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aa Battery's Race To 0.8v How Much Interest Is There?

Might be interesting to compare the test results posted here with those of the gentleman over at Youtube's "Project Farm".....


Warning:If you normally use earphones when watching videos-turn your volume control WAY DOWN before you start.This guy's audio is skull-splitting loud-I'm not kidding.
 
Mark,
Most excellent.
Thanks for doing all of that work....I did the same thing for rechargeables some years ago, and yes, It's very time consuming.
Your results on the non-rechargeables pretty much match mine, with one major exception:

Your starting voltage of the Duracell Optimum don't match up with a fresh package of 6 I have sitting on my desk right now.
Every one in the package measures a nominal 1.72 volts, which IMO is starting to ask a bit much of some voltage regulator circuits in larger AA packs.
(Where I've seen similar problems with the higher starting voltage of the Lithium Ultimates.)

The Optimums actually caused my Fisher/Tek pulse pinpointer to act quirky, until I put 'normal' Duracell Coppertops back in....which immediately cured the problem.
(So, I might decide to use them in something like flashlights, but they won't go in any of my 40+ detectors, LOL)

Your Ray-O-Vac results have convinced me to buy a bunch next time I stock up. :)

Thanks again for all the work,
:)
mike

PS - I would never have thought of testing Albertson's and/or Ace Hardware batteries....let alone expected to see how well they performed....great to know.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your post!
Let me ask you this, on those Duracell Optimum you have did you ever find any kind of a date on them, either a PD-date or a UB-Date?
Here is something you could do with the Optimum's and that is to put them in a flashlight and turn it on for say 5 minutes, remove them
and wait say 5-minutes and then check the voltage again, I'd say it would take to much run time to knock off a tenth .1v of a volt off to top
and get them down to a voltage range your more comfortable with.
I never say any out of package voltage above say 1.654v most were around the 1.612 to 1.621 range.
 
Definitely an eye opener on the Energizer Max. Great job.
I've seen a few other aa Battery test on Youtube but I've not seen one where they uncovered an issue with a same battery made in different countries being so different in their run time ability!
And on two of the ones I saw, they seemed to be more focused on per cell cost, which is good, but the one reason I don't see that as the final bottom line is because MANY times battery shoppers can find some great deals on a certain battery that its sell price makes its a per cell super deal!
I believe it was Project Farm (and I like most of all his video's) came down to the Amazon Basic's being a better deal! and when I first saw his video I jumped on Amazon and bought a bunch of them, and in a couple of months I wasn't to impressed with their performance. He did his test with some kind of battery analyzer rather than a real world load and monitoring with a multi-meter. Its very hard to beat a real world load test using 4-cell groups for an average, but having to be there hovering over them during the last second of their passing takes a lot of time, and you can't be LATE!
Another good youtube video I saw for battery test was a guy that used some little battery operated fans, but again there isn't anything to precision about those $6.00 fans but he pulled off a good video.
 
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Mark,
To answer your question:
No. Like you, I couldn't find any 'normal' data codes on the batteries or packaging.
When I get around to using these Optimums, I'll peel the insulating plastic off of the battery to see if there's any codes underneath.
The only thing I saw that looks associated with mfg was a printed code on the bottom of the package:
"9286850026 42"

Different packages had different stamped numbers, so I don't think it's a model/UPC type code...
...but that was it.
 
Mark,
To answer your question:
No. Like you, I couldn't find any 'normal' data codes on the batteries or packaging.
When I get around to using these Optimums, I'll peel the insulating plastic off of the battery to see if there's any codes underneath.
The only thing I saw that looks associated with mfg was a printed code on the bottom of the package:
"9286850026 42"

Different packages had different stamped numbers, so I don't think it's a model/UPC type code...
...but that was it.
Thanks, you found the same thing I did, why would a company NOT put any kind of a date on their premium batteries when ALL batteries have a
limited shelf life?? Another No Sense Fogged over Brain idea.

