Metal Detector & Rechargeable Batteries

collegefbfan

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Anyone use rechargeable batteries in their detectors and pinpointers? Just wondered if they worked just as good. Or not recommended or whatever. If you do, any specific ones that perform best? Thanks.
 
Anyone use rechargeable batteries in their detectors and pinpointers? Just wondered if they worked just as good. Or not recommended or whatever. If you do, any specific ones that perform best? Thanks.

They work.
Expect less run time vs akalin e though.

If detector has a battery charge meter, expect to it run a bit lower at full charge vs alkaline.

Recommend charging them after each hunt.
And carry spares or a back up set of akalines.
 
High quality rechargables such as Panasonic Eneloops are all that I use when I need AA batteries for my Fisher, Tesoro, or Whites machines. The best feature of the NMh batteries is that they DO NOT leak.
Also, the eneloops will hold their charge for long periods of time when unused, so you can charge them and they will maintain the charge in storage, with about 70% charge remaining after a year in storage.

As far as runtime: I have never had an issue with these batteries not lasting at least a full hunting day, and usually a couple of full hunting days. I always carry a spare set in a plastic box in my pouch, and really don't worry about having to remember to charge, but if I change a set out in the field, I just put them on the charger when I get home. They are well worth the cost, and you will save money in the long run over the cost of non-rechargable batteries.

And..... if you forget to take them out of the detector and leave them over the winter, you won't find a corroded mess in your machine in the spring when you head out to use it.
I personally have made that mistake with a Tesoro Stingray, and ruined an expensive detector. It does not take long for a bad battery to destroy electronics.
 
I use a Varta 9V rechargeable battery for my pinpointer. I've used the battery on 10 or so hunts now, and still haven't needed to recharge it. The low battery warning hasn't come up either, so you can expect your rechargeables to perform just as well as your single use alkalines.

Don't know if you have a CTX, but I run it on its rechargeable battery. I can usually get around 10-12 hours on it without having to recharge. Haven't tried using non-rechargeables on the CTX, but the rechargeable battery performs well.
 
I have used the energizer rechargeables in my detectors for years, work great and hold their charge well. to me they seem to last longer than alkaline batteries.

I get the highest mAh ones they sell, and get yourself a good charger also, that helps in the long run.
 
I also use the Panasonic Eneloops in my AT Pro. They will last at least for several long hunts. I have never tried rechargeable 9 volts for my Carrot pin pointer. GO BAMA !!
Bubbaron
 
I use EBL 600mAh Li-Ion 9V batteries for my Tesoro detectors and pinpointers. For my Etrac I use EBL 2800mAh Ni-MH AA batteries. I've been very happy with these batteries and they all last for a pretty long time. You can get 4 9V's plus a charger for less than $20. The same goes for 8 AA's plus a charger.
 
I've been using rechargeables for about 9 years now.

Check Horizon battery on line and note the good mah's now available
 
I use EBL 600mAh Li-Ion 9V batteries for my Tesoro detectors and pinpointers. For my Etrac I use EBL 2800mAh Ni-MH AA batteries. I've been very happy with these batteries and they all last for a pretty long time. You can get 4 9V's plus a charger for less than $20. The same goes for 8 AA's plus a charger.

I’ve recently started using the same brand of 9v for my Carrot and Eurotek Pro, performance is just fine so far. On a full charge, the battery meter registers two bars out of three in the ETP, but then it seems to sit there forever before dropping.

If I ever need AAs, I’d probably go with eneloops, though, as the price increase isn’t too steep (4+charger for $18 on amazon right now).
 
Eneloop Pro in my AT Pro and Nokta Impact, Long run time and in the long run might save a few dollars. Normal Eneloop also work well, won't last as long between charges though.
Amazon sometimes have a deal on a pack with a charger. Get two sets of batteries if you can, they hold a charge for a long time before use. Why two sets? Not because one will go flat during a hunt, they won't, because you might forget to charge the ones in your machine after multiple hunts :)
 
+1 for Eneloop

Have had mine for a few years and still work as good as the day I bought them. Although I run an F70 which is notoriously frugal on battery life.

My F Pulse pinpointer eats them up. Gotta charge every time for that if I expect reliability.
 
I just went rechargeable in the ATPro and Am a little dissapointed. Using energizer 2300mah I have 4 bars of battery for 1 1/2 hours then 3 bars for maybe 2 hours. When it drops to 2 I have about an hour before I think I'm seeing a drop in performance, definitely a drop in volume. I ended up getting a second set of batteries just for the rare days I hunt more than 4 hours. I'm using the same batteries in my TRX and have 2 sets as well.They seem to be good for several hunts, but I change them when I swap out the pro's The best charger energizer sells holds 4 batteries. It would be easier with a better charger that would charge 12 at a time and be ok to just leave them in there. It can get confusing swapping a dozen batteries around and everything I've read Says you should keep the batteries in sets. I painted the paired up batteries different colors. I don't use headphones very often the few times I had they lasted almost double the time
 
Results will definitely vary depending on the machine you use, and even how you use it. I’ve only used rechargeables with my AT Max, which I know is a battery hog compared to the AT Pro. I don’t know if the Max uses any more power for actual detector operation than the Pro, but using the zlink for wireless headphones certainly does. Maybe because I always run the Max with wireless headphones, I’ve had pretty disappointing results with the Eneloop Pro AA rechargeables (2500 mAh rating) - I’ve downgraded them to backup duty only. Using the wireless along with the detector, I only see about 4-6 hours of reliable detecting time with them - good enough for a most short hunts, but if I expect to spend a full day, I better have something else.

I mainly use an RnB rechargeable battery pack (2200 mAh) now, and get much better results - more like 10-12 hours of run time. Gets a full day of hunting in, or several short hunts, before recharging is needed. I imagine the difference is that the RnB battery is a full 6V pack, whereas the Eneloop Pros (or almost any AA rechargeable) is only 1.2V each, for only 4.8V total (4 x 1.2V).
 
I bought a couple sets of Panasonic Eneloops and have nothing but the best things to say about them. I use them in the AA battery pod on my Kruzer, which saves having to use the internal battery on my Kruzer.


At the end of a full day of hunting, I think I saw 1 bar missing from the battery meter, once.
 
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