Minolta Auto 320X Battery Questions

[dynachrome]

This afternoon I had my Minolta X700 loaded with film and a Minolta Auto 320X flash attached, at a family celebration. After a few frames the recycle time was getting long so I removed the run down Kirkland brand alkaline AAs and replaced them with four Kodak brand alkalines. everything was back to normal. When I got home I found a package from Amazon at my door. It contained a four pack of Survival Frog brand USB rechargeable lithium AA size batteries. They come pre-charged so I took the Kodak AAs out of the 320X flash and put in the Survival Frogs. The flash powered right up and seemed to work correctly on Auto but on Manual I did not see a full power flash when pushing the test button. I turned the flash off for about 30 seconds and when I turned it back on, the flash seemed to work properly on Manual. Could I have damaged the flash by doing what I did? Do the rechargeable lithium batteries act this way when first powering something up? The 320X is probably from before the time (1981) of the X700 and at that time I don't know whether even the non-rechargeable AA lithium batteries were available. What's a little funny about all of this is that I had intended to take a 360PX for TTL Auto use. Non-TTL Auto can also give good results and at one time was the only kind of Auto we had. What experiences have others had using AA size rechargeable lithium batteries on old flash units?

 

[shutterfinger]

Precharged rechargeable batteries will discharge in storage over time, self discharging design faster than non self discharging design.
Time frame from manufacturing charge until you received them will likely remain unknown.
Rechargeable batteries usually have a lower voltage than their alkaline counterparts at full charge. NiCad's were much lower and cameras have a switch for Nicad or LR6.
The most overlooked feature of rechargeable batteries is their current rating usually stated in millamp hours. This is the amount of current that the battery can supply in one hour.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AA_battery shows Alkaline to have 1800 to 2600 mAh while Survival Frog USB rechargeable Dead Link Removed have 1450 mAh rating with no statement of their full charge voltage.
http://www.cameramanuals.org/flashes_meters/minolta_auto_320_320x.pdf shows the flash should operate on NiCad batteries so check that your rechargeable batteries are fully charged before use.

 

[dynachrome]

I charged the lithium cells overnight and now they seem to work well with the 320X flash at all settings.

 

[Chan Tran]

Is it lithium? I went over the Survival Frogs website and can not confirm what type of batteries they are. I run the Auto 320X on NiMH without any problem. I don't think the batteries would damage the flash.

 

[shutterfinger]

Is it lithium? I went over the Survival Frogs website and can not confirm what type of batteries they are.

According to their listing on Amazon they're NiMH, 1.2V 1450mAh.
https://www.amazon.com/EasyPower-Re...&qid=1516693522&sr=8-4&keywords=survival+frog
In their comparison list there are better choices for rechargeable batteries including USB charge such as the EBL NiMH 1.2V 2300 mAh https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071GNGBWB/ref=psdc_389577011_t5_B072R2SWXX?th=1

 

[dynachrome]

The box that the batteries came in is marked USB Rechargeable Ni-MH Lithium AA/R6 Batteries on the front. On one end it reads High capacity 1450 mAh battery and 1.2 volt lithium performance. I'm not sure exactly what they are now but I have never heard of a battery which was both an Ni-Mh type and a lithium type at the same time. The novelty may be that they can be charged from a USB receptacle. When the cap is pulled off and the USB plug revealed, the part left to store energy is physically smaller than full AA size. This must account for the rated 1450 mAh. I have other older Ni-Mh AAs with higher capacity. They just can't be charged with a USB socket.

 

[shutterfinger]

If it says Lithium on the battery then it is. The geeks at Amazon that make their website listings are likely incorrect as usual.

 

[dynachrome]

I ordered a set of four AA EBL batteries with the charger.

 

[Chan Tran]

With the information supplied I am sure it's NiMH. Lithium battery doesn't have voltage of 1.2V.

 

[dynachrome]

The batteries themselves are marked NH 1.2 Volts so I'm sure you're right.