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Quattro Battery Problem
- Thread starter george
- Start date
I recieved a set of NiMH batteries that I assumed were good. They would charge up but only hold the charge for a minute or so when I powered on my machine. If you take the batteries out you may be able to build up enough charge in the batteries to get the unit to fire back up but it will then quickly die again. Are all the batteries fresh?
Bob
Bob
If your using replaceable batteries in the battery pack maybe one or more are low. Check with a volt meter. When replacing batteries replace all at the same time. The Quattro has eight batteries. I had a new gps unit that gave ten hours of use on the first batteries and only about one hour on the replacements. Turns out that I was only replacing two of the four batteries each time as two batteries were hidden up inside the gps. Also clean the connector on the end of the battery pack with fine sand paper and wipe with alchol. This cleaning is a tip from Sandy at Minelab.
smileawhile
New member
Hi ,
can you just use regular AA batteries in the battery case that comes with the machine. how long do they last?
thanks
can you just use regular AA batteries in the battery case that comes with the machine. how long do they last?
thanks
I am an Electrical Engineer. I have looked at the some metal detector schematics. All the higher end, "digital" detectors such as The DFX, Exp II, Quattro, Fisher Coinstrike, ACE250, etc have voltage regulators. A voltage regulator regulates the voltage level from the fluctuating battery voltage to maintain a constant unchanging level for the electronics to operate on. So you could have a bunch of solar panels mounted on your back and the voltage could be going up and down(within specification) and the detector would not suffer any performance degradation. My Quattro will operate just as good with almost depleted NiMH rechargeables at 9.9 VDC as it will with fresh alkaline batteries at 12.0 VDC. Who is going to spend big $$$ on a detector that will only optimally perform with a fresh set of alkaline batteries??! Ludicrous.
doesn't MineLab use NiMH for their rechargeable battery pods????? And why did SunRay discontinue the NiMH battery pods for the Explorer and does not make one for the Excal and Quattro?? I am dumb in the electrical department but there has to be a reason why Minelab and SunRay are not using them.........do mind explaining to me? There has been many discussions on other forums about the NiMH batteries.
Ralph Sun Ray
New member
Bobby,
Minelab does use NIMH batteries in their Explorer & Quattro rechargeable Paks and I believe in their GT rechargeable paks as well. Sun Ray never did make NIMH pods for the Explorer or Quattro. The reason we discontinued the NIMH pak & Pod for the Excalibur is we had the pods made for us and could not control the quality control on the milling. We had some leaks so we quite. The manufacturer was also quitting production of the pods anyway and only had a very few left. I hope this helps.
Ralph (Sun Ray)
Minelab does use NIMH batteries in their Explorer & Quattro rechargeable Paks and I believe in their GT rechargeable paks as well. Sun Ray never did make NIMH pods for the Explorer or Quattro. The reason we discontinued the NIMH pak & Pod for the Excalibur is we had the pods made for us and could not control the quality control on the milling. We had some leaks so we quite. The manufacturer was also quitting production of the pods anyway and only had a very few left. I hope this helps.
Ralph (Sun Ray)
Hello Bobby. Ralph Sun Ray is right. Minelab make a nimh battery for the explorer, Quattro, and the sovereign GT. In Australia the Quattro comes out standard only with the 8 AA battery pack and has an option of fitting the nimh battery as an extra as a 1600ma or 1800ma size, I am not sure about the explorer if the option are the same.The sovereign has 10 1.2 volt nimh in the pack. The aa battery pack is 12 volt and recommend to only use alkaline batteries 1.5 volt each. If you use rechargeable aa 1.2 volt You won
jayallday01
New member
Another question about batteries. The Minelab rechargables come in 1600 and 1800 mah. Could I use 2600mah rechargables without any problems? I have seen some good deals on 20 batteries and the Vanson charger for around 45 bucks. I just figured the 2600's would last longer. Any takers??
