Re: [NTLK] eMate batteries deplete very quickly

> Recently, though, I've found that the batteries
> discharge quickly, sometimes in 3 hours between quick
> charges that seem to be "full" (green light is on).

What exactly do you mean by "sometimes"? As in "they
always discharge quickly, sometimes even as fast as...",
or "sometimes they work as expected, sometimes they don't"?

> swapped my remade battery pack out and put in the
> original pack, plugged the eMate in overnight, and
> found that I got 15+ hours of battery life. But the
> next recharge, I got less battery life.

Is there any additional hardware installed? A card in
the card slot? Something connected to the serial port
or the interconnect port?

> If I unplug (from the Newt) and re-plug (to the Newt)
> the charger while it's charging, I find the light
> often turns orange and the battery charges a bit more,
> this can be repeated, several times, extending the
> battery life once I unplug it.

This is normal, but it won't get that much extension of
battery life, because usually the eMate will stop charging
pretty soon.

> Any ideas? Is my charger going bad? Something in the
> Newton? A trick I can do?

For a start, check your charger. It goes without saying that
it must be an original Newton or eMate one, preferably the
9 Watt model. Check the voltage at the plug. It should be
7.5 Volt, no less, no more. Push and bend the cable, especially
where it enters the plug and where it leaves the case, and
monitor if the voltage at the plug changes. If you can get your
hands on a spare adapter, use it instead.

If this doesn't help, charge until the light turns green
and remove the battery. Put it back in after a week. If it's
still at 100%, the problem can't be the battery.

Do a full backup and then proceed with the reset sequence I
describe at the top of this page:

    http://www.pda-soft.de/emate_disassemble.html

I apologize for saying this over and over again (guess the oldtimers
are perfectly fed up with this sentence by now), but it is mandatory
that you perform it EXACTLY as I describe it, and in EXACTLY the
sequence
described.

Good luck

Frank

-- Newton software and hardware at http://www.pda-soft.de

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