Author Topic: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?  (Read 11452 times)

Offline jon

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #15 on: June 30, 2014, 12:48:32 AM »
Or, use anyPin NVRAM for $30-$40 per pinball and you never have to change batteries again.  Works great.

Offline TheBatman

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #16 on: June 30, 2014, 03:19:33 AM »
Or, use anyPin NVRAM for $30-$40 per pinball and you never have to change batteries again.  Works great.

That's EXACTLY the type of thing I'm looking for my modern pins, as well as getting the ram chips for the older/ 80's games.  Any more info on the anypin NVRAM and where to get it?  I'll google, but just in case...

Nevermind, found these links very quickly:

http://lockwhenlit.com/

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/new-product-announcement-anypin-nvram-no-more-batteries
« Last Edit: June 30, 2014, 03:27:27 AM by TheBatman »

Offline Styles

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #17 on: June 30, 2014, 05:58:30 PM »
At other's recommendations, I've been using the Lithium AAA.

Just saw a commercial on Television in the last couple days by Energizer that stated "Guaranteed not to leak." Given the timeliness of that ad to this post, I did a quick search:

http://www.energizer.com/pages/Guarantee-legal.aspx

Here's the verbiage:
----------------------------

Energizer will repair or replace, at our option, any device damaged by leakage from Energizer MAX AA/AAA Alkaline batteries (with Energizer No Leak Guarantee on Package). If exact replacement is not available, devices may be replaced with a product of comparable market value at the time of claim. Leaking battery and damaged device must be provided to Energizer as proof of claim. Energizer reserves the right to deny claims of damage caused by misuse or modification of the batteries or device. If you have a leaking battery, contact 1-800-383-7323 for return instructions.

Energizer will repair or replace, at our option, any hearing aid damaged by leakage from Energizer Hearing Aid batteries (with Energizer No Leak Guarantee on Package). If exact replacement is not available, devices may be replaced with a product of comparable market value at the time of claim. Leaking battery and damaged device must be provided to Energizer as proof of claim. Energizer reserves the right to deny claims of damage caused by misuse or modification of the batteries or device. If you have a leaking battery, contact 1-800-383-7323 for return instructions.

Energizer will repair or replace, at our option, any device damaged by leakage from Energizer Recharge Power Plus [Energizer Recharge Universal] AA/AAA batteries (with Energizer No Leak Guarantee on Package) for up to one year after full discharge. If exact replacement is not available, devices may be replaced with a product of comparable market value at the time of claim. Leaking battery and damaged device must be provided to Energizer as proof of claim. Energizer reserves the right to deny claims of damage caused by misuse or modification of the batteries or device. If you have a leaking battery, contact 1-800-383-7323 for return instructions.

Energizer Lithium AA/AAA Batteries are GUARANTEED NOT TO LEAK. Due to advanced technology, lithium AA/AAA batteries will not leak under normal consumer usage. If you believe that you have a leaking Energizer lithium battery, contact 1-800-383-7323 for return instructions

----------------------------

Given that the Lithium batteries are only mentioned in the last paragraph I wonder if the first paragraph applies -- will Energizer replace your MPU of the Lithiums leak at their cost, as they would with the MAX batteries mentioned in the first paragraph?

By the way, when you look at the Lithium batter product page, http://www.energizer.com/batteries/performance-lithium/ultimate-lithium/Pages/aa.aspx, it states "Leak resistant construction"

So which is is? Are they guaranteed not to leak or are they just leak resistant????
I think someone needs to get clarification from Energizer and Energizer needs to write a better legal document!

These damn corporations and their lack of accountability!!!!

-Brian
« Last Edit: June 30, 2014, 06:00:41 PM by Styles »
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Offline HammysHangout ( Hammy )

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #18 on: June 30, 2014, 06:14:02 PM »
the issue is the base gasses out of the akaline battery and damages the board, if a lithium out gases, the gases are will not interact the same way a akaline battery does
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Offline TheBatman

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #19 on: June 30, 2014, 08:52:02 PM »
That guarantee/ warrantee is pretty much bullshit, as they are advertising what the law REQUIRES them to do in the event their product damages a consumers item, all the battery manufacturers advertise that also. They act like they're putting their money where their mouth is, but fact is they have to repair or replace a damaged item regardless.  They did pay for repairs to my keyboard years ago, but surely you don't want to go thru the process and red tape and waiting, and not sure how easy it would be to have them repair/ replace a pinball mpu.  My preference is to try to avoid it altogether.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2014, 08:53:57 PM by TheBatman »

Offline littlewest

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #20 on: June 30, 2014, 09:53:53 PM »
That guarantee/ warrantee is pretty much bullshit, as they are advertising what the law REQUIRES them to do in the event their product damages a consumers item, all the battery manufacturers advertise that also. They act like they're putting their money where their mouth is, but fact is they have to repair or replace a damaged item regardless.  They did pay for repairs to my keyboard years ago, but surely you don't want to go thru the process and red tape and waiting, and not sure how easy it would be to have them repair/ replace a pinball mpu.  My preference is to try to avoid it altogether.

the guarantee is just like working with ebay, you would have to fight and in the end its just not worth it. a shitty shitty legality.
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Offline banner_ad

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #21 on: July 01, 2014, 07:33:22 AM »
Just a reminder for all of the more adventuresome, do not ever pierce and crush a lithium.  I have seen first hand what can happen, especially on some of the polymer batteries which are easily pierced.

Offline HammysHangout ( Hammy )

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #22 on: July 01, 2014, 07:41:43 AM »
Just a reminder for all of the more adventuresome, do not ever pierce and crush a lithium.  I have seen first hand what can happen, especially on some of the polymer batteries which are easily pierced.

lithuim-ion/polymer is NOT the same as the lithium iron sulfide AA battery.