Here is what was on mine!
DSC06974.JPG



DSC06973.JPG
 
This is a great and worthwhile test, so you can see what you get for your money. Also, the cost per cell is a serious determining factor in choosing batteries because of the huge cost per cell variation. If you can find sale batteries for 10-20 cents per cell that perform at a "C" rating, they are much more cost effective than more expensive batteries that get an "A" rating.
Just remember to carry an extra set when you hunt and save up your money to buy some eneloops. :giggle:
 
This is a great and worthwhile test, so you can see what you get for your money. Also, the cost per cell is a serious determining factor in choosing batteries because of the huge cost per cell variation. If you can find sale batteries for 10-20 cents per cell that perform at a "C" rating, they are much more cost effective than more expensive batteries that get an "A" rating.
Just remember to carry an extra set when you hunt and save up your money to buy some eneloops. :giggle:
Forum member "Monte" is stressing the very same point!! and we are working on filling in the blanks in the cost per cell column, so there is another updated spreadsheet coming pretty soon, and WE'RE not using sale prices, we're trying to use the listed price for them at different outlets, but several will be priced based on Amazon, and NONE of the prices will be based on HUGE lot of like 100 batteries, it will be on common size packs like 20, 24, 40, 48, or maybe 60.
Let me ask you this,
eneloops you mention, are they Alkaline's?
If so where on this planet is their place of birth??

Mark
 
Eneloop = NiMH rechargeables made in Japan.
Originally Sanyo....now Panasonic.
Very nice low self-discharge batteries, considered by most to be the 'gold standard' of NiMH rechargeables.
I've probably got close to a hundred Eneloop AA's, lol.
 
'mikey48':
This is a great and worthwhile test, so you can see what you get for your money. Also, the cost per cell is a serious determining factor in choosing batteries because of the huge cost per cell variation. If you can find sale batteries for 10-20 cents per cell that perform at a "C" rating, they are much more cost effective than more expensive batteries that get an "A" rating.


I have been a fan of 'budget shopping' for my detector and flashlight batteries for decades. I buy them and check them out, in the devices I use, and if they provide effective and efficient performance, I make sure to keep some on-hand. But the 'expensive batteries' are not always the top performers, and looking at it the other way, the Top-Performers are not always expensive. Case in point, here are the batteries I have been relying on for several years now, and for good reason... Performance Vs Cost.

I just bought a brand new 60-Pack of the Signature AA Alkaline batteries from Albertsons Grocery. They are made in the USA and the store retail price, not a sale price, is $12.49 for a 60-Pack. That makes them only 21¢ each., and they are a rated A+ Grade performer! I bought them because MarkCZ and I were doing tests and I was going to send some batteries to him. Besides, I was finishing off the pack I bought in early 2016 in my flashlights and such and was getting low. That pack, four years ago, was the Signature's he showed in the 'B' Grade group and those retailed at $10.99 for the 60-Pack so they came to 19¢ each.

Another one on the list, the JobSmart AA Alkaline that I buy at Tractor Supply, are an 'OK' battery and they sell for $9.99 for a 48-Pack. which is also 21¢ each. However, always being alert, I walked in their store a couple of years ago and right there in front to catch shopper's attention were some baskets with sale items, and for several days they had the 48-Pack of alkalines On Sale for $5.00. which makes them 10.4¢ so we'll round that to 11¢ each. That's the bottom of the 'C' Grade we used in the testing Mark did, but at 44¢ to fill a CoRe, Relic, Racer or racer 2, Impact, T2, F75 or F70 / Patriot ... how can you beat that! Or 88¢ if you're filling up a White's or other 8-AA powered detector. And note their U-B Date. They had some of the least shelf-life remaining out of all that was tested.

Another I have used and catch when on a good sale are the Harbor freight Thunderbolts. The best? No, but surprising at times and can be very affordable.

Just some thoughts and opinions, plus there's a lot more that can be gathered from all the testing in that spreadsheet.

Monte
 

View attachment 173

Showing a voltage reading of 1.580 volts! (1580mv)​

Now in the next picture I've got the same battery inserted into a spare battery drainer with one 4.7ohm rated resistor in circuit, so the meter reading is displaying the battery's voltage under a load, notice the voltage drop! The best I can do to describe this effect is that the no load has NO diverted voltage, and under a load some voltage is being diverted.


