Sdc2300 Li ion battery set up

A mate has been looking into setting up a Li-ion battery outfit to run his sdc2300, anyway after discussing it with him I started to think about what we could use that is already available, but here's the thing as the rechargeable batteries that come with it are 1.2 volt x 4 (4.8 volts) and standard out of the packet batteries that you can use in them also are 1.5 volts x 4 (6 volts) am I correct in thinking that the maximum voltage that you can run them on is 6 volts or would it be higher at say 7 volts.

As I found that the sdc2300 has no volume control, only a threshold level control, as my hearing is not what is used to be I had trouble hearing it, so I mounted a modified B&Z booster on to the side of mine, connected it to the short adapter lead that I bought earlier, and got a curly cable from Jaycar that goes to my harness, that way I can use my behind the neck headphones or shoulder mounted speaker with it and have an adjustable volume control booster as well.

Anyway it occurred to me that I have two Reeds model lucky lark Li ion battery sets, used on the Sd and Gp model detectors and that you can open them up and adjust the voltage output by turning a screw on the trim pot, and they also have an inbuilt booster as well, so if I know what the correct running voltage is I can adjust the lucky lark to output the right amount of juice and after working out how to connect the power to the control box without damaging the existing battery case or body (voiding my warranty) I should be able to run it on the lucky lark batteries.

The advantage are obviously the longer run time and also the inbuilt booster giving a proper volume control, has anybody been experimenting with a set up like this and if so have you got any ideas as to how to connect the power into the control box without doing the standard set up and damage?

au-fever

As far as i know the 2300 is internally voltage regulated, this means no adjustment of external voltage would make a difference as it would be internally dropped down to the normal 2300 running voltage.

Pete

CrazyPete wrote:As far as i know the 2300 is internally voltage regulated, this means no adjustment of external voltage would make a difference as it would be internally dropped down to the normal 2300 running voltage.

Pete

Hi Pete

I know machines from the gp extreme had internal regulators, but didn't know the sdc2300 does also, is that something to do with the predecessor being the F14A mine detector?, but in any case if that is correct then it will be able to be run on the lucky lark battery and perhaps set the voltage to say 6.8v like on the gp's, the next step is to make up something to mimic the batteries in the battery compartment and connect to that so as to not damage or alter the body of the detector.

Had thoughts of making a dummy battery insert so that it can be fitted into the battery compartment and the power lead connecting to that at the back and maybe get a spare battery case cover and fit it with a connection point, I don't ever plan to use it underwater but in the event I change my mind I can always go back to the stock set up if I wanted to.

au-fever

 i like the sound of a dummy battery insert, would need to get over the problem
of where the rear power plug lead comes out the back without drillin into the battery hatch
would be great to run a 5k battery on it, all day flat out

Pete

CrazyPete wrote:  i like the sound of a dummy battery insert, would need to get over the problem
of where the rear power plug lead comes out the back without drillin into the battery hatch
would be great to run a 5k battery on it, all day flat out

Pete

That's why I thought it might be better to buy a spare hatch cover and fit a 4 pin plug into it, then you have the connection point for the power to the detector, and you can just remove it and replace it with the original cap if you need to go back to stock standard.

Also if you want to be able to take advantage of the booster in the battery then you also have to run a cable from the headphone socket outlet to the cap and connect it also into the 4 pin plug, same as other 4 pin cables, 2 for power and 2 for headphones, that way also you can just use a standard 4 curly cord between the detector and battery in the harness pouch.

If you want to use the gpx battery of course you will have to go with the 5 pin set up, one of the main reasons we have been looking at this is because we want try to use the batteries that we already carry instead of having to take different batteries and chargers for each machine and not have to worry about the run time of the C cell batteries.

The sdc2300 is a good little machine and very useful, but two criticisms I have of it is the lack of a volume control, and use of C cell batteries, also we have all noticed that although the machine will keep running for some time it seems to start to lose sensitivity after a couple of hours use, this was always the problem with the sd and gp machines when running the 6v gel batteries, the advent of the coiltek pocket rocket system with long lasting regulated li ion batteries made all the difference.

At the end of the day what I want to avoid is to damage or alter the detector body in any way, as if you want to submerge the thing for any reason, or use it at the beach in summer then you can just swap the hatch covers over, any fitting you put into the detector body has to be waterproof, that's the reason why they have put the sort of headphone socket that's on it as its self sealing, if you don't get that bit right then you might drown the thing.

au-fever