Cold weather batteries for my Edirol R-4 Pro

[iluvatar]

I'm starting to look for an external battery pack (or perhaps high-performance rechargeable AA's) for my Edirol R-4 Pro (which is a battery pig), and I've found many different chemical compositions: lead-acid, lithium, NiMH, lead-calcium, NiCd, and maybe others that I've forgotten.

I was wondering if you guys had any input onto the pro's and con's of the different types of batteries. I've found some recommendations on here for a certain type of 2900 mAh rechargable AA that looks promising, but one thing I haven't seen addressed is cold-weather performance.

I don't expect to do much/any subzero work, but I spent about an hour and a half recording last night on a train platform (I'd guess the temp was in the high teens / low 20's) and my alkaline batteries were noticeably under-performing. Even my cell phone was almost dead despite having a nearly full charge at the outset. Do certain battery types perform better in cold weather or is it just a matter of getting beefier batteries?

Any other pertinent things to look at are welcome.

-Dan.

[bitman]

I've been using standard old energizer alkaline AAA batteries in an outdoor mounted x10 motion detector since June 9800 feet up in Keystone Colorado where it is winter (duh) and below zero nearly every night now.

Still going.

[Shadow_7]

I don't know much about the cold aside from it's theoretical drain on batteries (no practical experience myself). And all of the guys coming from alaska in the Army having warming blankets on their trucks batteries. And 2x or 3x the normal number of batteries relative to what us southerners consider a stock vehicle.

NiMH batteries tend to charge quicker and not have a charge memory like other batteries. But they don't hold a charge as long as other batteries as well.

I recent got some non-rechargeable energizers of the lithium variety. Boasts of 8x the life of tradition AA's. Boasts a -40F to 140F operational range. But no mAh ratings on them. I'm curious to run them on my Korg MR-1000, but don't like that they're not rechargeable. They're for my digital camera which only takes this variety 2x at a time.

[John Hedger]

I've always remembered from electronics school that to extend the life of batteries not yet used one should store them in the refrigerator. So it would make sense to assume that frigid weather could slow down their performance.

[t_chance]

+1 on the lithium. It is the only way to go in the cold weather.
Tom In MN, where it's -3 degrees with five inches of fresh snow