"battery low" permanent-seeming msg; what KIND of batteries are low?
David Combs
"popu[".
So, I replaced all 4 of the AAs.
Turned it on; same pop-up as before.
What's the problem?
I've owned the thing for less than a year -- how *could* that
little one be burned out?
------
Any way for the machine to tell you *which* (set of) batteries
are low?
THANKS!
David
Giancarlo
Hi David.
The 50G User's Guide says that:
"Warning: When the low battery icon is displayed, you need to replace
the batteries as soon as possible. However, avoid removing the backup
battery and main batteries at the same time to avoid data lost."
so I guess there's no way of saying if the main or the backup battery
needs replacement.
Maybe using:
http://www.hpcalc.org/hp49/utils/misc/batstatus49.zip
could be of some help.
Hope this helps.
Best regards.
Giancarlo
P.S.: this thread could prove interesting:
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.hp48/tree/browse_frm/thread/ba6fb0c2ba4dd0de/97f8c78c1c556994?rnum=1&q=low+battery+49G&_done=%2Fgroup%2Fcomp.sys.hp48%2Fbrowse_frm%2Fthread%2Fba6fb0c2ba4dd0de%2F82646b9943856343%3Flnk%3Dgst%26q%3Dlow%2Bbattery%2B49G%26rnum%3D12%26#doc_97f8c78c1c556994
John H Meyers
> The 50G User's Guide says:
>
> "Warning: When the low battery icon is displayed,
> you need to replace the batteries as soon as possible.
> However, avoid removing the backup battery and main batteries
> at the same time, to avoid data lost."
>
> so I guess there's no way of saying
> whether the main or the backup battery needs replacement.
The HP48SX/GX were able to distinguish between main batteries
being low and a RAM card battery being low, and would tell you
which was the case, just as will various PDAs.
I don't recall ever seeing a definitive answer
as to whether the ARM series 48/49/50 can even detect or report
about the memory backup battery being low, but when I *remove*
my memory backup battery and turn it on, there is no indication
at all, so I suspect that the state of the memory backup battery
might merely be ignored.
It's not impossible for a replacement set of main batteries
to fail to add up to a normal voltage level, however,
so if a voltmeter were anywhere at hand, one could use it
to get a "second opinion" about the batteries,
both main and backup.
[r->] [OFF]
goo...@cox.net
What I see is the alarm icon ((.)) when the main batteries are low. I
would assume the text message is displayed when the backup (the 2032)
is low. I'd replace the 2032 right away. Make sure you leave _good_
AA's in place when you do it.
David Combs
Thanks!
Will go to RS tomorrow and get another (or two?) 2032's.
David
PS: I did change the 4 batteries with new ones --
and still got the display!
David Combs
David Combs
OK -- I replaced them -- the 4 AAA's, and then after buying some
CR2032's, that too.
Voltages ok: 4 AAA's in series, measured in-situ, is just over
6 volts. Just dandy.
And before I installed the CR2032, I checked it too, and
was just fine.
So, I turn on the calculator -- SAME AS BEFORE -- screen
has small WARNING -- LOW BATT "window" up, freezing
seemingly everything except the ability to turn off the machine.
What's up?
I haven't dropped it or anything?
So why does it seem to be confused?
Any ideas?
(Oh, I bought it in October, I believe.)
Thanks,
David
goo...@cox.net
> In article <f5krr3$ec...@reader2.panix.com>,
>
>
>
>
>
> David Combs <dkco...@panix.com> wrote:
> >In article <op.tub1sdkdnn7...@w2kjhm.ia.mum.edu>,
>
> - Show quoted text -
This is a bit strange. I think the next step in the troubleshooting
chart is to check the battery contacts in the calculator. Also, you
might try looking at hpcalc.org for a program "BatStatus" which gives
you the _live_ status of the main battery.
This is pretty confusing.
Then, try a hard reset. Turn it off, put the paper clip in the little
hole. Pray.
ASkr
Well, in fact there is also the possibility that your calc internally
_really_ has insufficient voltage. Maybe one of you regulators is damaged?
Could be everything...
It is also possible that the internal supply is too high.
