Hip Power Supply

[cachenut]

I still like the idea of a hip mounted power supply. Say get two of those coppertop lantern batteries and wire then to produce 12 volts and then run the cable up to the headphone cable and then to the back of the explorer. Modify a battery pack to take a plug in and then never worry about batteries again.

Even with rechargeables I find the batteries a big nuisance and problem. Always worried of the have enough charge and having to remember to charge them up or worrying one of them might go bad and ruin my day or always concerned the detector might be performing in a suboptimal way cause of low power etc ...

I think it would sell and be worth doing if someone ever gets to it.

 

[MJP (IL)]

I don't find the battery pack a nuisance. Especially with the charger that discharges and recharges the battery pack without removing all the AA batteries. I can see how well it's charged, and feel confident I'm good for the day.

Lantern batteries are much heavier. And they don't last forever either.

I broke many coil cables on my Fisher machines. I am constantly ruining headphone cables. I like the EX cable-inside-the-shaft. Adding another cable is the one thing I do NOT want.

I would like to remove some weight from this machine. If I could chest mount the display and battery, and lighten up the handle and shafts, I would certainly consider doing that, even if it meant exposing a cable.

Mike

 

[Varmint]

so I can do something along those lines. But, I can guarantee the relocated battery will be a rechargeable, I'm completely done with throw away batteries except as emergency backup.

I have two ideas in mind. Either cut the case open and replace the factory cells with higher capacity NiMH, or a full relocate.

As posted many times, I have great regard for the Energizer 15 minute charger and 2300 or 2500mAH cells. I put together a car cigarette lighter adaptor so I can charge in the car if need be, and it works great. If I was REALLY worried about time, I'd get a second charger and make a pig-tail to run both chargers at once, but that seems like plain overkill to me.

Assuming I re-work the factory NiMH case to carry a jack for a belt-mount battery pack, I'd most likely use a 12V 2 or 4AH gell cell type battery. Something light enough as to not be a strain, something small enough not to impede bending over to dig. That brings in another concern. The headphone cord is enough of a problem when setting things down to dig, I'm not sure another cord (remote battery) will be very much appreciated. I'll probably do a mock up and see how everything feels before I commit one way or the other.

One last concern relating to a remote battery pack plug. whatever is used must provide (3) absolute functions: A perfect connection so there is no moise or even the briefest power drop out during normal use, firm lock up so as not to pull free, and when unplugged from the unit, should provide a fully insulated setup so I don't have to worry about shorts or a drained battery when it comes time to detect.

These requirements rule out a 1/4" or 1/8" style "phone jack". While the easiest to use, the drawbacks rule out their use. Same goes for a barrel type connector (like the end of the factory charger or larger versions of it). Too easy to pull out, subject to noise or power drop outs when wiggled, and although less subject to shorts than a phone plug, still a concern.

The ideal would be a locking type connector, even if it's no more fancy than the arrangement you see on a 7.2V "C" cell RC car battery pack and it's receptacle.

This post is more about "thinking out loud", but I hope you find it of some value as you consider your options. Once I decide my path, I'll post the results. For the meantime, my factory NiMH pack goes on every trip, the factory "alkaline" case is filled with fully charged 2500mAH Energizer NiMH's, and of course there are 12 brand new alkalines waiting JUST IN CASE! And yes, the Energizer charger and cordset (cigarette adaptor) goes along too!

DAS

 

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

Here are my thoughts having experimented with several approaches already...

>As posted many times, I have great regard for the Energizer 15 minute charger and 2300 or 2500mAH cells.

Ditto, so long as they don't catch fire I don't care how hot they get recharging. If they go bad in two years they go bad, I'll buy new ones. Its worth it in the time I save recharging. Some of mine are still going strong 4 years later.

> Something light enough as to not be a strain, something small enough not to impede bending over to dig.

I know a guy who uses a 10 cell AAA pack, gets a good 6 hours out of them and they weigh a fraction of what 8 AA cells do. Speaking of which, a 10 AA cell 1.2v rechargeable pack (12volts versus 9.6 volts) lasts a really long time.

>That brings in another concern. The headphone cord is enough of a problem when setting things down to dig, I'm not sure another cord (remote battery) will be very much appreciated.

