RNB battery pack

Anyone using these in their Exp or ET? I got one the other day..... these things seem like they are going to be the ticket for people who hunt a lot of hours and have to carry a couple of packs with them or use AAs. They are lith..... which the manual recommends you dont use because they normally exceed 13V. Well they have them set at 12.6 and mine came in at 12.63 fully charged. Oh by the way the new charger charges them in less than 2 hours and has a green and red light letting you know they are charged. I used mine for 4 hours..... still read on the multi meter 12.23 and full on the machine. Normally on the rechargable fully charged is just under 12V and after 4 hours it would be half used. We have gotten better headphones and coils in the recent years i think its that this is being looked at. Nothing like having a battery with a quick charge you can hunt with a couple of day if you forget to charge it. I have to say my ML rechargable has been with me since they introduced the Exp SE.... what 6 years ago? Time will tell if this produce is as good for the price. Right now thou im impressed.

Dew

Had mine for two months.......they are GREAT!!!!!

Mascard.... batteries packs like these need to be standard issue on new machines.

Dew

Nice. Do you notice the lower weight?
Tom

PS I hear you got a real big discount, Dew. Congrats!

Past(or)Tom
Using a Legend, a Deus 2, an Equinox 800, a Tarsacci MDT 8000, & a few others...
with my beloved, fading Corgi, Sadie

The rechargeable battery pack that came new with my two week old brand new Etrac has been poor from the beginning. I have charged it for 20 hours (just to be sure that I charged it 100%). I would install it and start using. In 5 minutes it had already dropped one bar. In about two hours, it drops another bar. I just use the rechargeable as a back up now. I fill the extra battery pack with fresh good batteries and use it. Looks like Minelab would have supplied a good rechargable battery pack for the price I gave for this unit.
I'll definitely be looking into these new offerings. Anything is better than the one with MINELAB written on it. This is their WEAK point. Well.. one of them.

batteries are a weak point with most detector. These appear to be top notch LONG lasters. You swear you are using AAs they are 2200 instead of the 1600mah that come with the ET. Also they are lith, a great upgrade. I really hope more companies take a look at doing this.

Pastor Tom.... boy did i.... FREE is the only way to go. Im not the luckiest person in the world..... but what a christmas present this was. I was going to get several pieces of equipment after the new year and this was on my wish list. My ML battery has hung in there but drops like you said quickly with my settings. So i carry the AA pack just in case.... what a pain. Weight difference is 2.65 oz.... its lighter, but in an Exp heck no i dont notice the difference. I swung it for 4 hours yesterday and forgot how heavy that thing can get on a clean beach. You just swing and never put it down. I was praying for a deep penny just to put it down lol.

Dew

Spend $130 to get a lithium ion battery pack that is 4 ounces lighter and lasts 25 hours? Who hunts for 25 hours? Who can't charge a battery pack the night before a hunt?

If the extra 3 volts actually translated into more depth, then OK. But no doubt voltage regulators protect the E-Trac and the extra voltage has no in-ground application.

The current ML battery pack last about 5-6 hours - at that point I'm ready for a break anyway. Swap out with the NiMH pack and you're good for another 8 hours of hunting. Most hunts last less than 10 hours - what difference would 15 more hours on my battery pack make?

I bought a bunch of Chinese BTY3000 NiMH 1.2V AA batteries - cheap as dirt and work fine. You can get 20 of these for under $9 - the E-Trac doesn't know how cheap they are.

Wow thanks for the attitude Johnny..... more than one way to skin a cat. None the less i like that someone is stepping up and i like the batery and expeciallly the charger. It charges in less than 2 hours. Ive seen some of those chargers people recommend to quick charge the ML battery too.... they arent cheap. Where did you get the extra 3 V? This battery peaks at 12.6 v DC so there isnt any need for protection. I dare say i hunt more hours than you and dont like messing with batteries all the time rather charging them, changing them, or buying them. My purpose was to let everyone know of a good NEW produce...... yep some wont like it or see a need, but others..... like me do. Hey.... but dont shoot the messenger.

