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Batteries - Battery capacity test and battery type settings for capacity readout - Sony UWP-D Wireless audio transmitter


Sound

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I am using my Wireless Audio transmitters from Sony (UWP-D) mostly with NIMH-AA-Batteries.

Right now I wanted to check my batteries and let them run in the transmitter to see how long they still last.

Does anyone know a more elegant way to check the battery health?

 

And:

In the sony uwp-d I saw that the battery indicator dropped VERY quickly (after 1-2 hours) to display an empty battery,

BUT the recorder keeps running on and on, so maybe the indicator is wrong which always made me switch batteries way too soon.

I set the battery type in the menu to type2 for NIMH-batteries, but when I set it TYPE 1 (for LR6-Batteries), 

the readout shows still a bit more remaining capacity, so maybe the indicator is just more correct with this setting.

 

My theory is that the NIMH-Batteries have gained so much capacity in the last years, that the indicator for NIMH is not correct anymore.

I am using eneloop pro 2500mAh and IKEA Ladda 2450mAh - AA Batteries.

Could it be, that the readout for LR6 is more correct for those new NIMH-Batteries?

 

From the Sony UWP-D Manual:

Setting the battery type (BATTERY)
You can set the type of battery being used in order to
provide a more accurate battery level indication.
TYPE1: Recommended setting when using alkaline LR6
(size AA) batteries. Indicates the battery level based on
the characteristics of new Sony alkaline LR6 (size AA)
batteries.
TYPE2: Recommended setting when using rechargeable
nickel metal hydride batteries.
TYPE3: Recommended setting when using lithium
batteries.

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I don't think that LR6 is any better.

Normal alkaline batteries have a higher voltage starting ar approx. 1,5V

whereas NiMH have a voltage starting at approx. 1,2V.

Every rechargable battery has a slightly different voltage curve and that makes displaying its capacity quite difficult, because they use the actual voltage in order to show the capacity. With faulty batteries, the voltage brakes down quickly, when using them.

 

There's really only one way to measure the actual capacity:

You need to load the battery 100% full, than empty it and measure the amount of mA, that was taken out.

 

I only use fresh filled batteries in my Sennheiser wireless and begin to like the built-in batteries in the Deity Connect.

I just use them and can refill them every time with my powerbanks even in my bag.

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How do you measure that?

 

I like the batteries and usability of the deity connect as well and hope the corrupt file problem will be fixed soon.

In the meantime I go back to sony and record in the mixer again, I think thats more reliable when its transmitting...

Still, the battery runtime is great on the sonys.

With two aa batteries that are quite old they are running for more than eight hours now,

although the receivers should only run for six hours - even with alkaline batteries..

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3 hours ago, Sound said:

How do you measure that?

search for chargers with a TEST option: In TEST mode those start charging the battery until it is totally full, switch into discharge and track the ammount of energy that is extracted during the whole discharge cycle, usually in mAh. Afterwards they charge the battery until it is full again and keep displaying the real capacity of the battery, among other parameters. In most cases, they discharge with half current of the charging process. A complete charge - discharge - charge cycle can take more than 24 hs, depending on the current you feed to the battery and its capacity. Like this one: https://www.amazon.de/BC-700-Akku-Microprozessor-Schnellladegerät-schwarz/dp/B000WILI42/ref=asc_df_B000WILI42/?tag=googshopde-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309851262444&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17581102760851636233&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9062727&hvtargid=pla-627944371117&psc=1&th=1&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=65356965287&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=309851262444&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17581102760851636233&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9062727&hvtargid=pla-627944371117

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Adding on a bit to what's already been posted: using NiMH batteries in any transmitter I've used will usually result in a readout that says it's almost out of battery from the get-go, as you have noticed, due to their lower operating voltage. However, NiMH batteries hold this voltage for nearly the duration of their runtime, presenting a challenge to accurately measure how much capacity they have left. Whereas with alkaline (and I believe lithium too), you know their operating voltage, as it decreases, indicates a % use. This is why Lectro recommends using their built-in timer function, rather than displaying the tx's battery indicator, when you pop in fresh NiMH batteries. With fresh eneloop pro's I also get about 12h on my UWP-D11 and Sennheiser G3 -- about half that on my SMDWB's.

