Petrel Battery Choice

[jboneng]

Using lithium batteries in mine, because of the water temperature.

 

[Stoo]

Using lithium batteries in mine, because of the water temperature.

This. I also use the photo-lithium... readily available, only slightly more $$ than the regular Alkaline batteries, but better cold-water life. I believe that there are also "size" issues with the saft batteries. Some are a "hair" shorter than usual which can cause connection issues, although I have no first-hand experience with this.

 

[James R]

I have a SAFT in mine now, but wont use another one I don't think. I can get bulk AA from costco for using here, and I take plenty of eneloop AA on trips for strobes so no worry.

 

[insomnia]

I also use lithium batteries as I dive mostly in 3-4 °C water. Energizer Ultimate Lithium is the one I would recommend.

 

[BFRedrocks]

I also use lithium batteries as I dive mostly in 3-4 °C water. Energizer Ultimate Lithium is the one I would recommend.

Thanks for the replies...these are the ones I picked up for a couple of reasons, one being that water temps are a little chilly (low 50's F) these days. They were also fairly inexpensive on Amazon.

 

[TTPaws]

I use enloops regardless of temps. I just keep a spare one or two and swap them out as needed. I like the fact that I don't have to throw them out between changes.

 

[geoff w]

I just changed out my first battery, which is so easy. The original alkaline worked fine for diving in Hawaii, but then when I got back to So Cal, I noticed the battery drained much faster in the colder water here (high 50s). I had some AA lithium photo batteries and am trying that now. Still shows full power after a couple of long dives

 

[BFRedrocks]

I just changed out my first battery, which is so easy. The original alkaline worked fine for diving in Hawaii, but then when I got back to So Cal, I noticed the battery drained much faster in the colder water here (high 50s). I had some AA lithium photo batteries and am trying that now. Still shows full power after a couple of long dives

I just received my Energizer Ultimate Li-ion batteries that I will swap out for the alkaline this weekend, but I was curious if you notice(d) whether the Li-ion batteries are "compatible" with the new fuel gauge in the Petrel? IOW, does it show a gradually decreasing charge of the battery, or will it only show "full," "low," and "critical"? The Shearwater FAQ for the Li-ion batteries is missing that info, but hopefully with the rechargeable Li-ion batteries being compatible (see below), the non-rechargeable Li-ion batteries are compatible as well.

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There are numerous types of AA sized batteries that will work in your Shearwater Petrel, read below for more details:

Alkaline
We recommend the AA 1.5V alkaline battery (e.g. the Duracell Coppertop) because it is:
A) Inexpensive
B) Available anywhere
C) Reliable
D) Gives about 35 hours of diving
As an added bonus your Petrel provides a useful “Fuel Gauge” display for these batteries.

Saft
The Saft 3.6V LS14500 battery (used by the Shearwater Predator) is also a good choice, primarily because it has the longest usable life (90 hours on medium brightness). However they are:
A) Expensive
B) Hard to find
C) Sensitive to temperature and storage conditions
In addition they are incompatible with the new “Fuel Gauge” feature so only three levels are given: Full, Low (Yellow) and Critical (Red).

Li-Ion - Rechargeable
The 3.7V Li-Ion 14500 battery is a good choice that can be purchased online. The AW brand is recommended and typically high quality. The brands Trustfire and Ultrafire can be good, but seem to come from a wider variety of sources and many users report getting duds. The Li-Ion batteries give about 35hours per charge and are compatible with the new “Fuel Gauge” feature. Note that these batteries are actually about 4.2V when fully charged.

NiMH - Rechargeable
The 1.2V NiMH battery can also be used. These are commonly used in photo flashes and digital cameras, and can be purchased in most electronics stores. About 30 hours per charge can be expected. We recommend using the low self-discharge models typically labeled as “pre-charged”, “ready charged”, “stay charged” etc. and have capacities around 2000mAh. The older style high self-discharge batteries have higher capacities (around 2800mAh) but not recommended. They will work, but will go dead in a few weeks just sitting on the shelf. Also, all NiMH batteries are incompatible with the new “Fuel Gauge” feature so only three levels are given: Full, Low (Yellow) and Critical (Red). If you have these batteries already from your photo flash, feel free to use them. However we do not recommend buying them for the Petrel as better choices are available.

Photo Lithium 1.5V
These are the best choice for cold water divers. Sold as the Energizer brand Advanced Lithium and Ultimate Lithium batteries. The 1.5V Photo Lithium batteries offer almost double the run time in a Petrel when compared to an alkaline battery. However they can cost about 4X as much as an Alkaline. They are a good choice if you want longer run time than alkaline batteries provide or if diving in waters colder than 8 degrees Celsius (46 degrees Fahrenheit) . They can be found in most department stores or electronics stores and also in many drug stores.

Zinc-Carbon 1.5V
1.5V Zinc-Carbon batteries are el-cheapo batteries commonly found in dollar stores. Although they work, they only provide about 10 to 15 hours and so are not recommended. However if they are all you can get on a tropical island somewhere, feel free to use them.
To summarize:

Type	Nominal Voltage	Approx. Med. Battery Life	Rechargeable	Availability	Cost (USD)	Cost (500 hrs)
Alkaline	1.5 V	34 hrs	No	Excellent	$0.75	$11.50
Saft LS14500	3.6 V	90 hrs	No	Poor	$7.50	$42
Li-Ion	3.7 V	34 hrs	Yes	Poor	$12.00	$35*
NiMH	1.2 V	30 hrs	Yes	Good	$5.00	$20*
Photo Lithium	1.5 V	55 hrs	No	Good	$3.00	$27

*For rechargeable batteries, cost for 500 hours of diving is cost of 2 batteries plus charger.

 

[kwinter]

Two reasons for using lithiums, either rechargeables or SAFTs. One is that it keeps stuff out of landfills. Most people do not properly dispose of Li, NiMH or NiCad batteries, and heavy metals get into the ground. Alkalines can go in regular trash, but add to landfills.

The other reason is that the more times you open and close the battery compartment, the more likely it is to develop a problem. It might be something as easy as an o-ring change once in a while, but doing it 5-10 times as often just can't be good. Tempting fate.

Of course everyone is free to disagree completely.

 

[buddhasummer]

I use Saft but will switch to standard alkalines. My computer seems to have difficulty showing battery life and constantly alternates between showing orange almost dead and full blue. It's done this with 3 Saft batteries beginning when new battery is installed. Based on fuel indicator I have no idea if the battery is full or almost dead. I keep an eye of logged dive time instead. Another poster once reported that the Petrels have a known issue reading Saft batteries. I've checked downloads and voltage is not swinging, it appears relatively stable. I'll try an alkaline and see if I have the same issue.