Kestrel 4500AB Battery Info - Important!

[DocUSMCRetired]

When using a Kestrel Wind Meter, you need to avoid Energizer Lithium Advanced Batteries. The only batteries we recommend are Ultimate Lithium Batteries. The reason being is that the Ultimate Lithiums have a lower magnetic signature. The Advanced Lithium have a high enough magnetic signature that they interfere with the Compass Calibration, and can cause errors.

DO NOT USE ADVANCED LITHIUM BATTERIES IN THE KESTREL, ONLY USE ULTIMATE LITHIUM

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

This is in response to comments in a emails from other locations -

They come with Ultimate Lithiums, some people have changed them out for Advanced, which is a terrible idea.

I would note, that the Lithium batteries do not like the cold. Something else that can happen here. The LCD display can slow down in cold temperatures. The previous screens pixels can be slow to fade out, so the unit is working correctly, The LCD display will start to show these symptoms as you approach 0C, and they will worsen when you approach -10C. (32F - 14F). What this means is internally its working correctly, but the screen is slow to update. This is a physical limitation of LCD displays.

Something else to note, Lithium Batteries start to act up as you approach these same temperatures, so the device is working as intended, but the batteries are not providing the same output power as they reach the freezing and below mark. This is an issue with the batteries, and the device is working as its supposed to. This is a problem that all batteries face once temperatures read low enough. So your batteries might be giving out a false reading (Saying your at 10% when if you simply warm up the batteries it will read 90% again).

 

[JabaliHunter]

What about eneloop batteries?

 

[Spin Drift]

That must have been difficult trying to trouble shoot where the problems were coming from? I would never suspect the battery's magnetic signature lol.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

That must have been difficult trying to trouble shoot where the problems were coming from? I would never suspect the battery's magnetic signature lol.

We are always happy to alleviate a problem, or help others avoid one!