Originally Posted By: Brangdon
My Garmin GPSMap 60Cx won't take fresh lithium AAs. The voltage is slightly too high, and it shuts down. If you discharge them a bit, they're OK.


That's very surprising! Good to know, too.

It occurs to me that with the right resistor you should be able to use those fresh lithiums. I wonder if a penny would work.

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The drawback of AA is that in a crisis they will be the first to disappear from stores. You can't rely on being able to buy them at will. Which for me just means I stockpile them in largish numbers.


My experience has been the opposite. When a mountain pass in Colorado got hammered by a snowstorm, the only gas station around was out of every sort of battery other than AAs. They're the one kind of battery I've always been able to find in stores no matter what the circumstance. But as you say, it's foolish to rely on availability in stores. I stockpile a significant number of batteries, primarily AAs, AAAs and CR123As.

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Since one AA Eneloop will give enough light to read by for 50 hours, you don't really need that many for any reasonable disaster. For very long term disasters, rechargeable is the only way to go. Either solar power, or else siphon petrol from the cars of the people who already got wiped out by the zombies\b\b\b\b\b\bdisaster and use it to power a car charger.


If we divide disasters into short term (less than 7 days), medium term (7-30 days) and long term (30+ days), my preparations are designed for the short and medium term. I've got more than enough batteries for that, even assuming significant usage at higher outputs. Solar isn't reliable and it's awfully slow without a significant non-portable investment. I'd rather save gas for other things.

While you've decided to handle your battery-related preparedness differently than I have, it's clear to me that you've been thoughtful and it sounds like what you're doing works well for you.