Anybody got a clue on alkalines?

[wrath]

I just bought a thd72a with dual batteries and the emergency alkaline pack it uses "AAA", Can anyone give me an idea on what to feed this, are regular Duracell process ok or do I want to go lithium , I plan on stocking up 100 "AA" and 100 "AAA" You just never know when they will be pushed into service, or when they will sit for months at a time.

THX


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[exkalibur]

You should be good with regular Duracell/Energizer. Don't need anything special.

You could also get some "low self discharge" rechargables. The Enerloop ones are really good. After a year they retain around 75% of their original charge. Pretty good emergency standby batteries, just make sure to charge them up maybe every 3 or 4 months.

 

[wrath]

You should be good with regular Duracell/Energizer. Don't need anything special.

You could also get some "low self discharge" rechargables. The Enerloop ones are really good. After a year they retain around 75% of their original charge. Pretty good emergency standby batteries, just make sure to charge them up maybe every 3 or 4 months.

Oh I am a "lumenaut" as another of my hobbies and have all sorts of rechargeable batts everything from 26650 orbtronic on down , just looking for a no Brainerd long lasting storage with Max output when needed for service, and "AAA" has always been a neglected battery in inventory , like two remotes use s set every two or so years , so if I'm gonna have "in-stock ones I want to have the best mission ready "AAA" I can lay my paws on, being my rig is good for about 14 hours from primaries depending on GPS/APRS usage I would like monster backups, just in case.

My other rigs all use "AA" batteries for backup that's why "AAA" leaves me with questions ?
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[SCPD]

Rayovac batteries are just as good as Duracell and Energizer batteries. If possible stack up on a bunch of the regular AAA's, and also get some of the better ones they make as well. The Rayovac Fusion batteries. All can be bought at Walmart. I've ised these batteries for years in everything from led flashlights that will drain some batteries, to transmitters for my RC gear. Yes lithium batteries are great. But for the cost, they aren't worth it. That is JMHO. I have done side by side tests with the energizer, Duracell, and Rayovac batteries and couldn't tell any difference between the 3. Also Radio Shack's brand of batteries are made for them by either Duracell or energizer, I can't remember of the top of my head. But they have some good sales from time to time and you can really stack up on batteries for not a lot of money. Just some food for thought. But for me, the Rayovac batteries have been great and do the job. Hope this helps and have a great day.

 

[n0nhp]

My personal stock of alkaline batteries is the Harbor Freight alkalines, They go on sale every few months and at a pretty good price with the coupon, I'll buy one brick during the sale, Date it with a sharpie and put it in the go kit. If a brick gets more than three years old, it goes to a friend with kids and buy a new one. In a 36 pack I usually will have three bricks in my stash purchased a year apart. I will occasionally run into a poor performing battery but 99% will last as long as the name brands. At the price, I can afford to dump a third of my batteries and keep relatively fresh ones rotating through.
YMMV
Bruce

 

[bharvey2]

If you have a Costco nearby, they have a decent selection of house branded AA and AAA alkaline batteries. I think the AA come in quantities of 48. I've used them for years in both radios and photography devices and have been pretty satisfied with them.

 

[902]

I've found Harbor Freight batteries to be depleted sooner than Duracell, Energizer, or Rayovac (that could be my imagination or personal bias - watch one of those probably OEMs the batteries for Harbor Freight...). Over the weekend, I put some into my 436HP and they went dead sooner than the usual NiMH batteries would.

One trick someone showed me was storing your non-rechargeable batteries in the refrigerator. The cold slows down self-discharge. Seems to work.

Expect about 860 - 1200 mAh out of a AAA alkaline battery.

 

[SCPD]

I have done the same thing for years... and have found batteries seem to last longer when they are stored in a refrigerator- though I often have to endure comments when friends dig into my 'Frig for something and come upon them....." and just how do you cook These??"....

 

[bharvey2]

I have done the same thing for years... and have found batteries seem to last longer when they are stored in a refrigerator- though I often have to endure comments when friends dig into my 'Frig for something and come upon them....." and just how do you cook These??"....

Yep, nothing like sitting in your refrigerator on a hot summer day listening to your scanning and enjoying a cold beverage. If only I could get the light to stay on so I could see my scanner display better.......

 

[KE0GXN]

Rechargeable Eneloops can not be beat. Well worth the money.

Some other rechargeables worth getting are Duracells and Powerex.

But, I understand the wanting to stock up on alkaline battery logic too....

 

[jwt873]

I've got a TH-D72 with the BT-15 battery case..

In the manual, they tell you to use alkalines in the case and not rechargeables. There's also a menu setting (112) where you indicate whether you're using a regular lithium cell or the battery case filled with alkalines. This setting is to ensure the battery level meter reads correctly. The radio doesn't auto-detect what's plugged in.