The effect that you are describing,the battery voltage dropping when connected to the resistor,is called power dissipation.Energy is being dissipated in the form of heat from the resistor and is measured in watts.

Any time current passes through a resistance,a voltage drop will occur across that resistance.In your case,the battery voltage 1.580 drops to 1.398 when connected across the resistor.

The amount of (P)ower being dissipated in heat (watts) can be calculated: P=V(voltage across resistor) X V/R

P=1.398 x 1.398/4.7 or .415 watts Your 5 watt power resistors can handle that without breaking a sweat and obviously why you chose them.
 
Eneloop = NiMH rechargeables made in Japan.
Originally Sanyo....now Panasonic.
Very nice low self-discharge batteries, considered by most to be the 'gold standard' of NiMH rechargeables.
I've probably got close to a hundred Eneloop AA's, lol.

Watch this video and one might think that Eneloops are no longer "the king" of NiMH batteries.

The Amazon Basics "Silver",also made in Japan(the Amazon Blacks come from China) outperformed the Eneloops and are cheaper.

He did a couple follow up videos and the category where the Eneloops did beat the Amazon Silvers is long-term self discharge.I use the Amazon Silvers in devices I use regularly so this is not a problem for me.
 
Mike C,

Yes I saw that, and actually have several dozen of the silver and black Amazons.
In my tests, they didn't perform better....but did perform very well.
(Enough to make me me purchase quite a few for various devices.)

The problem with them in my long term testing (over a multi-year period), is that the Amazon's (in particular the black) had a significantly higher capacity loss/variation with age, and a significantly higher outright failures rate.
They're not cheaper if they die sooner and more frequently.
(It's tough to beat that initial price, though!)

Unlike you, I have several battery packs 'ready to go' that sit for long periods of time unused, so the low self-discharge rate is very important to me.
After my long term testing, I stand by the 'Gold Standard' label of the Eneloops.
 
The effect that you are describing,the battery voltage dropping when connected to the resistor,is called power dissipation.Energy is being dissipated in the form of heat from the resistor and is measured in watts.

Any time current passes through a resistance,a voltage drop will occur across that resistance.In your case,the battery voltage 1.580 drops to 1.398 when connected across the resistor.

The amount of (P)ower being dissipated in heat (watts) can be calculated: P=V(voltage across resistor) X V/R

P=1.398 x 1.398/4.7 or .415 watts Your 5 watt power resistors can handle that without breaking a sweat and obviously why you chose them.

Thank you for whatever you said :nerd: which to mean I knew all this electronic stuff breaks down to a math figure, and I know that if any two are known, Volts, Watts, or Current the other can be figured! but I failed math :shrug: but, your right in that with a 1.5 volt battery and 4.7ohm 5-watt resistor I knew wasn't going to smoke the resistor!! plus I could tell after a couple of minutes by touching the resistor that it wasn't getting hot enough to hurt it.
When I first started the test it was going to be a single cell test and I started with a 2-watt 8.8ohm resistor and the test was taking 19hrs :shocked: well, I didn't know how to do the math to get what I wanted, but I figured somewhere around 4-ohms would half the drain times (well near half) I started out using 10-watt resistors, to which I knew a 1.5v battery couldn't hurt and I had them on hand, so after I determined what I needed I went on ebay and order 10 of the 5-watt resistors and setup the drainers for 4-cell test, and rest is history!

mark
 
Well, I was cleaning up my bench for the battery testing and clearing it to get ready for some ammunition reloading and I got down to the mass grave box of the deceased and I'm thinking of what to do with
"9 pounds" ( I weighed them) of NEW murdered aa batteries:help: I mean I don't know of any place to take them to be recycled? and I can't think of any other use for them, I wonder if I tried my Renu-it battery charger if I could put enough life back into them to maybe give them away as a recycled battery?? any other ideas? Yea, I know that the trash is always an option! LoL!
I think I got foundered on testing all those batteries, I may never want to look at another AA battery again:rofl:
After thinking about that Renu-it got an idea!!! I think for the fun of it I'll recharge say the Ray-O-Vac fusions, maybe the Members Mart, and say the Exide's let them set for say 5 days and then put them back on the drainers and see just HOW RENEWED they really are?? I know repeated charges will cause them to leak way before you think they would, but lets say if they have a fresh date and you only charged them ONE time and they perform decent then maybe they could be used for something.
 
