Taperssection.com
Gear / Technical Help => Remote Power => Topic started by: edtyre on August 15, 2009, 05:22:38 PM
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Rechargeable 9 volts in an Nbox (revisited)
original thread
http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,90426.0.html
other related thread
http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,43058.0.html
tired of buying 9 volts? I am giving rechargeable ONE more shot.
I highly recommend Thomas Distributing.
MAHA POWEREX 9.6 VOLT 230MAH NIMH
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-powerex-96-volt-230mah-nimh-rechargeable-batterybr1-battery-pack-p-505.html?SP_id=&osCsid=a98rm8a91donrsllit8gi3gna7
MAHA MH-C490F 9 VOLT BATTERY CHARGER 110V AC AND 12V DC POWER
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-mhc490f-9-volt-battery-charger-110v-ac-and-12v-dc-power-free-storage-casebrincludes-free-storage-case-for-a-limited-timebronly-at-thomas-distributingbr4channel-smart-battery-chargerbrincludes-us-110v-adapter-and-12v-dc-power-cord-for-car-p-1464.html?SP_id=&osCsid=a98rm8a91donrsllit8gi3gna7
After charging and discharging five times, here are the times i got with these
3 hours 50 minutes then reversed the 4 batteries with no charging
3 hours 35 minutes then all 4 batt are dead
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7 hours 25 minutes on one set of 4
I repeated this 4 more times and got almost the same exact run times
When inspecting the waveforms, the sound is perfect until the very end, there are a few spikes
sometimes loud static for a few seconds, then nothing.
I'm pretty sure if i discharge and recharge the batteries properly this time, i won't have any failures/user errors.
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Thanks for the info Ed...The wife bought me 8 of these and a 10 battery charger for my birthday and I must say I am impressed with these bad boys..At full charge they have anywhere from 11.30 to 11.54 volts and seems to hold up well in the Nbox...Ran a 3 hours show the other night and tested them when I got home and they still had 10 volts on them..I give them a :coolguy:
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ive been using thomas distributing for a long time, def a great stop for batts and chargers
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interesting. a little hot for the CMRs unfortuantely. (they spec it at 10V max which just covers a full 9V alkaline)
Thanks for the info Ed...The wife bought me 8 of these and a 10 battery charger for my birthday and I must say I am impressed with these bad boys..At full charge they have anywhere from 11.30 to 11.54 volts and seems to hold up well in the Nbox...Ran a 3 hours show the other night and tested them when I got home and they still had 10 volts on them..I give them a :coolguy:
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So, roughly how many nbox's are there out there?
2 reviews (including Nick) makes me "warm and fuzzy" but still a little bit scared, only because I remember someone in the past mentioning that they lost songs at a show because the rechargeables died early
I attached the soundforge look of a show were my 9v batteries died early, more for reference than anything else... and I tried using 9v that were partially used (save money and environment), here are the battery pre and post show (I was not tracking which slots they were in at the time):
8.24 > 7.49
8.24 > 7.50
8.01 > 7.84
8.00 > 7.60
I have been tracking (as best as possible) every show and the pre/post reports; deck used; approx time run; where in the venue.... interesting results, I can post the spreadsheet if anyone is interested.
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so whats a realistic battery life (assuming swap) with fresh alkalines in an nbox+?
So, roughly how many nbox's are there out there?
2 reviews (including Nick) makes me "warm and fuzzy" but still a little bit scared, only because I remember someone in the past mentioning that they lost songs at a show because the rechargeables died early
I attached the soundforge look of a show were my 9v batteries died early, more for reference than anything else... and I tried using 9v that were partially used (save money and environment), here are the battery pre and post show (I was not tracking which slots they were in at the time):
8.24 > 7.49
8.24 > 7.50
8.01 > 7.84
8.00 > 7.60
I have been tracking (as best as possible) every show and the pre/post reports; deck used; approx time run; where in the venue.... interesting results, I can post the spreadsheet if anyone is interested.
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I have 31 performances/shows (some times I have changed batteries at set breaks, etc) and I cant find a pattern or a common denominator with my own data
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So, roughly how many nbox's are there out there?
2 reviews (including Nick) makes me "warm and fuzzy" but still a little bit scared, only because I remember someone in the past mentioning that they lost songs at a show because the rechargeables died early
I attached the soundforge look of a show were my 9v batteries died early, more for reference than anything else... and I tried using 9v that were partially used (save money and environment), here are the battery pre and post show (I was not tracking which slots they were in at the time):
8.24 > 7.49
8.24 > 7.50
8.01 > 7.84
8.00 > 7.60
I have been tracking (as best as possible) every show and the pre/post reports; deck used; approx time run; where in the venue.... interesting results, I can post the spreadsheet if anyone is interested.
Am I missing something or are you saying that you would rather use used batteries than give these new 9 volt rechargables a go ???
These batteries listed are much better than 9 volt rechargeables from earlier years..Make sure you buy the proper charger for them...It's critical!
