New calc, old batts

[Joe Horn]

Inconceivable HP Screwup #37:

You won't believe this at first, but it's true: New hp49g+'s are being
shipped with old batteries in the package! My CNA426xxxxx machine came
with 3 Panasonic cells stamped 01-2005, with the words printed on the
cells "BEST USED BEFORE DATE CODE (MONTH-YEAR) ON BODY". I took a
photo of one of these (soon dead) cells next to a Rayovac cell bearing
a date of DEC 2011:

http://holyjoe.net/hp/battcompare.jpg

An examination of several still-packaged hp49g+'s revealed that the
batteries' date code can often be seen through the bullet-proof
package, and all have been old. Here's a close-up of a cell in a
still-unopened hp49g+ package, serial number CNA426xxxxx:

http://holyjoe.net/hp/battinpkg.jpg

Buy batteries at the same time that you buy a new hp49g+, because
you'll need 'em. Don't be surprised if your new hp49g+ arrives with
dead and/or leaking batteries.

-Joe-

[reth]

But even brand new set of batteries will last about a month, so what is the
problem?
BTW how is the new keyboard? Did you try the fingernail test?

Cheers
"Joe Horn" <joe...@holyjoe.net> wrote in message
news:chvb2q$s...@odbk17.prod.google.com...

[James M. Prange]

Joe Horn wrote:
> Inconceivable HP Screwup #37:

Only #37? Oh well, I suppose that many of what I've considered to
be "Inconceivable HP Screwups" over the years were actually
rational design decisions that I just happened to disagree with.

> You won't believe this at first, but it's true: New hp49g+'s are being
> shipped with old batteries in the package! My CNA426xxxxx machine came
> with 3 Panasonic cells stamped 01-2005, with the words printed on the
> cells "BEST USED BEFORE DATE CODE (MONTH-YEAR) ON BODY". I took a
> photo of one of these (soon dead) cells next to a Rayovac cell bearing
> a date of DEC 2011:
>
> http://holyjoe.net/hp/battcompare.jpg
>
> An examination of several still-packaged hp49g+'s revealed that the
> batteries' date code can often be seen through the bullet-proof
> package, and all have been old. Here's a close-up of a cell in a
> still-unopened hp49g+ package, serial number CNA426xxxxx:
>
> http://holyjoe.net/hp/battinpkg.jpg

I take it that you found a store that actually stocks the 49g+?

I suppose that either someone got a "bargain" on these, or someone
discovered some AAA cells still stored "on the shelf" somewhere.

It's not entirely clear to me whether these are best used before
January 2005 begins, or just possibly before January 2005 ends,
but either way, their expected "shelf life" will soon be over, and
no doubt a good part of their original energy has already leaked
away.

> Buy batteries at the same time that you buy a new hp49g+, because
> you'll need 'em.

Well, the 49g+ seems to use AAA cells a lot faster than the older
models anyway, so that's true regardless of how fresh the
batteries in the package are.

> Don't be surprised if your new hp49g+ arrives with
> dead and/or leaking batteries.

My general experience has been that if a product has been stored
properly, it's usually still usable long after the "Best used
before:" date, so I doubt that the batteries would actually be
dead or leaking. Of course, if the storage conditions have been
poor (extreme temperatures or condensing humidity/temperature
conditions), then they may go bad well before that date.

But if a potential purchaser notices an expired (or nearly
expired) date on the cells in the package, surely that will tend
to discourage him from buying the product. The idea that the
calculators packaged in mid-2004 will all be sold before January
2005 seems overly optimistic to me. It seems all too likely that
many of these will still be offered for sale well after that date.

I've long ago adopted a policy of checking batteries before using
them. Occasionally one cell will check significantly weaker than
the others, even with the same date and out of the same package.
I've also noticed that youngsters will all too often replace fresh
batteries in a package with dead batteries. When connected in
series, the weaker cell will be very vulnerable to reversed
polarity and leakage if not removed promptly when it goes dead.

By the way, while looking for a set of replacement batteries for
my UPS, I found a company that sells a variety of batteries, most
at very good prices (in quantity), as long as you're buying enough
so that the shipping charges don't outweigh the possible savings.
This is a Virginia, U.S.A. based company that ships via UPS to the
U.S. and Canada. See: http://www.batterymart.com/ Their prices on
"button" and "coin" cells are particularly appealing if you buy a
certain minimum quantity, usually five, sometimes ten. Of course
even better if you buy fifty or more, but most of us wouldn't have
a use for that many. The maxellGold AAA cells that I purchased
from them are labelled "03-2009", the renata CR2032, CR2016, and
CR2025 cells "03/2011", and the renata CR1616 cells "02/2011".

--
Regards,
James

[bokubob]

I refuse to buy a car unless it has a full tank of fresh super premium.

-Jon

[Dan Kirkland]

I have received a total of three HP49G+ from HP Support (two bacause of
misses keypresses, one cause they goofed and sent an old one by mistake).

The two that weren't mistakes were both complete in the sealed display
package. Both are CN407... calcs. One has 01-2005, 02-2005, 05-2005 on the
three seperate batteries. The other has 02-2005, 02-2005, 05-2005. So
neither calc has all batteries with the same expiration.

By comparison, the older calc (CN334...) they sent by mistake came with just
the calc, 3 AA batteries, and 2 coin batteries in a bubble wrap. All three
AA batteries had 05-2005. They were also the same gold Panasonic batteries
as the others.

[Carlos Marangon]

Hi Dan,

Just a comment...

I have many problems with RUBBER KEYS, even my telephone RUBBER KEYS
give me problems of bad contact. I am of opinion that the old HP48
keyboard keys was much better than these rubber keys used today.

best regards

Carlos

"Dan Kirkland" <danki...@msn.com> wrote in message news:<B6-dna42L_P...@comcast.com>...