3M Airmate and batteries

[Michael Nathal]

I have a 3M Airmate powered respirator (The kind that looks like a grey box) with a Versaflo helmet. I need to replace the battery. I went to a local Batteries & Bulbs store, looking to get a Lithium battery. The guy there steered me away from lithium, saying the lifetime (# of charge/discharge cycles) of the lithium batteries was not as good as the standard rechargeable batteries. This seems counter to my experience. So I am still deciding. I was also looking at getting a newer fan unit, like a Breathe Easy or the one that comes with a Versaflo. . So my questions are:
1. Are people noticing shorter lives with Li batteries?
2. How big a difference is there between the Airmate and newer blowers?

 

[Karl Loeblein]

Regardless of the cycles, I'd still get the lithium batteries just for the weight difference.

 

[Bill Boehme]

My DSLR cameras and battery powered tools all use lithium ion batteries because they pack a lot of stored energy in a small light package compared to NiMH or NiCad batteries. As far as I know their lifetime is as good or better than the others.

Lithium batteries aren't rechargeable.

 

[Grant Wilkinson]

I can't comment on the benefits of a breath easy over your air mate. I have an older breathe easy.

But for batteries, I switched to lithium ion (rechargeable). The can be found on amazon quite inexpensively and are much lighter than the stock nicads. Alan Zenreich has posted on here about his mods and he also has youtube videos explaining his mods. They don't address your unit specifically, but the concepts still apply.

 

[Richard Coers]

Lithium batteries aren't rechargeable.

Huh? Are you talking about some sort of chemistry difference between styles of lithium based batteries? All my electric assist bicycles using lithium ion batteries recharge, as does our son's Volt.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Huh? Are you talking about some sort of chemistry difference between styles of lithium based batteries? All my electric assist bicycles using lithium ion batteries recharge, as does our son's Volt.

There is a difference between Lithium ion batteries and lithium batteries. Lithium batteries are long shelf life single use and non-rechargeable. Lithium-ion batteries are different in their physical and chemical characteristics as well as having built in electronics to prevent overcharging as well as over discharging. Without the protective circuitry they wouldn't last very long. About the only thing in common is that both types use lithium.

BTW, the Li-ion battery in my Wacom tablet is programmed to stop working after a certain number of charge cycles. That could be what the person in the battery store was talking about.

 

[Michael Nathal]

I mistakenly lumped together Li and Li ion batteries, but am only interested in rechargeable. I still hope someone can comment on the power/cfm of the Airmate and newer blowers.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I don't remember what the CFM is, but if you can't find it on the 3M site, I have found that the friendly mom & pop team at Airware America are able to answer questions about older respirators. My best guess is something like 6 or 8 CFM. I think that you would be far happier using a BreatheEasy turbo unit with the Versaflo. They are rated at 10 CFM and I think that is being conservative. I wouldn't be surprised if it measured 15 CFM with a fully charged battery. You can find the BreatheEasy turbo units as well as BP-15 NiMH batteries and chargers on eBay frequently for very reasonable prices. While the BreatheEasy turbo unit will run on the 4.8 volt NiCad battery the performance will be reduced. For rated performance you need the BP-15 (6.5 volt) NiMH battery.

 

[AlanZ]

What voltage does the Airmate need?

 

[Michael Nathal]

What voltage does the Airmate need?

3.6 volts

 

[Bill Boehme]

I have a feeling that the Airmate might be a bit low on airflow for loose fitting headgear like the Versaflo, but I haven't actually checked the 3M matrix that shows compatibility for all of their headgear and blower assemblies.