Your Batt Supply

Gather App
Candle Power Forums

Help Support Candle Power:

B

battman

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 26, 2002
Messages
64
City & State/Province
Maui
If there was an extended power outage in your area, how long could your current battery supply last you? Realistic estimates please.

I have (12) 123, (12) D, (12) C, (16) AA, (8) AAA.

With flashlight & radio usage, I think I have about 2 months of intermittent use. I'm curious to see what others here have, and if I should increase my "stockpile". If there was a real emergency, keep in mind that you might be lending lights out to others.
 
Earlier on, I REALLY splurged on batteries... But things have died down considerably.

Well, I have a solar panel that I can whip out if need be, and charge my NiMHs if need be. Plus, I have a couple of shake lights that theoretically, don't need batteries, ever. But if I were to count all the non-rechargeable batts I have in stock, right now, it'd be:

192x(CR123s), ~400x(alkaline AA/AAAs), ~80x(alkaline Cs/Ds), 8x(alkaline 9Vs), and 48x(Li-AAs)...

So if I had to guess, I'd say maybe about a year of intermittent use with what I've got on hand that isn't rechargeable...

Those Kirkland (Costco) bulk batts come in really handy...

[EDIT]: Oh well, might as well count up my NiMHs:
88 NiMh AAs (24x PowerEX2000, 24x IPowerUs2100, 40x assorted others: 1600mah-2000mah)
12 NiMH AAAs (12x IPUS750)
36 NiMH Ds (12x 9Ah, 12x 8Ah, 12x 2.2Ah Energizers /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif)
48 NiMh Cs (24x 4.5Ah, 24x RatShack 4.5Ah)
8 NiMH 9Vs (Rayovacs)
4x Copias (168B/150B)
4x Sony 18650s

Surprisingly, I don't think I have any NiCad cells (besides what came in my flashlights, like the 10X or UStinger)...
 
Geez, I wish you hadn't made me think about this, I have wasted a LOT of money on batteries.

Even though I didn't really intend to end up with so many;
I have:

60 AA NiMHs (1600 to 2000mah) that rotate regularly through charging,
10 AAA NiMHs (700mah),
40 AAA Alkalines (Bought most of them for an 18 cell 7 nichia LED project that I never quite finished) the rest are for my ARC AAAs.)
10 123 lithiums for my SF E-2 and ARC-LSs
25 NiCd 9Vs (Killer deal off ebay last year, paid about 65 cents each for them, brand new)
Just bought 8 RoV Max+ 9v batteries yesterday, replaced the ones in the smoke detectors and the CO detector so have 4 left.
A few "antique" C & D NiCds.
Probably about 30 Everactive alkaline D Cells, and 8 RayoVac Max+ D alkalines.
6 Everactive C alkalines (running low, gotta go by WalMart and get more tomorrow)

I bought them off eBay to resell, under the mistaken belief that they were NiMH, but I have about 50 AA and 30 AAA Grandcell rechargable alkalines and 5 chargers for them. Started out with twice as many, but gave a bunch away.

Also a bunch of the older rayovac rechargable alkalines in AA and AAA, and four each in C & D.

And every time WalMart has the 18 AA RayoVac Maximum Plus packs on sale for $5.97 I buy one or two, so I must have abour a hundred and fifty of them. (150 batteries, not 150 X 18 packs.)

16 Energizer lithium AA L91s still in the package (my Nikon digicam vastly prefers them to NiMHs, although the Minolta prefers the NiMHs)

Also that is not counting the ones that are actually in the devices already.

Plus dozens of surplus cell phone, computer and camcorder NiMh & LiIons that are in or were intended for various home made battery packs.

6 X 6V 4.5AH Gel Cells & 2X 12V 7AH Gel Cells.

Guess thats more than enough to get me through the next power outage..

Oh yeah, there are about 25 of the Tadrian 3.6V AA lithiums that I was selling off the website left if anyone is interested.

I can only excuse this battery hoarding by blaming CPF for it. Prior to my coming here, I tended to just go and buy exactly how many I needed a few days after whatever device it was "died" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
Gasp! I merely have the following:

2 Kenwood 1400
2 GP 1600
28 Sanyo 1850s
4 Sayno 2100s

All AAs and all NiMh. I only have 1 charger, a Maha 204f. Makes charging a PITA, but since I rarely if ever use more than 12 at a time, it aint' that bad.

8 x 1850 Sanyo for the Surge
4 x 1850 Sanyo for the Tec40
2 x 1850 Sanyo for the BB500 in the MiniGag
4 x 2100 Sanyo for my Digicam
8 x 1850 Sanyo for my younger bro's RC car

That pretty much sums it up. But since in Singapore we hardly get any power outage (good for the general population, bad for a flashaholic) I ought to be rather safe...

What about you guys, where do you use your rechargables (not lithiums pls) ?
 
My rechargeables heavily rotate into my:
BB500s
Arc-LSs/ArcLEs
Surge
LGI/Mini-LGI
Blaster/BlasterII
QuadLux/StarLux/Octolux
w5WOzark/cy5WOzark
Casio EV570 Personal TV

...And a boatload of other gadgets... Quite frankly, the only thing I don't have NiMHs in is the Reactor, and that's a no brainer...
 
About 2 dozen AAs, a dozen AAA, 8 Ds, no Cs - That's for flashlights

2 12V 14Ah Gell cells
2 12v 7Ah Gell cells
2 12v 240Ah Gell Cells (BIG mothers)

Those are for my radios, and some lamps

All told, I can go about 2 weeks - plus the Gel Cells can be charged by the car or truck
 
OH boy.... Now you've done it...

