Lithium batteries in yellow Etrex GPS?

[johnw]

Has anyone tried AA lithium batteries in their basic yellow Garmin Etrex GPS?
If yes, how did they perform and how many hours battery life did you get (and on which power setting)?

[tasadam]

This is what I use
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=720&start=0

They last all day turned on, and then some - I don't know the actual run time, as the way I use my GPS is usually on for a short while, off for a lot of the time...

But I don't know about Lithium batteries.

[the_camera_poser]

I've always used mine with the top duracells- not the new Lithium ones, and they last forever. I only use mine as an emergency locator, and not to track my progress though.

[sthughes]

I use NiMH rechargables. They easily last a full day in my Etrex Venture (which uses a bit more than the basic Etrex). That's running non-stop. Actually I can probably get two days walking (i.e. 15 hrs or more) from them. (Had them on 8 hrs today and shows half full - I recharged them over two weeks ago.)
NiMH's discharge over time so make sure they are charged up right before you go. Also they deliver lower voltage so in some things this can be an issue but I think eTrex's are fine (mine is anyway) and Garmin sells NiMH's for them on their website so I imagine that is what they are designed for.

I think lithiums hold their charge better when not used and they will power it longer and are better in extreme cold. Of course they are not rechargable and are expensive so in the long run it will cost you a fortune if you use the GPS much. Lithiums are lighter too I believe if you are a gram counter!

Just on note - I've never been happy with a set of Energizer NiMH's. Their Alkalines are okay but their NiMH's have never cut it for me.

[tasadam]

NiMH's discharge over time so make sure they are charged up right before you go.

This is true - ordinary NiMH batteries can be flat in as little as 30 days with no use.
However, the batteries I linked to don't actually go flat when sitting idle.
They are reported as still holding 70% of their charge with a year of idle time.
And they seem to be right, from my experience.
Great for remote controls at home, too.

I don't buy Duracell batteries any more due to the non-recycle issue. I guess Lithium ones would be the same?

[johnw]

Thanks for the replies. The reason I asked about the lithiums is that I'm considering taking my Etrex to the WOJ in a few weeks time. I might only use it infrequently and we'll be up there for 7 days, so will have a fair bit of gear and food to carry. I too normally use NIMH rechargeables in the GPS but the lithium AAs are extremely light. I currently use them in my camera and have found them astonishingly long lasting as well.

Yes, unfortunately it looks like recycling is not currently possible (although supposedly safe to dispose of them). From http://www.cleanup.com.au/au/LivingGreener/battery-recycling.html:

"- Household/single-use (AA, AAA, C and D or alkaline, carbon-zinc, lithium, silver-zinc): cannot be recycled, safe to be thrown away"

[sthughes]

I believe you can use the lithium in lithium batteries in some part of the process to make methamphetamineS. I guess that makes them worse than non-recylable

[tasadam]

I believe you can use the lithium in lithium batteries in some part of the process to make methamphetamineS. I guess that makes them worse than non-recylable

I won't ask how you "believe" that
Seriously, the stuff you learn on a bushwalking forum, eh! I wonder whether the mushies growing in wombat poo are safer for ya than a dose of Lithium in your mets...
Actually, I think I'll stick to neither.