Okay, I’m to the point of thinking about upgrading my batteries from Alkaline to some kind of rechargeables… but I want to utilize the same space. For that reason, I’m really leaning toward the 9.6v RC Car battery packs, because I can gut them and install the cells right in my battery holder.
My question is this… For what MAH rating should I look AND how long will cells like this at 9.6v power the R2Devo light kit and the amplifier?
I’m happy to buy more than one pack, and switch them out at longer events… but I need some kind of ballpark estimate to get started. Any help you folks can give will be much appreciated.
I have a 12v 9800mAH Li-ion battery powering my v4 (I believe) R2DEVO light kit. I’m just powering the lights alone, and I’ve never had a problem with my batteries dying. I’ve left the lights on for 6+ hours at a convention with no problems. Then turn the lights on a month or more down the road without charging them and they still work.
Again I’m just powering lights alone, but I imagine an amp on the same battery would drain it significantly faster. I know when I have a 9v amp running on an alkaline 9v battery it eats through them.
R2Devo estimates the light kit draws about 100mA, so one of these packs would give me about 20 hours of run time (in theory). I figure if I can get 10 hours out of the lights with occasional use of the sound kit, I’d be happy.
Where did you get your Li-ion battery (and charger)? How much did you pay? And most importantly, would it fit inside my Booster Tube?
I’m really trying to limit my power source to a size I can put inside the Booster Tube… and the pictured battery pack WITH the new 3v (2xAA) pack velcro’d to he bottom of it STILL fits down inside the Tube… no problem. So, I know I can hack the 9.6v battery packs above and fit them into the tube with ease (they’re 8x~AA cells, from the looks of them).
Links in this post may be affiliate links. Purchases made through them help support this site at no additional cost to you.
I’m replacing the 8xAA Cells with a Lithium-ion pack I’m buying from eBay.
It measures 8.3cm tall x 3.9cm wide x 2.2cm thick (3.27" tall x 1.54"wide x .87"thick)… and it is rated at DC 12V 3000mAh (sold with charger for $24.99).
I bought two of these… and they should make it through a full day at a con (with swap), if my math is right (and if I don’t use sound all the time).
Anyway, I could have gone bigger capacity, but I am committed to using the Booster Tube as the only battery housing.
I just wanted to share.
I’ll update once I have these and get a chance to see how long they last in reality.