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interesting. a little hot for the CMRs unfortuantely. (they spec it at 10V max which just covers a full 9V alkaline)
Thanks for the info Ed...The wife bought me 8 of these and a 10 battery charger for my birthday and I must say I am impressed with these bad boys..At full charge they have anywhere from 11.30 to 11.54 volts and seems to hold up well in the Nbox...Ran a 3 hours show the other night and tested them when I got home and they still had 10 volts on them..I give them a :coolguy:
I don't think it would damage them in any way.
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Am I missing something or are you saying that you would rather use used batteries than give these new 9 volt rechargables a go ???
These batteries listed are much better than 9 volt rechargeables from earlier years..Make sure you buy the proper charger for them...It's critical!
I am strictly trying to get some technical details and/or better information before I go out and buy batteries that a week ago everyone swore against (in the nBox thread)
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Am I missing something or are you saying that you would rather use used batteries than give these new 9 volt rechargables a go ???
These batteries listed are much better than 9 volt rechargeables from earlier years..Make sure you buy the proper charger for them...It's critical!
I am strictly trying to get some technical details and/or better information before I go out and buy batteries that a week ago everyone swore against (in the nBox thread)
Well so far I see no issues with using these rechargeables...I have also numbered the 8 I have and am keeping track of how they are used to determine how long they last before no longer holding a good charge.
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2 reviews (including Nick) makes me "warm and fuzzy" but still a little bit scared, only because I remember someone in the past mentioning that they lost songs at a show because the rechargeables died early
I attached the soundforge look of a show were my 9v batteries died early, more for reference than anything else... and I tried using 9v that were partially used (save money and environment), here are the battery pre and post show (I was not tracking which slots they were in at the time):
8.24 > 7.49
8.24 > 7.50
8.01 > 7.84
8.00 > 7.60
Am I missing something or are you saying that you would rather use used batteries than give these new 9 volt rechargables a go ???
These batteries listed are much better than 9 volt rechargeables from earlier years..Make sure you buy the proper charger for them...It's critical!
Note that we're talking about two entirely different beast here.
The (legacy) rechargeables marketed as 9V only had a nominal voltage of 8.4V.
Edtyre is reporting his results using true 9.6V rechargebles, which contain one extra internal NiMH cell compared to the legacy ones.
The OP might consider changing the subject for clarity...
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tagging thread. :)
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Yes, i changed the thread to read "9.6 volt rechargeables"
These newer ones are what i tested. I saw what Nick posted and decided to
give rechargeables another shot. All of us are tired of using batteries and throwing
out ones with half a charge. For my stealthy applications the run times are fine.
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i took the plunge and ordered today :)
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I don't think it would damage them in any way.
probably not but bernhard said dont go over 10V and i dont wanna be a guinea pig!
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What's the deal with these? Still positive experiences? Got a festival labor day and thinking about taking the plunge. How is Thomas with shipping rates/time?
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I've been happy with these rechargable 9v NiMH batteries:
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/NMH-9BC/2-9V-RECHARGEABLE-BATTERIES-AND-CHARGER/1.html
http://www.skycraftsurplus.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2015
They charge to a little over 10v, but after a day they settle down to 9.6v.
I use them in my Naiant littlekit pre-amp to provide phantom power. They are the least expensive true 9.6 v batteries plus charger I have found.
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They charge to a little over 10v, but after a day they settle down to 9.6v.
I use them in my Naiant littlekit pre-amp to provide phantom power. They are the least expensive true 9.6 v batteries plus charger I have found.
Nice find, but I'm still doubtful that these are "true" 9.6V batteries. There's nothing in the specs promising this. And the 160mAh is untypically low. Maha and the others are all 200-230mAh.
But if you're able to fire them up to 10V, they should be good enough for most devices... :-)
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I took the plunge and got the batteries and charger in 3 business days (to NY), ran 1 set for 2.25 hours and one set for 2.5 hours with no issues... 5th, I have a festival, so the real test then
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FWIW, I already had one of the terminals "stay" connected to the charger when carefully removing the battery from the charger to take to a show.... so I have to see about an RMA and another 2 pack so I can not be stuck like this weekend where I needed 8 for a mini-festival and only had 7 available.
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and, FWIW, they now havd a 300 mAh version:
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-9v-300-mah-nimh-rechargeable-battery-p-503.html?SP_id=&osCsid=v1rc9n9s2t6q3u17qo9imq9na5
figures 3 weeks after we start this discussion
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and, FWIW, they now havd a 300 mAh version:
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-9v-300-mah-nimh-rechargeable-battery-p-503.html?SP_id=&osCsid=v1rc9n9s2t6q3u17qo9imq9na5
figures 3 weeks after we start this discussion
Those are not 9.6 volts, they are 9 volts. They have been available for a while.
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Ed, you try these out in your Aerco yet?
not quite ready to take the plunge myself, I still have a 6 month supply of throw aways sitting around.
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Those are not 9.6 volts, they are 9 volts. They have been available for a while.
I am no science teacher, but are we better off with more voltage or more mAh in the nbox?
