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best batteries for portable

R

Roy Szweda

Jan 1, 1970
0
Please could someone tell me whether it is better to run a portable
music player like MiniDisc or CD Walkman with rechargeable batteries
or non-rechargeables?

I get the feeling that these gadgets are a mite too voltage sensitive
and don't work for as long with rechargeables.... which fall to a
voltage insufficient to run the gadget quicker.
 
C

CWatters

Jan 1, 1970
0
Roy Szweda said:
Please could someone tell me whether it is better to run a portable
music player like MiniDisc or CD Walkman with rechargeable batteries
or non-rechargeables?

I get the feeling that these gadgets are a mite too voltage sensitive
and don't work for as long with rechargeables.... which fall to a
voltage insufficient to run the gadget quicker.

The voltage curve for modern rechargable cells is quite flat and doesn't
fall until nearly all the capacity has been used. If their lower voltage was
a problem you would expect them to either not work at all or cut off very
quickly (few mins).

I believe NiCad rechargables are also quite a bit lower capacity than
Alkaline cells like Duracell.

Try the newer NiMH cells with a capacity of circa 2300+ mAH. They last
nearly 4 times as long as older 600mAH NiCad cells.
 
R

Roy Szweda

Jan 1, 1970
0
CWatters said:
The voltage curve for modern rechargable cells is quite flat and doesn't
fall until nearly all the capacity has been used. If their lower voltage was
a problem you would expect them to either not work at all or cut off very
quickly (few mins).

I believe NiCad rechargables are also quite a bit lower capacity than
Alkaline cells like Duracell.

Try the newer NiMH cells with a capacity of circa 2300+ mAH. They last
nearly 4 times as long as older 600mAH NiCad cells.

This is the kind of technical explanation I was hoping for - I have
been using various Walkmen type gadgets such as a neat MP3/Wav/VCD
player I got from EBay which has its own batteries which you can
recharge in situ... when I put other cells in such as alkaline MN1500s
they don't last as long it seems, nor do the other rechargeables I
have used OK with other portables etc. So I wondered if the
electronics in the Walkman was overly sensitive... It is always
amazing that they can make these things work at all at a measly 3 V!

That low voltage must be in part a reason why these are so quiet... or
is that to protect our ears?
Many thanks
Roy
 
C

CWatters

Jan 1, 1970
0
This is the kind of technical explanation I was hoping for - I have
been using various Walkmen type gadgets such as a neat MP3/Wav/VCD
player I got from EBay which has its own batteries which you can
recharge in situ...

Do you know what technology they are? It usually has it marked on there
somewhere.
when I put other cells in such as alkaline MN1500s

Some data if you are interested..
http://www.duracell.com/oem/primary/alkaline/alkefftemp.asp
they don't last as long it seems

Alkaline cells have a higher voltage than most rechargables so if you see
reduced run time with those it isn't a voltage issue.
nor do the other rechargeables I have used OK with other portables etc.
So I wondered if the
electronics in the Walkman was overly sensitive... It is always
amazing that they can make these things work at all at a measly 3 V!

Ha!

http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/nat/nat241.html
"National Semiconductor has developed a Boomer stereo headphone amplifier
designed to operate from a one-cell battery".

I'll leave you to work out how to protect the amplifier from a battery
inserted backwards. Hint: Can you afford to loose 0.7V by adding a diode :)
 
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