Bought a Used Excalibur - Battery Pod Question

[Folsom Don]

I just bought a used Excalibur and the Nicad battery pack doesn't seem to hold a charge for very long. Can you buy aftermarket alkaline battery pods that the batteries can be easily changed? I noticed that Minelab has an alkaline pod, but it looks the same as the rechargeable pod which seems difficult to open/close.

Thanks in advance,

Don

 

[Waterdog]

Don If your talking about a battery pod like I have where you have to use a Alan key to get it to get the screws out? I went to the hardware store and got some wing nut type of screws and I keep the top on the battery pod until after I get the screws out. That way I can use it to help me get the top off easier. Be easy.
HH
Chris

 

[NamVetLesTreasureSeeker]

Hey Don, I had my 5yr. old Nicad battery pod go out, a couple of months ago. I posted questions concerning having the pod re-built with new rechargable batteries. Numerous people advised me to contact my closest Batteries-Plus Store, and have it re-built by them. One of the guys in Florida told me, that he and numerous members of his local metal detecting club, had theirs re-built by Batteries-Plus, and they supposedly did a great job. I contacted my closest Batteries-Plus Store, which is about 75mi. away, but I have not followed through with it yet. Their website is Batteries-Plus.com. Hope this helps, hh

 

[Folsom Don]

Thanks for the tips. I ended up buying a Minelab plastic alkaline battery battery holder (pod) for $38.25 from a dealer that I will modify like Chris suggested.

Don

 

[Tony N (Michigan)]

Does one need to let them drain down a lot or does that even matter? In other words are they a lot like NiMh batteries?

 

[NamVetLesTreasureSeeker]

Hey Tony, In answer to your question, my understanding is that they have a memory, and are not like nimh batteries. What I did was to try and keep a record of your hunting time per full battery charge (14hrs. on Minelab battery Charger). Then your pod should be fully charged as long as it was almost totally drained when you charged it. IMPORTANT, DO NOT OVERCHARGE YOUR BATTERY POD, as I believe it will start to drain off some of the voltage. This is what I have done over the five yr. period with my battery pod, before it stopped taking a full charge.
Furthermore, with a full charge, you should get close to (14-15 hrs.) of hunting time, before you starting getting that low battery noise signal. Hope this helps, hh

 

[Tony N (Michigan)]

Thanks NVTS,
If I can squeek 5 good years out of my battery pods I will be very happy. By the way, do they make pods that take rechargeable NiMh?

 

[Rick(ND)]

SunRay makes pods that have the Nickle hydride in them, but Minelab dont make a Pod to take 10 of the AA batteries you need to get the 12 volts for the Excallibur. They just make the pod for 8 of the AA alkiline batteries, but 8 of the Nickle hydride if like the Sovereign will not work.