Jay
Jay
dirty_nails
New member
I haven't seen 2600mAH AA cells yet, but they should work. They should give you a longer run time than the stock batteries. I just recelled the rechargeable pack to my White's XLT with some 2000mAH cells from Big Lots. My original pack was less than 2 years old and had 1 shorted cell already. The Targus batteries from Big Lots were only $6 for 4. So far, there working great.
dn
dn
jayallday01
New member
Check out www.batteryjunction.com and look at the Vanson CH-V6988.
Hello jayallday01. The 1600 m amp nimh and the 1800 m amp nimh are special packs that are made for the minelab explorer and the Quattro and are lower voltage than the aa alkaline pack. The rechargable aa 2600 m amp nimh are only 1.2 volt as the aa alkaline are the required 1.5 volt. 8 aa alkene 1.5 volt gives you 12 volt while 8 aa rechargeable nimh are only 1.2 volt which only gives 9 volt,( 3 volt ) short of the required 12 volt to get full life in how many hours that they will operate for. Out of the 8 aa 2600 m amp nimh 1.2 volt =9 volt. All though they have more capacity than the 8 aa alkaline batteries they will not last any where as long as the 8 aa 1.5 volt alkaline battery =12 volt. As I mentioned the Quattro has a circuit that recognizes the minelab recharge pack and or the 8 aa alkaline and will switch over for either battery inserted into the detector. The detector will operate for a short time on the 8 aa 1.2 volt 2600 m amp re chargeable then the low battery signal starts as you only start with 9 volt compared with 8 aa alkaline 12 volt battery starting voltage. In the long run the minelab nimh is costly but cheaper than fitting aa alkaline batteries as you get around the same working life with the minelab pack. I have bought two 1800 nimh minelab pack and have a aa battery holder on standby for aa alkaline batteries. I have a post on the (Re then why) simular to the one I have just posted. I hope this might clear things up a little .Stan from Australia.
Hard Nosed Dave
New member
are being charged up to produce 12 plus volts through what is a circuitry residing WITHIN their respective nimh battery packs.
This is more than likely going to be the same as what would be within the Minelab Quatro battery Nimh packs as they both use a 15v(I think it must be an ac output)on the wall chargers.
I wonder how they get the voltage to get to the same 12v plus level from the 12v DC car charger?
Curiously enough, we now have a battery pack with the Explorer SE that is back to the 1600 mah( as you mentioned they went up to 1800 mah).
I just looked at the empty 12 volt battery pack for the Explorers I have and in all instances from the EX XS, EX 2 and now the EX SE, it says to use ONLY "AA" 1.5 volt cells.
I imagine that the Quatro empty battery packs have the same written on them.
If it were possible to get a charging system that somehow allows one to "over" charge the individual 1.2v nimh(with whatever Milli amp hour desired) to and average of 1.5 volts without TOO much heat or charge up a bank of 8 to 12v plus, then I think it would suit the idea of using nimh cells perfectly within that empty battery pack. Some Radio Control charges apparently do this charging up of banks to the desire voltage, but I wish there was an intelligent battery charger(there probably is and I just haven't seen it) that has the Minelab concept of charging the 8 x 1.2v nimh AA to the 12 v plus levels without cooking the batteries.
I have also noted that most of the after market AA 1.2v nimh batteries, including the 2600 mah I recently purchased , are a tight fit in the empty battery packs.
I'll be avoiding using these nimh batteries unless there is no other alternative.
They just won't give me the extra power that I can get from 8 x cheaper and more reliable AA alkaline.
There are some rechargeable alkaline AA around that do give a 1.5v output BUT they seem to have a very short re usable life and have proven to be a little un-reliable to me.
I have actually managed to use many types of 12 v DC sources for my chest mounted Explorer/s, including 12v 1.2, 4.3 and 7.2 Amp-Hour gel cells by way of incorporating(just in case)and utilising a component retrieved from and within an expended Minelab nimh battery pack.
Could be a thermistor or some form of voltage or current limiting component which sat between the circuit board within the battery pack and the nimh batteries.
I used it just in case it was to prevent a problem with not using the recommended power supply input into the Explorers circuit.
