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Gear / Technical Help => Remote Power => Topic started by: ts on June 01, 2022, 01:30:51 PM

Title: Rechargeable batteries
Post by: ts on June 01, 2022, 01:30:51 PM
Any reason why rechargeable AA's would all of a sudden stop working in a device that they used to work flawlessly in? Alkaline's still work. No menu on this device so no way to select battery type. It's a self powered monitor that also can run on AA's.
Title: Re: Rechargeable batteries
Post by: dyneq on June 01, 2022, 01:44:28 PM
Do you know the age of them? I have had some refuse to work after 8-10 years. My charger will give me some rudimentary health signs, but I did have a 9V that died suddenly (after a long period of storage).
Title: Re: Rechargeable batteries
Post by: ts on June 01, 2022, 02:19:03 PM
Only a couple years old. Panasonic Eneloop and I have many. Also tested every one of them. They all have a full charge and work fine in other devices.
Title: Re: Rechargeable batteries
Post by: dyneq on June 01, 2022, 02:43:58 PM
In that case, focus on the device. Are the device's battery contacts pushed down and/or weakened? I have brought back a few devices with intermittent power by gently bending the contacts outward toward the battery such that the battery can barely move once inserted.
Title: Re: Rechargeable batteries
Post by: ts on June 01, 2022, 03:10:51 PM
Everything is as new. Plus alkalines and lithiums work. Just/doesn't like rechargeables anymore.  The monitor takes 8 AA's.
Title: Re: Rechargeable batteries
Post by: Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B) on June 01, 2022, 04:57:01 PM
Could the rechargeables degraded to not put out enough power to keep the device happy? Measure the voltage on the suspect batteries.

Replacing with a "known good" set (aka new) might also be a good next step.

Title: Re: Rechargeable batteries
Post by: ts on June 01, 2022, 07:08:22 PM
Could the rechargeables degraded to not put out enough power to keep the device happy? Measure the voltage on the suspect batteries.

Replacing with a "known good" set (aka new) might also be a good next step.

That's what I thought. I tried 4 sets of rechargeables at 8 batts per set and none would fire this up. All batts are relatively new. On the flip side I can throw in random alkalines and it fires right up.
Title: Re: Rechargeable batteries
Post by: vanark on June 01, 2022, 09:37:45 PM
As far as I know, rechargeables are approx. 1.25V whereas alkalines are 1.5V (to start). Most devices are fine at 1.25V but apparently not your batteries are starting out a little less and your device does not like lesser voltage (is my guess.)
Title: Re: Rechargeable batteries
Post by: ts on June 02, 2022, 08:23:26 AM
As far as I know, rechargeables are approx. 1.25V whereas alkalines are 1.5V (to start). Most devices are fine at 1.25V but apparently not your batteries are starting out a little less and your device does not like lesser voltage (is my guess.)

Yea that's the only logical explanation. It liked them for awhile though and that makes no sense. I see that Lithium AA rechargeables put out 1.5 volts. 8 with charger costs about the same as 8 Eneloops.

I wonder if something failed internally that allows the monitor to operate on a lower voltage.  :shrug:
Title: Re: Rechargeable batteries
Post by: ts on June 04, 2022, 10:48:33 AM
Rather than mess around with buying more Eneloops (I have 20 already) I picked up some Tenovolt 1.5V rechargeable Lithiums. Problem solved! I guess my device frowns on less than 1.25 volts per battery and I probably have a few Eneloops that have dropped below that even when showing fully charged.