? about rechargeable batteries for pro 96

[Tinman0877]

i have Rayovac hybrid 2100 mAH. everytime it needs to be change 1 battery is dead and the other 3 has little power left. is it suppose to do that. but it does last me maybe 2 1/2 days. really doesn't matter to me i always have back up rechargeable batteries. on the instruction book it recommends to use radio shacks 1800 mAH. should i use that instead. what do u guys think is a better rechargeable battery for the pro 96.

 

[Grog]

Those should work fine, have read many good things about those among the other low self discharge batteries out there. How do you know that one is dead and the others are low? Tester? Fancy charger?


With my eneloops in my pro97 I just run them until I get a low battery signal, they I toss another set in there and recharge the first set to be ready to use again. That way I have two sets that are just used for the pro97, and that works well for me.

 

[Tinman0877]

yeah i do have battery tester thats how i know. is it normal when it does that one dead other 3 little power left

 

[Grog]

I really don't know, seems a little odd to me but I never test my batteries to know what they are doing :lol:

I think as long as they seem to last long enough for your needs, it does not matter too much if one has less juice in it then the others. If you had one of the battery chargers that can give detailed info on each batter (high end maha, etc) than that would give you the details, but for less than $10 a 4pk I would not bother unless you knew someone with such a charger.

 

[Tinman0877]

i guess it would be ok as it still works

 

[Grog]

the instruction book it recommends to use radio shacks 1800 mAH. should i use that instead.

Forgot to answer this.



My guess is when the manual was first written (the 96 is several years old) that it is possible that the largest AA battery RS sold was a 1800mah battery


I saw a LED light the other day that had 600mah AA batteries and I bet the 96 would work just fine with those, just nowhere as long as with the 2100mahs :lol:

 

[LEH]

i have Rayovac hybrid 2100 mAH. everytime it needs to be change 1 battery is dead and the other 3 has little power left. is it suppose to do that. but it does last me maybe 2 1/2 days. really doesn't matter to me i always have back up rechargeable batteries. on the instruction book it recommends to use radio shacks 1800 mAH. should i use that instead. what do u guys think is a better rechargeable battery for the pro 96.

A couple of questions. When you say dead, do you mean dead as in you cannot recharge the battery, or dead in that it has like zero volts.

If it is the first, then I am not even going to guess. If it is the latter and you can recharge the battery then try this. Keep track of the battery that is closest to the terminal between the battery case and the scanner. Check and see if this is the 'dead' battery. I'd guess that it is.

Typically in multicell units, the battery closest to the the terminals seems to run down first. Those further in line are low, but still have power. If you were to change positions you would probably be able to run your scanner (flashlight, camera, whatever) a bit longer.

Now if the 'dead' cell isn't the first cell, then again reread the first sentence in my second paragraph.

NiMH batteries have a unique discharge curve. They will operate beautifully up to a point and then the just drop off. Like going over a cliff. NiCads (even with their memory) had a nice gradual discharge curve.

 

[n2mdk]

One battery discharging faster or further (lower voltage after use) is common. The ratings on batteries are an approx at best. When you buy NiMH batteries for making packs you will read about using "matched" cells in a pack. This is so you have the batteries discharge in a similar rate and go down to threshold at about the same time.