User replaceable battery vs rechargeable?

[CT-Rich]

I've long since grown tired of throwing out devices with integrated lithium-ion batteries.

In 25 years, every single Teric and Garmin is going to be sitting at the bottom of a landfill, as there won't be replacements for their custom LiOn cells.

Not that I plan to use the same computer for the next 25 years, but the point is that I get to decide when I'm done with it, not the battery. I'm sure even during the apocalypse, I'll be able to find some AAs.

How many AA batteries are going to be sitting ing the bottom of a land fill in 25 years? You could send your Shearwater back to have a failing battery replaced. My 2 year old computer can do a week of vacation diving on one charge. Ten years from now it may be down to three days. That will kill me…. Ten years from now…

 

[Thunder Struck]

I run a Perdix (replaceable battery) for my primary computer and a Deep 6 Excursion (rechargeable battery) for backup. Problem solved.

As for leaking AA batteries, I use the Energizer lithiums in my Perdix. Never had one leak in it or other devices. Per Energizer, they are guaranteed not to leak. A little more spendy but they last longer and work well even in the cold.

 

[Doc Harry]

I had a Suunto Zoop with a user replaceable battery.

I had my own compressor, maintained all my own tanks and regs, etc. So I'm pretty good with gear.

But my Zoop flooded every time I personally replaced my battery. LOL

I now have a Teric and am very happy that don't have flooding risk anymore.

 

[GDHLEWIS]

Both have their pros and cons, buy the computer that does exactly what you want it to do, the computer that you find easiest to use and find logical in setout and usage for you. The battery issue is mute for the most part these days

 

[Belzelbub]

A year or so ago, Michele at Dive-Tronix told me that the most common repair they were doing was repairing Perdixes that had had a battery leak inside the computer.

I’m not sure this is indicating that the battery change was not done correctly. it sounds like it is referring to those that were using alkaline AA batteries that leaked in the battery compartment. That repair being so common likely lead Shearwater to no longer recommend alkaline batteries.

 

[Bloody Marvelous]

- You can carry a solar battery bank and wireless charger and run a Teric indefinitely. With a Perdix, you can never run it indefinitely. You always have to have a source for AA-sized batteries.

That's a somewhat distortion of a real life situation. A Perdix can run 60 hours, 60 dive hours, on a single Lithium AA. That means you can theoretically dive a Perdix on a 3 week liveaboard without having to replace the battery. have one extra battery as a spare, and you're pretty much running your Perdix indefinitely for all practical purposes.

A solar power bank needs to have access to the sun to charge, and the Teric needs to be charged every 2-3 days. In overcast weather, the amount of charge you can get from a solar power bank is limited, and it requires you to leave it out in the sun. It won't recharge at night or while it's in a pocket, or in a bag. On a liveaboard you're only allowed to charge your computer while under supervision. You're not allowed to leave it charging in your cabin while you're lounging out on the deck.

 

[stuartv]

I’m not sure this is indicating that the battery change was not done correctly. it sounds like it is referring to those that were using alkaline AA batteries that leaked in the battery compartment. That repair being so common likely lead Shearwater to no longer recommend alkaline batteries.

it was not intended to suggest that a battery change was done incorrectly.

It was intended to point out that using an alkaline (for whatever reason) and accidentally leaving it in while stored is very common. If you are simply better than all those other people and know that you will never inadvertently make that mistake, well, that is awesome!

 

[stuartv]

That's a somewhat distortion of a real life situation. A Perdix can run 60 hours, 60 dive hours, on a single Lithium AA. That means you can theoretically dive a Perdix on a 3 week liveaboard without having to replace the battery. have one extra battery as a spare, and you're pretty much running your Perdix indefinitely for all practical purposes.

I agree. That was a response to an earlier post suggesting that the Perdix is better because, when you are out “in the field” you can always find a AA battery, so (it was implied) that you can run a Perdix indefinitely, but you cannot a Teric, because you have to have an outlet to connect a Teric charger to.

A solar power bank needs to have access to the sun to charge, and the Teric needs to be charged every 2-3 days. In overcast weather, the amount of charge you can get from a solar power bank is limited, and it requires you to leave it out in the sun. It won't recharge at night or while it's in a pocket, or in a bag. On a liveaboard you're only allowed to charge your computer while under supervision. You're not allowed to leave it charging in your cabin while you're lounging out on the deck.

That is simply false.

My Teric was charged on approximately Dec 20. I started diving. In Cozumel on Dec 31. I did 12 dives over 6 days. After I got home, the Teric was at over 50% charge remaining. That is without being charged at all after Dec 20.

Also, I’m not sure exactly, but I think my solar power bank could charge my Teric at least 10 times before it needed to be charged itself. So, am I really worried about trying to leave it in the sun, or what the weather is like? I mean, I can also charge the power bank from a wall adapter, too.

 

[Belzelbub]

it was not intended to suggest that a battery change was done incorrectly.

Gotcha. It could have been interpreted a couple of ways.

It was intended to point out that using an alkaline (for whatever reason) and accidentally leaving it in while stored is very common. If you are simply better than all those other people and know that you will never inadvertently make that mistake, well, that is awesome!

It would be very hard for me to leave my Perdix in storage with an alkaline AA. The only time it’s had an alkaline in it was when I first received it. First thing I did was remove it and install a lithium battery. I’ve lost a number of cheaper devices to leaking alkaline batteries. Didn’t want to subject my expensive DC to that.

 

[Lorenzoid]

- You can carry a solar battery bank and wireless charger and run a Teric indefinitely. With a Perdix, you can never run it indefinitely. You always have to have a source for AA-sized batteries.

I could travel with my electric car indefinitely if I carried a solar panel and managed to find a good place and time to stop while it charged. Sure, there are workarounds available if one is determined to rely on a rechargeable device, but so long as more convenient alternatives exist rechargeables will be playing catch-up.