Battery life for the CTX

[SteveB]

I haven't been able to find, or seen anything on the CTX battery life, so please feel free to direct me to the correct thread.

What is the battery life (in hours) of the CTX rechargable battery pack, and what can be expected time-wise using alkalines in the non-rechargable spare pack?

Thanks!

 

[GateKeeper]

13 hours for rechargeable pack. As for the AA pack, it can range from 8-13 hours depending on your batteries

 

[SteveB]

GateKeeper,

Great! Thank you very much. ML doesn't seem to post little details like that.

Now I've just got to wait patiently for the Spring thaw to place my order! In the meantime, I'm reading the manual and watching some very informative videos.

Thanks again!

Steve

 

[Porschephile]

I used rechargeable Sat for 10 hours. It will last longer than you can most likely! LOL!

 

[mcb613]

I always use Duracells and they seem to last around 6-8 hrs. Not as easy on batts as the Etrac! No witeless use either. Thx

 

[Crusty]

With the ML rechargable pack I can do an 8 hr. hunt and still do another 6 hrs. the next day before it's done. That is with GPS turned off but with the backlight turned on all the time at 10.

Dave

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

I get at minimum 10-12 hours. GREAT battery!

 

[Silverstore]

I recommend that you take a look on the REZAP battery doctor.
This way youz can reload even "normal" Batteries several times.

 

[clarkkent57]

Just bought a used CTX, no rechargeable pack. I looked at the $150 replacements and thought, "I can do better."

I just ordered 8 - KENTLI 1.5v 3000mWh rechargeable Lithium AA PH5 battery, and a used Nitecore D4 charger (I already have one and they're pretty sweet.)

All together about $70.

I'm confident these batteries will equal or outperform the original pack, plus this way there's a provision to easily identify and replace a bad cell (even with a temp alkaline spare during the hunt!)

 

[trojdor]

GateKeeper,
Great! Thank you very much. ML doesn't seem to post little details like that.
Steve

Well, unless you consider the manual?

From page 56 of the Minelab CTX manual:

The CTX 3030 standard pack is supplied with two types of battery pack:
1. A sealed rechargeable Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) smart battery, which comes with a
charger (BC 10) that plugs into a conventional wall socket and a car cigarette
lighter socket. This battery pack is supplied partially charged and should be
charged for up to two hours to maximise your first use. The detector will operate
for up to 13 hours using the Li-Ion battery pack.
2. A replaceable cell pack, which accepts eight AA batteries including alkaline and
rechargeable NiCd or NiMH batteries. The batteries are packed into a cell pack,
which is inserted into the battery cover. The detector will operate for a minimum
of seven hours using an alkaline battery pack

 

[trojdor]

I just ordered 8 - KENTLI 1.5v 3000mWh rechargeable Lithium AA PH5 battery, and a used Nitecore D4 charger (I already have one and they're pretty sweet.)
All together about $70.
I'm confident these batteries will equal or outperform the original pack, plus this way there's a provision to easily identify and replace a bad cell (even with a temp alkaline spare during the hunt!)

These new batteries look very interesting...I've never see a rechargeable 1.5v li-on before. I didn't even know it was possible. (They claim to be the first.)
Most of the reviews look great. If I had to guess, I'd say it's a standard 3.7 li-on with a small 1.5 voltage regulator chip on the plus end.

I may have to purchase some of these to try...especially if they're lighter than my 2800 mAh NiMH.

 

[mrsspk]

Depends on a few things. Are you using the backlight full time? Will you be using the GPS function? Both will diminish battery time.

 

[ironman200081]

I run mine hot with the GPS on, backlight on, and I frequently check my map and add more find points and way points. I also use the 17" coil almost exclusively. I am lucky to get 9 hours on a full charge of the battery pack, and about 6 hours on AA rechargeable batteries. I have not tried alkaline batteries before. I am now intrigued by the Lithium AA's that Clark uses.

 

[amberjack]

I would do some research on the 1.5 volt AA lithium battery's 1st, if running all the bells and whistles on ctx and what amperage is being drawn from ctx, with those features running all the time they are sure to be pulling a few amps? the 14500 lithium batterys which are 3.7 volts nominal so holding back that power under high drain could cause heat problems?

I have not used them so cant say for sure but physics would say that the power has to go somewhere ?

hope they work out great as there is no other 1.5 volt rechargeable battery's on the market.

AJ

 

[Geobound]

I would imagine that there is a lot of things that would shorten or lengthen the battery life.

GPS on or off, full brightness of back screen or not, how long you hold the pinpoint button down, how often are you changing menus........etc....etc.........

