Hi everybody,

I'm new to this forum - I've been lurking off and on for a while but you guys are such a fun and vibrant group that I just can't resist joining in!  :-)  All these great pictures of cool vintage walkmen are really inspiring.

I was wondering if anyone is using rechargable AA or AAA batteries (like Eneloops) to power your walkmen? I remember I used to have to purchase hundreds of alkaline batteries to listen a lot, and now that rechargable technology has come so far (farther than in the 80's!) I was going to try using them but thought I'd ask here first. Not much discussion on this yet so wondered what everyone thinks.

Thanks a bunch

welcome makenfrnds, that is a good question, someone will be able to reply to your question for me i dont know im into boomboxes. yet i would like to know about buying the right kind of rechargeable battrey

Hi maknfrnds,

Welcome to the forum; glad that you decided to participate.

I'm using rechargeable batteries since 1987 (that's about 25 years, OMG! ) and they work very well with walkmans. I've learned a lot about batteries, specially from the era when I was into off-road R/C electric cars (championships also). In electric R/C cars people use some of the best batteries and chargers available.

Every serious hobbyist will tell you that SANYO batteries are world's best, so Eneloop from Sanyo are an excellent choice.

For charging, the common charger (even the one supplied with the eneloop pack from Sanyo) is very simple. Not recommended, indeed.

They normally charge for a pre-programmed time and current charge, no matter the battery is empty, at 50% or full, and no matter it's damaging, getting hot or even firing...

The best chargers are those that detect when the battery is full, with a small peak in voltage (called 'Delta peak'). so best chargers are equipped with 'Delta peak' detection. Usually some only detect this peak when connecting two or more batteries (each peak adds and group peak is higher), but best ones can detect individual peak.

For AA and AAA now I'm using the powerex mh-c9000, which is one of the best, for quite good price (about 50 euros). Do a google search for it and you will find one near you.

NOTE: Contrary as many people think, modern Ni-Mh batteries don't need to be completely discharged when storing for months as older Ni-Cd batteries needed.

Regards,

welcome on board, maknfrnds  that's the right place to recharge your batteries 

+1

Eneloops are the best OEM Sanyo, Spend decent money and get a good computer charger that feedback voltage, not those cheap ones found at most store that included with the batteries. Don't bother with Ni-Cd batteries etheir, go with only nickel metal hydride.

Hi maknfrnds,

Welcome to the forum; glad that you decided to participate.

I'm using rechargeable batteries since 1987 (that's about 25 years, OMG! ) and they work very well with walkmans. I've learned a lot about batteries, specially from the era when I was into off-road R/C electric cars (championships also). In electric R/C cars people use some of the best batteries and chargers available.

Every serious hobbyist will tell you that SANYO batteries are world's best, so Eneloop from Sanyo are an excellent choice.
For charging, the common charger (even the one supplied with the eneloop pack from Sanyo) is very simple. Not recommended, indeed.
They normally charge for a pre-programmed time and current charge, no matter the battery is empty, at 50% or full, and no matter it's damaging, getting hot or even firing...

The best chargers are those that detect when the battery is full, with a small peak in voltage (called 'Delta peak'). so best chargers are equipped with 'Delta peak' detection. Usually some only detect this peak when connecting two or more batteries (each peak adds and group peak is higher), but best ones can detect individual peak.

For AA and AAA now I'm using the powerex mh-c9000, which is one of the best, for quite good price (about 50 euros). Do a google search for it and you will find one near you.

NOTE: Contrary as many people think, modern Ni-Mh batteries don't need to be completely discharged when storing for months as older Ni-Cd batteries needed.

Regards,

Thanks for this terrific info! I knew one of you pros would know about this.

I currently have the Sony Cycle Energy BCG34HRE4KN charger which I've been using for other household things. But it doesn't have as many features that the Powerex one has that you mentioned so maybe I will get that one - I found it on Amazon here (in case anyone else is interested):

http://www.amazon.com/Powerex-...rds=powerex+mh-c9000

So glad to know I won't have to buy and recycle lots of batteries to enjoy listening!

Love this! :-)

OK - great advice - thanks!

How about gumstick batteries for Sony devices? There are a few new ones by other manufacturers listed that say they are compatible; anyone tried them out? There are also some Sony ones listed as new, but I am suspicious (does Sony still make these?)…if they are NOS then would they maybe not charge/not last?

From what I can tell on this forum, the Aiwa gumstick batteries are gone, never to be replaced (unless I missed something), so Aiwas using gumsticks must be run with their external AA or AAA battery pack attached.

Thanks!

NiMH gumstick batteries as found in Sony, Panasonic, Kenwood etc. are all a standard size. Search for the generic type of NH14WM and you will find the ones you are looking for.

Early AIWA gumsticks (later ones were the same NiMH as above) were made from Lead acid battery technology and unfortunately did not have the robustness needed for the kind of usage required from them. They wore out easily and quickly and thus not very environmentally friendly with their Lead content when it came to their disposal. Some AIWA gumsticks do survive. I have a few AIWA PB4 batteries that are still in working condition, but they need to be fully topped up to stop them from wearing themselves out. Eventually these remaining AIWA gumsticks will cease to work too.

The newer NiMH type gumstick batteries are not directly compatible with AIWA units that accept the Lead acid type. Different shape, battery termination and voltages.

Good to know that at least the Sony gumstick format is still available and able to be used. It's sad about the Aiwa lead acid ones - I thought I would check in about those since everything I've seen posted in the past indicates the format is gone forever. It would be wonderful to be able to use a vintage Aiwa without the need for a battery pack! Maybe some day...

This is a terrific community. Thanks for all of the great info!

Welcome to the forum!

Here's a successful replacement solution for the Aiwa gumstick batteries. A little cumbersome but still more convenient than using the external battery box. 

Credit goes to the original kerni99.

Don't be put off buying a lead acid battery based AIWA before the non-lead acid battery solution has been refined, you would otherwise be restricting yourself from experiencing some of AIWA's finest units such as the PX101 before its decline.

Although one point about avoiding this era of AIWA's product history; is that you avoid the majority of units that suffered damage and faults due to cheap and nasty capacitors.