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Disposing of 4 batteries at a time doesn't seem so monumental, but 9 lbs does. I've been doing this now almost 48 years. You got me wondering how many batteries I have disposed of over the years 4 at a time? Well, a few more at times, perhaps. I have a White's Coinmaster BFO that takes 12 double A's. Good winter project there Mark, that you took upon yourself. Quite informative, to say the least. (y) HH jim tn
 
My 10 Detector-Tested Battery Results.

To support the battery testing MarkCZ was doing, other than send him some batteries to test I decided to use 10 different AA Alkaline batteries and check their Run-Times using my extra Nokta FORS Relic. It is powered by 4-AA's which was the control number used in the battery tests. The difference was that my four were run in series, and they were used in a detector with a constant drain.. The den is kept at ±70°. I used the 2-Tone more with a Sensitivity of '95' and Discrimination at '0'. The Iron Audio Volume was maxed at '5' and the detector's output Volume was maxed at '20.' The display Brightness was also maxed at '20, and I had the device positioned in the absolute worst place in my home for EMI. It was constant the entire Run-Tine with the display backlight always 'On' and the different segments in the led displays on the side display and the hand-grip display flashing constantly through all their different images. Additionally, I had both ferrous and non-ferrous targets moved through the EMF at about 3" to 6" away from the 5" DD coil.

I chose the Nokta Relic because of their circuitry design. They are powered by 4-AA batteries, and when they reach a point where there is insufficient power supply, they immediately 'STOP' and a battery-shaped image is displayed on the side decal to alert the operator that batteries are in need of replacement. I ran the stopwatch from START to STOP.

• ALL batteries were checked for Battery Voltage at the Start, again when they Stopped, and then after 30 Minutes to Self-Restore a little.

• ALL batteries were used in the very same detector (Nokta FORS Relic) with the same search coil, and maximum settings to present the greatest load on the 4 batteries.

• I have listed the Batteries in order of their Longest Run-Time to the Shortest Run-Time and included Where Made and their Use-By Date, and finally the Cost-Per-Battery based upon Retail Price, not a Sale Price.

• Note that the stopwatch shows Hours, Minutes and Seconds. If there were any Seconds showing, I rounded the results up 1-Minute. Voltages also rounded to the nearest ‘half’ (1.568 to 1.57 and 1.434 to 1.43, etc.).


14 Hr. .................… Signature (newer) from Albertsons Grocery .. USA ............. U-B 7-2028 ........ 21¢ ea. @ $12.49 for a 60-Pack.

13 Hr. 53 Min.Panasonic ‘Platinum Power’ ............................... Thailand .... U-B 1-2030 ....... 75¢ ea. @ $5.99 for an 8-Pack.

13 Hr. 41 Min.Signature (older) from Albertsons Grocery .. . USA ............. U-B 12-2026 .... 19¢ ea. @ $10.99 for a 60-Pack.

13 Hr. 9 Min. ..… Energizer MAX ............................................................. USA ............ U-B 12-2029 ..... 61¢ ea. @ $14.57 for a 24-Pack at Walmart.

12 Hr. 53 Min.Energizer Industrial .................................................. Singapore ..U-B 12-2027 .... 67¢ ea. @ $15.99 for a 24-Pack at Walmart.

12 Hr. 43 Min.JobSmart from Tractor Supply .............................. China ........... U-B 9-2023 ....... 21¢ ea. @ $9.99 for a 48-Pack.

12 Hr. 34 Min.Sunbeam from Dollar Tree ...................................… China ........... U-B 9-2026 .......34¢ ea. @ $1.00 for a 3-Pack.

12 Hr. 30 Min.Duracell ‘Dura-Lock’ ................................................. USA ............. U-B 12-2023 ..... 63¢ ea. @ $24.99 for a 40-Pack at Walmart.

9 Hr. 56 Min. ...… Thunderbolt from Harbor Freight .........................China .......... U-B 12-2022 ..... 34¢ ea. @ $7.99 for a 24-Pack.