This may be the reason why the only 1.5volt AA batteries should only be used in those battery packs as it is a common fact that they will produce a consistent and fixed current and voltage output that the "nipple" based after market batteries MAY not.
Just my take on it.
Hard Nosed Dave.
This is more than likely going to be the same as what would be within the Minelab Quatro battery Nimh packs as they both use a 15v(I think it must be an ac output)on the wall chargers.
I wonder how they get the voltage to get to the same 12v plus level from the 12v DC car charger?
Curiously enough, we now have a battery pack with the Explorer SE that is back to the 1600 mah( as you mentioned they went up to 1800 mah).
I just looked at the empty 12 volt battery pack for the Explorers I have and in all instances from the EX XS, EX 2 and now the EX SE, it says to use ONLY "AA" 1.5 volt cells.
I imagine that the Quatro empty battery packs have the same written on them.
If it were possible to get a charging system that somehow allows one to "over" charge the individual 1.2v nimh(with whatever Milli amp hour desired) to and average of 1.5 volts without TOO much heat or charge up a bank of 8 to 12v plus, then I think it would suit the idea of using nimh cells perfectly within that empty battery pack. Some Radio Control charges apparently do this charging up of banks to the desire voltage, but I wish there was an intelligent battery charger(there probably is and I just haven't seen it) that has the Minelab concept of charging the 8 x 1.2v nimh AA to the 12 v plus levels without cooking the batteries.
I have also noted that most of the after market AA 1.2v nimh batteries, including the 2600 mah I recently purchased , are a tight fit in the empty battery packs.
I'll be avoiding using these nimh batteries unless there is no other alternative.
They just won't give me the extra power that I can get from 8 x cheaper and more reliable AA alkaline.
There are some rechargeable alkaline AA around that do give a 1.5v output BUT they seem to have a very short re usable life and have proven to be a little un-reliable to me.
I have actually managed to use many types of 12 v DC sources for my chest mounted Explorer/s, including 12v 1.2, 4.3 and 7.2 Amp-Hour gel cells by way of incorporating(just in case)and utilising a component retrieved from and within an expended Minelab nimh battery pack.
Could be a thermistor or some form of voltage or current limiting component which sat between the circuit board within the battery pack and the nimh batteries.
I used it just in case it was to prevent a problem with not using the recommended power supply input into the Explorers circuit.
This may be the reason why the only 1.5volt AA batteries should only be used in those battery packs as it is a common fact that they will produce a consistent and fixed current and voltage output that the "nipple" based after market batteries MAY not.
Just my take on it.
Hard Nosed Dave.
beachguy777
New member
You know what, Mirage, I think your right. I've never had any problems with Nmh rechargables since I bought them. You must be right about the voltage regulator, because as the battery is running out of juice, it still works great in my opinion. Must be the regulator regulating the voltage to do the job right. My only suggestion is buy two sets of them in case one runs out. I've never actually counted the amount of hours I get on a single pack, but it seems like quite a bit. I really don't see any degradation of the detector signal or numbers or anything, all the way up until it dies. After they die, I just pull out the spare pack, and put it in the detector and keep going, just like the cute pink bunny in the battery commercials. I've heard that Nickel Metal Hydride batteries don't have a memory problem like the old Nickel Cadmium batteries did. I use Nmh in my camcorder also, and they work great. Bought a spare set for the Quatro at a local electronics store here in town called Fry's. Probably under 20 bucks. Thanks for the informative post from a guy that should know, being an electrical engineer.
Hard Nosed Dave
New member
Stan , I re read this after a long time and saw that you suggested that
"Once the power source starts to drop in both volt and amp the machine will start to function badly."
Not sure about Quattro BUT Explorer warns you that the voltage is inadequate and shuts down before it functions badly. You don't get a chance to use it as it won't work with out the correct voltage. Put simply , I think the Explorer genre of detectors, including Quattro, are programed to shut down before one gets a chance to slag their abilities to perform at lowered voltages.
You have said:
"When the battery is fully charged then most chargers go into a trickle charge mode and show a green lite to show that the battery is fully charged so as to not Cooke the battery."
