Rangefinder batteries

[SteveH]

I have a Bushnell rangefinder that I got last season, it was a gift from my family but I did choose it. The CR2 battery only lasted about 4 weeks and I didn't think much of it as it may have been sitting in the box for a while. I replaced it and used it for the last 6 weeks or so of the season. I left the rangefinder in the case for maybe 6 or 8 weeks this winter and had a chance to use it last month. Lo and behold another dead battery.  I did have a spare but am surprised at the rate of battery consumption so far. I do play a lot of golf and use it most days.  $26 for 2 batteries didn't last long. I ordered a pack of 4 online ready for spring.  I had previously been using a Skycaddie and would just charge it after every round but I actually am starting to prefer the rangefinder. Are all the rangefinders this way with battery consumption and/or am I supposed to remove the battery between rounds ?

[sjduffers]

I have a Leupold rangefinder, play over 125 rounds a year, use the rangefinder almost one time per hole on average, and a battery (also a CR2) lasts well over half a season, probably closer to 2/3 of it.

Is there a setting on your rangefinder where the display goes dark after a certain amount of time, or is it instantaneous when you remove your finger from the ranging button (as it is on the Leopold)?  It sounds like your device is using way too much juice.

[SteveH]

No settings I don't think. You just press to activate, then press again for a reading. I don't have the slope model either, it's a V3 Jolt so maybe the jolt isn't helping. Now I think back, it gets a fair amount of use as I tend to use it for playing partners' distances too. I don't mind buying the batteries, I just thought it seemed like a fairly high rate of consumption. I'll just have to make sure I always carry a spare battery in my bag.

[sjduffers]

Note that for me, a season means a calendar year, so I get maybe 8 months per battery... 

The jolt is definitely not helping. Mine has a beep when it locks on, but as there is a visual clue in the finder as well, I disabled the beep (which I found annoying, but extended battery life is a nice bonus).

Do you press and hold while sweeping around (ranging various points at once), or do you measure a single point (eg a tree, a bunker lip, a flagstick)? Sweeping around probably uses the battery quite a bit more.

How long does it take for you to get a measurement? With a stable three-point hold, i.e. holding the device with both hands, elbows against your sides, pressed against your forehead (much like a photography camera), I can get a reading in less than one second. That probably helps too.

I am quite a bit surprised that yours would drain in a couple of months (even in a colder climate). Anyway, it's always a good idea to have a battery spare in the bag, regardless of the rate at which the battery runs down, as the warning for running out of juice seems to be pretty short. For me, it seems to come out of nowhere and then the device is dead on the next measurement, as if it actually broke down...

Edited January 3, 2016 by sjduffers

[Pretzel]

I have a Bushnell v3 jolt with no slope, and I usually only replace the batteries once a season, maybe twice. I'm not sure what's causing yours to die so fast, because I use mine almost daily and it lasts that long. 

[iacas]

My CR2s last a hundred rounds or so.

And they don't cost $13 apiece.

http://smile.amazon.com/Duracell-Ultra-Lithium-Battery-DL-CR2/dp/B0035HB7V6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451863834&sr=8-2&keywords=CR2+battery

[saevel25]

1 hour ago, Pretzel said:

I have a Bushnell v3 jolt with no slope, and I usually only replace the batteries once a season, maybe twice. I'm not sure what's causing yours to die so fast, because I use mine almost daily and it lasts that long. 

If you turn off the jolt function (vibration) then it lasts longer. I think I replaced mine last fall and I didn't replace batteries this season. I uses mine a lot. 

[Pretzel]

1 hour ago, saevel25 said:

If you turn off the jolt function (vibration) then it lasts longer. I think I replaced mine last fall and I didn't replace batteries this season. I uses mine a lot. 

It's a nice little buzz to tell you it found something thin rather than a flat surface, so I'm alright with it. I bought a 6 pack of the batteries with the rangefinder and still have 3 of them sitting in my bag just in case. 

[SteveH]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I kind of like the jolt too as I know I have the flag.  I do tend to take a couple of readings, Many times I will shoot the trees behind the green as well so I don't overshoot and the front of the green to give me a better chance of getting on. I just put a new one in but won't be able to play again for a couple of months and I will just make sure the spares are in my bag. There wasn't any warning when the batteries went, the first time it happened i just thought I would have to take it back for warranty as I had only had it just over a month, a friend said I should try a new battery first. I think it came with an Energizer battery and I switched to Duracell as that is what I usually buy. I just bought some Panasonic Photo batteries to try, they were a good buy online.

Edited January 4, 2016 by SteveH

[Pretzel]

My usual procedure when trying to shoot any distance is to verify the distance two or three times if possible, which is never a pace of play issue since I do it while my playing partners are hitting. I started doing it out of boredom but realized quickly that it was a useful habit to ensure I really hit the flag rather than the trees behind it (because there are trees that are skinny enough to trigger the jolt feature).

I'm honestly quite surprised you had issues like that with battery life. It might be something to contact the manufacturer about since others with the same device have reported much longer battery life than you. Perhaps something is amiss in your device.

[No Mulligans]

I've had my Bushnell Tour V3 for 11 months, I've had to replace the battery twice.  Looks like 5 & 1/2 months per battery for me.

Never gave it much thought other than to be sure I have a spare battery in my bag.  I bought six batteries for $14... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0035HB7V6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00