8 Hr. 59 Min.AM VOLT from Walmart .............................................. China ........... U-B 8-2027 ....... 80¢ ea. @ $15.99 for a 20-Pack at Walmart.


Additional Detector-Use Battery Testing observations to follow.

Monte

PS: Yes, the Signature batteries in 1st place are 14 Hr. I was sitting right there and hit the stop watch and it was 13 Hr. 59 Min and 29 Sec. so I rounded up the 1 Minute.
 
Comparing Results from MarkCZ's Controlled Testing and my Detector Testing

There is a lot that can be determined by both of these approaches to battery testing.. One, for instance, is that you can not always determine which battery brand source offers the best buy. Sometimes, yes, but not always. For example, some of the batteries came from a major retailer while others came from where some people figure what they sell is 'cheap' or inferior.' Not always the case. Some batteries are a 'House-Brand' that was made for them and it could be higher-priced, where as some 'House-Brands' provide exceptional performance at a very reasonable cost. Example here would be the 'Signature' batteries I buy at Albertsons Grocery that cost me only 21¢ each.

In that case they are a Made in the USA battery, but some brands are not and we have to also look at the source that makes the batteries. Take a look at MarkCZ's Final Spreadsheet and notice what the Top-Five batteries were, and where those were made. Those Top-Five are the ones that scored an A+ grade. All made in the USA except #5 that was made in China. Those are your 'Premium Grade' batteries, but there are a lot of excellent choices in the 'Best' 'A' Grade range and 'Better' 'B' Grade group as well. The 'Average' 'C' Grade count is limited, but still not a bad pick if batteries died and you need something quickly. The SYM is a suggestion for the 'Poor' 'D' Grade and 'Fail' 'F' Grade batteries. It suggests Save Your Money.

Dates and Costs: Those are the two things I look for when I am shopping for batteries. I always try to find the Use-By Date and try to buy the newest or freshest set of batteries. Most, but not all, suggest a 10-Year shelf-life. Note that it will not always be the best indicator, but the freshest you can by, in theory, ought to last the longest. Notice that in the 10 batteries I tested, the Top 5 still have a U-B Date that is 7, 8, 9 or 10 years away. But it's not always the case if you look at the worst performer in the detector.

Then, too, I am a bit frugal and I like to shop for the Beat Price which is the cost per battery. That's why I have been using the 'Signature' batteries for several years now. They raised the Retail price of them at Albertsons, so the package I bought earlier this month, went up from $10.99 to $12.49 retail store price. But that is for a 60-Pack and that makes the per-battery cost only 21¢. Only 84¢ to run a 4-AA powered model from Fisher, Makro, Nokta or Teknetics, , or a whopping $1.68 for my 8-AA powered White's.

Note the Battery test of the JobSmart alkalines from Tractor Supply on MarkCZ's spreadsheet. They got over 7¼ Hours which put them in the 'Average' 'C' Grade group, but also note that these have a U-B Date of 9-2023. So, if they are a 10-Year shelf-life, they have already used up almost 6½ years and would likely have done better if a fresher or newer battery. I have been using them since 2016 a lot in many things around the home, such as flashlights, clocks, remote controls, and metal detectors. Why? Because they work 'OK' and the performance is there, maybe just for a little less operating time. I still have two or three hundred of these JobSmart batteries in my tote because I bought them well. Their Retail price is $9.99 for a 48 pack which is 21¢ each. But when I walked in the store to shop for something else, there was an end-display by the check-out registers for them at $5.00 for a 48 pack. Well, at 10½¢ each, and we can round that to 11¢ for easier math, that is a lot of battery for little cost to provide an ample amount of Run-Time in a metal detector. :thumbup:

Run-Times, and this one takes some understanding: If a battery costs a lot, such as the Duracell 'Dura-Lock' or AM VOLT in my testing above, but the Run-Times in a metal detector are not very impressive, then I am not interested in buying them. Cost was too high and Performance was too low BASED ON THE PERFORMANCE I GET IN THE DETECTORS I USE. And that can make a difference. Today we have a mix of older analog-based detectors, most modern digitally designed circuitry models, and a lot of analog/digital 'blend' circuitry designs, and they can all work differently. Not just in end-performance, but the duration they can operate based oh how they were designed and the regulated power required to make them work. And when I say "regulated power" I am not referring only to the voltage. Some also require more mAH juice to make the detector happy.

