Rebuilding E-Trac batteries....

[ZOFCHAK]

I have a NiMH battery pack that is no longer keeping a very good charge (Lasts about 5 hours tops). Has anyone had any luck in replacing the batteries inside of the pack? I took part of the back off and it looks like it would be fairly easy to swap out the batteries, but it still works and I hate to strip it down and find out other otherwise.

 

[TabWhisperer]

Have you tried to run 2 or 3 full discharge/recharge cycles? Just leave it on until they run dwon all the way and then run a full charge cycle.

 

[JamesBondaka]

Its just a battery so I think its "possible"....practical??? maybe not.....if you want it to look nice....it might be difficult.


I only other thing that I know of.....is that if you freeze the battery and then drop it a few times that sometimes the electrons get energized. I would only do this IF there is no hope for using the battery otherwise. Nothing ventured...

 

[doc1964]

I saw this article last year some time - this guy took his to Battery Plus and they rebuilt it (with higher capacity batteries) for $35.

http://wedighistory.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-rebuild-battery-pack-for-minelab.html

Good Luck!

 

[iskirkra]

After reading the article noted above, I took my old battery pack to Battery Plus and they replaced the batteries with higher capacity ones but when I got it back, it would not slide in the E-Trac. The batteries they used were just a little bigger around or something and the pack did not go back together like it should. So I took it back and they tried again, this time the pack would just barely fit, but they just made a mess out of the pack from trying to glue it back together several times, so I just gave up on the idea. I would make sure they use batteries with the exact dimensions as the old ones, and maybe my local store guy was just not that experienced.

 

[stasys]

After reading the article noted above, I took my old battery pack to Battery Plus and they replaced the batteries with higher capacity ones but when I got it back, it would not slide in the E-Trac. The batteries they used were just a little bigger around or something and the pack did not go back together like it should. So I took it back and they tried again, this time the pack would just barely fit, but they just made a mess out of the pack from trying to glue it back together several times, so I just gave up on the idea. I would make sure they use batteries with the exact dimensions as the old ones, and maybe my local store guy was just not that experienced.

Sand your pack plastic a bit off and it will fit perfectly.

 

[brocifus]

there is a new minelab ion lithium battery pack coming out soon. It gets about 24 hrs or so on a charge. and recharges in 2 hrs or less. I have been testing the proto for about 8 mos now.

 

[EtracTom-AdirondacksNY]

You could just buy another regular battery pack like the one that came with the rechargeable pack when you got your machine and I got some 2300 pannasonic rechargeables to put in it and they came with a fast recharger that can charge them in the house or car in 15 mins.
I found them when on vacation in Maine last fall at Cabella's for under $50 then I found a house wall charger at one of the drug stores up there for $20 that charges them in 6 or less hours and can be left plugged in for a while and won't harm them after being fully charged.

 

[doc1964]

there is a new minelab ion lithium battery pack coming out soon. It gets about 24 hrs or so on a charge. and recharges in 2 hrs or less. I have been testing the proto for about 8 mos now.

Any idea of when it'll be offered and how much it will cost??

Thx.

Doc

 

[brocifus]

be out in a couple months how much not sure, I just test them but is a great battery pack .New England and Kellyco will have them.

 

[DirtyDeedsDugDirtDeep]

You could just buy another regular battery pack like the one that came with the rechargeable pack when you got your machine and I got some 2300 pannasonic rechargeables to put in it and they came with a fast recharger that can charge them in the house or car in 15 mins.
I found them when on vacation in Maine last fall at Cabella's for under $50 then I found a house wall charger at one of the drug stores up there for $20 that charges them in 6 or less hours and can be left plugged in for a while and won't harm them after being fully charged.

Yes, I also picked up 2900 mAH batteries off (ebay) pretty cheap .

 

[ZOFCHAK]

I think I am going to try doing a few complete discharge cycles first and see if that helps at all. That seems like the least invasive thing, but if it does not improve I'll try a few of the other suggestions later this winter. Thanks for all the replies and suggestions..

 

[Elusion]

be out in a couple months how much not sure, I just test them but is a great battery pack .New England and Kellyco will have them.

Just out of curiosity is the pack alot lighter than the standard rechargable pack, given its lithium ion?

 

[brocifus]

Yes it is alot lighter almost half of what original AA pack

 

[Cal_Cobra]

I picked up 16 AA 3000mAh NiMH rechargeable batteries and a LCD display automatic rapid charger from fleabay for under $20....been testing it out, still have a couple of charge/discharge cycles to go to see what the full potential of the batteries are, but so far it looks OK.

 

[spywiz]

I thought that Minelab advised highly against using Lithium Ion batteries. Too much voltage or something. It is in the users manual. So they are changing their stand on that issue? Maybe they have a diode or regulator to drop the voltage down to work ok. Sounds great. I hope it comes out soon.

Bobby