My last experiment was hip mounting the battery and headphones. I brought both the battery wires and the headphone wires from the detector to my hip via a single 4 wire cable. I plugged my headphones into the hip mounted battery case. This proved ideal and removed a noticeable amount of weight from the machine. Plus it takes all the stress off the headphone cable.

>Too easy to pull out, subject to noise or power drop outs when wiggled, and although less subject to shorts than a phone plug, still a concern.

You want a mic connector, like the coil cable uses. They are readily available in 2-6 pin configurations for $1-$4. Want to trick it out, try a Bulgin waterproof connector for about $16, you can get an end cap that screws on over the connector when unplugged to protect it. Want to really trick it out, try a Ikelite waterproof connector though be ready for sticker price shock, they ring in at about $54.

Clever types (you know who you are) use 4 pin connectors for their headphones (which only require 2 pins) and use the extra 2 pins for charging the batteries e.g. put the same connector on your battery charger.

Charles

 

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

>I would like to remove some weight from this machine. If I could chest mount the display and battery, and lighten up the handle and shafts, I would certainly consider doing that, even if it meant exposing a cable.

I have tried a number of methods...

1. Chest Mount Display/Battery...Hated it, spent way too much time fumbling with cables. At the least it needs to be on a hip. Also got quite a kink in my neck trying to watch the screen.

2. Relocated control box and battery to a lightweight Whites S-shaft. Moved batteries and probe to the extreme rear for better balance. This was a HUGE improvement.

3. Same as #2 but hip mounted battery and headphone jack. This is my favorate setup to date. The control box weight is still out on the shaft but unlike say the Excalibur, I really need the Explorer screen out there on the shaft where I can see it easily as I'm swinging and checking a target. The best overall balance between lightweight and function in my opinion. I mean I'm going to have a cable coming from the detector no matter what. Might as well bring the batter wires out along with the headphone wires in a single cable. I really like the headphones hip mounted, the cable doesn't seem long enough to let you move around while digging and the 1/4 inch cable I use between the detector and my hip is way more durable than the spindly headphone cable.

Charles

 

[Varmint]

the advanced fast chargers use cell temperature sensing to keep the charge current (and thus temp) within limits. Certainly fast charging is harder on the cells than "normal" (1/10th C x 1.4), but the savings versus throw aways coupled with the time savings (who wants to set aside 14 hours for a charge when you don't have to) makes it a win/win for me.

I especially like the idea of the DIN style mic connector and combining the headphone into an all new single cable, solves several problems at once.

I hadn't considered the battery pack as too much of a weight penalty due to it's location, but I'm sure every little bit helps.

Again, thanks, and I'm not so patiently awaiting the factory NiMH's to give up the ghost so I can play around a bit.

DAS

 

[Hard Nosed Dave]

cachenut,

I suffered a lot from what seems to be the same, lets call it "anxiety", of NOT having enough power in reserve(just in case I ran out)for the Explorer on any-a-hunt. In the beginning when I first started using the Explorer,it was a problem, but especially when those sometimes NOT so reliable stock Nimh battery packs would fail to deliver even though the charge seemd to be to their full capacity. When they did fail in the field long before thay should have , even though a full charge was indicated at first, it was usually just when there was something more to be found at a site. Very frustrating.

So I made and used a hip mounted 12 volt "gell" cell system with 1.2 mah and 4 mah by and other battery configurations by taking an empty Explorer battery pack (the spare one that takes "nipple" batteries was my first victim) and running the wires inside, via a hole drilled into the back of the pack and soldered to their relevant connections of negative and positive (just pull the long plastic cover off and apart carefully as it can snap back together and soledr to the back of the internal battery connections). I also had to modify the rubber seal that seals the slide in battery pack to accommodate this wire.

Yes,after a time( very quickly) I realized that making the headphone and power wires into a single cable was a very good idea. Two seperate cables aboslutely SUCK.

With my un-modified Explorer, I have learnt to carry a spare slide "in and get on with it" Explorer battery pack (with either non rechargeable Alkaline or 2000 NiMH charged in a fast charger (about and hour and a bit to do 4 in each charger) n all of my hunts. It is SO much easier and I found that all that worrying was just a figment (more often that not) of my imagination. I just want to hunt more find more and research more sites, rather than worry about where MY power is going to come from IN CASE I run out. If I do run out of power to run the Explorer then the spare batteries ARE there.