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10 minutes ago, Ian Berman said:

Adding on a bit to what's already been posted: using NiMH batteries in any transmitter I've used will usually result in a readout that says it's almost out of battery from the get-go, as you have noticed, due to their lower operating voltage. However, NiMH batteries hold this voltage for nearly the duration of their runtime, presenting a challenge to accurately measure how much capacity they have left. Whereas with alkaline (and I believe lithium too), you know their operating voltage, as it decreases, indicates a % use. This is why Lectro recommends using their built-in timer function, rather than displaying the tx's battery indicator, when you pop in fresh NiMH batteries. With fresh eneloop pro's I also get about 12h on my UWP-D11 and Sennheiser G3 -- about half that on my SMDWB's.

So just use eneloop pro and don’t care about battery capacity anymore. ;) at least for the transmitters

Maybe like this?

B858CE0C-38B9-4DD1-8DE6-9B78AF1A5AE1.jpeg

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26 minutes ago, Sound said:

So just use eneloop pro and don’t care about battery capacity anymore. ;) at least for the transmitters

Maybe like this?

B858CE0C-38B9-4DD1-8DE6-9B78AF1A5AE1.jpeg

This is the image I had in my brain when I wrote out my response, yeah. Curious about rechargeable lithiums too but haven't seen reports of many people adopting them yet.

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With the sonys unfortunately the receivers last a little shorter - maybe because of the true diversity instead of antenna diversity. 
 

but I think I will rather swap batteries after six hours or so instead of reinstalling a power bank.

 

according to the battery voltage chart the alkalines still have much more power remaining even when the voltage is very low.

 

so when the battery indicator drops to soon on the nimh setting I guess the alkaline setting can be more accurate to see even low voltage indications.

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Thanks! I ordered XTAR Prozessor Ladegerät für 8 x Li-Ion und NiMH Akkus in der Größe 18650, AA, AAA etc, universal und schnell, Modell: VC8. Hope it will show correct values as well. Isdt n24 looks great as well, until now I was charging with four eneloop chargers for 16 batteries but I could use even more. Although for the isdt they say it can drain the batteries totally out and damage them. Any experience with that?

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Jepp... My ISDTs also show similar "optimistic" values, where as the Maha produces values that correspond more to those advertised. My guess, is, that the ISDTs and maybe your XTAR does not show the actual charge of the battery, but the energy it has pumped into it, including loss to heat. On the other hand, the firmware might just not be well calibrated. It does not matter to me anyhow, because I see when my 2450 Ikea Ladda produces odd values (also internal resistance). Then I mark them as less good or dispose them. You can also see, if a battery behaves different to same aged sisters or you can pair batteries with similar values. If I am to test some completely unknown batteries, I use the Maha.

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4 hours ago, Sound said:

Thats right, it shows the energy pumped ito it.

you must take into account the energy efficiency of the battery charging process, which is considerably less than 100%. Proper testing  measures the discharge capacity.

 

What the specs say:

Eneloop Pros are rated by a minimum guaranteed capacity value, that is usually surpassed in real-life tests. 2600 - 2700 mAhs are realistic values and capacity wise they easily outperform major brand Alkaline batteries. Other big brands like Sanyo also meet their specs, but they lose their charge a little quicker, if the battery is not used immediately. Eneloops will still hold like 90% after a few weeks. With no-name brands the specified capacity is usually overrated by minimum 10% PLUS they will lose their charge pretty quickly when lying on the shelf unused PLUS they will lose their recharging capacity sooner over time.

 

All the same I don't really like the Eneloops, because they have a fatal inclination to dismantle their outer shell much sooner than they lose their charging capacity.

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On 10/3/2021 at 9:23 AM, DanieldH said:

Jepp... My ISDTs also show similar "optimistic" values, where as the Maha produces values that correspond more to those advertised. My guess, is, that the ISDTs and maybe your XTAR does not show the actual charge of the battery, but the energy it has pumped into it, including loss to heat. On the other hand, the firmware might just not be well calibrated. It does not matter to me anyhow, because I see when my 2450 Ikea Ladda produces odd values (also internal resistance). Then I mark them as less good or dispose them. You can also see, if a battery behaves different to same aged sisters or you can pair batteries with similar values. If I am to test some completely unknown batteries, I use the Maha.

Speaking of resistance, which values are odd? I get huge variations..

CC6FA848-6AE9-4859-A002-838B6185976B.jpeg

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I've had a battery with somewhere @ 600mΩ. It performed badly anyhow. I get similar variations, but IIRC Isomewhere in the  100 to 200 range, but I might double check. I currently have some batteries "from the university" on analyze in an ISDT out of curiosity. Unfortunately I did not bring my Maha.

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