NiZn Rechargeables

[LittleJohn]

Got the new NiZn rechargeable batteries yesterday, charged them up and now they are in the Tejon. With the NiMh batteries, I would get 4 beeps on the battery , and with the NiZn's I got either 13-or 14. Had it on for a while, and everything works good like it should. I am anxious to see how long these batteries last before they get down to the 2-3 beeps. I will be keeping a daily log and report the results in about a month or so. So far they seem pretty good.

Now all the NiMh's are getting farmed out to the remotes, cd players, flashlights, etc....but I will keep at least one set for backup in case the NiZn's dont work out...but according to the reviews on them....the folks seem to like them a lot more than the NiMh's especially in high discharge equipment like camera's, etc.

I did check with Tesoro, prior to ordering these, to make sure they would be alright and not damage the detector, and was assured it would be no problem.

So far...so good.

Anyone else using these batteries in your detectors?

LittleJohn

 

[NVmar]

I just go to home depot and get 16 pack for like $10. I don't go out detecting every day so they last me a couple of months.

 

[LittleJohn]

I usually hit a park or two on the way home from work in the evenings for a couple 2-3 hours each night(weather permitting). Then on the weekends I get a good 10-15 hours in hunting, so they will be very well worth it to me....nothing worse than a set of dead batteries.

LittleJohn

 

[NVmar]

Some destinations, on my prospecting, lead me across sand washes along dry mountain sides over here in southern Nevada. I have driven 30+ miles to desolate areas some times... having dead batteries will have definitely ruined my day!

 

[LittleJohn]

Some destinations, on my prospecting, lead me across sand washes along dry mountain sides over here in southern Nevada. I have driven 30+ miles to desolate areas some times... having dead batteries will have definitely ruined my day!

Do you use these batteries?

LittleJohn

 

[Soreback45]

Hi Littlejohn,

May I ask what batteries you WERE using in the Tejon and how much time you got out of them, assuming you're using headphones?

I'm returning to the hobby after a 35-year hiatus (!), now awaiting delivery of my Tejon. I've already ordered a batch of the NiZn batteries with charger, so I guess that's two of us that will be seeing how they work.

I live in Iowa (Davenport) on the Mississippi River, and it gets pretty warm and humid around here, so I wonder if it wouldn't be prudent to remove the batteries from the case if I'm not going to be hunting for a few days? Storage of the machine will be inside, cool and dry.

Thanks for any opinions you may have.....

Soreback45

 

[LittleJohn]

Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit....Davenport Iowa? I went to High School at Davenport West High School my sophmore and junior year, we lived out in Blue Grass. Small world!

The NiMh batteries that I was using I really dont know how long they lasted before they went dead.....I have two sets and I swapped them out after each hunt, and always charged them and had them ready(they dont have memory issues like the old NiCad's did) So I cant really answer your question on that part.

I just got home from a 3 1/2 hour hunt, plus I hunted an hour at lunchtime today so that is 4 and a half total, and when I started the NiZn's gave me 13 beeps on battery test. Now they are at 9 beeps....which is kind of surprising, but it is their first charge cycle, so I am not making any judgment on them at this point.

I know what you mean about hot and humid, I live in York, Pennsylvania and it is very hot and humid here as well. I dont know that you would need to remove your batteries from the unit, but opening the door may not be a bad idea. I plan to track the usage on these batteries and see how they hold up....their is a lot of hype about them, so I guess we will see if any of it is true huh?

Keep in touch and let me know how they work out for you. I just got my second set of NiZn's today and I am charging them and getting them ready to keep on standby for when the first set conks out. Have a good one!

LittleJohn

 

[NVmar]

Sorry littlejohn, i don't use rechargeables, haven't experimented with them yet.

 

[Soreback45]

Small world indeed! My work brought me here seven years ago. The work ran out in two years, I'm still here. Not fond of the winters, but I like it anyway.

I like to walk the soy and corn fields looking for Indian relics, thought I might as well drag along a metal detector. I don't expect much in the way of metal in the fields of Iowa, but who knows? A friend of mine found a nice copper spear point outside of Dubuque last year, so I guess it could happen.

Like you, I'll keep track of how the Tejon handles the NiZn batteries and share that info for others.

Thanks again for your guidance on the battery care, I'll follow it.

Wayne

 

[LittleJohn]

Spent an hour at lunch hunting, and then another 2 hours after work. So now we are up to 7.5 hours of hunting on this first set of NiZn batteries. Right at the end of the second hunt today, I did a battery check and I am getting 9 beeps. Pretty happy with that really, 3 hours on top of yesterday, and no change in the battery beeps....that is a good thing!