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Ed, you try these out in your Aerco yet?
not quite ready to take the plunge myself, I still have a 6 month supply of throw aways sitting around.
nope
but they will work fine, tired of throwing away batteries
Nicky and i have been using them ok so far in the Nbox's
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Those are not 9.6 volts, they are 9 volts. They have been available for a while.
I am no science teacher, but are we better off with more voltage or more mAh in the nbox?
This has been discussed before. Search for "nbox + Maha".
Basically, the 300mAh version labeled 9V are actually nominally 8.4V. FWIW, Chris Church says they don't provide enough voltage for his gear, so he recommends the genuine 9.6V.
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Any updates here? I am about to sell my V3 & go all Nbox, all the time. I'd love to get a rechargeable solution going.
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I've been using them for about 6 months with almost the same "program" as regular alkalines - 3 hrs on a freshly charged set, swap the pairs for another 3 hrs. Yet to have a failure running this way.
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Just checkin in to say i'm sold on these, like Craig T have been using these for over six months with no issues at all. This is the solution we Nbox users needed :-)
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That's great news. Finally!
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Just checkin in to say i'm sold on these, like Craig T have been using these for over six months with no issues at all. This is the solution we Nbox users needed :-)
ditto. i have eight that i've been rotating and only had one issue the first time i ran them at a festival. i was definitely pushing them and over estimated runtimes. when in doubt, flip em anyway.
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Fuckin' awesome.
I needed a low price gift for a X-mass swap. This will work nicely.
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Ill vote YES these work fine as well.
The one thing I have noticed, is that they dont always charge back up to the same levels and that they loose about 0.10v per day just sitting around (so dont assume they will be usable in a pinch for time)... they also dont wear down at the same rate from show to show (not sure if that is related to the difference in shows (location, SPL, etc)), but I will still continue to use mine until the recharged voltage is lower than 9 and I am currently seeing 11.15 on average off the charger (with most readings once the batteries have cooled to room temp)
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How about these?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330378729926&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
I think Li-Ion batteries are better than NiMH because it holds and charge longer and can use in cold outdoor conditions. Also lighter and easier to carry. Anyone thought about using Li-Ion rather than NiMH?
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No - they're not "true" 9v.
"Nominal Voltage 7.7V pack with a peak voltage of 8.4V "
How about these?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330378729926&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
I think Li-Ion batteries are better than NiMH because it holds and charge longer and can use in cold outdoor conditions. Also lighter and easier to carry. Anyone thought about using Li-Ion rather than NiMH?
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hi!
I just got these, and I'll be using them in the nbox soon... iIt says on the battery packaging that there is no memory in them, which I suppose should mean you do not need to fully discharge them after every use. Can someone advise as to whether this truly is right? If not, any advice on how to discharge them?
-colargol
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hi!
I just got these, and I'll be using them in the nbox soon... iIt says on the battery packaging that there is no memory in them, which I suppose should mean you do not need to fully discharge them after every use. Can someone advise as to whether this truly is right? If not, any advice on how to discharge them?
-colargol
I was just thinking the same thing. I have done 30 shows with these so far, and i have been
dropping them in the charger right after each show. One pair charges right up and the main pair
takes a while. I have mine numbered so i switch the pairs every show, so far this is working
perfect. What do you think?
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hi!
I just got these, and I'll be using them in the nbox soon... iIt says on the battery packaging that there is no memory in them, which I suppose should mean you do not need to fully discharge them after every use. Can someone advise as to whether this truly is right? If not, any advice on how to discharge them?
-colargol
I was just thinking the same thing. I have done 30 shows with these so far, and i have been
dropping them in the charger right after each show. One pair charges right up and the main pair
takes a while. I have mine numbered so i switch the pairs every show, so far this is working
perfect. What do you think?
Have you checked whether they give you the same amount of time in the nbox after a while?
I seem to remember reading that this memory thing is a thing of the past, that was mostly a problem with nicd batteries, but I've never checked it properly. The AAs I use in the R09hr I've always discharged before recharging, but it's probably not necessary...
-c
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So what is the general consensus on these? Still the way to go? What charger are people using? The 4 channel MAHA or the 10 channel that Nick got?
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I have been using the 8 batts in rotation on and off of my MH-C1090F 10 batt charger and have been pleased by the results..I also like the idea of having the spare batts on hand at shows, so instead of swapping pairs I just change out the one pair with freshy's.
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So what is the general consensus on these? Still the way to go? What charger are people using? The 4 channel MAHA or the 10 channel that Nick got?
I got the 4 channel Maha, and it seems to work fine. I 've just done two shows yet, but the nbox seems to work fine for approx 4 hours (without switching the batts)...
-c
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After staring at a pile of 52 9V batteries on my desk, I finally broke down and bought one of these. I find it absolutely hilarious that the 4 channel MH-C490F model is called STEALTH! Too bad about all the red lights. ;)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2744/4440871586_1999198052.jpg)
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Awesome post. I was just thinking about this today. I've got an N-box on order right now and was just looking at these exact rechargeables on newegg.com. It looks like I could get close to four hours on four of these running the nbox, which should be enough for the shows I go to(stealth--don't want to have to worry about another four batteries to swap out). I'll just have to make sure to turn the nbox off after each band when there is more than one band playing that I want to tape.
