Critterhunter
New member
All detectors I ever checked the amp draw on was very low, well into the MA range. Something don't sound right here. Measure the amp draw of your detector by putting an amp meter inline with the power source. IE: Hook the positive lead of the battery to one terminal on the amp meter, then the other lead of the amp meter to the positive battery connection on the detector. Battery ground hooked up to the battery ground connection on the detector of course. Make sure the amp meter is set for amps and probably say 2amps or less (I'm sure it's far lower than that though, like probably no more than 100ma or so). Now turn on the detector and read the amp draw on the meter. Wave a target in front of the coil (headphones plugged in as the built in speaker on a detector draws more juice) and note the amp draw of that too. Now figure about 75% of the time the amp draw is when no target is sounding off, and about 25% of the time is when one is. Do the math and figure an average amp draw between those two numbers, and then divide that into the capacity of the pack.
I don't know off hand the amp draw of that detector but I would figure with say a 3000ma pack you should be getting at least 15 to more than likely about 30 to maybe even 50 hours of run time with a pack that big in capacity.
PS- If anybody is using loose nimh cells or such in a holder and plan to charge them without taking them in/out of the holder, make sure the spread a super thin coating of dialectric grease (spark plug boot grease for 99 cents at auto stores) onto the ends of the cells and the battery holder leads where they make contact. VERY thin film though as too much will block the current flow. This will prevent oxide build up since you aren't removing the cells that would normally scuff the ends to prevent that. Such low current draws are easily blocked by any tiny bit of oxide. I also use this stuff any time I unplug anything electrical on my truck when working on it, such as sensors or such. Usually a faulty electronic component is not due to a bad part, but rather a short in the wiring or say a cold solder joint.
I don't know off hand the amp draw of that detector but I would figure with say a 3000ma pack you should be getting at least 15 to more than likely about 30 to maybe even 50 hours of run time with a pack that big in capacity.
PS- If anybody is using loose nimh cells or such in a holder and plan to charge them without taking them in/out of the holder, make sure the spread a super thin coating of dialectric grease (spark plug boot grease for 99 cents at auto stores) onto the ends of the cells and the battery holder leads where they make contact. VERY thin film though as too much will block the current flow. This will prevent oxide build up since you aren't removing the cells that would normally scuff the ends to prevent that. Such low current draws are easily blocked by any tiny bit of oxide. I also use this stuff any time I unplug anything electrical on my truck when working on it, such as sensors or such. Usually a faulty electronic component is not due to a bad part, but rather a short in the wiring or say a cold solder joint.