Best Batteries for GPS

[BearSlayer]

I am looking for opininons on the best batteries for extended use of GPS. Are the Lithium ones better or Duracell vs. Energizer? What do you think. I used the regular ones this past weekend and I was not impressed.

thanks
BearS

 

[chrisWillh]

I generally pick Duracell over Energizer. My dad used to build the big battery testers that battery manufacturers use to test their products, and he also uses Duracell. All batteries tend to have poor performance in cold weather, but lithium-ion tend to perform a little better most and aren't supposed to form what is called battery "memory". The problem with lithium is that they can and do form a memory that can't be corrected. I personally prefer NiMH, they hold a charge well, have about the same cold weather performance as lithium-ion and while they can develop a "memory", with a good recharge that can be easily corrected. There is also a relatively new form of lithium battery called lithium polymer. These batteries are less likely to explode if treated roughly and perform even better in cold weather and they are lighter. They are also not supposed to form a memory, but they are so new that there is not enough known about them to support this. They are mostly used in MP3 players and laptops, and I'm not realy sure if you can find them in standard battery sizes.

 

[WinMag]

Lithium E2

Lithium E2

Chris has some good points... If you are wanting a rechargeable battery sucyh as a Lithium Ion...

However, I would suggest a lithium batteries such as Energizer E2... They are not rechargeable so memory is no concern... They are lighter wieght, have an extended shelf life, are good from -40f up to 140f and were designed as the longest lasting 1.5volt for high tech electronics...

Here is the catch... You could likely buy 2 or even 3 sets of akaline batteries for the cost of Lithium... But if space/wieght considerations keep you from taking lots of extras then give these a try...

Ps.. I've heard of several dog mushers who use a lithium D-cell in their head lamps because at -20f the akalines power is zapped....

I have not found a better price then Sams or Costco...

 

[sapper]

Lithiums by far. Greater cost, but much greater life also. I just don't understand why they don't make lithium ions in AA size.

 

[Mr. Pid]

I haven't tried them in a hand-held GPS, but rechargeable AA size Ni-MH batteries outperform standard Duracells by a huge margin in my digital cameras. They're relatively inexpensive and readily available, like at Costco or Sam's, and they come with the charger.

 

[profishguide]

A second on the rechargeable AA size Ni-MH batteries. I was at Walmart before my trip to the haul road for Caribou and they had a 12v charger, bought it and an extra set of batts, I could recharge my batterys in the truck while using one set in my gps.

 

[Jim Strutz]

Where rechargable NiMH batteries shine is in high drain devices such as digital cameras & flash uints, or remote control cars, etc. Low drain devices such as a GPS isn't what they are best at, but for shorter trips, or if you have enough of them, or access to a charger in the field they do quite well. I usually go through one set per day, to day and a half in my GPS, depending on how much I have it on. The primary down side with NiMH, as well as the older NiCads is that they self discharge in a few weeks just sitting on the shelf, so you need to charge them up just prior to leaving on a trip. Also, even the highest rated ones really don't pack much more total power than good alkalines, but of course, you don't have to keep buying them so they can save you money.

Lithium AA's have by far the highest total power (mAh) ratings, and also work quite well in high drain applications. Lithiums are better than alkalines in high drain apps, but not as good as NiMH, which oddly enough are not quite as good as the old NiCads for this.

My experience with an eTrex Legend shows that lithium AA's last about 3 times as long as either alkalines or NiMH batteries. They also work the best in very cold weather, are the lightest of the bunch and have the highest shelf life (10+ years). Their one downside is cost. They aren't cheap, but for a GPS I think they are the best performers.

 

[kgrant]

You can get rechargable CRV3 lithium-ion batteries. In SOME units that use 2 or 4 AA batteries side by side, you can replace with with the CRV3 packs. I use them in my Canon Powershot 75A. You may be able to use them in some GPS's. Take it to the store and see if they fit.

 

[BearSlayer]

Thanks for the advice. I will try out some of these options and let you know.