Answering Machine Backup Batt

[J.B. Wood]

Hello, all. I've got an ~8 year old GE brand answering machine (like
this one:
http://www.amazon.com/GE-29878GE1-Digital-Messaging-System/dp/B00005NGRH)
that has worked flawlessly until about a month ago when the machine
announced "Low battery". As usual I replaced the 9v batt with a fresh
one and the announcement was gone. The next day I got the message
again. Took out the battery and checked with a VOM (yea I know it
wasn't under load) and the terminal voltage was only about 6 volts. Put
in another fresh battery and got the same results after a day. Prior to
all this the battery would last for at least a year without needing to
be replaced. In all other respects the device works fine but with a
nearly exhausted (or no battery) the box resets to defaults if the power
from the wall wart adapter is interrupted.

Any ideas what could be pulling the battery prematurely low? Thanks for
your time and comment. Sincerely,

--
J. B. Wood e-mail: arl_1...@hotmail.com

[Stormin Mormon]

At the risk of being simple minded, I see a couple
posible reasons:

1) Low quality battery, doesn't have much
energy to begin with.
1a) You do use alkalines, yes?

2) Problem with the machine, excess current
draw. Possibly dried out capacitor.
2a) I don't know the normal current draw. But
with a VOM and devices using 9 volt battery
clips, not hard to check current draw.


.
Christopher A. Young
You do learn more about Jesus, yes?
. www.lds.org (Lots of power.)
.
.

[J.B. Wood]

On 05/24/2016 07:22 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:

> At the risk of being simple minded, I see a couple
> posible reasons:
>
> 1) Low quality battery, doesn't have much
> energy to begin with.
> 1a) You do use alkalines, yes?
>
> 2) Problem with the machine, excess current
> draw. Possibly dried out capacitor.
> 2a) I don't know the normal current draw. But
> with a VOM and devices using 9 volt battery
> clips, not hard to check current draw.
>

Thanks for the quick turnaround, Stormin. (So use to you being over at
the locksmithing ng.) I did try fresh 9V alkalines. I wouldn't think a
dried-out cap would be a problem, but what about a leaky cap? A VOM in
series with the batt connected to the answering machine indicated a
current draw of less than 1 mA with the AC adapter connected. I'm
wondering why there should be any current drawn from the batt when
powering from AC. Sincerely,

[David L. Martel]

I can believe that the battery would run down if it is being used. Check
to see if the machine is plugged in and getting electricity. Maybe a bad
socket?

Dave M.

[Stormin Mormon]

Quite all right. Woke up, check the messages, and
there you are! I still follow the locksmith NG, but
much less action there.

I'm unsure about dried out or leaky cap. The one man
I know who would instantly be able to answer that....
died about a month ago.

Also don't know about the 1 mA current draw. Wish I
were more help.

--
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.

[J.B. Wood]

Hello, and the device won't operate on battery alone. The battery is
just a backup to maintain the user-specified configuration in memory in
case of AC power outage. Sincerely,

[Fred McKenzie]

In article <ni1ee9$14gn$1...@gioia.aioe.org>,

J. B.-

I would expect there to be an isolation diode between the battery and
the AC adapter's power. I can think of three possibilities:

1. The diode is shorted, so power from the AC adapter is ruining the
backup battery.

2. There is a leaky electrolytic capacitor on the battery side of the
diode. Check current draw from the battery with the AC adapter
disconnected.

3. The AC adapter has failed, so the device is being powered entirely
from the battery. Does it work with the battery removed?

Fred

[J.B. Wood]

On 05/24/2016 01:21 PM, Fred McKenzie wrote:

> I would expect there to be an isolation diode between the battery and
> the AC adapter's power. I can think of three possibilities:
>
> 1. The diode is shorted, so power from the AC adapter is ruining the
> backup battery.
>
> 2. There is a leaky electrolytic capacitor on the battery side of the
> diode. Check current draw from the battery with the AC adapter
> disconnected.
>
> 3. The AC adapter has failed, so the device is being powered entirely
> from the battery. Does it work with the battery removed?
>
> Fred
>

Thanks for the reply. Wrt to 3) the battery provides for retaining the
user-specified configuration (outgoing message, current time/date, etc)
in memory in case of an AC power outage; the unit still requires the AC
adapter to operate with or without a battery installed. Without a
battery (or too low a battery) the unit will reset to its out-of-the-box
defaults following an AC power interruption. Just like a lot of those
bedside LED alarm clocks with battery-backup. Sincerely,