Would new batteries give an even longer running time for the n-box?
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Not sure what you mean by new batteries. A new set of Duracell Procell 9Vs lasts 3.5 hrs on the change every show side.
These 9.6Vs when freshly charged start at around 11.3V and last 4 hrs on the change every show side. After that they are around 10V, but I tried running them longer and after an hour they read 3V, so I would swap them after 3.5-4 hrs just like alkaline 9V.
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You answered my question perfectly, so a new set of Duracell lasts slightly less time then these rechargeables.
I'm still confused what you guys are talking about when you mention switching the sides of the batteries. It sounds like you are using the same four batteries, switching them somehow inside the nbox, and getting another 3 plus hours. Am I understanding that correctly? Since I don't have my nbox yet, I'm a bit baffled about those statements. I'm sure I'll figure it out when I get mine.
I better order a set of these. good times.
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I'd say they last the same as Duracells. The batteries inside are wired 2 to a side so that 2 batteries are labelled change every show and 2 are labelled change every OTHER show. There is more drain on the change every show side - 2 9V batteries last 4 hours, but may last less without warning. The other side will last at least 8 hours with new batteries. To be safe, most people swap the batteries around inside after 3.5 hours to get 7-7.5 hours out of them. I will say that no matter what the brand is, batteries fail and when they do, it sucks. I now carry a multimeter with me for every show and test each battery before I put them into the Nbox. I swapped batteries at setbreak during a phish show last summer and apparently had a bad battery because the nbox died around 2.5 hours even after I swapped them after a 90 minute set.
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If I can get three hours, that should be about the length I'd need. I did two shows last Friday night and the total recording time of both bands was less than two hours total. I just need to make sure I can turn the nbox on and off. That way I can turn the power on when needed. I'll probably throw the batteries in shortly before hitting the venue. Is the nbox held together with screws? If it is, then I need to add a screw driver to the back pack I cart around with me to shows.
Thanks for explaining to me about how the batteries are wired inside with the labeling. Since I've never seen the inside of an nbox, I didn't know the fine details. I'll just need to remember for longer shows, festivals, to do some switching between bands. Sounds like I will eventually need to order four more of these rechargeables.
Thanks guys! Oh, what sort of multimeter would you guys recommend?
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Is the nbox held together with screws?
Yes... But Permacel gaffer tape (P-665) is your friend. The stuff is amazing, and has a bunch of uses. It will hold the cover on the nbox very securely, and the same piece can be used countless times. I prefer that approach.
The 1" wide tape is fine, the 2" is overkill for most everything. I would avoid other brands - there can be huge differences in tape. Not saying there aren't better versions, but Permacel supplies a lot of the tape Boeing uses to build aircraft.
Permacel has been bought by shuretape and the brand has changed. I bought mine from these guys, about $7.50/roll. Shipping was $8. I bought some extras as gifts to friends/Dad.
http://www.goodbuyguys.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/22_86
In terms of battery testing, voltage alone is sometimes not a good measure. You should really put a known load (from a resistor) on the battery and measure the voltage drop. The problem is that some batteries tend to recover voltage when stored.
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Interesting. I've never thought of using tape before. That seems like a neat approach for the situations that I would be in.
Thanks. Now I can't wait to test out the nbox.
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rubber bands you get from produce like broccoli work well too ;)
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I'm still happy with my Duracell Ultra's. not that I have an N-box anymore.....but my Aerco likes em.... 99.9% of the time, I KNOW the batteries I put in my pre will last the whole show, I know at least one person on this board had problems with these 9.6v rechargeables at a Pearl Jam show in October with their Nbox...better safe than sorry I'd say, don't use rechargeables. If you'd rather save the earth than record a full show, that's understandable though.
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I'm still happy with my Duracell Ultra's. not that I have an N-box anymore.....but my Aerco likes em.... 99.9% of the time, I KNOW the batteries I put in my pre will last the whole show, I know at least one person on this board had problems with these 9.6v rechargeables at a Pearl Jam show in October with their Nbox...better safe than sorry I'd say, don't use rechargeables. If you'd rather save the earth than record a full show, that's understandable though.
any idea who had the problem and what the circumstances were? batteries fail and nothing is 100% reliable. The Duracell Procells are supposed to be the most reliable batteries they make since they are what we use in hospital equipment and my understanding is that they have to undergo additional reliability testing. And those were what failed on me. I still wish there was a way to use external power with an nbox.
If there was a way to test each battery under load while at a concert I'd love to try it, but until then my multimeter is the best option I have.
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Ohhh...I like the idea of rubber bands from broccoli. I'll have to save those next time we buy a few heads of broccoli.
I'm not really using the rechargeables to be green, but to be more cost economical. I wonder if Costco sells the Duracell Procells? Just more for me to think about before I get the Nbox.
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Ohhh...I like the idea of rubber bands from broccoli. I'll have to save those next time we buy a few heads of broccoli.
I'm not really using the rechargeables to be green, but to be more cost economical. I wonder if Costco sells the Duracell Procells? Just more for me to think about before I get the Nbox.