Without GPS turned on, but backlit fully lit, I did two 8 hour hunts before the battery pack died.

In fact I didn't know the battery was about to go until I got home and plugged in the CTX to the XChange program. I powered the CTX on and it chirped to life, and then gave a moan and shut down.

I tried it again with the same results (a little slow on the uptake apparently), so I plugged the battery in and was good to go.

What I don't see answered is the expected life of the WM10 wireless headset? What do people have to say about that?

 

[trojdor]

What I don't see answered is the expected life of the WM10 wireless headset? What do people have to say about that?

Now that is the one item that isn't listed anywhere...and I tried unsuccessfully to get that info from Minelab US and AU some time ago...

The general consensus is that it probably lasts (roughly) as long as the detector, and should be charged at the same time, but that's simply empirical (observed) data...not specifications.

 

[Jason in Enid]

I always charge my WM-10 at the same time as my detector battery. I have never had my WM-10 battery go dead before the the CTX. I have run the CTX batteries down multiple times but the wireless was still kicking. I've never run an hour check between charges. I'm kind of curious how long it lasts.

 

[Geobound]

I charged mine up and first two days of hunting I hadn't needed to charge them.

The first day was 8 hours, and the second day was between 6-8, but I'm not 100% positive on that.

It makes sense to charge them at the same time, but I was more curious than anything else.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[clarkkent57]

I'm still waiting delivery, but the math says that these should deliver almost as much as the original pack. The actual difference, 200mah, is negligible in the real world.

As well, @ a true 1.5v as they claim (not like others @ 1.2v), 3000mWh = 3WH = 2000mAH...so this is both realistic and very good for replacements. It actually makes a preferable solution because bad cells can be easily spotted and replaced without performing surgery.

I think my old ones are mixed Ni-MH but I better check; I don't know how long they'll last as I have yet to take it out for it's maiden voyage.

My 3030 was used and didn't come with a charger or pack and I already had a D4 charger and some rechargeables which forced this research.

I can say that I am already very glad that I didn't knee-jerk react and purchase a $$$ new pack and charger!!

I just ordered 8 - KENTLI 1.5v 3000mWh rechargeable Lithium AA PH5 battery, and a used Nitecore D4 charger (I already have one and they're pretty sweet.)
All together about $70.
I'm confident these batteries will equal or outperform the original pack, plus this way there's a provision to easily identify and replace a bad cell (even with a temp alkaline spare during the hunt!)

These new batteries look very interesting...I've never see a rechargeable 1.5v li-on before. I didn't even know it was possible. (They claim to be the first.)
Most of the reviews look great. If I had to guess, I'd say it's a standard 3.7 li-on with a small 1.5 voltage regulator chip on the plus end.

I may have to purchase some of these to try...especially if they're lighter than my 2800 mAh NiMH.

 

[clarkkent57]

I would do some research on the 1.5 volt AA lithium battery's 1st, if running all the bells and whistles on ctx and what amperage is being drawn from ctx, with those features running all the time they are sure to be pulling a few amps? the 14500 lithium batterys which are 3.7 volts nominal so holding back that power under high drain could cause heat problems?
AJ

Actually, a little math and minor li-ion knowledge is all it takes. A standard pack on full CTX blow seems to last about 8 hours, or approx 480-500 minutes. The CTX battery is good for about 3 amp hours.

3 divided by 8 = 0.375, or a little over a constant 1/3 amp draw for the majority of detecting time.

Li-Ion batteries were made to produce a lot of current over a little time, so it is quite typical that current draws of 1 amp and greater are safely possible. The trick with li-ion is that if you use the power up that quickly, you don't get the rated wattage. Consequently, the rating you see on li-ion batteries is a little draw over a long period of time, which is right in line with the CTX's use of power.

Consequently, current draw in a CTX at maximum is EASILY within the safety parameters of the li-ion batteries, less than 1/3 of the cells' maximum draw. Turning down the power and budgeting the CTX power makes the cells work even more efficiently, too.

The 3030 modular design is so good that it could survive a major pack incident, anyway. All you'd have to do is unclip the pack and let it burn and melt. Any heat it gives off during use doesn't touch the electronics of the detector.

One good experiment would be to use 3 - 3.7 3400+mah cells using an adapted pack and see how the much-lighter pack performs. That could actually be pretty easily done..with a rewired spare pack and 18650s or such. The only disadvantage being, of course, that you'd be running 11.1v initially which would require a higher drain on the cell (depending on the internal voltage and current regulation of the CTX which I don't know or have the schematics for.)

(Taught physics and math.)