Batteries

[ButchB]

When buying a new battery pack for my XLT,how do I know if is reasonably fresh or has been on the shelf for a long time? I don't know much about ni cads but the last couple I bought don't seem like they hold a charge as long as they should. Any help & advice is appreciated.......

[Dugday]

Me Toooooo! Store bought last longer for some reason.

[gordiesgirl]

I agree I put the Ni-cads away and use only store bought in my XLT.

[dave]

Same here , somtimes i get maybe 3 to 4 hours on the ni-cads and good storbought ones might last 2 hunts ,8 to 10 hours.

[ButchB]

All ya gotta do is ask I guess ,huh?

[PAPPY]

STORE BOUGHT BY ALL MEANS. If you look carefully on the package it will tell you when the batteries were mfg. and how long of a shelf life they are expected to have.

[cjoej]

I normally use rechargable packs, when they go bad I take them to a battery shop and get them re-stuffed for a fraction of the price of a new rechargable pack (in Denver I use Car-go-batteries at 38th and Blake).

I also carry the standard battery pack along and have used them extensively with store bought batteries and they last quite well and make a great backup plan for the unexpected cell failure.

Joe

[Dyrty]

I use NiMH myself and have no problems. They do have a shorter life in the MD but I always carry spares. (Even bought spare battery holders). After about an hour or so I go ahead and swap packs. As soon as I'm home I pop 'em into the charger for the next time. They normally will only last 2 or 3 hours tops in the MD. Nowhere near alkaline but the savings make my clad stay in the "to be cleaned" jar.

[bigbillinsc]

you can double the life of alkalline batteries by storing them COLD... Either in fridge or even better the freezer. even though batteries are not being used in storage there is still a small chemical reaction going on inside. by keeping them cold you slow the reaction down. i am still using batteries i bought on sale in 05... they work and have the same life fresh off the shelf batteries have.

the batteries i have in the prizm 3 right now were purchased in jan 06. they havealmost 10 hours hunt time on them. and they still measure 8.91 volts.

if you want to get even more life out of them store in fridge between hunts.

hope this helps



happy huntin yall