CR123 batteries in the cold?

[Jpsmith1]

Vortex Viper HD 3000 rangefinder in use during rifle season here in Pennsylvania.

With a fresh battery, once the whole device reached ambient, between the low teens and the mid 20s which isn't really cold, yet, I'm getting a low battery indicator, occasional erratic readings and device failure due to low battery.

Yesterday, I checked it and it hit a tree at approximately 60 yards for 490 then faulted out and shut down.

Web specs on the CR123 battery say it should work down to well below 0°F and I haven't gotten a meter out to measure delivered voltage off the battery.

Yeah, I know, Vortex sucks buy "Brand X"

What batteries are guys using? Are you having these types of issues in the cold and, if so, what are you doing to manage them?

 

[Weldor]

I've used most brands, everready duracell etc. Bino rangefinder kept in FHF rig never really had problems like that. I keep a couple in a interior pocket when it is below 20. Sometimes the battery's sit on the shelf and are out dated already.

 

[Fatcamp]

I've had the same batteries in a Leupold and a Vortex for years in all weather with no issues.

I think its your tool.

 

[UtahJimmy]

Are you using lithium?

I use Duracell lithium and never had an issue. RF lives in a pouch on my bino harness so it's not being kept warm. No problem in the wind/snow/subzero temps

 

[Jpsmith1]

I think its your tool.

That's what I'm trying to determine.

I picked the RF up off of Ebay, so ya never quite know.

Batteries are brand new Energizer Lithium. After installation, they’ve got less than 50 range cycles on them.

I keep my optics in hunting temperatures until the season ends to help prevent fogging. Been bitten by that one before. Mine lives in the RF pocket on my bino rig

I'd expect some shortening of lifecycle from the cold. It's a battery with an internal chemical reaction. Temperature would almost have to impact that.

Based on these answers, I'm probably gonna ship it back before 3D season gets cranked up and see what Vortex says.

 

[rideold]

I'm on my second battery in my rangefinder in 8 years. I'd say yours is defective

 

[HuntHarder]

You already said it. It is indeed another Vortex failure. I have used Cr123 batteries in multiple rangefinders for over 20 years. None has experienced what you are describing due to cold. 3 weeks ago I was hunting in 4* weather with wind chill below that. RF exposed on side of my bino pack and it still worked flawlessly.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Think it’s your rangefinder. Only issue I’ve had with batteries in my rangefinder has been at -20 or lower.

 

[zrodwyo]

I have a thermal that runs through cr123 batteries pretty quick. Sometime the cold weather decimates the battery life and sometimes not.

I would buy a new batch of batteries and see what happens.

 

[Matt5266]

Agreed it's your unit not your battery. Have had the same exact type battery your using in my leupold rangefinder for 4 years, getting low but still kickin

 

[The Harbor Master]

Resurrecting this thread to add... I have a vortex rangefinder less than a year old with the same issue, except it happens regardless of temperature. It will give a low battery indication a few hours after putting a new battery in. This is with different battery brands, sourced from different places.

This is my THIRD Vortex rangefinder (first one not reading at all, replaced... next one same exact issue, replaced with upgraded model "for my trouble") and there will not be a fourth. Too close to hunting trips to send this one back, I'll have to bring a dozen batteries with me just in case.

I hear similar issues with Sig and Leupold, but I don't have a huge pile of funds to sink into a premium super expensine one... not sure where to go from here.

 

[mtnwrunner]

I've never had any issues with the cr123 batteries in the cold. I basically use all lithium from different brands and they all work like they should.

Randy

 

[Macintosh]

I have some basic professional experience with batteries in cold from working on avalanche transcievers. Lithium batteries are significantly better in cold and are 100% what I would use, if a cold wx failure was with anything other than a lithium, Id try that first. Second, if you arent certain they were NEW lithiums Id try a new battery—the issue is that lithiums retain +\- full power until they die (rather than losing power gradually the way alkaline batteries do) so there is no indication that battery life is getting low until it fails complately. So its common to take a used battery, it seems fine, but it’ll fail fast and suddenly, so always use a new battery.
But failing that, it seems very likely its a rf issue. I’ve been using cr123 energizer lithiums for years in several different rf’s and consistently get more than a full season out of one set of batteries.

 

[nm.otter]

Lithium batteries are significantly better in cold and are 100% what I would use, if a cold wx failure was with anything other than a lithium, Id try that first. Second,

Just to be clear, this is for lithium primary batteries. Rechargeable lithium cells really don't like low ambient temps.

 

[Blockcaver]

Used my Leupold RF on a polar bear hunt at -40. Worked fine. Just kept the RF in a shirt pocket.

I get around 4 or 5 years of battery life bow hunting a lot of days from spring bear to mid winter Coues and everything in between.

 

[The Harbor Master]

I have some basic professional experience with batteries in cold from working on avalanche transcievers. Lithium batteries are significantly better in cold and are 100% what I would use, if a cold wx failure was with anything other than a lithium, Id try that first. Second, if you arent certain they were NEW lithiums Id try a new battery—the issue is that lithiums retain +\- full power until they die (rather than losing power gradually the way alkaline batteries do) so there is no indication that battery life is getting low until it fails complately. So its common to take a used battery, it seems fine, but it’ll fail fast and suddenly, so always use a new battery.
But failing that, it seems very likely its a rf issue. I’ve been using cr123 energizer lithiums for years in several different rf’s and consistently get more than a full season out of one set of batteries.

This is helpful info, thank you. I plan to try to make it through this season (bringing a 12pk of extra batteries just in case) and if it's still an issue, clearly it's the rangefinder and I'll be done with Vortex RF's entirely.