I don't think Costco sells the Procells. 9V batteries are expensive around $2-3 each even in bulk. These are much cheaper and seem to be at least as good as any 9V alkaline.
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9V batteries are expensive around $2-3 each even in bulk.
Duracells are about $1.75 at costco.
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I'm still happy with my Duracell Ultra's. not that I have an N-box anymore.....but my Aerco likes em.... 99.9% of the time, I KNOW the batteries I put in my pre will last the whole show, I know at least one person on this board had problems with these 9.6v rechargeables at a Pearl Jam show in October with their Nbox...better safe than sorry I'd say, don't use rechargeables. If you'd rather save the earth than record a full show, that's understandable though.
any idea who had the problem and what the circumstances were? batteries fail and nothing is 100% reliable. The Duracell Procells are supposed to be the most reliable batteries they make since they are what we use in hospital equipment and my understanding is that they have to undergo additional reliability testing. And those were what failed on me. I still wish there was a way to use external power with an nbox.
If there was a way to test each battery under load while at a concert I'd love to try it, but until then my multimeter is the best option I have.
It wasn't a battery failure, more like user error. The 9.6 rc's last 3.7 hours and the taper tryed to go 4 hours without a swap.
Lets get the facts right.
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I'm still happy with my Duracell Ultra's. not that I have an N-box anymore.....but my Aerco likes em.... 99.9% of the time, I KNOW the batteries I put in my pre will last the whole show, I know at least one person on this board had problems with these 9.6v rechargeables at a Pearl Jam show in October with their Nbox...better safe than sorry I'd say, don't use rechargeables. If you'd rather save the earth than record a full show, that's understandable though.
any idea who had the problem and what the circumstances were? batteries fail and nothing is 100% reliable. The Duracell Procells are supposed to be the most reliable batteries they make since they are what we use in hospital equipment and my understanding is that they have to undergo additional reliability testing. And those were what failed on me. I still wish there was a way to use external power with an nbox.
If there was a way to test each battery under load while at a concert I'd love to try it, but until then my multimeter is the best option I have.
It wasn't a battery failure, more like user error. The 9.6 rc's last 3.7 hours and the taper tryed to go 4 hours without a swap.
Lets get the facts right.
Your all about the facts Ed ;)
That was me and the issue I had was because I did not take them right off the charger..they were on a shelf few days after a charge..my recommendation is to top them off before shows moving forward.
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I just took the plunge on the rechargeables. Wish I would have jumped in when this thread started. I must of spent the equivelant of 4-5 chargers/batts by not being an early adopter.
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I've been trying to use rechargeables for a couple months now, but figured the cheapie charger and batteries at Fry's would work. They did for a short period of time, but with a cheap charger, I think it cooks the battery and wrecks it. I did a show last night starting out at 9.5v and within an hour the rig was dead. I got home and through the batteries on the tester--yep 7.7v. Thankfully, this was the 2nd night and I pulled a decent tape the night before.
So I took the plunge. Amazon has the same charger and batteries but at double the cost. Usually Amazon is awfully close to the lowest price and I was shocked that I saved $30 at Thomas Dist.
I big thanks to Ed.
Can someone recommend a good smart charger for AA's for the Edirol?
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Can someone recommend a good smart charger for AA's for the Edirol?
^
MAHA MH-C801D AA - AAA BATTERY CHARGER
DELUXE 8 CELL PROFESSIONAL BATTERY CHARGER W/ FULL LCD DISPLAY
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-mhc801d-aa-aaa-battery-chargerbrdeluxe-8-cell-professional-battery-charger-w-full-lcd-displaybrbrfree-accessory-bag-2-free-eight-cell-battery-holdersbrspecial-price-6897-p-437.html?SP_id=&osCsid=c5u4raer5dscg60lksb51re4r0
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FWIW, Thomas Dist now offers 300 mah 9.6v batteries for just $2 more
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-9v-300-mah-nimh-rechargeable-battery-p-503.html?SP_id=&osCsid=a98rm8a91donrsllit8gi3gna7
anyone tried any yet?
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FWIW, Thomas Dist now offers 300 mah 9.6v batteries for just $2 more
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-9v-300-mah-nimh-rechargeable-battery-p-503.html?SP_id=&osCsid=a98rm8a91donrsllit8gi3gna7
anyone tried any yet?
They are 9v not 9.6 volt.
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They are 9v not 9.6 volt.
Crap, sorry for the false alarm
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What is the life span of the rechargeables, measured in how many discharges and re-charges each battery will take? 10? 20?
I know these rascals have a life, and unlike power tools where voltage is not an issue, once my 9.6v's get below about 8.9v, my recording is toast.
Anyone have any experience?
This is not intended to dissuade or be judgmental to rechargeables, because even at about $9 a piece, if I get only 10 charges out of them, I'm money ahead.
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Their Specs:
Description
9.6 Volt NiMH 230mAh Rechargeable Battery
- New Improved Actual capacity averages 230 mAh
These 9 Volt rechargeable batteries are true 9.6V rechargeable batteries.
