Jim:
Regarding the [recently mentioned] Peltor tactical 6S (sound trap) [electronic earmuffs]: While the battery power for these is somewhat of a concern, they are well worth what you might spend keeping a few extra sets of AAA rechargeables (two for each ear) around. I, too, have been running these muffs for a number of years and really like them, especially under a helmet. The radio part works well too. On the qualification range with all the M4s going off, you can hear a hammer fall.
So here is my quandary and request for advice. I’ve tried NiCd [1] and NiMH [2] batteries and have been really disappointed with the battery life of any rechargeable in these earmuffs. (You know me, only hi-cap rechargeables!) Next thing you know, the volume is down. I’ve ended up using only Duracell throwaways, or equivalents. I mean rechargeables work but they are about 1/3 of the operating time that a throwaway battery has. Of course, they are AAAs and those are pretty puny anyway. Any advice, guidance or comments for enlightenment?
Thanks, – The Army Aviator
JWR Replies: Sadly, I don’t know of any rechargeable AAA batteries with decent mil-amp hour capacity. There just isn’t the room in that tiny battery casing for much “oomph”. Perhaps there is a SurvivalBlog reader out there that has a solution–either disposables or rechargeables. Oh! I just had one possible blinding flash of the obvious (BFO): As long as you already have a radio cable plugged in, how about running a co-axial power cable–modifying the earmuffs so that that they can “piggyback” from your radio’s battery pack? It would be fairly simple to rig resistors to drop the voltage to 3 VDC That would allow the muffs to run for weeks. Just a thought–it might be too difficult to McGyver [3] into practical implementation.