4 x AA/LR6 USB-C Rechargeable Batteries – PaleBlue Voyager

Pack of 4 AA / LR6 USB-C Rechargeable Batteries — PaleBlue Voyager

At Hexatac, powering our gear is an obsession. We’ve been using rechargeable batteries for years and, for a long time, we were disappointed: wildly overstated runtimes, voltage too low, devices that refused to power on. It was PaleBlue, a French-American brand based in Park City, Utah, that won us back over to rechargeables.

The Voyager series is the second generation of these batteries. It specifically fixes the three complaints people still had about rechargeable lithium batteries: charging, compatibility, and behavior at the end of the charge.

3 New Features of the Voyager Generation

• USB-C Power Delivery charging. The battery now supports USB-C to USB-C charging. It plugs straight into a modern Power Delivery charger, a laptop, or a USB-C power bank, with no USB-A adapter. No more drawer full of dongles.
• All-USB-C octopus cable. The included charging cable ends in multiple USB-C connectors: you charge the whole pack at once, from a single port, with no dedicated charger or bulky cradle.
• An alkaline-style discharge curve. This is the most important change. Where a conventional rechargeable lithium battery holds a flat voltage and then suddenly collapses without warning, the Voyager’s voltage decreases gradually as its capacity runs down, with a sharp final drop. The result: it is compatible with many more devices, including those with a low-battery warning system.

Why the Discharge Curve Changes Everything

Most devices estimate their battery level by measuring voltage. With a conventional rechargeable lithium battery, that voltage stays flat until the battery dies: the device shows “battery full” and then shuts off abruptly. That is why smart locks, smoke detectors, digital cameras , or measuring instruments don’t handle rechargeables well.

The PaleBlue Voyager AA reproduces the discharge profile of an alkaline battery. Your devices get a low-battery warning at the right time — before shutdown, not after.

Use Cases: What Is a Rechargeable AA / LR6 Battery Used For?

AA is the most widespread battery format in gear. Here are the uses where we put these batteries to the test every day.

• Night vision goggles and monoculars. AA batteries power most individual night vision devices — Thales BONIE, PVS-14-type monoculars, and equivalents. Two reasons it works: the Voyager delivers a regulated 1.5 V (not 1.2 V like a NiMH battery, which is not enough to start some power units), and its alkaline-style discharge curve triggers the low-battery warning before the tube shuts off, instead of leaving you in the dark without warning.
• Active hearing protection (such as the 3M Peltor ComTac). Active hearing protection headsets are power-hungry and shut off abruptly with conventional rechargeables. With 2,200 mAh and a gradual discharge, the headset warns you before it quits — and recharges in 126 minutes via USB-C between sessions.
• Tactical lights, flashlights, laser aiming devices, and rangefinders. The 3.3 A continuous output and 4.5 A peak handle high-drain devices.
• Everyday electronics. Audio recorders, digital cameras, GPS units, wireless mice and keyboards, game controllers, two-way radios, thermometers, locks, and detectors: the USB-C rechargeable AA replaces the alkaline battery with no adaptation needed.

Since then, that’s all we use.

Cost Savings

A Voyager battery pays for itself by the second charge. Over its lifetime, each battery replaces more than 1,000 disposable batteries — an obvious financial gain, and that much less waste.

Technical Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: PB-AA-2 (Voyager Series)
• Format: AA (ANSI) / R6S (IEC) / LR6
• Technology: Lithium-ion (NMC613 + LFP)
• Nominal voltage: 1.5 V (1.0 – 1.6 V range)
• Capacity: 2,200 mAh (measured at 200 mA)
• Energy: 3.3 Wh / 3,300 mWh
• Max. continuous output: 3.3 A (4.95 W)
• Max. peak output (3 s): 4.5 A (6.75 W)
• Charging port: USB-C (USB-C to USB-C input)
• Input voltage: 5 V (4.5 – 6.0 V) — current 100 to 530 mA
• Charging time: 126 min to 100% · 94 min to 80% · 60 min to 50%
• Number of cycles: 1,000+ recharges
• Charge status indicator: LED ring — slow flashing green (charging), solid green (charged), fast flashing red (fault)
• Self-discharge at 21 °C (70 °F): 0.144%/day above 25% charge
• Shelf life: about 567 days at 100% charge
• Optimal operating temperature: 10 to 45 °C (50–113 °F)
• Extended operating temperature: -20 to 10 °C and 45 to 60 °C (-4 to 50 °F and 113 to 140 °F)
• Charging temperature: 0 to 60 °C (32–140 °F)
• Dimensions: Ø 14.1 × 50.2 mm
• Unit weight: 17.5 g (± 0.5 g)
• Lithium content: 0.270 g
• Protections: overcurrent, overheating, low temperature, deep discharge, overvoltage, short circuit, leak containment (steel casing with pressure relief vent), short-circuit protection on the cable
• Certifications: IEC 62133, CE, FCC, PSE, UN38.3, RoHS, REACH
• Origin: designed in the USA, assembled in China

Pack Contents

• 4 PaleBlue Voyager AA / LR6 rechargeable batteries
• 1 USB-C octopus charging cable with multiple USB-C outputs
• Carrying cases made of GRS-certified post-consumer recycled plastic
• Recyclable paper packaging

Frequently Asked Questions

Do these rechargeable AA batteries work in all devices?
They are designed to replace a standard AA / LR6 alkaline battery. Thanks to their 1.5 V output and new discharge curve, they work in devices where conventional rechargeables failed: cameras, precision instruments, smart locks, high-drain devices. If in doubt, check your device’s instructions.

Do I need a special charger?
No. Each battery has its own built-in USB-C port and charging electronics. The included octopus cable is all you need: plug it into any USB-C source (Power Delivery charger, laptop, power bank, solar panel).

How is it different from the previous PaleBlue generation?
The Voyager moves from a USB-A to USB-C cable to an all-USB-C cable, gains capacity (2,200 mAh vs. 1,700 mAh), and above all adopts an alkaline-style discharge curve that greatly expands its compatibility.

How long do they last?
One charge provides runtime comparable to an alkaline battery, depending on the device. Over their total lifespan, expect more than 1,000 charge cycles, or several years of use.

Can I partially recharge them?
Yes. Lithium-ion chemistry has no memory effect: recharge whenever you want without degrading the battery.