{"id":57107,"date":"2023-06-27T05:55:43","date_gmt":"2023-06-27T09:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=57107"},"modified":"2023-06-27T06:00:10","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T10:00:10","slug":"guest-post-here-come-the-lithiums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/06\/guest-post-here-come-the-lithiums\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post: Here Come the Lithiums"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em>\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Bob Colegrove<\/a>, who shares the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Power Play \u2013 Here Come the Lithiums<\/h1>\n

by Bob Colegrove<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have belonged to several radio-oriented user groups in recent years and can\u2019t help noticing how often the subject of batteries comes up.\u00a0 It\u2019s almost a sub-hobby within the hobby.\u00a0 There are a couple of reasons for this, first is the unending quest for the ultimate cost-effective, everlasting battery, and second, it\u2019s a rare opportunity for most of us to tinker in an increasingly complex world of technology.<\/p>\n

Lithium batteries offer a sustainable voltage output well into their discharge cycle and can deliver a higher rate of current than alkaline batteries.\u00a0 They are somewhat lighter in weight than alkaline batteries \u2013 2.5 oz. versus 5 oz. for D-cells.<\/p>\n

Considering the fast pace of technology, lithium batteries have been with us for a comparatively long time, this in the form of cell phone and camera power, not to mention a host of electric appliances.\u00a0 Most of these batteries have limited purpose, that is they have been developed and packaged for just a few applications, thus resulting in an incredible variety of sizes and shapes, and no doubt a host of frustrations due to obsolescence.\u00a0 It\u2019s somewhat reminiscent of the early days of transistor radios which ran on a wide array of zinc-carbon batteries.<\/p>\n

Perhaps I have been asleep at the wheel, but it has only come to my attention recently that lithium chemistry has begun to backfill the standard battery sizes we have long been familiar with, namely AAA, AA, C, D, and even the PP3 standard 9 volt.<\/p>\n

I have been running along quite successfully for more than 10 years on AA NiMH technology on several portable radios.\u00a0 Although these run at a slightly lower cell voltage of 1.25 Vdc, the one-for-one substitution of these for alkaline chemistry has seldom been a problem in terms of performance.\u00a0 In most cases, newer radios are provided with an alkaline\/NiMH-NiCad setting to compensate for the difference in voltage.\u00a0 Even the venerable Sony ICF SW7600GR, for which alkaline batteries are assumed, seems to operate equally well either way.<\/p>\n

My problem has always been the larger power consumers running on D-cells – the Sony ICF 2010 and Grundig Satellit 800 to cite two examples.\u00a0 A fresh set of NiMH batteries put the 2010 on the cusp of poor performance.\u00a0 Lithium batteries having a sustainable single-cell voltage of 1.5 Vdc now provide a possible alternative to a steady diet of costly alkaline cells.\u00a0 Even more attractive, some are equipped with a USB-C connector and can be recharged without a dedicated charger.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In the figure above, a set of four lithium D cells are connected simultaneously through a 4-lead USB-C harness and USB charger (not shown).\u00a0 Many of the brands include the harness with a set of batteries.\u00a0 I have added a USB multimeter, which I find very useful to monitor the progress of the charge, but this is not necessary.\u00a0 This particular meter can also show accumulated capacity.\u00a0 However, it should be noted that, unless batteries are charged one at a time, charging rate and capacity will show the total values for the number of batteries being charged.\u00a0 I would also recommend that the USB charger be rated at least 3 amps.\u00a0 In the figure below, one of the USB-C leads is connected at the top of the battery.\u00a0 The built-in LED flashes during charge and remains on when the charge is complete.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Cost is an equally important consideration.\u00a0 There is a lot of hype in the marketing department about how many times these batteries can be recharged.\u00a0 The key compound preposition here is \u201cup to,\u201d and as long as they use those words, they can make the number anything they want to.\u00a0 That said, it simply won\u2019t take more than a few cycles for the cost-benefit cusp to be reached in favor of lithium batteries.<\/p>\n

I am just getting started with this.\u00a0 Although the batteries came highly recommended for the portable radio application, I can make no judgment at this time as to their ultimate quality or convenience.\u00a0 It just seems like the next logical way to go.<\/p>\n

There are some things to remember when choosing lithium batteries.\u00a0 Not all lithium batteries are rechargeable, particularly smaller sizes.\u00a0 Some do not come with the built-in USB-C charging jack, so a separate charger intended for lithium batteries will be required.\u00a0 D size batteries are also available at 3.6 Vdc\/cell.\u00a0 There may be other options, so watch out.\u00a0 Be sure to thoroughly check the features of any batteries you consider.<\/p>\n

I would close by warning that lithium batteries come with safety caveats regarding their transport, handling, use, charging, and disposal.\u00a0 These precautions are all well stated in the literature, which should be followed with an abundance of caution.\u00a0 Of note is the fact that not all chargers support lithium batteries, and their capability should be checked as well.<\/p>\n