Just wanted to mention this as it might help.I am also a firm beliver in having an "experience" of my own accord.Larger batteries as a power source are great. Just a bit of work and extra hardwrae to consider when going out to hunt.


FOOT NOTE:
I took the pack apart and found that it was usually only one or two the cells that were responsible for the failure. The best thing about the original stock Nimh Explorer battery packs was that they were designed to be recharged as a bank of 8 x 1.2 volt AA 1500mh(made in Singapore green GP's) with the internal battery pack circuitry and the relevant Minelab issue wall and car chargers. There are other alternatives around i.e.: after market wall and car chargers, but the stock version should last a bit longer. I still use the remaining 1500 mah Nimh AA batteries (less the tabs with a soldered on "nipple"),5 years down the track and they still recharge adequately enough and are used in other devices such as walkie talkie, gps and LED and standard filament light globe flashlight.....no problems.



Hard Nosed Dave

 

[shawnv(or)]

That even though you might shed some weight it would throw the balance of an already poorly balanced detector and add another cord to the mix. It seems easier to buy an extra Alkaline pack and some 2200's or 2500's put a rubber cap over the battery end and put it in your pouch. I think your on the right track by lighting the whole shaft and balanceing it from both ends.
Shawn

 

[Jason in TN]

I solved all of my problems and you only need two packs. Check out any where that sells Remote control cars. Not the radio shack ones. Look at a hobby shop where they sell battery powered cars for big boys to race. You will find they have battery chargers that run off of your 12v car battery ranging from $60 to $800 for a charger. I spent about $150 on a charger that has a computer that will monitor from two to twelve cells at once. all you do is enter the # of cells you will charge and how many ma. and if the battery is Nimh or Nicd hit start and it will charge my 2300ma 8cell pack from dead to full charge in around 25 min. These chargers will monitor the power that goes in you batteries and will cut off when they reach there peak making sure you always have batteries that are fully charged.

 

[MJP (IL)]

Investing in a good battery charger makes a difference. I am using a MH-C777 Plus universal charger from Thomas Distributing. I've seen where others use this charger as well.

It discharges the battery pack then recharges it, without removing the 8 batteries from the case. It works on the sealed battery packs too. It also charges my 9V batteries for my probe.

The LCD shows you the voltage and MaH of your battery pack, so you can ensure you have a good, full charge before you leave. And it can analyze your battery for you.

After I began using this charger, I stopped having battery problems. I realize that the 4-battery charger which comes with those AA NimH batteries was not recharging the batteries properly.

 

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

>That even though you might shed some weight it would throw the balance of an already poorly balanced detector and add another cord to the mix.

I tried reconfiguring the detector for perfect balance which was an improvement however "an object in motion tends to stay in motion" and so you swing all that weight left, then you have to put the breaks on, stop it, and swing it right. Balanced or not static weight is a factor. I have my Excalubur hipmounted and so with nothing but the coil on the shaft its nose heavy but I can swing that all day without issue. Only limitation is my other arm giving out dragging my giant beach scoop along.

 

[cachenut]

Sounds good but does it take 26 hours to recgahre the whole thing. It lok like there is an upper limit of the thing as if it was designed for 4 bateries andnot 8. Does charging with 8 in the slim pack require teo cycles.

 

[MJP (IL)]

n/t

 

[Hard Nosed Dave]

Thanks MJP(IL) for the info,

That looks like a reasonably priced charger for what it can do. The ability to do battery "cluster" charging and what seems "conditioning" and fast charging has been a little too pricey. This one is a good choice from what I've read.

Might look into getting one myself.


Hard Nosed Dave.

 

[MST]

I Find That Energizer Rechargeable (2500mAh)Batteries Last About 20 Hours Fully Charged.I Always Have A Extra Set With Me.I Bought Mine At Target 8Batteries For $19.00.Plus I Bought 2Chargers.It Is Cheaper Then Buying A New Nimh Rechargeable Battery Pack.It Is Something To Consider.