Batteries?

[pmulcahy11b]

Something that just popped into my head (and probably all of yours at some point or another): batteries are going to become very valuable items in T2K. Most small batteries, even now (like flashlight batteries and suchlike) are not rechargeable. Even rechargeable batteries can only be recharged so many times -- and back in the late 90s, a lot of rechargeable batteries suffered from the "memory effect." Even vehicle batteries can be recharged only so many times.

I think batteries have been sorely neglected in T2K.

[Grimace]

Yes, neglected. But really, other than some radios and flashlights, what other things are you going to use batteries in that would be necessary and useful in T2K? I mean, it's not like you're going to be using a remote control for anything, and I-pods and cell phones will just be useless junk. Even cameras will be pretty useless unless you have either a working computer (digital cameras) or a dark room and all the chemicals (SLR film cameras).

So flashlights, maybe night vision goggles, your geiger counter and a radio would be all you would need batteries for. And how long do those things normally last compared to the battery life? I mean, you're more likely to drop or damage your NVGs before their battery life goes out. Maybe your flashlight would go through some batteries, but the rest would probably be on their only, or maybe second set of batteries before wear and tear made them inoperable anyway.

Vehicles, on the other hand, those batteries might be more of a challenge that might need to be addressed. Stray bullets, overuse, lack of use...they could all wear down the batteries and require replacements. That might be a challenge in the long run.

[Mohoender]

Good point.

I would expect these to become one of the main cottage industry. As I recall from high school and general memory making a battery is not that hard but it might be hazardous.

Nevertheless, I expect that you might make a new one from recycling an old one. That would be especially true as no one would really care about environmental problems. I'm not sure about this but I think that you can empty an old battery case, fill it again with lead or zinc, add acid and get a working one. Of course, you might lose some worker in the process but who cares as long as they are robotnikis or some sort of slaves. That is for vehicles anyway, for light or other things, it will be easier to fix some kind of generating tool such as the one you'll find on bycilcles or cars. Muscles remain the best generator to these days.

Just an idea, may be a foolish one.

[Raellus]

Are the batteries used in radios and NVGs rechargeable? My players have posted about recharging them and I didn't argue, assuming that they knew more than I about the subject. But tooling around online, I haven't found any indication that the batteries are rechargeable. Even if they are, they would require some sort of adapter, right?

I think it's time for the lights to start going out...

[chico20854]

AN/PVS-7b NVG's can use either specialized lithium batteries (which last a relatively long time) or standard AA's. During peacetime training AA's are supposed to be used.

Some radios (AN/PRC-127 walkie-talkies, for example) have adapters to allow them to use commercial batteries. They suck, however - really short battery life. The normal AN/PRC-127 batteries (and the ones in the Motorola Sabre radios that generally have replaced the AN/PRC-127 walkie-talkie) are rechargeable. As for the larger tactical ones in US service (PRC-77 and manpacked SINCGARS), I never saw rechargeable batteries or commercial battery adapters. Most of those radios in the units I was in were vehicle mounted in any case, and batteries were not an issue. (Although separate batteries were in some cases required for the COMSEC setting equipment).

[Raellus]

Thanks Chico. Can man-packed radios be "plugged in" to a vehicle and powered off its batteries when the radio batteries themselves die? Or, is it a one-or-the-other type deal?