awful temperatures.
Draining completely hurts chiefly when a stronger battery starts
reverse-charging
Quoted message said:
a weaker one, and it never gets that far. -- Ron Hardin [email hidden]
On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.
One of the things ive heard about the current tech batteries is the limited # of cycles thay can endure before coming to the point that # they're no longer useful in higher drain apps. I have some old (1979) nicads that are still doing their duty- wonder if nimhs- let alone lithium ion are gonna do as well in the #of cycles. Pat
Ron Hardin <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
Long ago I reported that my bottom-of-the-line handlebar- mounted eTrex ran 10 hours on NiMH batteries (from CCrane); that slowly wandered down to 6 hours as they were recharged over and over, so I replaced them with new 2200mAh PowerX AA's. These run 15-16 hours on the first charge anyway (in my two eTrex's, the older one ran 15:15 and the newer 16:00). It may get better before it gets worse, since the first charge just sort of limbers up the batteries.
The interesting thing is that that's longer most alkalines do.
You need a better charger. I have two sets of 1800 mah NiMH batteries that have been in service, nearly daily, for two years. I use a Maha C204F charger; it has a reconditioning cycle that I run on each battery pair every 2-3 weeks. No noticable decrease at all in battery life in the Vista.
Ron Hardin <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
Long ago I reported that my bottom-of-the-line handlebar- mounted eTrex ran 10 hours on NiMH batteries (from CCrane); that slowly wandered down to 6 hours as they were recharged over and over, so I replaced them with new 2200mAh PowerX AA's. These run 15-16 hours on the first charge anyway (in my two eTrex's, the older one ran 15:15 and the newer 16:00). It may get better before it gets worse, since the first charge just sort of limbers up the batteries.
The interesting thing is that that's longer most alkalines do.
You need a better charger. I have two sets of 1800 mah NiMH batteries that have been in service, nearly daily, for two years. I use a Maha C204F charger; it has a reconditioning cycle that I run on each battery pair every 2-3 weeks. No noticable decrease at all in battery life in the Vista.
- rick
I used that and the later C401FS (an even better charger - I charge also 8 AAA's every day so have a charger armada available) but I think the CCrane batteries are much less than 1800mAh, probably 1400 or so, and running at zero degrees F in the winter has not done them any good.
The reconditioning is for NiCads. The NiMH don't have a memory effect; and the reconditioning amounts only to discharging them, and mine are discharged for practical purposes (when the voltage drops, there's very little left).
I think now that reconditioning has been debunked even for NiCads. Anyway the newer charger doesn't have it any longer, yet is for NiCads too. -- Ron Hardin [email hidden]
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...
Quoted message said:
Ron, how many cycles did the nimh's take before they become unserviceable . I understand that nimh will survive a bit longer if they aren't drained completely before recharging. Frequent topping up's works better. Pat
vibration on the bike seems to be an issue also. I read on a motorcyle gps site some useful tips about GPS batteries.
My NiMh batteries were no longer useable due to premature shut-off and when I examined them, their terminals were slightly dented and also corroded, exactly as described.
My GPS use is cycle touring, outback 4WD (high vibration also) and some MTB touring.
I am about to try their battery taping and contact greasing tips on a new set of batteries.
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...
Quoted message said:
Ron, how many cycles did the nimh's take before they become unserviceable . I understand that nimh will survive a bit longer if they aren't drained completely before recharging. Frequent topping up's works better. Pat
vibration on the bike seems to be an issue also. I read on a motorcyle gps site some useful tips about GPS batteries.
My NiMh batteries were no longer useable due to premature shut-off and when I examined them, their terminals were slightly dented and also corroded, exactly as described.
My GPS use is cycle touring, outback 4WD (high vibration also) and some MTB touring.
I am about to try their battery taping and contact greasing tips on a new set of batteries.
