Topic: Rechargeable 9.6 volts in an Nbox (revisited)

[dactylus]

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

[gmm6797]

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?

[edtyre]

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.

[gmm6797]

They are 9v not 9.6 volt.

Crap, sorry for the false alarm

[Scooter123]

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. 

[gmm6797]

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

[Scooter123]

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.

[gmm6797]

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

[Scooter123]

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.....

[gmm6797]

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)

[perks]

^^^^ 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.

[perks]

The landfills will have to live with a few more 9vs from Scooter.....

are you supposed to do that? 

[edtyre]

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.

[gmm6797]

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 :/

[perks]

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.