I get serious about my detecting and I like to own and use makes and models that provide me the in-the-field performance I want and need. They might go through batteries a bit faster than others, but I've taken on some rough country to get a 4-wheel drive vehicle into places the family sedan wont go .... and they ate more gas to do it, too. I don't care, it got the job done. Some of my detectors are not as battery-thirsty and work great for other applications and batteries live a lot, lot longer. That's fine, but doesn't matter to me that much as long as the detector does what it is supposed to do and does it well.

I used my Nokta Relic for this particular Detector-Battery Test because I know what it can do, and I could take advantage of the 'STOP' it came to when the power supply finally hit the bottom limit it required. I noticed this with my Nokta FORS CoRe I started using a bit over 5 years ago, and then with the Makro Racer, and the favored models from them I have enjoyed, to include my Nokta Relic which joins my CoRe in being the two best all-purpose performers I have ever used in the very dense iron-contaminated ghost towns and other trashy places I hunt. I mention this because these and my Racer 2 have a more 'controlled' power requirement. They will work hard and perform to maximum depth and efficiency right up until they can't, at which time they just 'STOP' and display a battery image or say 'LO' to alert the user it's time for fresh batteries.

So looking at my 10-Battery test results tells you a lot of things, but looking at the order they placed in MarkCZ's spreadsheet, based more on just the Voltage required for that Run-Time draining, you are going to see even longer Run-Times from other detectors that are not so controlled. I had quite a supply of the Harbor Freight Thunderbolt batteries, Their 'bargain' or 'budget' alkaline offering that is black and orange in color. So many that when I filled my Relic for the test, I also filled up 4 in my CoRe, 4 in a Teknetics T2, 8 in my modified IDX Pro, and 4 in my Makro Racer 2 and started them all within 5 seconds to see which would give me the longest Run-Time on a Thunderbolt with a U-B Date of 12-2022.

For those who use, or used to use, some of those analog-based detectors, remember how you knew the batteries had been in there a long time and as they were in their final moments, maybe the last hour or two, you started to notice a little weaker audio? Not quite as loud as the last time out. Or the depth-of-detection seemed to be a little less and the target response didn't have quite the oomph? Maybe just a hint of them dying, but they dwindled a bit faster with each passing hour or minute, and THAT let you know there was a power loss and you need batteries? Well, things are different when we move to a lot of digital circuitry that might have a lower power draw. Or other things to consider..

I knew my Relic and the Racer 2 would have a more controlled battery drain and shut down, but was surprised by the Thunderbolt alkalines that I also got at a great lower price. Remember, too, that these were a 'Better' 'B' Grade battery in Mark's test as seen on the spreadsheet. In my Relic I still was just 4 minutes short of a 10 Hr. run when it came to a STOP. Well, that cut don on some of the noise here in my den that had me wearing headphones and listening to music it was so disrupting, especially with several detectors squawking away.

Finally, I just gave in and turned the other detectors 'OFF'. The Racer 2 quit on it's own and later my CoRe, but the Teknetics T2 ran from 6:25 AM Saturday until 10:55 AM on Sunday and was still showing the last battery bar on the detector. 24 Hr. and 30 Min. of Run-Time with similar settings as the Relic, and using the 5" DD coil still responded fine to a wheat-back cent at 5". And my modified IDX Pro was still making noise and running OK for another hour when I finally shut it off after checking a Wheatie, dime and trade token and nail without noticing any loss of depth or performance. All of that was with the same Thunderbolt alkaline batteries.

Sorry this is long-winded. but what I learned fro both my detector testing and especially from mark's work to test and record so many, many batteries was this:

• Find a few batteries that work well in your detectors and flashlights, etc.
• Select batteries that are relatively available to use because not all regions have the same store or chains.
• Always look for the freshest batteries you can find.
• Shop for the best per-battery value you can find from a decent, serviceable battery.
• Be alert to not over-pay just because of a name brand, and don't hesitate to buy foreign-made. There were a lot from here and elsewhere that worked just fine.

