I have a Futaba 2PL and it doesn't work with NiMH (1.2v) batteries, only Alkaline (1.5v). It has room for 8 cells, which in alkaline is 12v. You'd need 10 NiMH cells for 12v. I would gladly just add another holder for 4xAAA on top of the battery compartment, but in my testing this wouldn't work.
I tested by inserting 6x NiMH AA cells into their regular position. I inserted 2x NiMH AAA cells in the last position (layout is 4x2) so I'd have room to get alligator clips on the + of the AAA. I attached another alligator clip to the actual battery holder where the AAAs would touch if they were longer. I then inserted 2x NiMH AAs between the clips, in series and in series with the other batteries. This did not work. I tested this with alkalines by just removing the two AAAs and clipping both the + and - contacts on the TX battery holder and hooking up AAs in series outside the TX as I had tried with the NiMHs, and the transmitter powered up just fine. I then tried 3x NiMH AAs outside the TX which worked as well, displaying 12.4V on the LCD.
Am I doing something stupid here, or should this totally just work? I planned on using a 4xAAA pack in series/parallel to give 2000MaH at 3V (the NiMH AAs I have are 2500MaH) and wire the pack in series with the normal TX pack to run NiMH. You could just leave out the additional batteries if running alkaline.
I own several Futaba 2PL, and use nothing but NiMh and have never had a problem.
In fact I have never put an alkaline battery in any of them.
It's strange that your 2pl only runs on nothing less than 12v.
When I used the 2PL, I only used NIMH. The 2PL was a very popular radio at the local tracks when AM was the only band for Mini-Z, and nobody had any problems using NIMH. Almost everyone used NIMH cells, very few used Alkalines, and that was normally only when they were charging the NIMH cells.
What happens when you load 8 cells into your battery tray? I usually charged my cells once every other week. The Duracell 2650 cells lasted the longest (usage and lifetime) for me with the 2PL and Helios. I am still using the cells that I used 3 years ago.
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EMUracing Micro RC Syndicate /DG Designs /GSR /Reflex Racing /Fast By Faqish /MurderTown Racing
When I used the 2PL, I only used NIMH. The 2PL was a very popular radio at the local tracks when AM was the only band for Mini-Z, and nobody had any problems using NIMH. Almost everyone used NIMH cells, very few used Alkalines, and that was normally only when they were charging the NIMH cells.
What happens when you load 8 cells into your battery tray? I usually charged my cells once every other week. The Duracell 2650 cells lasted the longest (usage and lifetime) for me with the 2PL and Helios. I am still using the cells that I used 3 years ago.
Nothing happens, it just won't turn on. The screen is dead, it just looks like it's dead, no beeps, no nothing. When I replace one cell in the alkaline pack with a NiMH, it works fine. Replace two and it doesn't turn on.
Just an update, I tried this with Duracell rechargables and it works fine (using 4x duracell NiMH 2650MaH and 4x Alkaline). My MAHA C9000 just came today, so I'm going to try the refresh & analyze on them and see if that helps. I have 8 of the Meijer batteries and I'm probably going to take the worst 4 back with the slow charger.
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