X100 Batteries?

[LRMNmeyer]

I was never really able to light a match that quickly with my X100, but when I tried fresh alkalines instead of NIMH's, it lit almost instantly! Anyone know a place to buy alkaline's or lithium AAA's for cheap? And how bad is the voltage sag of lithiums?

(I somehow posted a topic meant for the off topic section here. I don't know how that happened, but I changed it to this.)

 

[Xplorer877]

DX I guess. For alkalines just go to the store. Any money you save getting them online will be canceled by the time and cost of shipping.

A buddy of mine told me that lithiums, NiMH, and Lipo are all high density batteries, but don't preform too well when your pulling a lot of current from them. They struggle to keep the voltage up to their rating once they have a large load. Thats why the Energizer commercial says they last 7 times longer in high tech devices. Thats because high tech devices like camereas, telephones, and mp3 players typically don't need very much current to operate.

A 100mW laser on the other hand can draw over a third of an amp from the batteries! I personally have never had any problems with lithiums in my lasers. I think they're a little better. Wheather or not they are worth the extra buck is up to you.

You are talking about Nova's X-series right?

-Malcolm

 

[RA_pierce]

Actually, cameras, mp3 players, and phones do draw a lot of current. At least compared to things like remote controls and the like.
Lithium batteries work well in these devices as well as lasers because they have a higher power density than alkalines, with the added benefit that they work well in low temperature and they weigh significantly less than alkaline and NiMH batteries.
The downside is that they have 1.7V compared to 1.5, so they have the potential to damage some devices and that they are expensive.
This is fine for pen lasers, however, because they generally draw a lot of current, up to half an amp, which means it sags down to about 1.5 or 1.4 with heavy load anyway.
NiMH batteries have a lower voltage sag so, when fully charged, they usually measure in about 1.4V, but they do not drop as much.
The benefit of NiMH is that they are rechargeable and they can supply just as much power as a Lithium battery.
Alkalines do not last long in lasers and with my X105, I went through six in one day. They were good for about ten minutes of use, but the power dropped noticeably after that.
NiMH batteries worked great for my laser and seemed to yield just as much power as a Lithium battery, so I stuck with those. I used Duracell 1000mAh AAAs.
Another important thing: when it comes to NiMH batteries, you want the highest mAh rating you can find. This rating determines how long your batteries will supply full power.

 

[maxkillz]

my batteries seem to die in my laser if I leave them in there overnight :-/ it happens with my alpha and also one of my older CNI pen lasers...


also when the laser and batteries are cold (<60F) the laser has a very hard time getting to full power it takes about 5-10 minutes to warm up. I have tested with energizer 2500mAh rechargeable batteries and eneloop 2000mAh rechargeable batteries.

 

[LRMNmeyer]

You are talking about Nova's X-series right?

Yes.
EDIT: 300th post.

 

[hydrogenman15]

Rayovac hybrids are very nice batterys.

--hydro15

 

[Xplorer877]

Actually, cameras, mp3 players, and phones do draw a lot of current. At least compared to things like remote controls and the like.
Lithium batteries work well in these devices as well as lasers because they have a higher power density than alkalines, with the added benefit that they work well in low temperature and they weigh significantly less than alkaline and NiMH batteries.
The downside is that they have 1.7V compared to 1.5, so they have the potential to damage some devices and that they are expensive.
This is fine for pen lasers, however, because they generally draw a lot of current, up to half an amp, which means it sags down to about 1.5 or 1.4 with heavy load anyway.
NiMH batteries have a lower voltage sag so, when fully charged, they usually measure in about 1.4V, but they do not drop as much.
The benefit of NiMH is that they are rechargeable and they can supply just as much power as a Lithium battery.
Alkalines do not last long in lasers and with my X105, I went through six in one day. They were good for about ten minutes of use, but the power dropped noticeably after that.
NiMH batteries worked great for my laser and seemed to yield just as much power as a Lithium battery, so I stuck with those. I used Duracell 1000mAh AAAs.
Another important thing: when it comes to NiMH batteries, you want the highest mAh rating you can find. This rating determines how long your batteries will supply full power.

Yeah to measure voltage sag measure the voltage across the battery while it's in use. For me I don't mind heavy batteries. The best choice is rechargeables. They will pay for themselves.

For high tech devices some do need a lot of juice like video cameras and portable DVD players. But these most likely have their own special rechargeable battery. I'm talking about things like calculators, remotes, small digital camera (some have the ability to disable the LCD to increase battery life).

In the end nothing beats a pair of fresh ones.