Explorer Battery Pack

[MNCoinhunter]

Would it be cheaper in the long run to just buy an extra NimH 1800 mAh battery pack, or go through the trouble of buying NiMH AA batteries and a rapid charger? I tried to illicit a response from the Minelab Classroom forum without any luck. What is everyone else using for back-up puposes? Thanks.

 

[stasys]

I suggest AA batteries, its cheaper and with good quality charger you can get better results, check separately and etc. and if one die you can one replace. now cheapest AA 2500 capacity but exist very wide range what you can buy, some even 1,5V. more you can use in other detectors too or something ells. minus to unload or upload battery pack. good luck Stasys

 

[leslie]

Hi McDave, I bought the NiMH batteries and fast charger because I can also use them on my AT Pro and MXT.

Look out for special sales on batteries and chargers from your local electronics store,mine cost me half the price

of the Minelab rechargeable battery.

Good luck with your choice.

Les.

 

[MNCoinhunter]

Thanks guys.

Les...good point. I still have my Ace 250. It would really benefit both detectors.

 

[widebody]

[size=large]don't know the reason but the manual warns against using rechargables other than minelabs packs. voids the warranty if you run into trouble. but the minelab 1600 and 1800 are so darn expencive. ya gotta know what you're doing. maybe they just want to sell ya theirs.
somebody has got to know something here.

HH[/size]

 

[surfman]

My Explorer came with the AA battery holder for a back up. Did you buy a new Explorer ? I take my AA holder with me when I go but haven't needed it yet. Once you get a couple of charge cycles on the rechargable it lasts a long time.

 

[stasys]

widebody you got point about originals. in original battery pack the same AA batteries just they are welded and plus some small circuitry. so good quality charger where you can check separate AA batteries charging will outlast original and will be the same or cheaper. sorry to say that. Stasys

 

[Hotcz70]

Sorry I didn't see your classroom post dave.

I have a set of 2200 NiMH energizer rechargeables I bought at Wallyworld for about $30 and they work great...BUT...once I charge them and haul them around in my car for a few hunts...etc...by the time I DO need them in case my stock battery runs dead....the rechargeables I had charged and "ready" in the alkaline pack...are NO LONGER ready

After a few days...the charge has drained out of them and they don't last very long.

To be perfectly honest...unless you plan on draining your original battery pack each time you hunt and must use the backup alkaline pack....you are better off just putting a good set of alkalines in the backup pack...and not worrying about rechargeables.

Just my opinion. I got frustrated because everytime I needed to use the rechargeables I had in the alkaline pack...they were dead by the time I needed them.

I just put 8 normal duracell AA's in my alkaline pack.,..and on the rare occasion I need to use that pack as a backup...it's ready to rock.

 

[leslie]

No problem with the NiMH A A Batteries Widebody I have used them in my Explorer A A battery pack for at least two years.

I agree with you the Minelab battery packs are expensive.

Les.

 

[MNCoinhunter]

No big deal Bryce. The Classroom forum has been extremely quiet lately.

I was'nt even aware that the rechargables can drain-out after a while. I can see that happening maybe TWICE and then they would be out of commission (underneath my boot heel).....I'm Irish, I can't help it.

Surfman......yes I did buy a new Explorer. And if I am really good, like I know I am, I should have it by this time next week.

 

[mattw]

If you use the loop batteries, such as Sanyo they wills hold 85% charge for 1 year. They work great.

 

[stasys]

Brice check you rechargeable with tester after they recharged and charged, possibly one battery dead and sucks from the rest good batteries. Stasys

 

[Aaron]

Last summer I bought some cheap AA & 9v batterys at Lowes that came in bulk and thats what I've been using since. They may not last as long as the expensive ones but they work in a pinch and until you get the regular pack charged up, and its rare that I have to use it anyway. Once it gets to below 75% I usually charge it up.

