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Components and Circuits For discussions about component types, alternatives and availability, circuit configurations and modifications etc. Discussions here should be of a general nature and not about specific sets.

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Old 19th Mar 2023, 11:57 am   #1
Martin Bush
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Default Best D cells

Hi all

I have just become the proud owner of a Grundig C100 DC International machine.

It runs on D cells and I wondered what forum colleagues would recommend as 'the best' type for this machine.

I want to avoid leaks, short-lived batteries and unnecessry cost. So, what type would you go for?

Martin
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Old 19th Mar 2023, 12:09 pm   #2
Herald1360
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Default Re: Best D cells

C cells in adaptor/holders could give you a first line of defence against leaky cells at the expense of shorter run time, perhaps?
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Old 19th Mar 2023, 12:29 pm   #3
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Default Re: Best D cells

That may be a good idea.

Are rechargeables advisable for this sort of machine?

Its many years since I had any . Decades in fact.
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Old 19th Mar 2023, 1:13 pm   #4
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Default Re: Best D cells

I've got 9 Duracell D's if you want them, non are leaky and all have a full charge, IE 1.56v. yours for a fiver plus post.

Andy.
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Old 19th Mar 2023, 2:36 pm   #5
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Default Re: Best D cells

Most re-chargeable D cells are of the same capacity as AA rechargeables( probably contain smaller cells inside)) An exception is( or was) RS, whose own brand rechargeable are of a more expected capacity for their size, but will obviously take longer to charge.
I couldn’t recommend any particular alkaline D cells, as most of them seem to leak at some point.
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Old 19th Mar 2023, 5:10 pm   #6
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Default Re: Best D cells

I'm just in the process of helping SWMBO to clear her Mum's old house and amongst various other things we found two D cells in a sealed bubble pack, use by date... 2003.

They look to be in pristine condition, and may very well be. The brand was not one I recognized, not Duracell, Ever-Ready, Flying Bomb or any of that ilk.
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Old 19th Mar 2023, 5:56 pm   #7
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Default Re: Best D cells

A bit of a compromise on run-time which would be lower than some of the brands, but i would use Panasonic Alkalines if you're going for primaries as (famous last words) i haven't had any leaks yet.

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Old 19th Mar 2023, 9:38 pm   #8
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Default Re: Best D cells

My 1960's Philips EL3585 RTR tape recorder used six U2 (D cell) batteries. The original LeClanchė blue U2s used to last around the 20 hours mentioned in the user manual, consistent with their nominal 2Ah capacity and the ~100mA drawn by the motor. AFAIR, the capacity of a Duracell D cell given in a late 1990's databook at 100mA was 20Ah. So if the current drawn is about 100mA, a set of alkalines should last some 200 hours. Possibly long enough not to need rechargeables.
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Old 20th Mar 2023, 12:19 pm   #9
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Default Re: Best D cells

It depends on expected usage.

Extended use of any cassette player really needs to be on mains power. This machine uses non standard cassettes, so usage could be very light (demo and testing only).

In the early 1960's, Alkalines were not available, and if you use modern Alkalines, you can use smaller, more readily available cells in adaptors and still get the same performance as you would have got with contemporary non-Alkaline D-cells. Doesn't involve any modification to the unit.

For test/demo use, you could probably get away with Alkaline AA-cells in adaptors, rather than buying D-cells just for occasional use in this player. They may well date-expire before being exhausted.

Stuart
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Old 20th Mar 2023, 12:34 pm   #10
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Default Re: Best D cells

Thanks all for the feedback.

I will investigate the AAs in adaptors.

I'd ideally like to run the machine on mains, but that is probably a bit more of an ask for me to achieve than batteries. And, as has been said above, it will probably not be used a great deal - it's a nice thing to have though and I am interested in what's on the cassettes that came with it.
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Old 20th Mar 2023, 1:11 pm   #11
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Default Re: Best D cells

Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Bush View Post
I'd ideally like to run the machine on mains...
This really needs a 9V, regulated, linear supply.

