Spare batteries

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bvbellomo

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Location
United States
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50 - 99
When I go on a trip, I take a spare battery for my computer, and a few other things like my camera housing. I have yet to actually need to use it, and most of the time there are several batteries in a pack.

On the next trip, I may have 2 or 3 batteries I didn't use on my last trip. But batteries won't last forever even unused, another pack is $5 and a dead battery completely ruins my trip. So my next trip, I may have 6 batteries but need to buy more.

It isn't just the waste of $5 every trip, I don't like throwing unused batteries in a landfill.

What else does everyone do?
 
Lithium coin type batteries commonly used by housings and dive computers can last for many years. Buy good quality cells like Panasonic and you can expect up to 10 years of shelf life. I use a lot of 2032 cells for various items and bought a pack of 24 a while ago that I expect to keep me going for a few years.
 
Perdix takes AA. I dive year round locally. The batteries will get used. I keep spares of the different batteries my transmitters use. They’ll get used, too.

it’s not something I worry about.
 
I use the energizer ultimate lithium for stuff that takes normal sized lithium like a shearwater. Energizer claims a 20 year shelf life on the package. I have a battery drawer at home that the whole family uses. If I have leftovers from a trip, they go into the drawer.

Energizer Ultimate Lithium | Best Batteries

Edit: I just noticed it's only the AA's that have 20 years. Other form factors are only good for 10.
 
I have a Perdix.
I change the battery every 4-8 weeks regardless of how much diving I've done in that time, it costs next to nothing to swap to a new AA battery and toss the old one.
I always carry at least a 4-p of new AA batteries in my save a dive kit, there is no way I am ever sitting out a dive because I failed to bring batteries for my Perdix.
 
I have a Perdix.
I change the battery every 4-8 weeks regardless of how much diving I've done in that time, it costs next to nothing to swap to a new AA battery and toss the old one.
I always carry at least a 4-p of new AA batteries in my save a dive kit, there is no way I am ever sitting out a dive because I failed to bring batteries for my Perdix.

While the newer Shearwaters will take Alkaline AA's it is not a good idea to use them as they frequently leak, especially if left unused for a few months. You are much better off with Lithium AA cells, rechargeable or not. Energizer AA's last for months and a few dozen dives in my Petrel-Ext CCR connected computers.

I'm pretty sure the OP was referring to Coin type batteries since they mentioned camera housings and many non-SW dive computers like Suunto also use 2450 coin batteries.
 
Why not just use rechargeable??

This is all I use in my Petrel's/Perdix's and strobes.

And yes if were talking about the little coin type just buy name brands.; Duracell, Energizer, SAFT, I like Panasonic especially the Eneloop's Coin Lithium - CR2450 and says right on there website 10 year shelf life. I'm pretty sure with in 10 years you will either use it, loan it to a friend that has a dead battery, or lose it. I highly doubt you will be keeping it for the full shelf life then throwing it away because it expired.
 
While the newer Shearwaters will take Alkaline AA's it is not a good idea to use them as they frequently leak, especially if left unused for a few months. You are much better off with Lithium AA cells, rechargeable or not. Energizer AA's last for months and a few dozen dives in my Petrel-Ext CCR connected computers.

I'm pretty sure the OP was referring to Coin type batteries since they mentioned camera housings and many non-SW dive computers like Suunto also use 2450 coin batteries.
I know regular alkaline AA batteries can leak if left unused for longer periods of time, which is why I frequently swap mine.
Lithium batteries are expensive in the long run, but I can get my hands on Panasonic alkalines for free :D
 
I know regular alkaline AA batteries can leak if left unused for longer periods of time, which is why I frequently swap mine.
Lithium batteries are expensive in the long run, but I can get my hands on Panasonic alkalines for free :D

For Lithium I use Orbtronic 14500 Battery 1100mAh Protected 3.7V Li-ion Rechargeable Cell Button Top very high quality rechargeable. They are $8.50 a battery, kind of hard to call that "expensive" for something that I have been using in my Petral's and Perdix's for 2-3 years now. And I have yet to throw one away. As divers were supposed to be looking after our environment and ocean and setting and example to minimize our impact. 1 rechargeable used for 2-3 years for a cost of $8.50 is probably 15-20+ alkalines less in our landfills and probably a lot cheaper in the long run.

And then we you start talking about strobes you really start saving on batteries and cost. Yes a set of 8ea. AA Eneloop Pro's is $30-$40 but if you consider you only get about 2 dives before you need new batteries that's 8 AA alkalines in the garbage every 2 dives. If you dive alot like me that would easily be hundreds of AA every year.
 
What else does everyone do?
I’ve got three computers in my family. 2 Oceanics and 1 Perdix AI. The Oceanics take CR2450, and the Perdix takes takes anything that’s AA sized. Most of my dives are local, so the batteries generally just need to survive the day. That said, I still bring a spare battery and appropriate o-rings for each.

For the Perdix, I bought a set of rechargeable lithium 3.7V batteries, so when one is low I just swap for one of the others. For the Oceanics, I just plan to change them once a year, and just move the backup to the DCs, and get a new pack for the backups. I just did this the other day, and the new pack had a use by date of 2030 and come in packs of two. With that shelf life, I don’t see any possibility of having to toss it before they get used.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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