 

[dewcon4414]

Try the Tenergy's. They are great rechargables and last a long time. Ive not noticed them dieing in the pack. ML... is nuts for what they want for their rechargeables, but as long as we pay it... they get it. Ive had may ML pack and used it almost exclusively with NO problems. Batteries Plus will even take the back up and make you a rechargable pack. Just be careful .... not to use Lithems that exceed the voltage. Im sorry... but for me buying AAs is like renting property... when they are gone you have nothing. Its a crap shoot as to which last longer.

Dew

 

[Eddie in Poulsbo]

Hi Dave,

I got some RayOVac rechargeable batteries and I get a good day and a half use out of them. I also have some Duracell, but they don't seem to keep a charge like the RayOVac. I use the throw away ones also, but only as a backup. Kind of sucks when you use them one time and have to throw them away. Hope you get out soon as we all know you guys are getting pounded back there. Got a club hunt tomorrow (Sat) and the last time we were at this spot about four years it was cold and the ground was frozen. Looks like it's going to be the same again this time so the digging might be tough. Hope to have something to post after the hunt.

Eddie

 

[blw]

The Minelab nimh pack is overpriced by $65-70, imo. Packs of 4 rechargeable nimh batteries can be found in grocery stores nowadays for cheap!

I fly radio control planes, so knowing about batteries and charging/discharging them is essential. I have a pretty good charger that doesn't test batteries individually, but it does sense peak voltage and switches into trickle charge once the batteries are done. I'm going to solder banana plugs to a good connector to charge the Minelab pack on my charger. The wall charger supplied by Minelab is not the way to do it. If you think about it, you don't have any idea when your packs are charged, or not with the wall warts.

I saw that claim by Minelab about using only their battery packs, and it is totally bogus and dishonest. Any nimh 1.2v battery is a nimh 1.2v battery. You can bet they are using batches of whatever supplier is available when they need new batches of batteries. MIne are unmarked, generic ones.

You can go to some place like Towerhobby.com, or Horizonhobby.com and see what is available for chargers. Mine is a Hobbico Elite that does 2 independent battery packs, and each is programmable for charge rate, cutoff, etc. You can always find a buddy to solder banana jacks on to the right connector if you don't do that work yourself. Hobby magazines like Model Airplane News, or FlyRC usually has the manufacturer ads on really good chargers. That is the best way to find out quickly if charging at home is for you.

Speaking of charging rates, I don't know what the rate is for the Minelab charger. It should be 10% of the max capacity per hour. This is called C1. This is a safe rate and helps ensure long battery life. For example, a 1600 mah battery should take 16 hours to charge from being completely flat. You can charge faster and not worry so much with the nimh's. Personally, I'm going to use a C2 rate at 20% capacity. I have some 2350 mah batteries that I picked up cheap.

 

[Dave-IL]

I have had my SE for around 7 months and have only had to go to the alkaline pack twice for about an hour each time.
If you plan un using it as a main battery then sure get rechargebales...otherwise I would just do like Bryce suggested and get an 8 pack of duracells or energizers. This way you are prepared for that occasional hunt when your main pack goes dead on you.

 

[MNCoinhunter]

Thanks Dave-IL

Seeing how I rarely go out on a 16 hour hunt, that seems to be the most practical back-up plan.

 

[widebody]

[size=large]i've been using aa throw aways up til now. they didn't seem to last as long as i thought they should. i get much better longevity on my xlt.
but the last two times out i switched to my recargable for the ml and they seem to go pretty good. the whites rechargables are the old nicad and seem to not last long or take recharging for very long.
i'm not one to venture from the manufacturers products. thats where forums come in handy. people with history on these things are here.

HH[/size]

 

[dewcon4414]

I still hunt with the ML pack most of the time. Six hours and there is still plenty of battery there. Ive been out and forgot to recharge it and even when it shows at the bottom there is still a couple of hours on it and the machine isnt affected by the reduced voltage. Ive had mine since i got my machine... what 3 years or so and its doesnt seem to have a problem holding charge like some of those walley world batteries.

Dew