Duracell Powerboost Battery and Mammut Barryvox

[Dark Energy]

I might be remiss in not posting this earlier. I did not want to cause a fire storm, and the issue only happened once. However, as we start putting fresh batteries in our beacons and having just read the write up of how the Pieps/Black Diamond beacons seem to have been unintentionally turning off resulting in tragedies, I thought it better to share my experience.

Last February was my second season with a particular Barryvox beacon. Approximately 30 to 50 days of use at the time. At the end of the day I noticed the red "on" indicator light was on but not blinking. It remained illuminated regardless of my efforts to either go into search (it did not) or slide it to "off." Battery level was 90%. I proceeded to open and remove the batteries. I then put the batteries back in and it started up normally with the typical start pattern, and red light blinking.

Since then it appears to transmit, search and function without issues. I have not been able to reproduce the issue. Although I think someone may have had a similar issue in the Barryvox DOA thread?

Contacted Mammut. Very prompt response. Exchanged correspondence with their Avalanche Safety Program Manager. He inquired if I was using Duracell Powerboost batteries "because they have abnormally high voltage for an alkaline cell." Indeed I was. He stated it should not be a problem, but if it happens again - which it has not using still using Powerboost batteries- to try a regular Duracell coppertop battery. He also recommended Diagnostic Testing every three years which I think requires sending back to Mammut.

Finally, always want to try to leave some stoke here.

[adrenalated]

Question - are you using the latest firmware (BarryHeart 3.4)?

It appears that part of this update was to address high voltage alkaline batteries.
https://www.mammut.com/us/en/support...rryvox/support

Battery Capacity Display

Optimized battery recognition and support for alkaline batteries with high output voltage (> 1.5 V per LR03-AAA cell) for optimized display of battery capacity for alkaline and lithium (Barryvox S) batteries, even in low temperatures.

I actually just threw some Duracell Powerboost batteries in my Barryvox S today and it initially thought they were lithium batteries, which I thought was odd. I am on older firmware (3.0) so I am curious if the update will help.

[BFD]

conditions look pretty good. Maye I should be there

[Core Shot]

Why even use them in any beacon?
Marketing? IT HAS POWER BOOST!!!!

just use regular Duracell and change when they hit 70% or whatever your risk comfort level is.

PS. How can they make a battery that doesn’t have standard voltage? Never heard of them. But that seems nuts.

[Dark Energy]

Adrenal - firmware was 3.4
CS - The powerboost is the AAA that Costco was offering, so that' what I got.
Leo - You are always welcome. N. facing offered soft turns last weekend. Gone this weekend. Last game, 4 years went too quick.

[Core Shot]

Wow. I stand corrected. Went to buy AAA and there were no copper tops.
Powerboost is all they had.

This is a great PSA. Thx.

The energizer I bought is MAX
I wonder if that is high voltage?

PS. Reported this thread to the mods to get it sticky. It’s important. I’m a barryvox family.

Edit. I’m on 3.2 latest. Non S model. Energizer max seems to work fine.

[natebob]

I just put some of these in our Tracker 3's, got the usual 99% power reading when turning on the unit. Contacted BCA about this, they had not heard of any issues with their transceivers and the Duracell Powerboost battery. They recommended "standard alkaline batteries", but did not say to not use the Powerboost.

[Dark Energy]

NB- I was hesitant to post about the occurrence as it has now only occurred 1x in perhaps a 100 days over 3 seasons using same type of "Powerboost" batteries. The powerboost being a cause of my transceiver "freezing" and neither transmitting, receiving nor even turning off is an unproven hypothesis and just a single data point. Maybe the take away is not to become complacent in our routines (on at home/batt. level check, trailhead check, off at home, etc.,), but to "check"
safety gear as we travel during the day?

Janine Stoke.

[John_B]

I just put some of these in our Tracker 3's, got the usual 99% power reading when turning on the unit. Contacted BCA about this, they had not heard of any issues with their transceivers and the Duracell Powerboost battery. They recommended "standard alkaline batteries", but did not say to not use the Powerboost.

My brother today was having issues with his Tracker 3 rebooting mid tour using Duracell Powerboosts. It probably happened 5-6 times over 2 hours. We are going to do some trouble shooting tomorrow to verify that the batteries are the culprit but I'd highly recommend not using these in any beacons. I'll post an update on a few days based upon what we see and will contact BCA if needed.

[natebob]

My brother today was having issues with his Tracker 3 rebooting mid tour using Duracell Powerboosts. It probably happened 5-6 times over 2 hours. We are going to do some trouble shooting tomorrow to verify that the batteries are the culprit but I'd highly recommend not using these in any beacons. I'll post an update on a few days based upon what we see and will contact BCA if needed.

Ok, good to know. Thanks, and keep us posted.

[John_B]

He swapped batteries and walked around all day with his beacon in his pants pocket and had no reboot issues. There is potential it could be some sort of temp issues but the batteries seem likely. He is going to reach out to BCA in the next few days.

[Danno]

I needed AAA batteries and was in costco the other day, they had these on sale and "regular" Kirkland batteries just a buck or two cheaper. Went with Kirkland because of this thread, better safe than sorry.

[kootenayskier]

Had a couple of concerning “reboots” of my Barryvox Pulse at the start of the season. Did some online research and swapped the Duracells for Energizers,based on their terminal profile, but it happened again. Carefully cleaned the (mildly discoloured) contact points with a cue tip and water, and based on a (test) day of hill skiing and a tour today, the problem seems resolved. Probably should have sent my beacon in for a test/service during the summer.