Silly question about battery prices

[mstevens]

OK, here's a question I hadn't thought would arise. My wife, 12 year-old, and I will be diving for at the end of the month. Usually we rely on rechargeable batteries at home. The problem is that they just don't last as long as alkalines, so we don't use them for our 6 primary and backup lights or my son's cheapo dive camera that eats AAA's. We plan several night dives, and although our lights are LED I've had a total light failure on a Cozumel night dive and got separated from the group. I have no wish to repeat that, so plan to use fresh batteries for each night dive.

I'd prefer not to lug batteries there due to weight, but some places we've been they're startlingly expensive. I never paid much attention to battery prices at Chedraui. I suspect they're more expensive than at a US Wal-Mart but not enough to justify taking them with us. My wife thinks they'll be expensive enough that we'll wish we had. Who's right?

 

[gregorio]

I am really surprise you that say that alkaline last longer than rechargeable, to my experience it is really the opposite, specially if you use nicd 2000mh or more.

 

[DandyDon]

I am really surprise you that say that alkaline last longer than rechargeable, to my experience it is really the opposite, specially if you use nicd 2000mh or more.

I have had that experience, but it depends on the quality of the rechargeables and the charger itself - which I learned here on SB from professional photographers.

Thompson's is a better site to acquire both: http://www.thomasdistributing.com/

Otherwise, I would never do a night dive without two dive lights.

 

[ronbeau]

OK, here's a question I hadn't thought would arise. My wife, 12 year-old, and I will be diving for at the end of the month. Usually we rely on rechargeable batteries at home. The problem is that they just don't last as long as alkalines, so we don't use them for our 6 primary and backup lights or my son's cheapo dive camera that eats AAA's. We plan several night dives, and although our lights are LED I've had a total light failure on a Cozumel night dive and got separated from the group. I have no wish to repeat that, so plan to use fresh batteries for each night dive.

I'd prefer not to lug batteries there due to weight, but some places we've been they're startlingly expensive. I never paid much attention to battery prices at Chedraui. I suspect they're more expensive than at a US Wal-Mart but not enough to justify taking them with us. My wife thinks they'll be expensive enough that we'll wish we had. Who's right?

I agree with Dandy Don. Take a look at the Maha 2700 mAH AA NiMh rechargeable at Thomas Distributing http://www.thomasdistributing.com/ (Dandy Don also supplied this same link in his post).

I had my first experience with Thomas a few weeks ago and they were excellent. I ordered a lot of batteries and had one bad one. I called them and the shipped the replacement out immediately.

The link for the Maha 2700 mAH batteries is

http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/-nimh-rechargeable--aa-nimh-batteries-c-122_104_106.html

For AA batteries you might want to consider either the following chargers for AA batteries

http://www.thomasdistributing.com/maha-powerex-mh-c204w-nimh-battery-charger.htm

http://www.thomasdistributing.com/maha-mh-c9000-battery-charger.php


What size batteries are you using in your dive lights? I can believe the primary dive light would be using AA batteries.

I bought these NiMh "C" cell batteries for by primary and backup dives lights for myself, wife and daughter.

Each battery is 600 mAH hours and rated for 1000 charging cycles. At that rate it will be many years before I have to replace them. They work in all my UK and Princeton Tec primary and backup dive lights (all of which are LED except the UK Light Cannon).

http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/...P_id=&osCsid=191dd4a657885144c5dcaa5d4cd78541

Hope this helps.

 

[EvaL]

I agree with above posters, some of the AA size rechargeable batteries (above 2300mAH) tend to last longer. And it's better on the environment (and on your luggage weight) to use rechargeable batteries for high-drain equipment such as primary lights camera and strobes (I'd keep a fresh set of alkalines in my back-up light in case my primary light, using rechargeables, runs out on a night dive).
I believe LED lights are worth the price in the long run.
Dive safely.

 

[mstevens]

Otherwise, I would never do a night dive without two dive lights.

I don't want to sound as if I've drunk the Kool-Aid or anything, but I wouldn't under ANY circumstances. It's more than batteries - it's bulbs. It's more than bulbs (since our LED's might last longer than we do) - it's also circuity and switches. It's even more than electrics - there are seals, cases, lenses... There's all sorts of stuff that can fail in any light. There are plenty of cheap, small backup lights available. I don't like to drag around much stuff with me underwater, but a backup light is not optional to me for a night dive.

 

[mstevens]

Our dive lights use C-cells for the primaries, AA's for the backups. My son's camera uses AAA's.

Thanks for the advice about high-mAH rechargeables. However, note above that we do already ordinarily use them (Mahas) at home. It has NOT been my experience that rechargeable batteries last longer in the low-current lights we'll be using than alkaline primaries. Further, I have no desire to carry enough rechargers to charge 12 C-cells and 6 AA's. I'd rather just lug alkalines with me. It's also worth noting that most rechargeable batteries self-discharge at room temperatures at up to a *hundred* times the rate of alkalines, therefore, if I'm to travel with rechargeables I definitely need chargers since I insist on starting any night dive with new (or fully-charged) batteries. It is likely that quality NiMH AAA's properly charged may last longer in the camera but I don't have time to acquire any prior to the trip.

So, does anyone know about alkaline battery prices in Cozumel?

 

[herman]

Here is an option. Thomas sells an AA to C adapter for less than $2 each. With one set per light and one set of high output AA's plus a couple of chargers your set. I just did a test this afternoon with an older set of 2500mAh NiMh batteries in an Ikelite 4 C battery light. I got over 2 1/2 hrs of burn time on the AA's, plenty of time for a night dive. I plan to do some more test but if the rest of the test come out the same way, I will be switching to all AA's. I already have (and carry anyway) 2 chargers capable of charging 4 cells each in less than 2 hrs, plenty of time to have them ready to go the next night. The weight of the chargers and 2 sets of batteries is less than one set of C's and I only have to carry one type of battery. This also ends the problem I have of coming back with a bunch of 1/2 used C batteries after a trip. Unless I am missing something all AA's is the way I am going to go.

 

[DandyDon]

So, does anyone know about alkaline battery prices in Cozumel?

Sorry, I do not - and you do deserve an answer. I'll send some PMs about getting you one.

I usually the Cs for my dive lights at a dollar store - use them for one night dive, give them to the DM, but you have a bigger challenge than I do alone. And I do run into challenges plugging in chargers, my lap top, my coffee pop, etc. You're also right on about LEDs! Never buy another light that isn't, except their light does diminish halfway thru the battery, I have read.

Interesting still about the AA to C converter. Have to look at that.

 

[Christi]

I JUST bought "C" batteries for all of my rental lights a few days ago...normally I stock up at Sam's as they are cheaper...but this time I had to buy them "a la carte."

I am at home today (Sunday) but when I get to the office tomorrow, I will confirm the exact pricing. However, if memory serves me correctly, it was about $34 pesos for a two pack of "C" batteries...roughly $1.50 per battery.

"AA" batteries are $3 to $4 per four pack...I'll confirm this for you as well when I get to the office and check my receipts.