Sunrise in about 30 minutes and I'm planning on detecting. That will keep my fingers away from this keyboard. Sorry to ramble.

Monte
 
Comparing Results from MarkCZ's Controlled Testing and my Detector Testing

There is a lot that can be determined by both of these approaches to battery testing.. One, for instance, is that you can not always determine which battery brand source offers the best buy. Sometimes, yes, but not always. For example, some of the batteries came from a major retailer while others came from where some people figure what they sell is 'cheap' or inferior.' Not always the case. Some batteries are a 'House-Brand' that was made for them and it could be higher-priced, where as some 'House-Brands' provide exceptional performance at a very reasonable cost. Example here would be the 'Signature' batteries I buy at Albertsons Grocery that cost me only 21¢ each.

In that case they are a Made in the USA battery, but some brands are not and we have to also look at the source that makes the batteries. Take a look at MarkCZ's Final Spreadsheet and notice what the Top-Five batteries were, and where those were made. Those Top-Five are the ones that scored an A+ grade. All made in the USA except #5 that was made in China. Those are your 'Premium Grade' batteries, but there are a lot of excellent choices in the 'Best' 'A' Grade range and 'Better' 'B' Grade group as well. The 'Average' 'C' Grade count is limited, but still not a bad pick if batteries died and you need something quickly. The SYM is a suggestion for the 'Poor' 'D' Grade and 'Fail' 'F' Grade batteries. It suggests Save Your Money.

Dates and Costs: Those are the two things I look for when I am shopping for batteries. I always try to find the Use-By Date and try to buy the newest or freshest set of batteries. Most, but not all, suggest a 10-Year shelf-life. Note that it will not always be the best indicator, but the freshest you can by, in theory, ought to last the longest. Notice that in the 10 batteries I tested, the Top 5 still have a U-B Date that is 7, 8, 9 or 10 years away. But it's not always the case if you look at the worst performer in the detector.

Then, too, I am a bit frugal and I like to shop for the Beat Price which is the cost per battery. That's why I have been using the 'Signature' batteries for several years now. They raised the Retail price of them at Albertsons, so the package I bought earlier this month, went up from $10.99 to $12.49 retail store price. But that is for a 60-Pack and that makes the per-battery cost only 21¢. Only 84¢ to run a 4-AA powered model from Fisher, Makro, Nokta or Teknetics, , or a whopping $1.68 for my 8-AA powered White's.

Note the Battery test of the JobSmart alkalines from Tractor Supply on MarkCZ's spreadsheet. They got over 7¼ Hours which put them in the 'Average' 'C' Grade group, but also note that these have a U-B Date of 9-2023. So, if they are a 10-Year shelf-life, they have already used up almost 6½ years and would likely have done better if a fresher or newer battery. I have been using them since 2016 a lot in many things around the home, such as flashlights, clocks, remote controls, and metal detectors. Why? Because they work 'OK' and the performance is there, maybe just for a little less operating time. I still have two or three hundred of these JobSmart batteries in my tote because I bought them well. Their Retail price is $9.99 for a 48 pack which is 21¢ each. But when I walked in the store to shop for something else, there was an end-display by the check-out registers for them at $5.00 for a 48 pack. Well, at 10½¢ each, and we can round that to 11¢ for easier math, that is a lot of battery for little cost to provide an ample amount of Run-Time in a metal detector. :thumbup:

Run-Times, and this one takes some understanding: If a battery costs a lot, such as the Duracell 'Dura-Lock' or AM VOLT in my testing above, but the Run-Times in a metal detector are not very impressive, then I am not interested in buying them. Cost was too high and Performance was too low BASED ON THE PERFORMANCE I GET IN THE DETECTORS I USE. And that can make a difference. Today we have a mix of older analog-based detectors, most modern digitally designed circuitry models, and a lot of analog/digital 'blend' circuitry designs, and they can all work differently. Not just in end-performance, but the duration they can operate based oh how they were designed and the regulated power required to make them work. And when I say "regulated power" I am not referring only to the voltage. Some also require more mAH juice to make the detector happy.