Most commercially available 9V rechargeable batteries are only 8.4V and don't work well in paintball hoppers and many other applications.
Features include:
* Actual Voltage is the same or slightly higher than standard 9V Alkaline Batteries
* Rated at 9.6 Volt @ 230 mAh capacity -it is the same general size as a standard 9V Battery
* Will actually perform about the same as a standard 265 mAh 9 volt rechargeable battery due to the higher voltage.
* More capacity and 1.4 Volts more voltage than other 9V NiMH Rechargeable Batteries available.
* This 9.6 V rechargeable battery will operate equipment that other 9 Volt rechargeable batteries will not.
* Great for wireless microphones, Paintball Loaders, etc...
* Fast charge capable and charges extremely well with the MH-C1090F POWEREX 9 Volt Battery Charger
* or the Maha PowerEx MH-C490F 4 Cell 9V Charger
* Can be used as a exact replacement for standard 9 Volt batteries in most all equipment
* Can be recharged hundreds of times, and has no memory effect.
* Read below what customers are saying about the MAHA 9.6V NiMH Rechargeable Battery
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Hundreds? Well call me Thomas the Doubter, but I doubt that. Every rechargeable I've ever had has a life span. 100x is all I get out of most tool batteries, like a driver drill. And it is not troubled by a small low voltage, like the NBox would.
That being said, I bought a fairly large supply of them and will rotate stock, so I am not recharging the same battery over and over again.
I have friend who states she only got about 50 recharges from this brand. I'd be thrilled with 50 times, so long as I get some warning they are going.
Here's a nice product to keep the 9v's from shorting out--a nice battery case. Its $1.50.
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OK, what are people doing to keep their batteries (rechargeable 9v) fresh and full?
I have noticed that when I charge up my backup set (I always bring 8 just in case, and I always rotate the main 4) and then dont use them... when I charge them back up, my voltage reading is much lower 1-1.5 than the 4 that were used for my previous show.
Also, anyone see any problems with leaving a set in the nBox until they are dead so that the 9v will get a fresh full charge?
All of my AA chargers have the built in capacity to "refresh" my AAs if I so choose that route... the 9v charger sure has a long way to go
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I had my first rechargeable failure last night. Full set of fully charged rechargeable 9v's. The "change every show" set were down to 7v after a lousy hour. The last set was lost. I do stealth, so switching out batteries every hour does not work for me. At $150 for the ticket, I'm termporarily trashing the rechargeables and going back to store bought. I really can not afford a lost show to save $5 and the environment.
I don't check voltage on the rascals before I install them on the NBox, and perhaps should have but the charger gave me a green light.
The landfills will have to live with a few more 9vs from Scooter.....
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From experience, the green light is not always a good indicator. I do check pre and post show, and the numbers are not always consistent or even close enough to get an average.
The one thing I have learned, is that more used the 9v is before being charged, the better charge it is given... so IE: if I charge 8 batteries, then use 4; recharge all 8 batteries for the next show (days or even weeks later) the 4 unused from the last show will have a lower V reading than those that were used for the previous show
IMHO they need a better charger like the AA/AAA ones that do a slow trickle charge or a drain/re-charge
Not to mention I have had 7 of my original 10 fail due to (6 melting and 1 having a contact fall off) :(
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^^^^ 6 melted? while they were in the nbox?
I don't want to jinx my batts so I'll just say that I've had the opposite experience with mine after recording 65+ sets.
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The landfills will have to live with a few more 9vs from Scooter.....
are you supposed to do that? ???
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I have recorded way more than 65 sets with no problems at all.
I have 8 and try to rotate them.
I guess you can always have a defective one.
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I am up to 42 with only 1 in show problem, which I still cant explain and they have been replaced for just the cost of return shipping.... 42 is way low because of being unemployed :/
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Ed, That's good to hear. I wasn't an early adopter but now I'm optimistic that I will net somewhere in the $750-$1000 range in savings by investing in the rechargeables.
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IMHO, they are a worth while investment, even with alkalines, you always have a chance of failure, even with a voltage test pre-show
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I've had 1 of my 10 batts go bad after about a year. Cost me part of a set which certainly sucked. I agree no power solution is failure-proof, so I'm still using the rechargeables.
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Ping...pegging the thread
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A second failure tonight with the Maha Regargeables.
Charger read Green. Cool.
Tested each battery. Every one was 10v+. Cool.
20 min into the show, NBox went dead. After the show, I tested all four and there was one which was 2v.
I have to say, in the couple hundred shows I've done, I've never, ever, had a real battery failure, and of the 20 shows I've done with rechargeables, I've had two failures.
At $75-150 per ticket, I can ill afford to save the $5 on rechargeables.
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I have a 4 battery charger... and when the charger reads green lights on all batteries, I rotate batteries clockwise. The lights usually turn red for a while, then green again. Then if I have time, I rotate clockwise again... and so on. This seems to help bring all four batteries to approximately the same voltage when fully charged.
I started to do this after I had a battery failure. On that occasion, all batteries read green lights.... then battery failure 20minutes into show. After show I checked voltage, and one battery was down to 3volts. The other three batteries read 10+volts.