\n

Click here to check out these Lithium D Cells on Amazon.com<\/a> (SWLing Post affiliate link), or explore other brands<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Bob Colegrove, who shares the following: Power Play \u2013 Here Come the Lithiums by Bob Colegrove I have belonged to several radio-oriented user groups in recent years and can\u2019t help noticing how often the subject of batteries comes up.\u00a0 It\u2019s almost a sub-hobby within the hobby.\u00a0 There are a couple of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4199,3194,3,3196],"tags":[7988,4342,4135,10246,4082],"class_list":["post-57107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-accessories","category-guest-posts","category-news","category-portable-radio","tag-bob-colegrove","tag-guest-posts","tag-lithium-batteries","tag-lithium-d-cells","tag-shortwave-radio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-eR5","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14455,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/08\/tecsun-cautions-against-using-lithium-aa-cells-in-the-pl-606\/","url_meta":{"origin":57107,"position":0},"title":"Tecsun cautions against using Lithium AA cells in the PL-606","author":"Thomas","date":"August 24, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"SWling Post reader,\u00a0Philip Dickinson, recently contacted me\u00a0with the following question: \"I have just bought a Tecsun 606 which takes two AA batteries which I\u00a0think are normally rated at 1.2 volts. I have just ordered some\u00a0lithium ion AA and notice that they are 3.7 volts. Can I use them?\" I replied\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"TecsunPL-606","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/TecsunPL-606.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14469,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/08\/primary-ion-and-polymer-a-lithium-battery-primer\/","url_meta":{"origin":57107,"position":1},"title":"Primary, Ion, and Polymer: a lithium battery primer","author":"Thomas","date":"August 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Lithium primary, lithium ion, lithium polymer...want to know the differences between\u2013and varied uses for\u2013these diverse types of\u00a0lithium batteries? You're not alone...so did I. Recently, a reader asked about the suitability\u00a0of using\u00a0AA Lithium batteries\u00a0in a Tecsun radio. \u00a0Several knowledgeable\u00a0Post contributors\u2013including Richard Langley, Ken Hansen, DL4NO, Eric Cottrell, and Mark Piaskiewicz\u2013responded, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"EnergizerLithium","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/EnergizerLithium-e1440602196832.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/EnergizerLithium-e1440602196832.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/EnergizerLithium-e1440602196832.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":56447,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/04\/bobs-bespoke-rack-of-radios\/","url_meta":{"origin":57107,"position":2},"title":"Bob’s Bespoke “Rack of Radios”","author":"Thomas","date":"April 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob Colegrove, who shares the following: A Rack of Radios by Bob Colegrove You simply cannot have enough radios \u2013 a principle I learned a long time ago.\u00a0 The difficulty occurs when it comes to storing them and yet having them at the ready\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Accessories"","block_context":{"text":"Accessories","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/accessories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image1-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image1-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image1-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image1-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image1-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22732,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/guest-post-car-shack-radio-listening\/","url_meta":{"origin":57107,"position":3},"title":"Guest Post: “Car Shack” Radio Listening","author":"Thomas","date":"December 10, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, TomL, for the following guest post: \u201cCar Shack\u201d radio listening by TomL My car is an unusual place to listen to shortwave radio but has interesting possibilities. Due to the obscene noise at my home QTH, I decided that I must try something away\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How To"","block_context":{"text":"How To","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/how-to\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/CarShack-e1481116105233.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":62004,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/02\/whats-in-the-box-bob-colegrove-investigates-the-forgotten-extras-of-your-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":57107,"position":4},"title":"What\u2019s in the Box? Bob Colegrove Investigates the Forgotten Extras of Your Radio","author":"Thomas","date":"February 9, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"What\u2019s in the Box? Itemized by Bob Colegrove Not one to throw anything away, I tend to save \u2018the box it came in\u2019 for many new purchases.\u00a0 The other day I decided to organize all my radio boxes.\u00a0 Besides the radios themselves, they usually contain a selection of \u201cgoodies,\u201d which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Accessories"","block_context":{"text":"Accessories","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/accessories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Fig-8-PL-880-quick-start_a.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Fig-8-PL-880-quick-start_a.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Fig-8-PL-880-quick-start_a.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Fig-8-PL-880-quick-start_a.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Fig-8-PL-880-quick-start_a.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61040,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/11\/channel-6-fm-radio-stations\/","url_meta":{"origin":57107,"position":5},"title":"Channel 6 FM Radio Stations","author":"Thomas","date":"November 10, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Bob Colegrove, who shares the following guest post: Channel 6 Radio Stations By Bob Colegrove Even after all these years, I still find occasional surprises while playing with radios.\u00a0 How did I miss this one?\u00a0 I recently did what I thought was a definitive audit of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "FM"","block_context":{"text":"FM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/fm\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Fig-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Fig-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Fig-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Fig-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Fig-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57107"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57112,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57107\/revisions\/57112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}