Newer style 9.6 volt batteries (9 volt)

I recently posted on the Nautilus forum about this style of battery after reading much on the improvements that have taken place in the manufacturing of modern rechargables. These should do well for users of Nautilus and Fisher/ Technetics detectors as well as other brands that use 9 volt batteries. I just started using them but have not got around to recharging them yet. The post is as follows. Let me know your thoughts and experiences with this style of battery if you have used them:

I did a lot of reading on the 9 volt rechargeables and the only reason I can see for not being able to use them is that most of the older style ones were either 7.2 volts or 8.4 volts in the NIHM style and they did not hold their charge for long once charged, and the power steadily decreased as you were using them, causing lack of detecting depth the weaker the battery got during a days use. The Lithium ion batteries do a better job of running longer, but require a special charger or they can swell and even explode from recharging. So the charger plug on the Nautilus would be of no use with this type of battery.
There may be hope for what you are looking for however, as I just ordered a set of Maha Imedion 9 volt (9.6 volt) 230 mAh low discharge rechargable NIHM batteries. $10.97 each from Thomas Distributing. 9.6 volt batteries tend to be ever so slightly larger than a typical 9 volt battery, but should fit in a Nautilus detector without any problem. The advantages to these newer style of NIMH battery are many. They hold 85% of their charge after six months of sitting on the shelf and 75% of charge after 12 months in storage.. Once discharged for an extended period of time most batteries will not take a charge. These batteries will recharge even after months of being discharged if advertising is correct. They will not leak if left for long periods of time. They are good for up to 1000 charges. They can be charged on any good charger for NIHM batteries so I would think no problem for the Nautilus plug in, but I would still recommend a smart charger as it monitors each battery individually for a full charge. There is no possible over heating or explosion risk.
Now the real plus is even lithium ion batteries slowly get weaker as you run them through a days use. These NIHM charge up to 9.6 volts. After a couple of minutes use they drop to 9 volts. They then run for hours at a steady 9 volts, then drop off quickly in their last ten minutes of life. That translates into full depth from your detector all day long without worry. The 9.6 volt peak will not harm your detector as they are tested with a 20% over voltage at the factory from what I have read. They will also last longer than your brand name nonrechargable alkaline batteries.
I will post an update to this after I have tried these new style of NIHM batteries myself. I hope this is helpful to you and others as information on the confusing subject of rechargable batteries has been a bear to decifer from the information available on the Internet. Most of the information came from an electrical engineer as he had all the equipment necessary to run the batteries under load in hour long cycles. Wish I could remember where the post originated as it is a very informative article...Stuart

I've been using the maha's for a bit now. I get the precharged 8.7 230mah I think. Good batteries, you might want to try the tenergy lsd (low self discharge). Only $10 for two.

"Let me know your thoughts"
* Just about all modern detectors have electronic voltage regulators of various types built into them, so, in the case of 9V powered units, anything from 7V to 10V makes no difference, the only likely difference you may notice is slightly lower volume on flat batteries.
* The 'nominal voltage' of 8.4V for NiMH's is 7 cells at 1.2 volts. When freshly charged, they are more like 1.4 V per cell, about 10 V for a PP3. So they are the best replacement for non-rechargeables, being 10V fresh, 7V near-flat. I personally would avoid the 8-cell '9.6V' NiMH's, they will be near 11.5V when freshly-charged, this may not be good for certain machines, and it's unlikely to have any benefits (including run-time).
*Low self-discharge technology is a useful thing, to not have to worry if you've not used a machine for a few weeks, etc. I imagine many on here are a bit more 'hardcore', and use their detectors more than once a week, and regular charging up is just part of it, so would be fine with regular cells.

One thing that's worth pointing out about 9V NiMH's is they aren't very reliable. Having 7 cells in series, if just one goes faulty, the whole pack goes faulty. I'm an engineer, I've opened them up and replaced cells/made 1 good from 2 faulty etc, but for your average guy, they can be disappointing. Have a non-rechargeable as a spare, I suggest.

Why even mess with NiMh anymore when these are available? Far superior and less expensive. What am I missing?