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Not to mention I have had 7 of my original 10 fail due to (6 melting and 1 having a contact fall off) :(
Why in the name of thomas edison would you be experiencing battery melt down? Defective batteries? What brand of batteries melted down?
There has got to be a better system for powering an Nbox than what is currently available. Lots of bright folks here at TS, I'm kinda shocked that an effective alternate powering scheme hasn't been developed.
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Is everyone who has experienced a rechargeable failure using this charger?
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-mhc490f-9-volt-battery-charger-110v-ac-and-12v-dc-power-free-storage-casebrincludes-free-storage-case-for-a-limited-timebronly-at-thomas-distributingbr4channel-smart-battery-chargerbrincludes-us-110v-adapter-and-12v-dc-power-cord-for-car-p-1464.html?SP_id=&osCsid=a98rm8a91donrsllit8gi3gna7
Trying to find out if we are all doing the same thing pre show.
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Is everyone who has experienced a rechargeable failure using this charger?
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-mhc490f-9-volt-battery-charger-110v-ac-and-12v-dc-power-free-storage-casebrincludes-free-storage-case-for-a-limited-timebronly-at-thomas-distributingbr4channel-smart-battery-chargerbrincludes-us-110v-adapter-and-12v-dc-power-cord-for-car-p-1464.html?SP_id=&osCsid=a98rm8a91donrsllit8gi3gna7
Trying to find out if we are all doing the same thing pre show.
Thats the charger i use. I haven't had a failure with any of the 9.6V batteries. I did have one failure with the 9V version
i used before these. Battery got real hot and swollen and wouldn't hold a charge.
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^^^That's the charger I use with the True 9.6v Maha's. I have eight batteries and two chargers.... and four "melted" batteries that I got second hand. I've been using the melted/warped batteries with Church Audio gear, and they seem to work just fine.... they charge and hold charge as normal..... but look all warped.
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^^^That's the charger I use with the True 9.6v Maha's. I have eight batteries and two chargers.... and four "melted" batteries that I got second hand. I've been using the melted/warped batteries with Church Audio gear, and they seem to work just fine.... they charge and hold charge as normal..... but look all warped.
^
I'd chuck the "melted" batteries. What ever happened to cause that melting could not be good for the batteries and for whatever device they "melted" in. As always, just my opinion.
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Look, it's almost winter. Save the melted batteries for crotching when waiting out in the cold to get in. Let us know how that works :P
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^^^I usually wear a kevlar jock strap..... so it's all good........ but then again, a little burn ain't too bad. :-X
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Yep that's the charger, and am using true 9.6, or so it says on the battery.
By the way, that same battery that was 2v, after 20 minutes, was 10v before the show, and I charged it the next day, and sure enough a solid green light and 10v+ on the meter. How can I tell if will fail again? Can't.
The other issue I'm experiencing is volume fluctuation, like a cavatating, with the rechargeables. For about a second, the volume drops by 50%, then resumes, then in another 5 minutes, another drop out. This is not a cord issue, as I've recorded a couple hours of pre-recorded music using my same cords, and the issue does not occur with regular batteries.
What is maddening, is I really have to assume that when the light is green, the battery is 10v+; and I have to further assume that after I test it, and it is indeed 10v+, that it will hold that voltage for an 90 min or so. I don't know why in three months, I've been so hexed with this damn things, but I do mainly stealth, and I can not sit there and watch the Edirol. I really have to, in the word of Ron Popeil, set and forget it.
I'm ditching the Maha charger and rechargeables. I figure a land fill is a good place for these green carbon footprint saving rascals.
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Yes - that's the charger I use.
Is everyone who has experienced a rechargeable failure using this charger?
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-mhc490f-9-volt-battery-charger-110v-ac-and-12v-dc-power-free-storage-casebrincludes-free-storage-case-for-a-limited-timebronly-at-thomas-distributingbr4channel-smart-battery-chargerbrincludes-us-110v-adapter-and-12v-dc-power-cord-for-car-p-1464.html?SP_id=&osCsid=a98rm8a91donrsllit8gi3gna7
Trying to find out if we are all doing the same thing pre show.
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It is possible to build a real cycling battery tester that connects to your PC, and monitors voltage under load as the battery drains. That would probably show some of the issues that develop with use and age.
It is important to remember that internally, a 9v battery is 6 individual batteries in series. That's why 9 volt rechargeables are less common. Combining two of them to make 18v in the nbox means connecting 12 cells in series. That is an unusual configuration. Any issue with an individual cell in the chain can muck things up.
Another gotcha with 9volts is that you aren't able to charge the internal cells individually, as with AA's. So the potential for a smart charger to keep everything perfect is much more limited.
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A-Ha! Thats why some of my 9vs are 11v+ out of the charger, and one might be in the low 10's. A bad cell of the 6 cells in the 9v. I figured anything over 10v, was cool, but what I was seeing was most in a tight grouping (11v+) and one (obviously the dud) lower than the rest (10v), but still way over 9.6v. These things are very finnicky indeed.
