Topic: Great battery backup solution for MT2496

[uspino]

I found a life-saving unit for those times when the MT2496 is about to run out of battery and you don’t have a USB source available.

http://energizer.com/energitogo/index_flash.html

One of these new Energizer cell phone chargers comes with a miniUSB plug and provides 5,2V from two regular AA batteries. It’s extremely small and efficient, with circuitry to avoid power leakage and a blue led charging light.

I did some testing with regular, cheap Radio Shack alkaline batteries. With the battery in the MT2496 completely drained, a pair of fresh AAs gives you enough power to start recording immediately and keep it on for exactly 2 hours and 1 minute. It’s extremely useful because the inside battery also gets enough charge to allow swapping the AAs and keep the recording alive.

After the 2 hours, the charger stops providing power to the MT2496. At that point, I checked with a tester and the AAs are not actually empty but unable to provide 1,5V. The portable charger doesn’t work if the AAs power is under 1,45V. That probably makes it unusable with rechargeable batteries that usually provide 1,2 or 1,3V. On the other hand, Energizer recommends using its e2 Lithium batteries that are much more efficient than regular alkalines and they supposedly last 7 times longer. They are also 33% lighter and four times more expensive. I’ve done my homework. I haven’t tried with those but I suspect you can get seven or eight hours of recording time.

Energizer is coming out with a slightly bigger unit using four AAs instead of two, for PDAs and units like the MT2496, but the portability of the two AAs unit looks so much more useful to me.

[dactylus]

Nice find  +T

 

[willndmb]

cool
how much is it and which model number/brand is it?
i see they have a few different ones in the picture, prob for different cell phone brands

[uspino]

I got mine at Target for 19.99. It comes with two Lithium batteries (it's a good deal: they are $4 each)
You can find it cheaper if you look around.

The MiniUSB version is model No.: CEL2MUSB

Good luck.

[cmoorevt]

Here is a link with a description and a pic of the larger model (msrp $29.99).

http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=17258&hed=Energizer+to+Sell+Energi+To+Go

[guysonic]

I got mine at Target for 19.99. It comes with two Lithium batteries (it's a good deal: they are $4 each)
You can find it cheaper if you look around.

The MiniUSB version is model No.: CEL2MUSB

Good luck.

REGULAR alkaline cells start working at ~1.5 volts and have ~2.2 amps of capacity.  However, by the time 2.2 amps have been drained out of alkaline cells, the cell voltage has dropped (works like a ski slope) to ONLY 0.8 volts and this is the point the cell is technically DEAD.

Obviously, a battery manufacturer will sell MORE BATTERIES by making popular devices like flashlights that USE UP BATTERIES QUICKLY (like those 4 AA cell flashlights) so it is NO SURPRISE to find them marketing something that can ONLY USE L91 lithium batteries that sell at a premium price.  Personally, I know to avoid these products as they ARE NOT ECONOMICAL and only add to inflated profits, and trash the environment with more garbage while claiming to offer SUPER CONVENIENT products.

If you must be tempted to use this (*really bogus) device to keep up your player/recorder/phone batteries, suggest instead of L91 Lithium, use Sony or Panasonic OXY-alkaline instead as these new batteries cost slightly more than regular akaline, BUT KEEP UP THEIR VOLTAGE starting at higher than alkaline 1.7 volts.

*PERSPECTIVE:  While maybe not the ideal battery/charger for continuous recording purposes, the (L91) product's main purpose for which it's being marketed, is EMERGENCY POWER; 'ready to charge up a critically needed electronic device at a moments notice.' For this kind of use, it's a REALLY GOOD PRODUCT! 

L91's operate fully -20 below freezing to extreme heated ambient temperatures.  L91 batteries have AT LEAST 10 YEAR storage life at room temps, so even if stored for emergencies in (automobile) hot to freezing temperatures, they hold up (if stored new) in abusive coditions for many years ready to deliver full or nearly full capacity for that rare need.

So for occassional needs, it is NOT bogus to purchase and have ready.

[willndmb]

I got mine at Target for 19.99. It comes with two Lithium batteries (it's a good deal: they are $4 each)
You can find it cheaper if you look around.

The MiniUSB version is model No.: CEL2MUSB

Good luck.

thanks +t

[cmoorevt]

My local Price Chopper supermarket had them on sale for $13.98 when you use the Price Chopper discount card.  Might be worth a trip if you have one in your area.