138 AA batteries - love those RedCells @ 80 for $10!
12 AA lithium
42 AAA batteries
12 C
12 D
36 123a
7 9v
a few assorted other sizes and types: 21/23, AAAA, etc.

Plus a pile of partially used (>1.4V remaining) batteries.

14 NiMH AAA (mostly for FRS radios/palm pilot)
6 NiMH AA (mostly use these for our MP3 players we got a year ago at Best Buy with a huge rebate for only $20 each!)

Of the AA alkalines, 24 are permanently in bug-out-bag - all electronics in B.O.B. run on AA cells.

I havn't bought batteries in months since my original "stocking up".
 
Gee wizz, I guess I am a little behind the times...

I have a fresh set of batteries in my Lightwave 4000 (that's good for about 200 hours) and an extra set of batteries for it as well.

I also have a few AA's around, but the only stockpile of batteries that I have is 50 LR44 button cells.

The only light I would be worried about is my TigerLight, and I can charge that in my truck.

I guess I will be OK.

Tom
 
Enough Photovoltaic panels to power the household (OK, not installed yet, but coming), and about 120Ah at 380V in batteries parked in the garage. I'm covered.
 
Here is the darn thread, been searching for ages.

Anyway, this is what I have:

fc5dfeac.jpg

Bigger picture

And you know what the great thing is? The 250 AA's and 80 AAA's were free! My University was giving them out!

-YC
 
My family has:

Reserve:
- (96) Kirkland AAs (come in bricks of 48, cheap and effective)
- (24) Duracell AAs
- (12) Duracell Ultra AAs

- (24) Duracell Ds
- (8) Duracell Cs
- (8 Duracell 9Vs

- (20) Duracell AAAs
- (12) Duracell Ultra AAAs

- (3) Duracell 223 Lithiums
- (4) Sanyo 123A Lithiums

- a dozen assorted button cells

These are unopened, and we have two battery racks for new/almost new cells (about 20 assorted cells each), and a box of about 40 partially used cells. Growing up my father made a rule that no one was allowed to use new batteries without permission, and if we needed batteries, to take them from the used box. Over the years the policy stuck, any loose batteries are tested, if new, placed in the rack, if good, marked and placed in the box, dead cells to the trash. He always kept a meter next to the battery bin for us to use.

With the newer LED and regulated lights, the alkaline burners are being used less and less for average household chores. I'd say we had at least two months supply of heavy use. Augmented with the generator, oil lamps, and propane lanterns, we hope it equals 3 - 6 months of generous living light. It looks like I'll have to pitch in and purchase a supply of 123As, probably 24 SFs.

I'm not trying to give the impression we're crazed survivalists or anything, we've just always considered it a good plan to have as close to a one year supply of essentials, particulary food. Does any one else have a policy like this?
 
Darrell:

Why didn't you tell us about the batteries in your diesel-electric submarine you keep 15 miles away in the Port of Sacramento? I understand that's what you replaced your recalled EV with.

Back on topic, I'm not sure I should answer the question with a smartassed: "Well, if you can actually count them, then......" or should actually attempt an inventory. I'll consider the magnitude of the task on the way home.
 
Hello there,

Very interesting thread. I didnt know people stocked so
many batteries :-) Certainly a good idea.

I thought i would mention something i was doing recently
that was related.

I had just purchased a new Ryobi cordless drill and it
came with TWO 9.6v NiCd battery packs. I got the drill
at Home Depot and it was $30 with both packs included.
The packs are probably rated about 1.5 AH or so and are
made up of eight sub C NiCd batteries, which puts out a
nominal 9.6 volts.
Since i dont really use the drill *that* much, i thought i
would put the packs to good use. I constructed a connector
adapter that would fit snuggly over the end of the battery
pack so i could connect an LED (of course an LED had to
get in here somewhere :-) The voltage is more then enough
and i could connect two in series also.

From my calculations i have found that an LED running at
12ma (happened to have a 560 ohm resistor laying around)
it would provide continuous light for about 5 full days,
or 10 days running 12 hours per day at full brightness.
Increasing the current to 20ma will decrease the run time
somewhat, but would still be quite good.
Connecting two LS's in series (300ma) would run for
about 5 hours continuously.

Just thought i would mention this in case other's had
cordless drills laying around not doing anything.
Might as well put the battery packs to good use, or else
at least have them set up to run LED's in case you need them.

Also, two battery packs often come with the cordless drills
these days, so it might be a good idea to buy one just for
the battery packs (and get a drill with it).

Take care,
Al
 
100 Duracell 123 batteries
20+ Misc 123 batteries
90+ TekCell 123 batteries
~40 Duracell Ultra AA
~40 Energizer Industrial Alakline AAA
~10 Duracell AAA
~10 Energizer C
1 Duracell D
3 Duracell 9V
and a heck of a lot more in my flashlights.
 
72 CR123s, 50 AAs, and 8Ds.
also 100 tealight candles burning 4hrs each. Available at IKEA for $4 Opps, I almost forgot about the 100 9 Volts inside the keypads that I am trying to sell.
 
sick thread--I'll nudge it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

about 50 123s, 20 AAs (alk), 24 AAs (NIMH), 6 chargers, maybe 11 C and D total, 8 or 9 9Vs for effects pedals mostly and gobs of funky watch batteries and Lis ... and the 19.2 Volters for the porter Cable saw and drill-driver

hideo
 
Holy cow, I wonder how many watts of power CPF'ers have if you add it all up.

CM
 
My wife caught me counting my stash of batteries and wanted to know what I was doing. When I told her that I was counting my batteries for this thread she said I have too much time on my hands.
Now I've got three more "honey dos" on my list /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif Thanks guys. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top