Modifications

**Wingfoot** · June 15th, 2008, 03:42 AM

Goldenboy - I see you have a bin full of 'Made in U.S.A.' Werker batteries. We use the industrial Energizers with great success. I tried a couple sleeves of the AA size Werkers in my digital camera and got some good mileage from them. What has been your experience with the Werkers?

**Goldenboy** · June 15th, 2008, 05:51 AM

Originally Posted by Wingfoot

Goldenboy - I see you have a bin full of 'Made in U.S.A.' Werker batteries. We use the industrial Energizers with great success. I tried a couple sleeves of the AA size Werkers in my digital camera and got some good mileage from them. What has been your experience with the Werkers?

As far as the camera goes we have yet to find a battery that will last even a day. I know these cameras weren't made to take over 1000 pictures a day but even with turning the flash off the batteries won't last a full day. And in the winter they won't last for 5 or 6 hours.

As for as the locating equiptment they seem much better than any other battery we have used. I don't think there is a battery out there that can handle the all day use of the locators but the Werker batteries keep up the best as far as I've seen.

**big boots mcghee** · June 15th, 2008, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by Goldenboy

As far as the camera goes we have yet to find a battery that will last even a day. I know these cameras weren't made to take over 1000 pictures a day but even with turning the flash off the batteries won't last a full day. And in the winter they won't last for 5 or 6 hours.

As for as the locating equiptment they seem much better than any other battery we have used. I don't think there is a battery out there that can handle the all day use of the locators but the Werker batteries keep up the best as far as I've seen.

And from what I've found Werkers are wimpy. The industrial Energizers weren't much better, either, but for a short time we used Duracell ProCell batteries and those held their charge longer than the other two in everything: cameras, RD's, & transmitters.

I've never understood why they don't just equip our trucks with a AA battery charger and a few sets of rechargables. The cameras go through AA's so quickly seems silly to go through new batteries like we do.

**sprayandpray** · June 15th, 2008, 04:21 PM

I've had a co. supplied AA bttery charger for over a year - but when the re-chargeable batteries finally died the co. started using toss-aways again. I know the re-chargeables have to be cheaper than the 6-8 batteries I toss in the trash each year. My sup sd they are moving back to re-chargeables soon

**underground quester** · June 16th, 2008, 02:00 AM

Does anyone out there recycle their batteries. We have a bin at the office and are requested to recycle the dead batteries rather than having them go in to a landfill?

**sprayandpray** · June 16th, 2008, 08:20 PM

Correction: That should have been 6-8 batteries per day.

**UULC** · June 16th, 2008, 09:20 PM

Has anyone modified their trucks to have the cigarette lighter direct connected to the battery? I had it that way on my CLS truck and now have it in my MasTec truck. Has anyone been told not to have that type of connection?

**TBONE** · June 16th, 2008, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by UULC

Has anyone modified their trucks to have the cigarette lighter direct connected to the battery? I had it that way on my CLS truck and now have it in my MasTec truck. Has anyone been told not to have that type of connection?

Our new Tacomas come with a plug direct from the outfitter before they are issued

**Goldenboy** · July 23rd, 2008, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by UULC

Has anyone modified their trucks to have the cigarette lighter direct connected to the battery? I had it that way on my CLS truck and now have it in my MasTec truck. Has anyone been told not to have that type of connection?

Wouldn't this make your battery drain down right away. We have so much plugged into the truck I'd think that the first long locate your at with your truck turned off would wear down the battery.

**wet_boots101** · July 23rd, 2008, 10:46 AM

I am told it would invalidate the warranty with the truck, but I would LOVE to be able to disable the daytime running lights doohickey so I can turn off the truck lights & keep the engine running during callouts at night. I looked on the web to see if there's a quick & easy way of this, apparently there is not. Does anyone know if that is correct or not?

As far as batteries go, I used to really get some mileage out of the rechargeables that I used a few years ago. I saved the charger, as a matter of fact. It is too bad they don't supply us with those anymore, in the long run (besides some people just not taking care with what they're given) I would bet it would save the company some dough.

I absolutely agree with Big Boots - I still have some of the last batch of Duracell Pro-cell AA's and I change batteries on my camera every 4-5 days. (Of course that could be due to me disabling the flash at every locate, it messes up the quality of my pix if I don't for whatever reason.)

**thejoker** · July 23rd, 2008, 12:03 PM

run a jumper wire across the plug for the parking brake. It will tell the running lights that the brake is on and shut them off.

Originally Posted by wet_boots101

I am told it would invalidate the warranty with the truck, but I would LOVE to be able to disable the daytime running lights doohickey so I can turn off the truck lights & keep the engine running during callouts at night. I looked on the web to see if there's a quick & easy way of this, apparently there is not. Does anyone know if that is correct or not?

As far as batteries go, I used to really get some mileage out of the rechargeables that I used a few years ago. I saved the charger, as a matter of fact. It is too bad they don't supply us with those anymore, in the long run (besides some people just not taking care with what they're given) I would bet it would save the company some dough.

I absolutely agree with Big Boots - I still have some of the last batch of Duracell Pro-cell AA's and I change batteries on my camera every 4-5 days. (Of course that could be due to me disabling the flash at every locate, it messes up the quality of my pix if I don't for whatever reason.)

**wet_boots101** · July 25th, 2008, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by thejoker

run a jumper wire across the plug for the parking brake. It will tell the running lights that the brake is on and shut them off.

??!!?!!?!!

Holy Crap! DUUUHHHH!!! I just put the parking brake on and they went out! I never knew that before. THANKS, JOKER! Awesome! There is no need for me to goof with them if I can just get them to turn off when I need them to.

**thejoker** · July 26th, 2008, 11:57 AM

no problem

Originally Posted by wet_boots101

??!!?!!?!!

Holy Crap! DUUUHHHH!!! I just put the parking brake on and they went out! I never knew that before. THANKS, JOKER! Awesome! There is no need for me to goof with them if I can just get them to turn off when I need them to.

**Goldenboy** · August 15th, 2009, 05:35 PM

I have alot of different things where I just need a few bundles of flags. I bolted a few pieces of conduit to a 2x3 and just used a bungee to keep it in place. I threw extra HH hooks and other things in the empty space between the conduits.

**Locator5000** · August 17th, 2009, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by UULC

Has anyone modified their trucks to have the cigarette lighter direct connected to the battery? I had it that way on my CLS truck and now have it in my MasTec truck. Has anyone been told not to have that type of connection?

That's one of the first things I did with my Tacoma when I got it (hand-me-down from the CLS side).

Got tired of my laptop battery dying when the truck was turned off, so I hard wired a buss block to the battery, then a dual-cigarette lighter outlet inside the cab...works perfect, and never had a battery issue!