Want to do rechargeable battery upgrades for my 2 Whites and Fisher?

[Chucklebrun]

Hi All,
I joined this forum a couple weeks ago. Im getting back into detecting and have 3 detectors that I want to do battery upgrades. I have a Whites spectrum XLT E series, Whites 6000/Di Pro SL, and a Fisher 1225X. The XLT has both a rechargeable battery which I believe is Ni cd and a battery case that will hold 8 - AA batteries. The 6000/Di came with a case that holds 4 C cell batts, and the fisher holds 2 - 9V batts. From an economical standpoint I would like to use all rechargeable batts in all of them. There are Nicd, Nimh, and lithium rechargeable batts? My question is after almost pulling the trigger on an Energizer (Nimh) recharge universal recharger (which will recharge all 3- C, AA, and 9v batts) What is the best option for durability, and longer lasting performance. If you already have a simular setups with different batts being used in your detectors tell what type of batts, brand charger, and batts you went with as well. Thanks!

 

[Chucklebrun]

I was thinking that this would be a topic of universal interest among the hobby but my forum search didnt reveal nearly as much as I thought I would find.

 

[LovestheShiny!]

I have an AT Pro (Garrett) which takes 4 AA batteries. I pretty much exclusively use rechargeable batteries as they will save you a ton of money over the long haul. A good brand like Energizer, Eneloop, etc last for 100 or more recharges. Regular batteries are pretty expensive (as are most things nowadays). I get about 14 hours of detecting with a full charge for my machine.

 

[LovestheShiny!]

Cost difference - 4 AA Rechargeable with Charger - about $18 plus home electricity to charge
100 sets of 4 AA Alkaline quality brand batteries @ $9.99 a pack - $999.00

 

[jmaclen]

I use Tenergy battery and charging products for my pinpointers. I don’t own any detectors with removable batteries. All of mine have internal lithium rechargeable batteries.

 

[Beachhunt1]

Hi All,
I joined this forum a couple weeks ago. Im getting back into detecting and have 3 detectors that I want to do battery upgrades. I have a Whites spectrum XLT E series, Whites 6000/Di Pro SL, and a Fisher 1225X. The XLT has both a rechargeable battery which I believe is Ni cd and a battery case that will hold 8 - AA batteries. The 6000/Di came with a case that holds 4 C cell batts, and the fisher holds 2 - 9V batts. From an economical standpoint I would like to use all rechargeable batts in all of them. There are Nicd, Nimh, and lithium rechargeable batts? My question is after almost pulling the trigger on an Energizer (Nimh) recharge universal recharger (which will recharge all 3- C, AA, and 9v batts) What is the best option for durability, and longer lasting performance. If you already have a simular setups with different batts being used in your detectors tell what type of batts, brand charger, and batts you went with as well. Thanks!

I would work with your local Batteries Plus store. They make all kinds of battery packs. Show them the spec's necessary for each machine.
I know there are people here good enough to do this on their own. Myself and a soldering gun never get along well.

 

[cellrdwellr]

I've been using USB rechargeable 9v's in my Garrett carrot pinpointer for many years. I like the fact I can charge them right in my car in an emergency. The last a very long time, how long, I'm not too sure. Long enough that I can't remember the last time i charged them Here is the link to the exact batteries:
Kastar 2 Pack Micro USB Rechargeable Li-ion Polymer 9V Battery LI9V Works with Toys, Clock, Multimeter, Digital Camera and Game Controller as 6F22 https://a.co/d/0WIB5ud
As for the others, I don't use rechargeable AA's or C's, all of my detectors also have built in batteries. Good luck and happy hunting!

 

[davemill]

Any of the highly rated AA NiMH rechargeable batteries on Amazon will work well in your Whites 8-cell battery pack. They last several multi-hour detecting sessions and the cost savings are enormous. I still use all the rechargeables I’ve ever purchased, including about 32 Panasonic Eneloop batteries, plus some Rayovac Hybrids from 2009 that are still going strong.

 

[Chucklebrun]

Any of the highly rated AA NiMH rechargeable batteries on Amazon will work well in your Whites 8-cell battery pack. They last several multi-hour detecting sessions and the cost savings are enormous. I still use all the rechargeables I’ve ever purchased, including about 32 Panasonic Eneloop batteries, plus some Rayovac Hybrids from 2009 that are still going strong.

Thanks Dave, good info. What charger are you using with your batts?
Also, is that Fosters Freeze still open in SC. I was heading down the PCH1 and stopped in there bc I needed a Fosters Freeze burger fix. This was quite a few years ago. They didnt disappoint!

 

[davemill]

What charger are you using with your batts?

My Sony 4-bay AA & AAA charger is also from 2009, the lid was mended with duct tape many years ago. That model is no longer available. Incidentally, the Sony rechargeable batteries that came with it back then were garbage.

Back then, you had to hunt to find a charger that understood NiMH battery requirements. Now all the highly rated chargers on Amazon handle them well. I am looking forward to upgrading when mine finally dies.

 

[TorqueMaster]

I was thinking that this would be a topic of universal interest among the hobby but my forum search didnt reveal nearly as much as I thought I would find.

There have been many many threads about this here on this forum. Unfortunately the search function is... often found to be lacking in effectiveness. It may be better to google the question, and tag this forum as the place to search.

In general, NiMHs and Li-ion will be your best bet.

I have Tenergy Li-ion "9V" batteries (probably 7.4V) which had their own custom charger. Worked very well, lasted at least as long as quality Alkalines would in a Fisher F2. 9V Alkalines are one of the biggest ripoffs on the planet, rechargeables will pay for themselves very quickly.

Last I checked in AA, NiMHs were the best choice for long runtime, but the USB Li-ion rechargeables were hot on their tails, both being quite close to/surpassing alkalines. Quality AA alkalines can be had for as little as 4 for $1, so not going to break the bank, but in the long run rechargeables will still win on cost.

C-cells, I have no data. Whatever rechargeable you get, check (a reputable source for) the mAh rating. In the past have seen C and D cells that were simply AA guts inside bigger shells, and runtimes suffered as expected compared to the alkalines they were replacing. But it does make them more affordable -- if the shorter runtimes don't affect your hunting style, it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Happy hunting.

 

[too_pointer]

Sounds good, I have the Garrett AT Pro, but use a Power plus AT-Batt pack, which is great, but not sure sure how many machines it will fit,
too_