[www.ebay.com]

I bought a cheap (free shipping from Hong Kong) plastic holder that runs 6 AA batteries in series
to get 9V for my Tek G2 (now + model)...I non-obtrusively tapped into the power leads in the G2
control box and run the leads to the new power 'box' under the arm rest where it is strapped
on with a neoprene 'bag' for protection...

I'm really happy with this setup and have a spare in the car that just snaps in...

AA's are cheap (I'm using rechargables also) and this setup lasts a very loooong time...

Oops meant 8.4. I've thought about going the 6aa adapter route but stuck with the 9v rechargeables. The plus is, stick a spare in my pouch and I'm covered for both the detector and pinpointer. Had the whites trx that used a 2aa adapter but I gave that to my dad.

I use Tenergy 9 v on my Tesoros and cz 6a. They are the same size as regular 9v I think. I bought some of them 600mah EDLS and they were to big for the battery compartment so can only use them with my pin pointers.

shoveler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why even mess with NiMh anymore when these are
> available? Far superior and less expensive. What
> am I missing?
>
> [www.ebay.com];
> chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

I bought mine about 4 months ago and they last as good as an alkaline.

------------"Cz's still bad to the bone".------------
Living on a big ass Astroid.
The woman that got my rib,I want it back.

The 2 ebl 600mah 9v I have are a hair taller than normal 9vs, couldn't use them in my cz 6a or tesoros. What machine are you using them in Supertrac?

Welgund Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The 2 ebl 600mah 9v I have are a hair taller than
> normal 9vs, couldn't use them in my cz 6a or
> tesoros. What machine are you using them in
> Supertrac?

I just checked the batteries I have convenient (280 Mah) and the length from the bottom to the top of the electrodes is identical ,,,however , the dimension from the bottom to the top of the body is slightly more on the EBL than a Duracell alkaline. Thickness is the same without using a micrometer. BTW , these EBLs were charged once and have been sitting in a drawer in my garage for at least six months and still appear to be fully charged



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2016 03:07AM by shoveler.

In my gamma 6000 and Eurotek pro. As soon as my omega needs a battery one will be going in it. Haven't tried my compadre as I never use it.

------------"Cz's still bad to the bone".------------
Living on a big ass Astroid.
The woman that got my rib,I want it back.

iqwozpoom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oops meant 8.4. I've thought about going the 6aa
> adapter route but stuck with the 9v rechargeables.
> The plus is, stick a spare in my pouch and I'm
> covered for both the detector and pinpointer. Had
> the whites trx that used a 2aa adapter but I gave
> that to my dad.


using my 6AA setup the original 9V location is free so I can use my spare 9V if I runout and
simply unclip the AA pack....the 9V I carry mostly serves as a spare for the ProPointer...

canslawhero Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> iqwozpoom Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Oops meant 8.4. I've thought about going the
> 6aa
> > adapter route but stuck with the 9v
> rechargeables.
> > The plus is, stick a spare in my pouch and I'm
> > covered for both the detector and pinpointer.
> Had
> > the whites trx that used a 2aa adapter but I
> gave
> > that to my dad.
>
>
> using my 6AA setup the original 9V location is
> free so I can use my spare 9V if I runout and
> simply unclip the AA pack....the 9V I carry mostly
> serves as a spare for the ProPointer...
I'm going to try that out. Do you know where to pick up a dummy 9v?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2016 06:37PM by iqwozpoom.

iqwozpoom Wrote:

> I'm going to try that out. Do you know where to
> pick up a dummy 9v?

don't know what you mean? the normal 9v battery space just remains empty....

but disconnect the 9v (6AA pack), put a 9v back in where it normally goes and
you're good to carry on in the field....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2016 09:07PM by canslawhero.

I just bought 4 of the EBL nimh 280 mah for My Nauty.
I saw the 9.6 v after I purchased these so I will try what I got coming. I thought about lion battery's but wanted to use built in charger with out having to remove the batter's as a pain on a Nautilus. I figure at 13.00 shipped what do I have to loose.