In the latter case an A/D converter, normally operated by a reference of
3.3V,
will return a lower value if you raise it's power supply (or reference
voltage).
While checking the supply usually requires opening up the device, you can
do
two more tests, at least to check the 5V and 3.3V supply.
If you have a full wired serial cable (I am using the one which came with
a Teac MP3-player, so I can't help you on "colors" or pin numbers),
attach it and measure the voltage. There should be 5V. If you are unsure
about the pins, measure across any pin until you find something.
Rx and Tx are set to input (tristate, a very high-impedance state), the
other
two pins are +5V and GND.
Be careful, shortcutting +5V and GND will really shortcut ;-)
Now, check the 3.3V supply:
Attach the USB cable (of course without connection to your PC) and turn
your
calc on.
If you hold the USB-A plug towards you, pins (copper areas inside the flat
plug)
down, then tap the metal shielding for GND and the 2nd pin from the left to
measure 3.3V.
This won't give you a complete analysis of the voltage supply, but still
better
than nothing...
Axel
tiwag
> do
> two more tests, at least to check the 5V and 3.3V supply.
>
> If you have a full wired serial cable (I am using the one which came with
> a Teac MP3-player, so I can't help you on "colors" or pin numbers),
> attach it and measure the voltage. There should be 5V. If you are unsure
> about the pins, measure across any pin until you find something.
> Rx and Tx are set to input (tristate, a very high-impedance state), the
> other
> two pins are +5V and GND.
> Be careful, shortcutting +5V and GND will really shortcut ;-)
the supply voltage at the serial port connector is directly connected
to the internal battery. there is no voltage regulator in between.
(you can also charge your rechargeable batteries by this pin
on the serial port)
btw. i also use a cable from a cheap MP3 player ;-)
for the pinouts see here (pdf file download)
http://groups.google.at/group/comp.sys.hp48/browse_thread/thread/96d71a9ded6348ec/7118c4558c3cc062?&hl=de#7118c4558c3cc062
ASkr
Yes, you are right! That was new to me...
I disassembled some of the 49g+, but never a 50g (sometimes, having a
complete, operational and mobile calculator is really an advantage ;-)
Because the 49g+ series lacks the serial port, I just plugged in the
serial cable to my 50g, hooked up my Fluke and measured exactly 5.00V.
I flipped the calculator over, opened the battery case and measured ~5.8V
"Oh nice", I thought. Regulated 5V...
What happened?
I am using a special sort of rechargeble alkaline batteries. Although
this type has several advantages, like very low self-discharge current,
long
shelf time, ..., they unfortunately have a high internal resistance.
Well, at the time I flipped over the calculator, it turned itself off =)
The huge current consumption of the 50g (indeed, it is huge compared to
our low-power electronics) just dropped the voltage exactly down to 5.00V
;-)
Additionally my statement of Rx and Tx being low after powering on/off the
calculator was wrong. During power down, both pins are set to output,
state low.
I just posted it a day before...
Guess I am getting to old for working past 23pm...
Axel
Paul Schlyter
> Guess I am getting to old for working past 23pm...
23 PM ???? I thought the hours always were in the interval from
1 to 12 in the AM-PM system....
Lemme see here now ....
.... 23 PM ought to be the same as 11 AM *the* *next* *day* !!!
And you don't need to be particularly old to find it weary to work
past that time --- if you worked through the night before.....
--
----------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Schlyter, Grev Turegatan 40, SE-114 38 Stockholm, SWEDEN
e-mail: pausch at stockholm dot bostream dot se
WWW: http://stjarnhimlen.se/
ASkr
> In article <op.tune22icqip54e@winax11>, ASkr <ax...@nurfuerspam.de>
> wrote:
>
>> Guess I am getting to old for working past 23pm...
>
> 23 PM ???? I thought the hours always were in the interval from
> 1 to 12 in the AM-PM system....
>
> Lemme see here now ....
> .... 23 PM ought to be the same as 11 AM *the* *next* *day* !!!
>
> And you don't need to be particularly old to find it weary to work
> past that time --- if you worked through the night before.....
>
Metric or imperial?
Well, exactly what I said, I am getting to old ;)
I hope I do not end up as a project manager...
Axel