Taperssection.com

Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: jamroom on November 04, 2015, 07:23:12 AM

Title: Rechargeable Battery Life?
Post by: jamroom on November 04, 2015, 07:23:12 AM
Bit of an odd one.

I decided to use my back-up Edirol R09 last night to tape a show. It had a pair of fully charged 2700mAh batteries that were charged last Thursday night and placed into the recorder on Friday pm. I didn't need to use the recorder and it remained in my gear bag until last night, when I took it to a gig. On departing the venue, I went to switch off the recorder, only to find it already off. Switching it on gave me the low battery power warning.

When I got home, I found that it had only recorded for an hour and that I had to open the file in CDWave because of the file header issue. I would not have expected these batteries to have drained their power sitting unused in the recorder for less than five days. Normally I charge the batteries and only put them in the recorder before I head out, so perhaps a lesson learned there.

Question is, why would the batteries have drained after sitting in an unused recorder for five days?
Title: Re: Rechargeable Battery Life?
Post by: furburger on November 05, 2015, 04:26:33 PM
Bit of an odd one.

I decided to use my back-up Edirol R09 last night to tape a show. It had a pair of fully charged 2700mAh batteries that were charged last Thursday night and placed into the recorder on Friday pm. I didn't need to use the recorder and it remained in my gear bag until last night, when I took it to a gig. On departing the venue, I went to switch off the recorder, only to find it already off. Switching it on gave me the low battery power warning.

When I got home, I found that it had only recorded for an hour and that I had to open the file in CDWave because of the file header issue. I would not have expected these batteries to have drained their power sitting unused in the recorder for less than five days. Normally I charge the batteries and only put them in the recorder before I head out, so perhaps a lesson learned there.

Question is, why would the batteries have drained after sitting in an unused recorder for five days?

I bought 2 8 packs of the Eneloops about a year ago, and keep all 16 charged....8 in the recorders (4 recorders), and 8 extras "just in case".

or, I've always worried about what just happened to you, I even leave my vidcam batteries detached after charging until showtime.
Title: Re: Rechargeable Battery Life?
Post by: dabbler on November 06, 2015, 02:54:40 AM
Rechargeable all batteries go bad after a few years; how old are yours?
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_effect

I also do a battery check before each show, just in case I forgot to turn off my recorder after transferring the previous show.
Title: Re: Rechargeable Battery Life?
Post by: stevetoney on November 06, 2015, 06:34:10 AM
I'd bet the issue isn't rechargeable life, but just that something caused a trickle drain on the batteries since they were left in your recorder for five days.  Bet you'll find that they work fine with a fresh recharge.  But yeah, as you implied in your OP, it's a 'best practice' to take the batteries out when the device isn't in use. 
Title: Re: Rechargeable Battery Life?
Post by: danny3 on November 06, 2015, 11:23:18 AM
Bet you'll find that they work fine with a fresh recharge.   

and as noted in some past threads, every so often it is advisable to put them through a 'refresh' or break-in cycle with a good charger, like the Maha C9000. amazing how that can bring batteries back to life (or let you know that their life is done.)

and (obviously) the power in your deck will be only as strong as the weakest battery.
Title: Re: Rechargeable Battery Life?
Post by: jamroom on November 07, 2015, 05:52:01 AM
Unfortunately, I have no idea how old the batteries are, as I bought the first batch probably 4 or 5 years ago, then last year bought another batch of batteries that are exactly the same.

In this case, carrying extra batteries wouldn't have helped, as the recorder was running for a little over an hour and at least 35 minutes into the show. I had already checked the levels a couple of times and wouldn't have bothered looking again, since the button lock was on.

Another lesson learned! Always put fresh batteries in just before the show.
Title: Re: Rechargeable Battery Life?
Post by: John Willett on November 07, 2015, 08:30:48 AM
Many recorders are taking a trickle from the battery when switched off.

It's always best to put in a fresh, rechareed, set just before the show.
Title: Re: Rechargeable Battery Life?
Post by: wppcproductions on November 15, 2015, 01:20:23 PM
Every season ."Every year" I  pick up a new set of Duracell rechargeable s .They are cheap enough for $16 bucks at BJ's .$24 bucks with the charger .Will worth the $16 bucks a season  for insurance for a fresh set. I dont want to take a chance on ruining a recording using 3 plus year old rechargeable batteries.I have some that are 5 years and older that still hold a charge.I use them daily  in my radios,remote controls  ,flash lights and other portable equip so they are never get wasted.I'm been Alkaline and Zinc carbon free for years here.

They run great in my R09HR and M10.

I got to check on those  Eneloops  myself.

My question is how old is the stock on the shelves where you buy these batteries.

Last Friday I picked up some 9V Energizer rechargeable s  for some of my old transistor radios and other gadgets that use them.The  dated was 2011 if I read the card right.