But, for what it's worth, I didn't want to be using alkalines and then throwing them away when they went flat. I have used AAA Nickle Metal Hydride rechargeable batteries with no problems. I use Duracells which are similar to the Eneloops.. (Actually some refer to them as Duraloops).

 

[wb6uqa]

Radio Shack batteries on sale are great.

 

[kf5bti]

+1 for Eneloop rechargeable batteries. I have used these for several years in all my electronic devices and they hold a better shelf life than any other rechargeable that I have tried. You can get a starter pack that includes a charger on Amazon at a great price.

 

[KE0GXN]

I've got a TH-D72 with the BT-15 battery case..

In the manual, they tell you to use alkalines in the case and not rechargeables. There's also a menu setting (112) where you indicate whether you're using a regular lithium cell or the battery case filled with alkalines. This setting is to ensure the battery level meter reads correctly. The radio doesn't auto-detect what's plugged in.

But, for what it's worth, I didn't want to be using alkalines and then throwing them away when they went flat. I have used AAA Nickle Metal Hydride rechargeable batteries with no problems. I use Duracells which are similar to the Eneloops.. (Actually some refer to them as Duraloops).

Many HT radio manufacturers say that, because if they didn't "some" folks would actually attempt to recharge rechargeable batteries in the "alkaline" battery case in the desk top radio charger, which is a no no.

As long as you don't do that and instead recharge them separately in a quality external battery charger, you will be fine.

And yes "Duraloops" are very good.

 

[N0GTG]

It seems like the 'do-it-yourself' alkaline battery cases I've seen don't have terminals that would connect to a drop-in charger, probably so you don't recharge alkalines, and also so you'll be likely to buy the manufacturer's battery packs.

Another issue is rechargeable batteries are about 1.2 volts, and alkalines are about 1.5, so most alkaline cases have a lower voltage output than the OEM packs. Many HT's are spec'd at less transmit power output with alkalines, for that reason. Check the specs on your radio; that may be the case.

Several years ago, Consumer Reports did a test on alkalines, and concluded the best ones to buy are the ones with the best price; they found the ones they tested were pretty similar.

The Forest Services uses what they call 'clamshell' battery packs with alkalines almost exclusively. If you're in the field, it's easier to drop in a new set of AA's every day instead of relying on recharging.

 

[gewecke]

Just a note, Many of your Alkaline formula batteries are electrically all the same since a large majority are manufactured by the SAME company even though prices vary widely. Radio Shack, Home Depot, CVS, Walgreens, Werker brand, Rayovac, Fusion, Menards, Walmart and others are All manufactured by Spectrum Brands Inc, in Madison,Wi. But Energizer and Duracell are Not. :wink: 73, n9zas

 

[exkalibur]

Radio Shack (at least here in Canada) were made by Energizer. When I worked there, from time to time we'd get battery packs that have one Energizer branded battery inside by mistake.

Battery Showdown — The Best AA Battery You Can Buy? — Low Drain Test

Pretty good (very good) comparisson of many brands.

tl;dr - the Costco Kirkland Signature is pretty much the best bang for the buck, that is easily found.

 

[gewecke]

Radio Shack (at least here in Canada) were made by Energizer. When I worked there, from time to time we'd get battery packs that have one Energizer branded battery inside by mistake.

Battery Showdown — The Best AA Battery You Can Buy? — Low Drain Test

Pretty good (very good) comparisson of many brands.

tl;dr - the Costco Kirkland Signature is pretty much the best bang for the buck, that is easily found.

Interesting, because Now if you read the bottom of the blister pack you'll see Spectrum Brands on Radio Shack batteries on all sizes. Its Impossible for this distribution center in Illinois to place ANY duracells or energizers in packages HERE because those aren't built by this company hence they can't be shipped here, for that to happen. 73, n9zas

 

[SCPD]

The ones I bought are the white and orange ones and they had an energizer stamp on them. I had to ask the store employee if this was the case and he said yep, they were made by energizer and have had a RS design slapped over them. This was about a year ago, so things may have changed since then. I'll have to see if I can find any of the old ones I had and see if I can find where it shows this. Might take a day or 2 as I don't know if I have any left. I'll look though just for the heck of it.
I tend to use Rayovac batteries now, and they work just fine. But everyone has their own opinions about things. Good day.

 

[KE0GXN]

It seems like the 'do-it-yourself' alkaline battery cases I've seen don't have terminals that would connect to a drop-in charger, probably so you don't recharge alkalines, and also so you'll be likely to buy the manufacturer's battery packs.

You are correct, what I meant to say, is desk-top charging, as in the radios that use a wall-wart directly to the radio to recharge battery packs.