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Zoom F3 abd batteries

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liutista:
Since there are little and confused information about battery duration using the Zoom F3 recorder, I did some tests with different AA bateries to understand how long I can record with the F3 using the batteries.

I used 3 different and quite common Ni-MH AA batteries:
- Eneloop (1900 mAh)
- Amazon basics (2400 mAh)
- Ikea Ladda (2450 mAh)

and a pair of Lithium AA batteries:
- Delyeepow (3400 mWh)

I connected two Schoeps CMC 6 + MK 21, phantom at 48V, and recorded at 32 bit / 96 kHz, without bluethoot.
For a correct measurament, it is always very important to set the type of the battery used (Lithium, Ni-MH, or Alkaline).
Pay attention because this option doesn't appear in the menu if the recorded is connected with a usb charger.
Of course the usb charger (or the usb powerbank) has priority over the batteries.

Some considerations, before the results:

1) recording at a higher o at a lower bitrate doesn't change the duration of the battery;
2) connecting the bluethoot, the global duration is around the 15 % shorter;
3) with phantom at 24 V the duration of the battery is almost the double. Please note that the phantom can't be different on the two channels!

Here are the results:

- Eneloop: 2.58 hours (5.29 with 24 Volts)
- Amazon: 2.50 hours (2.48 at 192 kHz)
- Ikea Ladda: 3.58 hours (3.25 with bluethoot on)
- Delyeepow lithium: 2.53 hours


The lithium batteries are new, so they can improve a little their efficiency after some charging and discharging cycles.
What I like in these batteries is that they don't need a carger because they have an usb port on their bodies.
The quite cheap Ikea Ladda batteries (less than 2 euro each battery) are amazing. Note that Ikea sells both 2450 mAh (that I used) and cheaper 1900 mAh.


 

adrianf74:
Thanks for taking the time to do this. Recently purchased POWEREX Pro 2700mAh batteries that charge to 2550mAh (one charged to 2590 while there others were all around 2550 as advertised). For the "extra money," I don't see the value.  I did the proper break-in on Cycle 1 with charging on Cycle 2 using a MAHA C9000.

Do you know what the capacity showed when charged on your end?

breakonthru:
How new are these batteries? Have they been reconditioned or did you measure their capacity? The green and black Amazon basics run about the same as the ladder as for me 25 to 2600 when in good condition. It would be really unusual to get a whole extra hour out of either of those. Also the lithium should be running much longer than the NiMH. I’ve never heard of that brand but energizer lithium will get me well past five hours on the F3. I hate disposables, but the F3 just isn’t a good match for the rechargeables unless you want to replace them every set.

Also 24 V should not be used with Schoeps microphones while it may power them. It is technically out of spec for their 12 V and 48 V acceptable ranges.

aaronji:
Those are rechargeable lithium batteries, not primary cell lithiums...

commongrounder:
Something I find annoying is the manufacturers of the rechargeable lithium-ion AA batteries have chosen to use a different measurement of capacity, milli-WATT-hour instead of milli-AMP-hour used in other types. This has the effect, on quick glance, of making them appear to have higher capacity, when in reality it translates to lower milli-amp-hours (at least for now, until power density catches up). The rechargeable lithium AAs are forced to devote a chunk of internal space to the protection/charging/dc-dc converter circuitry. At this point I don’t find any compelling reason to use them in my recorders.

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