wrote:
> To Battery Experts
>
> Are the Fujitsu HYDRO POWER 1.2V 1550mAh Ok batteries to be using with the
> Portadisc? I have been alternating 3- 8 packs of these with the machine, but
> want to make sure I am using close to the best.
That's what came with mine two years ago. As I noted, that set was not
very long lived. I have no way of knowing if this is normal, however.
The time ratings HHb gives are probably based on this sort of capacity.
Even then, battery capacity was higher and I already had the higher
capacity batteries, so did not use the Fuji's in the Portadisc, but in
other uses. Since I record mostly at night I have a bunch of battery
consumers.
I first used Kodak NIMH, 1600 mAh. Last spring in replacing stock in my
battery supply I got 16 GP 1800's and moved the Kodak ones into other
uses. I needed to get even more batteries this fall, to replace a bunch
of Nicads that had reached the end of their life. I went back with GP
brand to their 2000 series, which are rated 1900 mAh. Since it's 16
batteries for two sets, a fair investment, I tend to go with brands I
know, or just buy a set of 4 or so of a brand to try first. I had done
that with GP before moving from Kodak. And with Kodak's before that.
Some of the GP 1800's will now be used to run the Sound Devices MP2. The
rest will probably run flash or headlamps.
There are some brands I'm unfamiliar with that claim 2100 mAh. Battery
capacity keeps going up, though I'm sure it will limit out.
As long as the Fujitsu are holding a good charge, keep using them.
Preferably keep them in sets. When they begin to hold less charge by a
significant amount, or fail in other ways (mine went erratic in how much
charge they would hold), that's when to replace. Or in my case demote to
less critical use. My Fujitsu's are still in my pack, about all I trust
them in is headlamps, and only when I have extra packs in my pocket. I
don't know from one time to next when they will run down. I expect it
won't be much longer and they will go to recycling.
The other brand I've got a fair amount of is Sanyo. They, the Kodaks,
the GP's, some Evereadys and a small number of Nextcells I'm checking
out are all taking pretty much full rated charge with no sign of going
down. I still have some of the old Nicads, though they are going rapidly
now.
You do want to stick with NIMH, they are higher capacity than Nicads.
Also don't have the memory problem, and will hold charge in storage
longer. I've found that most of the charge will be there as long as 2-3
months. Make sure and use a NIMH rated charger, unless it's one of the
slow chargers. When you do replace is when to go to higher capacity,
they will all run the Portadisc. The higher the rating the longer it
will run on a charge. But, also the longer charging takes. Even on a
fast charger the high cap batteries take time to charge. The higher
capacity also represents different generations of the batteries, newer
hold voltage through more of their charge, will recharge more times
before failure.
Walt
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