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Rechargeable AA battery preference?
- Thread starter Bobo
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Depends on what *kind* of performance you want... do you want to maximize playing time or minimize recharging between long intervals?
- To maximize playing time, you will be hard pressed to beat the 2700mAh of the PowerEx battery line.
They last a long time while playing but lose power fairly fast if left in the accordion while it is in the closet.
- If you store your accordion with the batteries for longer periods of time (something I highly would like to encourage you to NEVER do), use Panasonic EneLoop batteries. They hold power longer, but overall there is less "playing time".
Note, I know someone that lost a $2500 flash unit because they left EneLoop batteries in their unit for about 4 months. One battery went bad, but did not leak acid anywhere, but the acidic fumes were enough to damage the unit beyond repair. The same thing can easily happen while storing any electrical device for longer periods of time. Take the batteries out, no matter what device you power with batteries and no matter what kind of battery is being used.
- To maximize playing time, you will be hard pressed to beat the 2700mAh of the PowerEx battery line.
They last a long time while playing but lose power fairly fast if left in the accordion while it is in the closet.
- If you store your accordion with the batteries for longer periods of time (something I highly would like to encourage you to NEVER do), use Panasonic EneLoop batteries. They hold power longer, but overall there is less "playing time".
Note, I know someone that lost a $2500 flash unit because they left EneLoop batteries in their unit for about 4 months. One battery went bad, but did not leak acid anywhere, but the acidic fumes were enough to damage the unit beyond repair. The same thing can easily happen while storing any electrical device for longer periods of time. Take the batteries out, no matter what device you power with batteries and no matter what kind of battery is being used.
Just double checked my (cheap) flash, yep it's empty.
I switched to using rechargeables for everything when I first bought the flash (even the TV remote).
They live next to the charger until I'm going to use something.
I switched to using rechargeables for everything when I first bought the flash (even the TV remote).
They live next to the charger until I'm going to use something.
SurreyAlan
Member
EBL 2800mah with their mains charger from Amazon, take a long time to charge but I get execatly the playing time Roland say in the specs and they last until they just die.
Valski
Well-known member
I seem to remember a battery specialist telling me that it's one or the other with rechargeables, either a quick charge and less playing time or a slower charge for a longer playing time. You should have a full set of AA batteries ready to go with a few spares at the very least. More fully charged batteries for a gig.
In one case all is a 100% guarantee... quick chargers reduce the life of the batteries by as much as 50% in some cases. I did that "quality fast charger vs quality slow charger" test with a fellow photographer friend of mine. His batteries lasted about 1 to 1.5 years, mine lasted a touch over 3 years before I started to see performance reductions. Our performance during that one year was identical irrespective of charger used.
Fast charging of any kind is detrimental to any battery's lifespan.
It's not the charger that I was referring to, it was battery technologies. The ones that hold a charge longer have a smaller "gas tank" and so cannot be actively used as long. The ones that give you the longest play times are the ones that if you don't recharge, are empty after a month or so of non-use and need recharging, their "gas tanks" are larger after a fresh charge.
Fast charging of any kind is detrimental to any battery's lifespan.
It's not the charger that I was referring to, it was battery technologies. The ones that hold a charge longer have a smaller "gas tank" and so cannot be actively used as long. The ones that give you the longest play times are the ones that if you don't recharge, are empty after a month or so of non-use and need recharging, their "gas tanks" are larger after a fresh charge.
For my FR-18 and FR-1xb I use the Amazon EBL brand, which are 2800; worked well so far. I also have Duracell 2500.
The EBL "slow" charger needs about 10 hours, I also have a newer model that does quick charge until the batteries get to about 80%, then a low amp current for the rest.
The EBL "slow" charger needs about 10 hours, I also have a newer model that does quick charge until the batteries get to about 80%, then a low amp current for the rest.
Valski
Well-known member
Hi Jerry,In one case all is a 100% guarantee... quick chargers reduce the life of the batteries by as much as 50% in some cases. I did that "quality fast charger vs quality slow charger" test with a fellow photographer friend of mine. His batteries lasted about 1 to 1.5 years, mine lasted a touch over 3 years before I started to see performance reductions. Our performance during that one year was identical irrespective of charger used.
Fast charging of any kind is detrimental to any battery's lifespan.
It's not the charger that I was referring to, it was battery technologies. The ones that hold a charge longer have a smaller "gas tank" and so cannot be actively used as long. The ones that give you the longest play times are the ones that if you don't recharge, are empty after a month or so of non-use and need recharging, their "gas tanks" are larger after a fresh charge.
Your comments are always more eloquent than mine. I was thinking the same thing but you have a way with words.
Yeah, but you play better accordion than I do... lol
Mr Mark
Squeezebaggeroni...
I forgot to check on my EBL's and sad to say half of them are now dead, just over a year old.
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In the last 15 years, I've been using only Eneloop for AA rechargeable cells.
I re-celled 2 of my flash high-voltage battery packs with 2000 mAh Eneloop about 10 years ago. I think at the time Sanyo still owned the brand. The said battery packs are still going strong.
I re-celled 2 of my flash high-voltage battery packs with 2000 mAh Eneloop about 10 years ago. I think at the time Sanyo still owned the brand. The said battery packs are still going strong.
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davidplaysaccordion
Active member
I use Eneloop 2000 mAh cells in my 4x. Get about 5 hours playing from a charge and that using the built in speakers and also playing the audio from thebk7m through the accordion speakers.
I keep three sets of batteries. One in the accordion, one for backup when playing anywhere and one on charge until charged then it becomes a second standby set. I write numbers in felt tip on each battery in each set so I don’t get them mixed up.
I keep three sets of batteries. One in the accordion, one for backup when playing anywhere and one on charge until charged then it becomes a second standby set. I write numbers in felt tip on each battery in each set so I don’t get them mixed up.
Valski
Well-known member
Very good that you're so well organized. You really caught my interest about playing the audio from your Bk7m through your Fr4x, I wonder if I could do that with my FR8X?
Nope, there is no audio input to play it through on an 8X.
Valski
Well-known member
Thanks Jerry, I thought it strange that I had missed that feature. It would be super handy.Nope, there is no audio input to play it through on an 8X.
I just use external resources (mixers, etc). Though I see the advantage, as a partial fix, one can use the integrated USB key to play backing tracks or external audio.
Keymn
Prolific poster
If you prize your accordion, use a brand name battery…energizers are know to be consistent in quality. Some brands could change design without notice. Change the batteries yearly. Keeping them too long could raise havoc on the power circuits if one of them in the pack fails. I value my vaccordion and intend to take care of it.
My experience with years of using AA NiMH is that even "brand names" have their flaws. The latest set of 8 Duracell batteries show that 2 of them seems weaker than the others after 6 months of use, and get exhausted faster than the others. On the other hand, the EBL seem to be more consistent between each other.
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