My NCE power cab and the CAB02 both use AAA batteries. The CAB02 has a LED display and might draw more power from the batteries. The hammerhead has a LCD display but has a lot more operations it can perform.
Has anyone ever checked out which throttle uses more battery power?
I run tethered when operations permit but use radio when far away. Yes, I could install more UPDs but the cords get tangled in my wheels.
73
Bruce in the Peg
Pretty sure you'll find that all else being equal, the batteries will last longer in the simple Cab-06. Modern LEDs are much more efficient. My first computer, the two LED displays drew more current than the entire rest of the computer. but modern LEDs light up with only a couple of milliamps per segment. And, not having seen one in person, they may be multiplexed so it appears all 4 digits are lit up but in reality only one is at a time, and it just cycles through them fast enough that they only appear to be all on due to persistence of vision. Photos usually capture this, but they all look evenly lighted in the photos I've seen, so perhaps not multiplexed.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I have a pair of CVP wireless throttles for my Lenz DCC system. Since I'm mostly in construction mode, and I pretty much always operate by myself for now (hoping for some multi-operator later) I haven't used the wireless throttles much yet.
Still, I'm wondering about getting rechargeable batteries for my throttles. Does anyone have experience with these? Any particular brands to seek out or avoid?
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
We use rechargeable batteries with NCE Procab radio throttles at our HO scale club, which has saved quite a sum of money on batteries.
The best source of batteries I have found is All Electronics in Van Nuys, California; their stock number NMH-AAA 1000 mAh Tenergy NiMH batteries. We have a charger that holds 12 batteries, so we always have fully charged ones on hand when needed.
Lithium batteries may be better, but I have not seen rechargeable AAA Lithium batteries.
Rechargable batteries are typically 1.2 volts. This is marginal on the NCE system but workable. The Lenz system may or may not work on the lower voltage.
Alkaline batteries are 1.5 volts nominal.
We have 10 NCE ProCab Radio throttles at our club that use the Tenergy NiMH rechargeable batteries, and we have not had any problems with them for over three years. Even during open house weekends when the layout runs continuously from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. we rarely have to stop and change any of the batteries in the throttles -- but we always have 12 fully charged and ready to go, enough for three throttles.
The modified ProCab radio throttles sold by Litchfield Station with a built-in charger come with Tenergy batteries installed.