[pct-l] Steri pen water purification

The Incredible Bulk taterno at cox.net
Sat Mar 28 23:24:36 CDT 2009 

One issue I have found with rechargeable NiMH batteries, besides fussing with recharging, is self-discharge.  No amount of capacity will do you good if the battery self-discharges in the camera.  I saw a study the other day and Eveready were the worst and I have first hand experience with those, and the study is spot on.  Duracell NiMH to have the best shelf life.  Lithium batteries do not have this problem, in the short term that we are thru hiking.

Of course, NiMH and rechargeable alkaline batteries are good for the environment since they are used multiple times. 

For the slightly higher cost, I will use lithium batteries in my camera and headlamp, the only electronics I usually take into the backcountry, though I may bring amateur radio with me for this year's section hike.  I do not usually have a means for recharging batteries with me.

Tom KI6ASP
The Incredible Bulk



---- Josh <559josh at gmail.com> wrote: 

=============
The 1-use & rechargeable Lithium batteries are simply different
chemicals/formulations.  On that same note, there are rechargeable
Alkalines.

I wouldn't say necessarily that Lithiums replace Alkalines but for the
application at hand, Lithiums would most likely be the battery of choice if
the cost isn't too big of a factor and depending on the item(s) they are
intended to be used on.

As far as Li Batteries lasting 2x as long as NiMH batteries, are we talking
Shelf life or are we talking about running the same device 2x as long?  If
Shelf life, then Li have the upper hand. If life in a device, then we get
into a slightly complicated issue.  Li batteries typically have a higher
energy density than NiMH batteries but a NiMH battery can last just as long
in any given device given that the mAh rating is the same.  To match the
power rating on the two batteries, a NiMH Battery will weigh slightly more
due to the fact that they have a lower energy density...but we MIGHT be
talking about a fraction of an ounce in difference between a package of NiMH
vs a package of Li batteries.

I hope this helps to clarify things a little.

Josh

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of kcristler
Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2009 7:46 PM
To: The Incredible Bulk; pct-l at backcountry.net; Trekker4 at aol.com
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Steri pen water purification

bulk and trekker,
    I can't believe how tunnel visioned i am sometimes. I thought lithiums
were rechargeable because my lithium camera battery is rechargeable. This is
interesting. Lithiums appear to supercede alkalines in the throw away
battery class. Hikers use lithiums to avoid the hassle of recharging NimH
batteries, i guess. But rechargeables would be much cheaper in the long run,
correct? One quibble. 1.2 V is not equivalent to 1.5 V. That is probably why
lithiums last twice as long as NimH. Thanks for the beta. I needed it in my
dulled state.
                    Kerry
----- Original Message -----
From: "The Incredible Bulk" <taterno at cox.net>
To: <kerouc at verizon.net>; <pct-l at backcountry.net>; <Trekker4 at aol.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:20 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Steri pen water purification


>I have never seen rechargeable lithium batteries in the AA form factor, 
>but that is not to say that this is not a new battery.  My advise is to 
>read the package label carefully.  If rechargeable is not indicated on 
>the label, do not attempt to charge these batteries.  Lithium batteries 
>have been known to explode if mishandled, and I have seen it first hand 
>when I used to use them for RC car racing.
>
> Tom KI6ASP
> The Incredible Bulk
> pctaddict.blogspot.com
>
>
> ---- Trekker4 at aol.com wrote:
>
> =============
> No, the only lithium's I know of are not  rechargable, definitely not 
> if they're the blue and silver ones from Eveready.  Regardless, an AA 
> is an AA; good question, but the voltage is equivalent.
>    Buy your Eveready Lithiums at Sam's, $20 for 12 - a  lot less than 
> $10 for 4. They have a shelf life of 15 years, and last 7 times as  long.
>
>
> In a message dated 3/28/2009 5:20:31 P.M. Central Daylight Time, 
> kerouc at verizon.net writes:
>
> I just  bought a 4 PACK of lithium AA at Wal Mart for $10. Now I 'm 
> wondering
>
> about charging them. I have a AA NimH charger, but I notice they are 
> 1.2 volts and the lithiums are 1.5 V. Do I need a new charger for the 
> lithiums?
> If so, where to buy one?
> Kerry
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Charles W.  Davidson" <chaseat99 at gmail.com>
> To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>;  "atl atl" <AT-L at backcountry.net>
> Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 7:59  AM
> Subject: [pct-l] Steri pen water purification
>
>
>> Hi  Gang,
>>            I just got back from a  6 day hike. I tested out my new 
>> Classic model Steri Pen that I  purchased at REI. I sent the faulty 
>> Journey model steri pen back to  Nitro-Pak for refund. They said that 
>> they found nothing wrong with it  so I ended up paying shipping 
>> including the initial free shipping. The  gadget worked periodically 
>> ( I just retired from 36 years at Corning  where I repaired 
>> electronic instruments). Counting shipping and all  cr123 batteries I 
>> purchased testing the thing it cost me a bit. I  should have gone to 
>> REI in the first place and I will not use the  other site again.
>>    But now I am happy with the Classic  model Steri-Pen. It uses AA 
>> batteries and will clean twice as much or  ~ 100 liters of water on 4 
>> lithium AA's. I get an 8 pack Lith AA at  Walmart for <$10. which is 
>> the same cost as 2CR123's. It seemed a  bit odd purifying the same 
>> water sources that I have drank from for  many years. However it is 
>> so easy and quick that I really did not mind  the 90 second wait for 
>> each liter. The device worked will with  standard size small neck 
>> soda bottles or large mouth (my preference).  Large mouth do not 
>> freeze up as fast as the small ones. Both store  better upside down 
>> in cold weather because freezing starts in the air  gap on top.
>>
>> Chase
>> Photo's and video of my hike  @
>>
>> My Journal http://postholer.com/chaseat99
>>
>>  _______________________________________________
>> Pct-l mailing  list
>> Pct-l at backcountry.net
>>  http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>>
>
>
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> --
> Tom
> The Incredible Bulk
> pctaddict.blogspot.com
>
> 


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