[K3PZN-List] NiMH batteries at Costco

Wed Oct 10 05:17:57 EDT 2012

First I don't know where you're getting this idea that the batteries are not strong enough to run the radio. Batteries have two characteristics, 1. Voltage and 2. Current. NiMH & NiCds have better current than Alkaline, but lower voltage than Alkaline. The standard Li-Ion pack has a voltage of 7.2 Volts, 5 NiMH batteries have a voltage of 5 * 1.2 = 6.0V Most NiMH when just fully charged can have up to 1.4 volts ~ 7.0V but that quickly drops to 1.2 & then slowly drops from that to ~ 0.9 when most radios based on NiCd or NiMH consider it fully depleted. (Alkaline, 5*1.5 = 7.5V)

Second, what don't you understand about, "The Wouxun radio has a menu where you select the type of battery being used, Li-Ion, NiMH, or Alkaline" - If they are giving us a menu to select the type of battery to use and NiCd/NiMH is one of the options one can assume that the radio is made to use these batteries.

Third, I've already done it & run the radio WITHOUT even changing the radio to the NiCd/NiMH. It works fine. It never hurts to try, at worst it will say the battery voltage is too low, at best it works, and it did.

I don't have the manual, or radio, with me but when I look it up I'll send you the page # where I found that statement & how it works after I try it.

73 de KE3FL,
Phil
AEC Carroll County
OES, ORS, & VE
http://cs.yrex.com/ke3fl
http://www.qsl.net/caret

________________________________
 From: ISRAEL ASA <milkman21218 at yahoo.com>
To: Philip Karras <ke3fl at yahoo.com>; Carroll County Amateur Radio Club <k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Tuesday, October 9, 2012 10:44 AM
Subject: Re: [K3PZN-List] NiMH batteries at Costco

But if the batteries are 1.25 volts like most rechargables they are not strong enough to power the radio. What are the voltage of the batteries?

________________________________
From: Philip Karras <ke3fl at yahoo.com>
To: "k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net" <k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Monday, October 8, 2012 9:18 PM
Subject: Re: [K3PZN-List] NiMH batteries at Costco

The Wouxun radio has a menu where you select the type of battery being used, Li-Ion, NiMH, or Alkaline. If you have Li-ion selected & place the battery pack in with NiMH then yes, the batt indicator says it is down by one
 dot, but it still works fine.

I forgot to mention, the thing that got me about these batteries is that they will keep a charge up to 75% after three years, that's 3 years of being on the shelf! That's probably why they are not in the 2300mAHr range for the price. I have got to test this out to see if this is for real! I'd gladly give up 500 mAHr for a three year shelf life!

73 de KE3FL
Phil
AEC Carroll County
OES, ORS, & VE
http://cs.yrex.com/ke3fl
http://www.qsl.net/caret

________________________________
Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2012 00:53:08 -0700 (PDT)
From: ISRAEL ASA <milkman21218 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [K3PZN-List] NiMH batteries at Costco
To: Philip Karras <ke3fl at yahoo.com>,    Carroll County Amateur Radio Club
    <k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net>

The battery pack takes 5 AA batteries @ 1.5 volts which totals 7.5 volts. I think that most Rechargeables are 1.25 volts. If wouldn't they?show low voltage @ 6.25 volts. And not work very well.

73
Israel? W1ASA

From: Philip Karras <ke3fl at yahoo.com>
To: K3PZN LIST <k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net>; Mid Atlantic <madxra at madxra.org>; "marc-md at marcclub.org" <marc-md at marcclub.org>; Frederick AmateurRadioClub <farc at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Friday, October 5, 2012 3:43 PM
Subject: [K3PZN-List] NiMH batteries at Costco

FYI: I found these at the Frederick Costco, and it is a perfect fit for the wouxun HTs!

SANYO, AA Bonus 10 Pack, eneloop Item #637494

They cost $20 for 10 1.9 AHr NiMH batteries & once charged they claim a shelf life of 3yrs with up to 75% life left.

The cost per cell is ~ $2

The interesting thing is if you bought the empty battery pack(s) for the wouxun HT they require 5 batteries so this pack gives you two complete sets of batteries for the wouxon HTs.

I recommend that you buy two empty battery cases & one of these packs of batteries, I think the cases were also ~ $11- each so then two cases, one pack of 10
 batteries = $42. One rechargeable battery pack costs ~ $28 + shipping so you get two 1.9 AHr packs for ~ $18 less than two 1.7 AHr wouxun battery packs.

I like this idea because at least I can replace these batteries when they finally do die.

73 de KE3FL,
Phil
AEC Carroll County
OES, ORS, & VE
http://cs.yrex.com/ke3fl
http://www.qsl.net/caret
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