4 x AAA/LR03 USB-C Rechargeable Batteries – PaleBlue Voyager

Pack of 4 AAA / LR03 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 smoke detectors, wireless mics, smart locks and measuring instruments don’t handle rechargeables well.

The PaleBlue Voyager AAA 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 AAA / LR03 Battery Used For?

The AAA format powers everything that needs to stay light and compact. Here are the uses where we put these batteries to the test every day.

• Red dot sights. AAA-powered optics — the Aimpoint CompM5 and equivalents — run for months on a single battery. The Voyager holds 1.5 V from start to finish: the red dot keeps its brightness, and the gradual discharge makes the dot fade instead of cutting out suddenly in the middle of use.
• Headlamps. Headlamps for movement, camp, or work: direct USB-C charging (78 minutes) saves you from carrying a set of spare batteries, and the LED ring shows the charge status before you head out.
• Active hearing protection (such as the MSA Sordin Supreme). Active hearing protection running on 2 × AAA is the first to suffer with a conventional rechargeable battery: it cuts out without warning mid-session. With the Voyager’s alkaline-style discharge curve, the headset signals low battery at the right time.
• Wireless mics and lavalier mics, rangefinders, and measuring instruments. Devices known to be incompatible with rechargeables that finally work normally.
• Everyday use. Remote controls, wireless mice and keyboards, thermometers, smoke detectors, electronic locks.

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-AAA-2 (Voyager Series)
• Format: AAA (ANSI) / R03 (IEC) / LR03
• Technology: Lithium-ion (NMC613 + LFP)
• Nominal voltage: 1.5 V (1.0 – 1.6 V range)
• Capacity: 750 mAh (measured at 200 mA)
• Energy: 1.125 Wh / 1,125 mWh
• Max. continuous output: 2.5 A (3.75 W)
• Max. peak output (3 s): 4.0 A (6.00 W)
• Charging port: USB-C (USB-C to USB-C input)
• Input voltage: 5 V (4.5 – 6.0 V) — current 60 to 300 mA
• Charging time: 78 min to 100% · 60 min to 80% · 37 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): 0.167%/day above 25% charge
• Shelf life: about 495 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 10.2 × 44 mm
• Unit weight: 7.5 g (± 0.5 g)
• Lithium content: 0.096 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 AAA / LR03 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 AAA batteries work in all devices?
They are designed to replace a standard AAA / LR03 alkaline battery. Thanks to their 1.5 V output and new discharge curve, they work in devices where conventional rechargeables failed: wireless mics, precision instruments, detectors, smart locks. 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 (750 mAh / 1,125 mWh vs. 600 mAh / 900 mWh), 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.