How to transfer DTAC eSIM to new Android phone when abroad?

[weary]

By using trial and error I just found out that every circuit in my house produces an annoying hum (ground loop?) in my Zoom R16 home recording device. Noticed the same hum in my guitar amp earlier, but was not worried as I only use it for practice. Recording is a different matter though.

To clarify, all other electronics perform normally - my home theater speaker system does not have this hum, for example. The home recording device does work without any hum in the music store where I bought it, so the unit itself appears to be fine. I do not want to rewire the entire house just for this purpose, although it will be a future project, so as the device can be run on NimH or Alkali batteries, I decided the best course of action would be to buy a quality battery charger and two sets of AA batteries.

So: Where can I find a high quality battery charger for AA batteries?

My own best guesses would be either of Amorn, IT City / Hardware House or Photo Bug, but would appreciate more specific advice if somebody has already done the rounds. Maybe those of you interested in photography would know this?

TIA.

Edited January 1, 2011 by weary

[LJW]

How about Central Electronics on Chang Moi, on the right side..

[Dustoff]

~

Good luck. I long ago gave up on rechargeable batteries here and threw away a couple of not-so-cheap chargers.

Even purchasing the most expensive rechargeable batteries I could find, they did not last with use and had almost no shelf life. I would put them in my camera and find them stone dead in two weeks. Their life under use was less than half of normal alkaline batteries.

For your 'hum' problem, perhaps have a decent electrician come over and check the wires at the electric pole and the input at your house. Have them sink a long copper ground rod, even if your outlets are not 3-pronged, and see if that cures the problem.

Dustoff

[neilrob]

You can buy Energizer (as in the bunny) battery chargers at Carrefour in the battery section, along with rechargeable batteries. The charger is a pretty simple device, so it is difficult to imagine high or low quality versions. The rechargeable batteries, on the other hand, certainly vary in quality and price.

[weary]

There seems to be a bit more to it, or is it just marketing?

http://www.metaefficient.com/rechargeable-batteries/best-rechargeable-batteries-battery-chargers.html

[garyh]

You can buy Energizer (as in the bunny) battery chargers at Carrefour in the battery section, along with rechargeable batteries. The charger is a pretty simple device, so it is difficult to imagine high or low quality versions. The rechargeable batteries, on the other hand, certainly vary in quality and price.

I have been using Energizer NIMH for over 7 years and have quite a few of them, they hold there charge for months and the only one I have thrown away where damaged by a cheap charger. Never had an issue with the Energizer charger, have tried other brands of batteries and had same results as in the post above.

[Greenside]

The newer Enaloop (spelling) type of AA batteries keep their charge a whole lot better than the old NiMH batteries but even the best chargers seem only to last a year or two. Amorn probably has the best choice. Try and get someone to bring you one of these...

which takes the irritating guesswork out of what's charged and what's not. Available almost everywhere but here - in the UK at 7 Day Shop or probably eBay or Amazon too. About 6 baht.

[Dante99]

Have not had as good luck as Garyh with Energizer but it has been okay. Apple Computer makes one with batteries they say will last up to 10 years, US$29 with 6 batteries.

[weary]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply.

I went to IT City at Central Kat Suan Kaew and bought 2 Sanyo Eneloop chargers ( model MQN04 ), and two packs of 4 Eneloop batteries. The chargers come with 2 AA batteries each, so that makes for altogether 12 batteries, which should ensure uninterrupted usage.

Using the batteries did fix the hum problem. How well the batteries retain their charge and how long they last powering up the Zoom R16 (especially when using Phantom power for the mic inputs) remains to be seen, but it looks promising so far. Total cost 4 x 490 = 1960 baht.

[elektrified]

Good luck with using the batteries. My experience with rechargeable batteries in Thailand has been similar to that of Dustoff. As for tracking down what causes a hum in audio circuits can be very tricky at times. Putting in a proper grounding system (with ground bus bar in the circuit panel) in your home is the first place to start.

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, TV CM Friends,

fyi: on the page on Amazon where they advertise the Apple charger : Amazon: Apple Charger

The first reader review (scroll way down) compares that model with the Eneloop Sanyo model, that Khun Weary ended up getting, and goes into some interesting technical detail applicable to all Nimh batteries.

Note that Amazon reader reviews are organized by number of reactions by readers, not in linear date order. And you will, of course, find a diversity of reviews there, 27 in all. Which is not to say that's the definitive discussion forum for rechargeable batteries.

If we were dealing with these batteries used in other uses, like photography (assuming non-proprietary batteries) we'd be looking on dPreview or Fred Miranda's site, or the CPMG group, for discussion, if we were using them in audio/recording equipment, like we think Khun Weary is, we'd be looking on harmonycentral.com and other special sites/forums/usenet groups for those subject areas.

The grounding information presented on this thread is very interesting, thanks.

In our ignorance, and having been shocked many times by everything from our microwave to whatever, we often wonder with a two wire system exactly which is the ground, and how things are properly grounded.

best, ~o:37;