Anyone use Rechargable batteries in their optics
- Thread starter John A.
- Start date
I have been burned by rechargeables in the face of a forest fire more than once.
We get $1200 portable radios that can take a rechargeable or they can use a clam shell full of AA's of your choice even rechargeable
Almost no one uses the rechargeables anymore , the best set up we found is packing two clam shells with lithium energizers.....one clam shell last about half the summer on regular use, the rechareables can be half the incident but usually give up after the first couple hours so....unacceptable unless you have five and the don't go out while your directing helicopter drops
These radios keep us alive, make everything happen......next to no one uses rechargeaboes unless they are new but they all eventually switch
Not using one on my gun ever, but I see extreme value if someday you can't roll down to the store to buy AA's
Tomac
.410
I've recently realized a longtime goal of having all my important gear use AA batteries. My optic on my AR's is the Meprolight Tru-Dot RDS (1xAA) and my weapons light is the Colt 400 lumen WML that uses 2xAA's (or 1xAA if you want it shorter w/200 lumen output). All my other gear (lights, radios, GPS, etc) all run on AA's except for the small MFT Torch nav light on my AR's & Mossberg Shockwave.
I use lithiums and Eneloop rechargeables only and have a couple of flexible AA solar chargers 'just in case'. I've attached a photo of one of my AR's along w/my pre-modification Shockwave.
Tomac
I use lithiums and Eneloop rechargeables only and have a couple of flexible AA solar chargers 'just in case'. I've attached a photo of one of my AR's along w/my pre-modification Shockwave.
Tomac
Tomac
.410
Thx! I'm afraid all that's left of the original 6920 at this point is the lower receiver & buffer tube! It's taken a couple of years of experimentation to arrive at this point. Had I known then what I know now, I would have used a BCM 14.5" lightweight upper instead of the 16".
Tomac
ETA: Here's another shot of the same rifle w/a different buttstock better showing the Colt AA WML:
MapleGrove Steve
Copper BB
Just my 2 cents: I've been disappointed in rechargeable battery performance as well, then I noticed some "fine print" on some rechargeable c-cells that I just ordered. Stated that full power isn't reached until the batteries go through 4-5 complete discharge/recharge cycles. Not sure if this is applicable to all rechargeables or just the c-cells I received. Might be worth more trials? Good luck and enjoy your guns!
I'm out of touch in that I didn't know rechargeable button cells existed! I use rechargeable in some of my smaller hand held radios, but I set up a reminder schedule to pull them out every month and check them - and usually end up recharging them. As far as firearm optics, I've stuck with conventional batteries. I did the same thing though - set up phone reminders to check, albeit at longer intervals.
Over the years I've experienced different results with rechargeable batteries. I've used eneloop AA and AAA batteries in "dumb" things like common flashlights and weather radio but never in "life saving" devices like weapons lights and scopes.
Most of my rechargeable AA and AAA have been cycled many times and using a good charger they continue to perform well. However, following a recharge cycle I check the voltage and try to match cells with like voltages. I've found that no two batteries are the same. It does seem to take a few initial deep cycles to get new batteries to take a full charge and even older ones will recharge to different levels.
I've also found that fully cycling these batteries vice topping them off works best and checking the recharged voltage and matching the batteries give best results.
For weapons lights, scopes, and red dots I only used name brand batteries, typically surefire and streamlight for CR123 applications. While I don't use these devices everyday I do change the batteries out annually to be safe.
My trail cameras, which take 8 AA batteries, have the biggest battery appetite and I've found that rechargeable batteries don't last long in these cameras especially in the cold.
Regards
Most of my rechargeable AA and AAA have been cycled many times and using a good charger they continue to perform well. However, following a recharge cycle I check the voltage and try to match cells with like voltages. I've found that no two batteries are the same. It does seem to take a few initial deep cycles to get new batteries to take a full charge and even older ones will recharge to different levels.
I've also found that fully cycling these batteries vice topping them off works best and checking the recharged voltage and matching the batteries give best results.
For weapons lights, scopes, and red dots I only used name brand batteries, typically surefire and streamlight for CR123 applications. While I don't use these devices everyday I do change the batteries out annually to be safe.
My trail cameras, which take 8 AA batteries, have the biggest battery appetite and I've found that rechargeable batteries don't last long in these cameras especially in the cold.
Regards
Rodburner
20g
Guess I’m just not hooked up right, but my shockwave is only for home defense and hasn’t been outside since I unboxed it, so I find it cheaper to just leave an LED light on in the house all night long. A 60w equivalent LED, left on 6 hours a day, for a year, costs less than a rechargeable battery, not to mention the light itself, at least in my utility district…lol