Davis Weather Envoy failure - any advice?

[Steve]

I'm not using NiMH rechargeable batteries in any outdoor application where they will be there over winter, as the severe cold will drain them much faster than alkaline or even NiCd batteries. I use alkalizes in the soil station, ISS, and anemometer transmitter. They've lasted three years so far.

Steve

[elagache]

Dear Blick, Herb, Steve, and WeatherCat battery consumers,

When you checked your batteries again, I assume you tested them without a load, and this time, they failed. Is this correct?

Yes, the voltage was much lower.  One battery was barely above 3 volts and the other wasn't even at 3 volts.  A fresh 123 battery should be at something 3.2+ volts.

We use enough AA and AAA batteries that we buy those at Costco.

I am a huge Costco fan, but have had nothing but trouble with their Kirkland brand batteries. So now I only buy their Duracell batteries. I assumed they were made in the same plant, but now I wonder because there is a definite quality difference.

Oops, I should have explained.  We buy Duracell batteries at Costco.  I won't take the risk on generic products unless I have some reason to be confident they are manufactured to the same standards.  With our poor economy, everybody is cutting corners.

We have switched almost all of our AA and AAA alkaline battery use to Sanyo Eneloop NiMH pre-charged batteries.
. . . .
I have the new Ambient Weather "smart" battery charger (did you get one, Edouard?) that works great with the Eneloop batteries.

Interesting because I had this conversation with Ed at Ambient Weather.  We just don't use a lot of batteries around here.  TV remotes, remote weather devices, that's about it.  Disposable batteries last many months if not years in those devices.  It didn't seem worth the hassle to have rechargeable batteries in that case.  So I declined the offer to beta test the Ambient Weather smart charger.

Since the topic has been raised, do you rechargeable battery users use rechargeable batteries in things like TV remotes?

Are either of you using rechargeable batteries in your ISS or in your Davis console?

I don't think that is even an option.  I don't believe there is rechargeable battery type that can replace the Lithium 123 battery.

Cheers, Edouard 

[Bull Winkus]

Edouard, I didn't think there was either. I tried looking back in 2011 and couldn't find any. Tried again after reading your post and BINGO!

HOWEVER! If I recall correctly, someone on the board said at that time that Davis warned against using the rechargeable Li-Ion batteries, because the voltage goes to 3.6 or 3.7 volts when fully charged and that could damage your equipment.

[elagache]

Hi Herb and WeatherCat battery explorers,

Edouard, I didn't think there was either. I tried looking back in 2011 and couldn't find any. Tried again after reading your post and BINGO!

Okay, that's interesting.  Thanks for the discovery!  Although, at the moment I don't have use for this because . . . .

HOWEVER! If I recall correctly, someone on the board said at that time that Davis warned against using the rechargeable Li-Ion batteries, because the voltage goes to 3.6 or 3.7 volts when fully charged and that could damage your equipment.

That makes sense.  A disposable 123 battery never reaches those voltages.  Since I only use 123 batteries in my Davis stuff (as far as I can remember,) I'll just make a mental note of it and move on!

Cheers, Edouard 

[Steve]

Since the topic has been raised, do you rechargeable battery users use rechargeable batteries in things like TV remotes?

We use them in Wii remotes. My TV remote is a rechargeable odd sized battery, so no Eneloops there. My wife has fake candles all around the house with Eneloops in them, as well as the half dozen flashlights around. All the battery clocks use them, as do bicycle lights, radios, etc. I can't think of anything that has an alkaline battery in it that's indoors.