Dew



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/31/2012 12:29AM by dewcon4414.

The longer the battery last means less charging. less charging means battery life last longer

Johnnyanglo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Spend $130 to get a lithium ion battery pack that
> is 4 ounces lighter and lasts 25 hours? Who hunts
> for 25 hours? Who can't charge a battery pack the
> night before a hunt?
>
> If the extra 3 volts actually translated into more
> depth, then OK. But no doubt voltage regulators
> protect the E-Trac and the extra voltage has no
> in-ground application.
>
> The current ML battery pack last about 5-6 hours -
> at that point I'm ready for a break anyway. Swap
> out with the NiMH pack and you're good for another
> 8 hours of hunting. Most hunts last less than 10
> hours - what difference would 15 more hours on my
> battery pack make?
>
> I bought a bunch of Chinese BTY3000 NiMH 1.2V AA
> batteries - cheap as dirt and work fine. You can
> get 20 of these for under $9 - the E-Trac doesn't
> know how cheap they are.

I would almost say that it goes deeper...with the new battery.......I have found a lot more stuff..since using the battery.......But I really don't think it does..Think there is a regulator in there???........But I tell you!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry i shouldnt have been so snippy Johnny. You are right there are other options that can be less expensive. This was just something that i liked and i still feel is a good product for those who hunt a lot and dont like to mess around with batteries. Rather the machine has a constant power supply or not, i get a better felling knowing my battery isnt half empty out there.

Dew

*** Rather the machine has a constant power supply or not, i get a better felling knowing my battery isnt half empty out there. ***

I know - there's nothing inherently wrong with a long-lasting, quick charging battery pack, if it came with the detector that would be ideal. I would rather have a half empty battery than a half empty wallet.

dewcon4414 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry i shouldnt have been so snippy Johnny. You
> are right there are other options that can be less
> expensive. This was just something that i liked
> and i still feel is a good product for those who
> hunt a lot and dont like to mess around with
> batteries. Rather the machine has a constant
> power supply or not, i get a better felling
> knowing my battery isnt half empty out there.
>
> Dew


Man of you to say that first sentence Dew!-----I guess one thing that (almost) all of us can agree on---is the fact that we are passionate about this great hobby & have our own ideas on the different aspects of it AND the equip. we choose to use.-----Just speaking for myself--I have come up thru the ranks of using all the Explorers and now the Etracs.----Having charged the batteries on them "ka-zillion" times, the wife & I now each have these new RNB battery packs.----Again, just speaking for myself (ourselves, wife & I)--we absolutely love them & think they are just amazing battery packs compared to the short running Minelab packs.----Expensive, yes-they are initially-but isn't (almost) everything Minelab related expensive?-----They are like many other things--the longer you can use an item, the "cheaper" it gets.(more charges in this case)------In the long run, they might not be "cheaper" than the Minelab packs--I dunno!----I do know I just like the convenience of them & in using them.------It's not set in stone---anyone that doesn't want/like them---use the alkalines, Minelab rechargeable packs, whatever----there certainly IS more ways than one to skin a cat! grin-------Enough words from this ole man, goin back to lurking----peace everyone!-----------Del

I think they are Great and with the cool ....RACING STRIPE....what else could you ask for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't want to drive this into a war, but as a response to JohnnyAnglo's wallet comment... If money is the issue why in the world use a Minelab in the first place? A Bounty Hunter is fine and like 1/10th the price, right? I usually find about 1/40 face coinage per hour to what I make when working. I am sure not in to for the dough. For what I have invested in equipment I could chase most hobbies. What I have invested in time I could travel the world (some)! I have become addicted to the magic of the process and primal hunter gatherer endorphins. My grandkids are very proud when their friends say, "I saw your grandfather metal detecting in the side of the road yesterday!" Priceless!
Tom

Past(or)Tom
Using a Legend, a Deus 2, an Equinox 800, a Tarsacci MDT 8000, & a few others...
with my beloved, fading Corgi, Sadie