This might be correct BUT why does the Minelab Explorer charger supplied as the battery charger for Minelab 8 x Nimh pack never show a green light to indicate it's on trickle.....Must be a cheap charger right.
You also say:
"The Quattro and the explorer also have a circuit to recognize which battery pack is being used."
Since I first got the Explorer XS 6 years ago, I have used gel-cell lead acid batteries(made my own adaption to work in the Explorer as a hip or external mounted power supply), lithium ion cells, rechargeable Alkaline cells and over charged(t0 1.5 volt)8 x AA (AAA)1.2v 1600 mah Nimh straight through into the Explorer.
They all have and still do work fine.
I don't believe that the Quattro or the Explorer are intelligent enough to determine where their power source comes from. The battery terminals of either battery pack that Minelab supplies, nimh or the alkaline, are putting out a current at a voltage from the negative and positive terminals.That is all that Exp or Quat. can determine and nothing more at that stage.
ANY power source in, primarily has to be above 9.6 volts with a strong current in, or Explorer or the Quattro won't function at all, let alone function badly.
I to hope I have been of some help with the Minelab Explorer or Quattro battery system.
Hard Nosed Dave from Australia.
P.S.
I have also tried and used these alternative battery sources in the EX 2 and the EX SE, in the whites DFX, Eric Foster DeepStar and I have even used them, at the relevant voltage in a Scheibel P.I. military mine detector.The power source, so long as it is of a certain voltage and certain type, DC, seems and mostly is, irrelevant.
Some detectors will work with a diminished performance relevant to the detectors ability to detect when the voltage has lowered BUT the Explorer will not work with low voltages that will result in a lowered performance.
"Once the power source starts to drop in both volt and amp the machine will start to function badly."
Not sure about Quattro BUT Explorer warns you that the voltage is inadequate and shuts down before it functions badly. You don't get a chance to use it as it won't work with out the correct voltage. Put simply , I think the Explorer genre of detectors, including Quattro, are programed to shut down before one gets a chance to slag their abilities to perform at lowered voltages.
You have said:
"When the battery is fully charged then most chargers go into a trickle charge mode and show a green lite to show that the battery is fully charged so as to not Cooke the battery."
This might be correct BUT why does the Minelab Explorer charger supplied as the battery charger for Minelab 8 x Nimh pack never show a green light to indicate it's on trickle.....Must be a cheap charger right.
You also say:
"The Quattro and the explorer also have a circuit to recognize which battery pack is being used."
Since I first got the Explorer XS 6 years ago, I have used gel-cell lead acid batteries(made my own adaption to work in the Explorer as a hip or external mounted power supply), lithium ion cells, rechargeable Alkaline cells and over charged(t0 1.5 volt)8 x AA (AAA)1.2v 1600 mah Nimh straight through into the Explorer.
They all have and still do work fine.
I don't believe that the Quattro or the Explorer are intelligent enough to determine where their power source comes from. The battery terminals of either battery pack that Minelab supplies, nimh or the alkaline, are putting out a current at a voltage from the negative and positive terminals.That is all that Exp or Quat. can determine and nothing more at that stage.
ANY power source in, primarily has to be above 9.6 volts with a strong current in, or Explorer or the Quattro won't function at all, let alone function badly.
I to hope I have been of some help with the Minelab Explorer or Quattro battery system.
Hard Nosed Dave from Australia.
P.S.
I have also tried and used these alternative battery sources in the EX 2 and the EX SE, in the whites DFX, Eric Foster DeepStar and I have even used them, at the relevant voltage in a Scheibel P.I. military mine detector.The power source, so long as it is of a certain voltage and certain type, DC, seems and mostly is, irrelevant.
Some detectors will work with a diminished performance relevant to the detectors ability to detect when the voltage has lowered BUT the Explorer will not work with low voltages that will result in a lowered performance.
Larry (The Palm Bay Pirate)
New member
I had the same problem when I first got mine..I removed and replaced it several times and the problem stopped..Good luck