NiMH charge and detector performance....

[Anonymous]

Today I went out and detected with the battery about 1/3 charged. After putting a fresh one in the performance seemed to improve. Does anyone have thoughts on this?? I was always paranoid about the charge on the NiCAD in my Sov and I'm starting to feel the same way about the Explorer.
Tim

 

[Anonymous]

I'm paranoid with "any" battery powered item ;^).
The relationship between what the battery test gauge says (if one even exists) and the performance of the unit depends on many things.
Most electronic devices have a regulator built in that limits the power to that required by the circuitry so that until the power drops below that level the device should operate pretty much optimally.
However, at that point things get less predictable and the performance will be affected as the battery discharges further. This point differs with different devices (i.e. usually photo flashes die quicker than portable CD players which die quicker than portable radios, etc). Battery gauges differ quite a bit in their accuracy as well. The ML gauge (icon) is probably worse than a meter and you're never sure what it really means at half-way, etc.
So ... I'm with you ... when my Explorer gets to half way or so I'll replace the battery with my backup which ensures maximum performance. If I run out I can put the original one back in for more hunt time. Also always carry some alkaline batteries with me just in case. If during a days hunt I still run out I give up cause that's too much hunting for one day 8^P.
Any detector without a meter (such as the Sov)is not as easy to manage and I feel less confident that I'm getting maximum performance power-wise. I usually try to keep track of the detector on-time and replace batteries similar to the Explorer - but it's definitely more of a hassle.
At any rate I always go out with at least two fully charged battery packs plus the alks just for my piece of mind (wink).
HH ... Gord.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, I gotta tell ya, my views are a full 180 out from Gord. I never have any trouble with a half charge on my detector.
I don't shoot a full 8 hours, and if I did I would take a back up set, but I get tired as hell after about four hours so that's just me.

 

[Anonymous]

Ring Man - You're right about the not having any trouble with the battery gauge at half. I think my Explorer is okay at that point also. The point I was trying to make is ... how can you be sure? Maybe you're losing no depth, or perhaps half an inch, maybe two inches, maybe more???? How do you "really" know for sure?
My approach is to be safe rather than take the risk of detecting at less than maximum performance. As it is there are enough factors against most of us without worrying if our detectors are contributing to it when it is relatively easy avoid the potential problem by changing the battery pack earlier than you would otherwise.
I think detecting is very much as "playing the odds" activity and I try to make them as much in my favour as possible. On the other hand, I'm not overly fanatic about it ... getting out with my detector is still very much a fun thing for me even after all these years. I used to be much worse 8^P.
The biggest problem for me right now is waiting for spring so I can get out again ;^).
Have a M.C. & a H.N.Y.!!!
HH ... Gord.