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Batteries And The TDI SL


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After Reading many post about the TDI SL The Topics always Returned to the Issue about Batteries so I thought I would Buy A  Few Dozen Batteries and put it to the Tests Because I think that most people are Holding Back or putting off buying a really Good Machine based on the Issue of the Batteries, So I am posting this in order to let people see that The problem is easily solved and is A lot Cheaper than you might think,  HH

 

I have done Tests with Batteries here's what I Got,

1) The Standard HD 2200mah NiMh Pack 4 hours 20 minutes
2) The Dry Cell Pack Fitted with 8 X 2650 mah NiMh AAs =(11.63 volts) 6 hours 37 minutes
3) Modified Dry Cell Pack to Fit 9 x 2700 mah NiMh AAs =(13.009 volts) 6 hours 38 minutes

NOW IF YOU USE:- Righto If you use 2900 mah NiMh Batteries you should get Around 7 and A half to 8 Hours Run time, which is more than enough with out Taking A Break, So My Advise to All You Fellow TDI SL Brothers and Sisters, Is To Use the Dry Cell Pack with either 2650s, 2700s or 2900s As Your Main Pack and use your Standard HD 2200 Factory Pack As Your Backup,
Using the 2650s and the 2700s works out 4 X Cheaper than Buying the RNB Pack.

NOW YOU:- Now You might of noticed that I Modified the Dry Cell Pack To Except 9 X AA's, Why you might Ask??, Well many People have Claimed that By Increasing the Input Voltage That you would Get More Depth?? Well It Did To A Degree But it helps the Sensitivity more than depth because it is running at A Peak Voltage, Is it worth the $10.00s to buy an extra Battery and the Single Battery Holder, Maybe?? But for ease of Use I am Going back to using 8 X 2700+ Batteries, Although I was Running A Higher Voltage It did Not Give me more Run Time as I expected, Because when you increase the Input Voltage that has A Down Side, Because The TDIs will Consume more Amperage as with all things Do although that 13.00 volts does give you a Happy feeling Inside,

If you are going to Carry Disposable Batteries then Only Use Energizer Lithium's as they have A Much higher Voltage than Duracell's and Normal Energizers at 1.61 Volts, Where AS The Energizer Lithium's Have 1.83 volts which @ 8 X 1.83 = 14.64 Volts, DON'T PANIC Because the TDI SL Can Run 16.00 Volts Safely, OK,
NOW These Energizer Lithium's Have A 10 Year Shelf Life, and have Working Temperature of -40*c to + 40*c++, and they are the only Battery that Is Guaranteed Not To Leak, So If you Own ANYTHING of Value to YOU Only Use these Batteries In It and Even more So with your Detectors because The High Voltage Makes the Machine A Bit Deeper and A Little More Sensitive and A Longer Run Time than Normal Energizers or Duracell,

Please Note That Duracell's work Better than the Normal Energizers because Duracell's power slowly goes down, Where as Normal Energizers stay Bright and then the Voltage suddenly drops Fast and if you are using them in a flash light/Torch Then Don't Be Surprized if you find your self in the Dark,

Anyways I hope this Helps,

 

John,

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I just wanted to share this with people because the Battery Life is the Only Grey Area with this machine and to put their minds at Rest,

Ok, Here is the Modded Battery Pack with 9 AA's Fitted,

To remove the Lid Completely open it as far as it will go and turn the Box up side down and press hard with your thumb and pull the lid out further because there is A Lug that stops the Lid from coming right out,

First off I removed the centre Metal Double Spring set up that connects the two centre Batteries and Cut it IN TWO, then get A Dremel type Gizmo and remove the two Black plastic dividers Seen In Picture 8, NEXT get a Single AA Battery Holder and Cut The Back out of it, WHY?? Well when you fit the battery in it the Lid will not sit down Flat, Then get the Dremel fitted with A Flat Bottom Grind Stone and grind down the Floor out of the Area where you Are going to fit the Battery Holder, Next Solder 2 wires on the Holder and solder one to each piece of the metal spring part you cut in Half Next fit your battery and then Wrap the 2 metal Flat Contacts with insulation Tape to prevent the Battery from shorting out and put them back in their Slots, Now put in the Other 8 Batteries and replace the Lid Holding down the Contacts as you slide the lid Back, At first it may seem tight but it dose get smoother

PS when you are grinding out the bottom of the Pack be sure to keep trying the extra battery and the lid but be careful not to go through the Base ok, I have not Added the Thermyster and the 3rd Contact Like the Factory pack has Because I have not Got the extra parts as of yet but once fitted you have to cut the Tongue on the Lid so it Slides into the Charger other wise you have to take the batteries out to charge them and there you have 13+ volt Supply

Hope this Helps,

John

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Thanks for posting. I have the SPP so should apply to the SPP as well. I will have to try some 2900s for the longer run time, I have the ATX so I can use the Duracell 2650 mah NiMh AAs that it came with for both the ATX and SPP but the 2900 s run time sounds nice.

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If any One here Owns any of the GREEN LABEL DFX Type Batteries that are Retired and wish to Up Grade Then Don't throw them out because I am working on A MOD to give them A new Lease of Life and A Longer Run Time, And will be Suitable for ALL SL Box Type Machines and Will Boost The run Times As above but with ease of Charging, So Call your Dealers and Plead with them to give you these Old battery Packs, This will work out cheaper than the Newer Li-On replacements and you wont have Issues with Aircraft safety when going on Holidays ETC,

Take Care Be Back Soon,,

John

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Hi John

  Thanks for taking your time to post and posting your pictures too. I myself have the SPP and had been looking at doing something for more run time. Then here you come to save the day.

  I've done taken a look on what I need to do. So simple fix when someone already done it. Nothing like show and tell.

Chuck Anders

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G'day Chuck, Your most welcome,, A Problem Shared is A Problem Solved, I'm Glad you find it useful, Try and get those 2900s and let us know how they work for you, it might Take a couple of cycles to get them up to 8 hours But 7 and a half hours should happen straight off the Bat,

Good Luck,, John

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There is another guy who is making batteries for the TDI and the SL.  So for a person owning a TDI or a SL and doesn't want to build up their own pack, this guy might help.  He is building up 18V battery packs for the TDI and 14.8V packs for the SL among others.  Right now he is at the DIV hunt and will be back home Sunday. 

He is using Panasonic 3400mah batteries in his packs.  Here is a link to his post.

http://www.mytreasurespot.com/main/list.php?7

Just drop down the post about special TDI batteries by Reidman.

Reg

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The Batteries on that link Involves A Higher cost and running LiOn Batteries which has a down side of Travel restrictions and if it goes wrong it cant be replaced with out major surgery and electronics know how, where as using the Batteries I have Listed are off the shelf Items which means if a Cell does go down it only involves sliding the Lid Back and dropping in a new one, and buying 8 x2900mah AAs and getting over 7-1/2 to 8 hours by far the best and safest Route to take, As LiOn batteries do have The risk of catching fire and do not like getting hot, Like charging them in your truck or in the sun when your out Prospecting,

As soon as I get hold of some 2900s I will post the results,

John

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Hey John

  Well I got it done this morning thanks to your help. The only thing I done different was cut out the main pack so the single AA holder would fit in it. Then used supper glue to hold it in place. The cover slides on okay and it fits in the charger  without trouble. You just got to make sure the AA holder is flush on the back side of the battery pack.

 Thanks again.

Chuck Anders

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