Explorer Power Supply

[John LA]

Power is current times voltage. The detector requires a certain amount of power. It probably uses a voltage regulator to hold the voltage constant (as long as there is enough current capacity in the battery). After so much current drain on the battery the voltage will drop. When the voltage drops low enough it won't push enough current into the detector and the detector will be impaired or quit operating. Current capacity of good rechargeable batteries are rated at 2700 Milli amps hours (or 2.7 amps hours). External batteries could be rated at more than 2700 milliamp hours; therefore could maintain an operating voltage longer. Fully charged 2700 mAh batteries should last several hours if you use headphones and leave the back light off. If you decide to use an external battery do not exceed the manufacturers recommendation. Sometimes batteries called 12 volt batteries are 12.6 volt fully charged and could have been charge a little higher than that. Do not exceed recommended voltage.

 

[cachenut]

Well from reliable sources I get the preferred voltage for the Exp II is 12 volts. The detector can pull about 1.5 amps at startup but normally pulls about .11 during operation and pulls .13 when it sees a target. They also said when using the speaker turned up it can use .3 amps to run. Use the backlight and you likely get a little more.

Yes several people told me it has a voltage regulator inside. Someone said it steps it down to 9 volts. Others said it reduces it to 12 volts.

Run too high a voltage in and I think it will burn up the regulator.

I have a "small" sealed wet cell battery that they say produces between 12 and 13 volts for the first 8 hours when fully charged. It is a 1.3 amp battery for 20 hours. This should be fine.

I worry about voltage though. Would 13 volts for a sustained period hurt my explorer/regulator or would it be okay. Coppertops go up to about 12.6 for a while when brand new and then drop. If I dont fully charge it I should get less than 13. Of course the wet cell battery numbers are what they advertise and in practice it might be a little different.

One person said any voltage over 13 volts would damage the Explorer and void my warrenty. He also said newer Lithium Ion batteries had too high a voltage (over 13) and would certainly damage any Explorer detector. I doubt what he said cause of the way he said it. Any opinions?

cachenut