I get serious about my detecting and I like to own and use makes and models that provide me the in-the-field performance I want and need. They might go through batteries a bit faster than others, but I've taken on some rough country to get a 4-wheel drive vehicle into places the family sedan wont go .... and they ate more gas to do it, too. I don't care, it got the job done. Some of my detectors are not as battery-thirsty and work great for other applications and batteries live a lot, lot longer. That's fine, but doesn't matter to me that much as long as the detector does what it is supposed to do and does it well.

I used my Nokta Relic for this particular Detector-Battery Test because I know what it can do, and I could take advantage of the 'STOP' it came to when the power supply finally hit the bottom limit it required. I noticed this with my Nokta FORS CoRe I started using a bit over 5 years ago, and then with the Makro Racer, and the favored models from them I have enjoyed, to include my Nokta Relic which joins my CoRe in being the two best all-purpose performers I have ever used in the very dense iron-contaminated ghost towns and other trashy places I hunt. I mention this because these and my Racer 2 have a more 'controlled' power requirement. They will work hard and perform to maximum depth and efficiency right up until they can't, at which time they just 'STOP' and display a battery image or say 'LO' to alert the user it's time for fresh batteries.

So looking at my 10-Battery test results tells you a lot of things, but looking at the order they placed in MarkCZ's spreadsheet, based more on just the Voltage required for that Run-Time draining, you are going to see even longer Run-Times from other detectors that are not so controlled. I had quite a supply of the Harbor Freight Thunderbolt batteries, Their 'bargain' or 'budget' alkaline offering that is black and orange in color. So many that when I filled my Relic for the test, I also filled up 4 in my CoRe, 4 in a Teknetics T2, 8 in my modified IDX Pro, and 4 in my Makro Racer 2 and started them all within 5 seconds to see which would give me the longest Run-Time on a Thunderbolt with a U-B Date of 12-2022.

For those who use, or used to use, some of those analog-based detectors, remember how you knew the batteries had been in there a long time and as they were in their final moments, maybe the last hour or two, you started to notice a little weaker audio? Not quite as loud as the last time out. Or the depth-of-detection seemed to be a little less and the target response didn't have quite the oomph? Maybe just a hint of them dying, but they dwindled a bit faster with each passing hour or minute, and THAT let you know there was a power loss and you need batteries? Well, things are different when we move to a lot of digital circuitry that might have a lower power draw. Or other things to consider..

I knew my Relic and the Racer 2 would have a more controlled battery drain and shut down, but was surprised by the Thunderbolt alkalines that I also got at a great lower price. Remember, too, that these were a 'Better' 'B' Grade battery in Mark's test as seen on the spreadsheet. In my Relic I still was just 4 minutes short of a 10 Hr. run when it came to a STOP. Well, that cut don on some of the noise here in my den that had me wearing headphones and listening to music it was so disrupting, especially with several detectors squawking away.

Finally, I just gave in and turned the other detectors 'OFF'. The Racer 2 quit on it's own and later my CoRe, but the Teknetics T2 ran from 6:25 AM Saturday until 10:55 AM on Sunday and was still showing the last battery bar on the detector. 24 Hr. and 30 Min. of Run-Time with similar settings as the Relic, and using the 5" DD coil still responded fine to a wheat-back cent at 5". And my modified IDX Pro was still making noise and running OK for another hour when I finally shut it off after checking a Wheatie, dime and trade token and nail without noticing any loss of depth or performance. All of that was with the same Thunderbolt alkaline batteries.

Sorry this is long-winded. but what I learned fro both my detector testing and especially from mark's work to test and record so many, many batteries was this:

• Find a few batteries that work well in your detectors and flashlights, etc.
• Select batteries that are relatively available to use because not all regions have the same store or chains.
• Always look for the freshest batteries you can find.
• Shop for the best per-battery value you can find from a decent, serviceable battery.
• Be alert to not over-pay just because of a name brand, and don't hesitate to buy foreign-made. There were a lot from here and elsewhere that worked just fine.

Sunrise in about 30 minutes and I'm planning on detecting. That will keep my fingers away from this keyboard. Sorry to ramble.

Monte
Thanks Monte for your post!!!
 
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