Battery choice for vr3

Triton

Hi all

I am about to use 3.6v Lithium Thionyl Chloride battery for my 'brick'.

From my work I can say that we all use lithium rechargeables as they last much longer and most of all light weight and reliable.
Very handy for film&TV Cameras and Audio equipment !

My question is this...

Someone brought it to my attention that Lithium Batt tend to die without warning.
I personally havent experienced this on our equipment and know lithium to be work horse batteries.
Having said this we use rechargable lithium only.

Has anyone out there experienced a non rechargable Lithium batt die without warning??

Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

rgds

p.s I understand that this is not a direct Rebreather question.Admin, pls feel free to delete this post.

Nad

I was also told by a technician in an electronic shop that the rechargable batteries loose they power pretty quickly, at the end of their life. So you're able to use them for 70% of their full power because the last 30% is not enough to support any energy request.
The non rechargeable ones can be used to 100%, they start to lower a bit but they can still support any energy request.
I never checked the validity of this informations, better spent my time diving.
When I had the B/W VR3 I used a normal AA battery. Now with the colour screen I use a Lithium, 3,6V non rechargeable battery.
Though I have to say the latter are not so easy to find.

Cheers,

Nad

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jswensva

I'm not an expert on this, but I know I've read that lithium batteries have a quicker discharge curve near the end of their life. It's anecdotal, but I have noticed the voltage drop faster on my VR3 with lithium batteries than with standard. That said, the lithium batteries last much longer.

nmanfield

When I had the B/W VR3 I used a normal AA battery. Now with the colour screen I use a Lithium, 3,6V non rechargeable battery.
Though I have to say the latter are not so easy to find.

Cheers,

Nad[/quote]


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FathomsDown

I must admit I stick to standard AA alkaline batteries these days. I know some people who have switched to Lithiums and had all kinds of problems with their VR3s such as a dive becomming 30, one-minute long ones!


Of course, your milage may vary but if you are considering the switch then I would recommend making sure you have decent backups with you.

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Dive deep, stay long, deco for friggin' ages.

Andy M

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Know your PO2 at all times

Philippe GERIN

Yes, I have. Well not exactly without warning but pretty quickly after my VR3 prompted a low bat warning in dive mode. That dive went well. I go up, let it shut off. Turn it on again & I get 3.4v. So I go about another dive, get the low bat warning again & about 15mn into the dive it dies. Lesson learned: now I change the bat at the first low bat warning.
A few hours after I replaced the bat, I go for a night dive and my VR3 prompts me an air break and show 354% CNS -which cannot be for the dives I've done- I wonder if this is linked w/ the bat dying during a dive. Since then no trouble.
Best
Philippe

RichClark

I use a Lithium, 3.6V non rechargeable battery, and it still reads 3.5v on start up. I always carry a spare with me and plan to change the battery on the first 'low battery warning'

The series of 30 1min dives is unlikely to be battery related, I had a similar issue with phantom dives and sent the computer back. It turned to to be a dry solder on the depth transducer. Since then I've not had a problem.

Cheers

Rich

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The more I learn about women, the more I want to go diving... just don't tell my wife I said that

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Triton

Hi

RS components have them at a good price.Link is different for all countries so go to

http://www.rs-components.com/index.html

select by country and search product code 2019438

The battery is LS14500

rgds

My thoughts on the Battery issue...

From an electronic point of view, inside the vr3 is a voltage regulated power supply which is there to supply a stable voltage regardless of supply voltage to the electronics.
Most electronic circuits have these

Supply voltage should NOT make a difference for the instrument itself but by using a 1.5v, more current will flow to do the same work.
If a 3.6v is used, about half the current flows from the battery compared to a 1.5v.

Actually a 3.6v battery will heat less than a 1.5v.

a problem with battery type and discharge rate is possible and real-life but I still cant see why people actually have had problems with the instrument going bezerk because of using a 3.6v Batt which is still within the designers specs anyway .
You could probably give it 4v and any decent regulated power supply wouldnt bat an eyelid.

It could be a problem arising from something else like a contact or corrosion on the battery cap (which is ground).

Hmmn...I am all confused now

rigdiver

I use the Tadiran 3.6volt. I've got 30+ hours on this battery. Battery prices are nothing compared to the Rebreather and computers needed for CCR. Why take a chance over a few dollars?
Bill