This kind of thing would allow you to use, say, a 12V linear power supply salvaged from an old answerphone or scanner etc. to power it. I will have something suitable in my junk pile which you could have, or you could go WEEE Bin fishing:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134452954...Bk9SR8z31O7fYQ

The hardest part would be sourcing the rather odd DIN plug required. Does anyone know exactly what it is, or what the connections are? Alternatively, you could simply open it up and solder a length of fig-8 flex to the batteries' + and -
terminals, taking great care to mark the polarity correctly at the bare end of the cable. As a kid when I used to do this kind of zero-cost botch all the time, I used to tie a knot in the +ve wire.
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Old 20th Mar 2023, 1:56 pm   #12
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Default Re: Best D cells

Thanks Nick. I may take you up on the offer if that's OK.

My question though, is why would a regulated supply be ideal? Besides convenience etc of not using batteries of course.

Now I think about it, I have a guitar 9v supply that powers a number of effects. It's an old one - is that likely to fit the bill?
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Old 20th Mar 2023, 2:22 pm   #13
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Default Re: Best D cells

My EL3585, being designed for use with LeClanche cells, would wofk well until the voltage had fallen to just over 1V per cell, i.e. an input voltage of about 6 to 9V. The Philips car adaptor for the EL3302 cassette recorder for cars with 12V batteries, was a watty wire-wound series resistor in a ventilated box, for dropping approx 7V at the almost constant 100mA drawn by the cassette 's motor. I made my own, I think from memory using a 68 Ohm resistor, and it worked fine, and would have worked with the EL3585 had I still been using it. I didn't like to point this out to an acquaintance whose friend had made him a highly regulated 7.5V power supply for using his EL3302 in his car using an op amp, power transistor and sundry components on a custom printed circuit board.
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Old 20th Mar 2023, 8:33 pm   #14
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Default Re: Best D cells

Six D cells is the same as one method of powering my NordMende Globetrotter 808. However, I always used their 8v "Accu 467" (I think that is the type number from memory).
However, these can now cost anything up to £100 each. my solution is simple, two 18650 lithium ion cells, or better, four of them in series parallel. £2 or £3 gets a charge/discharge protection module. make a simple cardboard case, spray in some expanding foam for rigidity, and you have a rechargeable replacement.Using good used old 19850 cells, this radio now lasts 3 to 4 weeks of my typical usage, compared with maybe half that with the Accu 467, but which was less than one week as it was getting to the end of its life.
Assuming the cassette machine has a mains input, it will be easy to arrange for that to do the recharge duty.
Les.
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Old 22nd Mar 2023, 7:46 am   #15
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Default Re: Best D cells

Here's a Powerone alkaline D cell giving out a negative - 0.32volts,
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Old 22nd Mar 2023, 11:55 am   #16
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Default Re: Best D cells

Ive used Varta industrial (the ones delivered in bulk packaging) for several years now, never had any quality problems with them at all, and they're not expensive.

I get through a lot of batteries these days, restocking my sons various toys, and other bits and bobs. So I always keep a good supply of AA, AAA, C, D and PP3 . Also means I have plenty around for my own toys!

Adam
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Old 22nd Mar 2023, 1:20 pm   #17
Martin Bush
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Default Re: Best D cells

Thanks to all for the comments on this thread.

I think I now have a short term and longer term solution. In the short term I will get some batteries of some sort and give the machine a whirl. Longer term I am hoping to put together a reliable means of powering via the mains.

Given the machine is rare/ very interesting (to me at least) I want to do the right things and get it playing while also preserving it.
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Old 23rd Mar 2023, 9:27 pm   #18
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Default Re: Best D cells

I have powered the machine up with some Varta D cells and it works wonderfully well

The batteries were cheap enough to try, and from a relutable supplier.

Happy days
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Old 29th Mar 2023, 12:17 pm   #19
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Default Re: Best D cells

I do moan about leaking batteries from time to time. Removed this one( of four) from our doorbell this morning. I’m prepared to forgive on this occasion as use-by date is Jul 2003.
The other three measure 1.4-1.5 volts. Two of them, selected at random, still have enough “ oomph” to run a torch.
Asda Long-life Alkaline. They weren’t kidding!
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Old 29th Mar 2023, 1:54 pm   #20
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Default Re: Best D cells

Great pictures! You don't often see USA-made cells over here these days.

At our old house, our bell was powered by two Ever Ready Silver Seal HP2s with a use-by date of about 1990. The previous owner died in 1992, but the batteries were still going strong when we sold the house last year!
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