Re: [NTLK] eMate batteries deplete very quickly

From: Mr Jonathan Dueck <jonathandueck_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Tue Jul 25 2006 - 10:49:38 EDT

Thanks so much for your reply, Frank.

> 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"?

"Sometimes they work as expected, sometimes they
don't."

I use a Lucent Orinoco Wavelan card to get my email
every morning. I plug the eMate into the (original
Newton eMate) charger, and pop out the 6mb Intel flash
memory card I use at other times, pop in the Wavelan
and get my mail, leaving the machine plugged in during
that time, maybe half an hour. I unplug the eMate and
the machine inevitably reads 100%.

Then over the rest of the day the battery life
dwindles down to close to zero, with flash card
inserted and frequent backlight use.

The most intensive battery testing I've done with the
pack I made,was on a long car trip where I charged the
Newton every time we stopped, about every three hours.
Use was continuous unless I was charging the machine,
and the backlight was on constantly and the flash card
inserted the whole time.

I'd like to do a better test, though, and would
appreciate being able to try your package (that
discharges the batteries) if you'd be willing to send
it to me off-list (ghadiusghadius -at- yahoo dot com).

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

Aha, thanks.

> 9 Watt model.

'Tis. I haven't got the right multimeter leads to get
in the end of the AC adapter cable... Have to get
those. But the Avi's Backdrop battery monitor reads
the AC current as "6.6x" (where x varies from 0-8).

>If you
> can get your
> hands on a spare adapter, use it instead.

I'll look for one.

> 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.

I'll try this as well, thanks!

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

I've followed it to the letter. (And I perform monthly
brainwipe+restore cycles in any case).

Thanks for the hints, I'll give the battery test a
shot (and the afore-mentioned batteries in the freezer
trick as well).

Thank so much for your advice and for the page you
contributed on how to remake the battery pack -- much
appreciated!

Regards,
Jon

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Received on Tue Jul 25 10:49:38 2006

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