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Sorry I am late to the conversation, but I use this charger:
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/maha-mhc1090f-9v-battery-charger-multichannel-smart-9-volt-battery-charger-p-538.html?SP_id=43&osCsid=a98rm8a91donrsllit8gi3gna7
none have melted in the charger, all in the field
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^^^So are you saying that your batteries melted inside your NBox?? While you were recording??
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^^^So are you saying that your batteries melted inside your NBox?? While you were recording??
Yes, I had 2 melt at a Matt Nathanson show... for no apparent reason... it was solo acoustic and they were fully charged the night before
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Yes, I had 2 melt at a Matt Nathanson show... for no apparent reason...
I, for one, am disappointed. That could have been so much funnier if you'd said it was Britney Spears, etc. Then we could have speculated that it was battery suicide.
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I, for one, am disappointed. That could have been so much funnier if you'd said it was Britney Spears, etc. Then we could have speculated that it was battery suicide.
I am 99% sure I was still using the VMS02ib for that show... I cover way too many different types of music... though, this one was thanks to the EX. The 2 songs she did on mike SUCKED, the rest of the performance was great to record a DAT via a PA
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Did anyone ever use a RC battery like this one?
If I could use it, I would feel a lot more comfortable not worrying about battery life during the show….especially in stealth taping situation.
Koichi
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Did anyone ever use a RC battery like this one?
If I could use it, I would feel a lot more comfortable not worrying about battery life during the show….especially in stealth taping situation.
Can you fit that in the nbox battery space? May be its the pix, but it looks big to me (but I like the idea)
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Did anyone ever use a RC battery like this one?
If I could use it, I would feel a lot more comfortable not worrying about battery life during the show….especially in stealth taping situation.
Can you fit that in the nbox battery space? May be its the pix, but it looks big to me (but I like the idea)
Hi
There is no way to fit that battery in the nbox battery space. But what I am thinking about is to replace the lid with one of a plastic container and let the lead wire out of the box to the battery which is to be bundled up with rubber bands.
Koichi
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Dude, you need to *read the thread* and understand the problem before you blow your balls off ;)
If it was as easy as slapping any old 9 volt pack on there, people would have done it long ago.. and they would have done it with the lithium batteries most of us already have.
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Has anyone ordered the 9.6v Powerex recently?
I just got a new set of 4 and they still say Powerex in tiny lettering but seem to be rebranded as Imedion. They are black now too. Is anyone using the newer ones?
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is this a good or bad thing?
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That's what I am trying to figure out. I was hoping someone would chime in and say "I am using the new ones and had no issues" before I crack open the packaging.
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NIMH Rechargeable - Low Discharge
Maha Imedion 8.4V 250 mAh Low Discharge Battery
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/Maha-Imedion-84V-250-mAh-Low-Discharge-Battery_p_2457.html
vs
NIMH Rechargeable
MAHA 9V 300 mAh NiMH Rechargeable Battery
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/-MAHA-9V-300-mAh-NiMH-Rechargeable-Battery_p_230.html
tech specs and the technologies are different... and could negatively impact our hobby.
how do these check out as far as pre used voltage and then after voltage?
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Actually these are the ones I just got:
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/Maha-Imedion-96V-230-mAh-Low-Discharge-Battery_p_2455.html
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Actually these are the ones I just got:
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/Maha-Imedion-96V-230-mAh-Low-Discharge-Battery_p_2455.html
Though these have the higher voltage, I believe the discussions earlier implied that the 230 mah wont cut it for the 4 hours that most of us expect to see the nBox run for
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^ I was getting 3.5 hours consistently out of the older 230mah version (the white powerex ones).
I did not get 1000 recharge cycles out of them before they became unreliable.
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Actually these are the ones I just got:
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/Maha-Imedion-96V-230-mAh-Low-Discharge-Battery_p_2455.html
Though these have the higher voltage, I believe the discussions earlier implied that the 230 mah wont cut it for the 4 hours that most of us expect to see the nBox run for
No the 9.6 volt 230 mah batteries are the ones i use and Nicky C uses in our Nboxes, we went from 9 volt 300 mah ones to the 9.6 volt 230 mah ones for 3.5 hours
of runtime then a swap for another 3.5. I still have a rotation of 8 batteries i am using for some time now with no problems.
The ones perks just got seem to be the newer version that Thomas is selling right now.
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They look the same to me too perks.
Maybe the new black ones won't melt.
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i did have many of the others melt, but they always replaced them for me
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not to re-open an older thread, but I had a battery "loose" connection on Saturday and I want to buy 8 new 9v, I am curious if anyone has a place to get these batteries on a deal better than Thomas Dist for 10.97 each plus shipping (or order over 100 for free shipping)
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i have looked around recently and have not seen them for less anywhere
amazon fluctuates, but they have been steady at about ~12$ recently
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thanks
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http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/883815-REG/Powerex_MHR9VI_IMEDION_Ready_When.html
Same price, free shipping over 49.00
I get stuff the next day from B&H so they are my place for these
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Thanks for the better deal, but I am in NY and would have to pay NYC sales tax of 8.75% and that sucks for me