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Offline banner_ad

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #23 on: July 01, 2014, 08:51:47 AM »
lithuim-ion/polymer is NOT the same as the lithium iron sulfide AA battery.

I understand that iron sulfides are not the re-chargables, however, for those who do not know better, treat them all the same to be safe.  As an FYI straight from Energizer with respect to their lithium iron disulfide batteries.....

"The contents of an open battery, including a vented battery, when exposed to water, may result in a fire and/or explosion.
Crushed or damaged batteries may result in a fire. "

Offline ibis

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #24 on: July 01, 2014, 10:15:20 AM »
I have hamster wheels in my games, I just drop some food in there and BAM!....the game powers on.  No worries about corrosion, although I do clean up little pellets.

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #25 on: July 01, 2014, 10:54:47 AM »
I have hamster wheels in my games, I just drop some food in there and BAM!....the game powers on.  No worries about corrosion, although I do clean up little pellets.

How the hell do you fit Hamster in there? ;-)

Let's not even mention the size of his pellets!

Offline k7

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #26 on: July 01, 2014, 07:11:58 PM »
That's EXACTLY the type of thing I'm looking for my modern pins, as well as getting the ram chips for the older/ 80's games.  Any more info on the anypin NVRAM and where to get it?  I'll google, but just in case...


i'm not sure of the advantage of that over installing the receeiver and using a $1.00 coin cell battery that usually lasts 10+ years. just like the new sterns. my track & field coin battery is original, 3.07 volts, and still doing it's job. from 1982. :P

energizer lithium AA. plug and play and relax.
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Offline HighProtein

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #27 on: July 01, 2014, 07:52:29 PM »
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Offline ibis

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #28 on: July 01, 2014, 10:52:56 PM »
How the hell do you fit Hamster in there? ;-)

Let's not even mention the size of his pellets!

I assure you it's not easy, stuff is popping out all over the place! And he eats all the damn time too!

Offline TheBatman

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Re: Batteries: What brand do you use and why?
« Reply #29 on: July 08, 2014, 01:21:38 AM »
Thanks for all the input on this, was a lot more informative than i expected it to be...on a simple battery thread!  If you think your simple comment might not matter sometimes and may not bother to post,  I'd just like to say I really did take everyone's recommendations and input very constructively and have considered all the options.  I've of course known of the lithium axial batteries for years, since Atari Jim first started putting them on my games, but also good to discover about those memory chips for modern games Jon mentioned, Chris' recommendation of the lithium AA's (i never even saw those before!), and Hamster's comments about lithium vs, alkaline...all very helpful to consider.

So here's an update:  last weekend I went thru all the games that I THOUGHT still used batteries, as it turns out my memory forgot that most of them had already been Atari Jim-ized over the past years (lithium axial batteries soldered on), and some i forgot I had Rottendogs and Ultimate MPU's even... very good to remember! :)  So as it turns out, there's only 8 left that actually still have regular AA batteries in them, so for now temporarily I just switched them out to be on the safe side.  All had the aforementioned Energizers, but haven't been replaced for at LEAST 2 years (all had date of 2016), my last records SAY it was 2009 but pretty sure I replaced them sometime since then, just have to check my computer notes.  Anyway, the Energizers, all except one game, all still had 1.53-1.55vdc of juice left in them,  I'm pretty sure when brand new fresh they tested at 1.59vdc iirc, so that means with over 2 1/2 years at least of use, they games have only used the miniscule amount of .04-.06vdc... so that's pretty interesting.  Hence, the issue isn't how long they will last necessarily, but it's how long you trust them not to leak.  Seeing as this whole episode came about by finding Energizers from the same batch had leaked in my other devices, I decided to put brand new fresh Rayovac's in there for now, until I can go through them and either put the memory chips in or lithium batteries.  Keep in mind AA are rated at 1.5vdc, so even 2+ years old tested at 1.55vdc they are STILL technically testing as new, I just am nervous about leakage so replaced them.  The Rayovacs new tested at 1.63vdc....as I guess probably the companies slightly overcharge them so even if they lose a little voltage sitting in the pack for a while they will still make their "Guaranteed fresh" date of 10 years or whatever.

So anyway, I'm still up in the air about the memory chips vs. lithium batteries. The memory chips would be nice to be done with it forever, but slightly pricey at $27-$30 each.  Certainly either the lithium axial batteries or lithium AA's are much cheaper, have seen reviews of the AA's leaking also.  Any recommendations for a decent lithium axial battery, or are they all basically the same? I've seen some dirt cheap, but not sure if there are quality concerns? I.e., here's Omni Cel for less than $3 each, Tadiron for a bit more... thoughts? What do you guys use when it comes to those?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12pcs-OmniCel-ER14250-3-6V-1-2AA-Lithium-Battery-w-Axial-Pins-FAST-USA-SHIP-/390655586017?pt=US_Single_Use_Batteries&hash=item5af4e32ee1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xeno-ER14255-1-2AA-AXIAL-3-6V-Lithium-Thionyl-Chloride-Battery-/390656145599?pt=US_Single_Use_Batteries&hash=item5af4ebb8bf

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SAFT-LS14250AX-1-2AA-Axial-3-6V-Lithium-Thionyl-Chloride-Battery-/271352084617?pt=US_Single_Use_Batteries&hash=item3f2dd83889

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tadiran-TL-5955-P-2-3AA-Axial-3-6V-Lithium-Thionyl-Chloride-Battery-USA-SHIP-/231226483263?pt=US_Single_Use_Batteries&hash=item35d62c223f
« Last Edit: July 08, 2014, 07:33:00 AM by TheBatman »