Batteries in a radio...

[donn_]

My blackout radio calls for 9 volts from 6x Alkaline C cells.

is there any downside to running it on 6x NiMH cells for 7.2V, or from 2x AW Li-Ion C cells (with spacers) for 7.4-8V?

 

[StarHalo]

If it's an analog radio (needle-and-dial/not digital), it'll probably work fine with either config. Analog radios are excellent battery vampires and usually have no problem running with near-dead cells or way-off voltage.

If it's digital, it'll probably only allow the voltage to fall within a specific range, and will refuse to work outside of it.

Either way, it'll either work or it won't, so do experiment. The only downside would be notably less runtime.

 

[donn_]

It's digital. It's an old Radio Shack Realistic DX400, direct entry, AM-FM,SSB/CW.

As long as I don't run the chance of harming it, I'll experiment.

 

[Glasstream15]

I've got 2 large boom boxes that I run on NiMH rechargeables. One is an AIWA that takes 8XD batteries and I get 10 to 12 CDs per charge, (RadioShack 4500 MaH) about what I get from alkalines. The other is a Sony that takes 6XD and it actually seems to run better and give me longer play time than alkalines.

 

[Radiophile]

As long as I don't run the chance of harming it, I'll experiment.

It won't harm it to try the NiMH or the Li-Ion as long as the voltage isn't higher than the 9V or so that the 6 alkaline C cells would produce. Experiment away!