The second set is charged and ready to go in, but it may be a while before they get used at this rate. Friday evening is usually my best time to get to the sports fields, because no one is there, and it is great hunting...nice and quiet. Not planning to hunt tomorrow or saturday, but have a hunt planned with a good friend and my son for Sunday morning, going to an old abandoned farm where my buddy has already found some very very old coins. Then we will be relic hunting in a nearby field, really looking forward to that....will report on the results.

Found $3.57 in clad today at a local park in one hour.....the Tejon is as good in the parks as it is in the relic fields....dont know if I will ever need another detector for the land hunts....AWESOME!

LittleJohn

 

[LittleJohn]

Just did a voltage measurement on the first set of batteries that have 6.95 Volts per set(4 batteries). These batteries have 7.5 hours of hunting on them with the Tejon. The freshly charged sets are at 7.30 volts per set(4 batteries)....on their first charge cycle.

Will report on condition after the next hunt....but from what I am seeing so far...these babies are looking good!

LittleJohn

 

[LittleJohn]

2.5 hours hunting today, now we are at 10 hours on this set of batteries, still at 9 beeps on the battery check....doing well so far.

 

[LittleJohn]

Just measured the battery packs on the Tejon, and they are at 6.95 and 6.94 volts, and still giving 9 beeps on the battery test. I plan to put in a few hours in the morning...results will follow.

LittleJohn

 

[Soreback45]

Got my Tejon today and also got my NiZn batteries in the mail. Package says they need to be charged as they are not fully charged when shipped.

I couldn't wait, threw them in the machine, got 9 beeps at startup. Hunted with headphones in 85 degree sun for 3 hours. Still get 9 beeps. Now they're in the charger because I want to start with a full charge and keep records.

Although I'm new to all this, I have apparently, on my very first outing, discovered one of the most productive lost pull tab mines in the Midwest........

Soreback

 

[LittleJohn]

Pulltabs keep us looking for the gold. Once you learn the language of the Tejon, your pulltab count will go down....considering that you are willing to let the gold rings go....myself, I dig the solid sounds....I test my Tejon with a couple different gold rings that I have, so I know what they should sound like. I am new to the Tejon as well, but it has been the best Tesoro detector I have had yet....dont get me wrong, the silver and the Golden have their place....but once I got this Tejon and started learning how it does....what it does...I dont really want to hunt with anything else. I tried my buddy's Minelab Xterra 70 yesterday....and I really didn't like it at all. We hunted together for a good while, and I had $1.34 in clad and he had .43 cents.......I aint judgin by this....I am just sayin....these Tesoro detectors...are all that and then some! Still have 9 beeps on my battery test....I am really diggin the NiZn rechargeables...I hope it stays that way!

LittleJohn

 

[LittleJohn]

Another 2 hours puts me at 12 so far on this set, still at 9 beeps on the battery condition. I am starting to get the feeling that these might just drop off all of a sudden....I mean really, they cant stay charged this strong forever.

LittleJohn

 

[desimundo]

Here's a chart and a graph:

 

[Monkeywrangler22]

Hey LJ, does your tester show the test under a load, or is it a resting voltage? Just wondering... Also, where are y'all buying your NiZn's? I only find one maker, and 1 seller on fleabay, or there is Amazon with a package deal of 16 NiZn + charger for $53 USD.

 

[LittleJohn]

I dont have a "tester" I am going by the number of beeps on the battery test on the Tejon unit. When you first turn it on, it beeps however many times and this signifies the condition of the voltage on the batteries.

I bought 8 of mine on Ebay and the other 8 I got with the charger, total cost of $55, for 16 batteries and charger, but well worth it in my opinion, if you spend a lot of time behind your detector it will pay for ittself rather quickly. I am still at 9 beeps on the first set...but for the amount of time I have on them...I believe they should be dropping off and ready for recharge soon.

LittleJohn

 

[Monkeywrangler22]

Just did a voltage measurement on the first set of batteries that have 6.95 Volts per set(4 batteries). These batteries have 7.5 hours of hunting on them with the Tejon. The freshly charged sets are at 7.30 volts per set(4 batteries)....on their first charge cycle.

Will report on condition after the next hunt....but from what I am seeing so far...these babies are looking good!

LittleJohn

John, it was the above post of yours that made me think you had a volt meter to test them on--that was what I was wondering if it was a loaded or unloaded tester.