9V rechargeable batteries for Digitrax throttles
Q.
Has anyone tried using rechargeable 9 volt batteries in
Digitrax UT4D and DT402D throttles? It seems to me it might
be a good use for rechargeables.
A.
Yes, it’s possible, but there are a couple of considerations.
Depending on their construction, the true output may be as low
as 7.2 volts, even at full charge. Digitrax throttles need at least 8
volts to operate reliably. Some brands are oversized and don’t fit
Digitrax battery compartments very well.
“Don” uses Tenergy 9 volt rechargeables in a DT400R. The bat-
tery produces about 9.2 volts fresh out of the charger. He says,
“I’ve never timed how long a battery lasts. I just keep a couple in
the charger and swap as needed.”
Fritz Milhaupt reports using Maha Powerex NiMH (nickel-metal
hydride) 9.6v batteries for over a year on the Operations Road
Show layout.
“They’ve been fantastic,” Fritz says. “On a single charge,
they’ve consistently held up through our regular five-hour
operating sessions at our home base, and I tested a couple
successfully through nine hours of operation at conventions
in the UT4Rs. I’ve never thought to try to get more than five
hours out of one in a UT4D. We use both simplex and duplex
on the layout.”
“Most of the batteries we bought were the 230 mAh (230
milliAmp-hours) version, though we have one 300 mAH
model we’ve used. I tend to use that one in the DT402D I use
for consisting. The 300 mAH model is just a little bit larger
than the 240 mAH battery, so it’s a tighter fit in the battery
compartment.”
