From: DJ Vollkasko (DJ_Vollkasko_at_gmx.net)
Date: Fri Oct 21 2005 - 07:03:16 PDT
AFAIK this issue is still open with William... Any competent knowhow
out there, or are the two people with a clue on holiday? ;=}
Anyhow, I've looked around what battery monitory/charging-related
packages out there. Besides NewTest and CurWatch (both available from
Frank Gruendel's http://www.pda-soft.de, CurWatch is a bit hidden
somewhere, though...) and Tactile's Battery Buddy
(http://www.tactile.com/batteryBuddy.html) there are a couple other
apps of varying virtue and usefulness (some only have functions that
are e.g. available in the Newt-diagnosing Swiss army knife of Frank's,
NewtTest, so little need for them these days besides checking up on
NewtTest's results...).
Those I have found that are not available on their original websites
anymore (e.g. logictools.de went down within the last two years) or are
marked freeware are now bundled here:
http://www.stillnewt.org/library/_Software/
_Other%20Newton%20Applications/_Batttery%20and%20Charging/
Hope that helps anybody anything. Any additions and pointers
appreciated.
DJV.
P.S.: Anybody got any new books for me?
Subject: Re: [NTLK] Half-Hard Reset ::::: was: dead newton
From: William Pociengel <hseldon () my ! wgu ! edu>
Date: 2005-10-17 4:27:39
Can't remember if this has been already replied to competently. Until
that
happens, pls. see below:
> type of battery NiMh
This is odd... But you DO have NiCd in there, right? Pls. install
Frank's
NewtTest http://www.pda-soft.de/newttest.html and counter-check that
via the
Battery page there. Maybe your diagnostic app is giving wrong
information?
How SystemInfo and NewtTest readings compare?
> notice it doesn't sa NiCd, this is the standard as delivered Newton
> battery pack. So why can't I recell it with the newer NiMh cells?
We're talking MP 1x0, right? Technically speaking, you can! Exciting
good
news, eh, mate? Well, the reasons why you can do this are as follows:
(1) as long as you use AA NiMH cells, they'll fit the battery bay easy
(unlike 2x00 batt packs...). Brilliant, not?
(2) as long as they're stock AA NiMH cells, they won't have too much
power
for your 1x0.
Only thing you *can't* really do: Charge them ==>inside<== the Newton.
What you can really do: Get an external charger such as iSun, take 'em
out,
charge 'em, and put 'em back in. So you can use the Newt until batts run
low, connect to AC power (only if the charging pin button in the
battery bay
is NOT depressed as is done with the NiCd rechargable pack, see
http://www.pda-soft.de/mp_1x0_battery_pack.html )--maybe use the
interlude
to pull a full backup, sync yer addies and install some new
food-for-thought
e.g. from http://www.stillnewt.org/library --, then take the AAs out,
charge
them in yer iSun or sum place else, pack 'em in, unplug the land line,
and
steam off into the sunset.
Now, inquiring minds will without doubt howl: Why no charge NiMh inside
Newtie 1x0, huh? So come around, ye critters, and listen to Dr.
Gruendelstein's good, valid and totally free advice:
"The reason is that those cells require charge characteristics that
are
very different from what NiCd cells require. The charge circuitry of the
Newton 110 / 120 / 130 models was designed for charging NiCd cells and
can't
provide the charge characteristics of NiMH batteries. Ignoring this
would
mean the NiMH cells would never be charged in the way required to
maintain
their optimal perfomance, and there is a more-than-average chance that
they
would be harmed over time."
(http://www.pda-soft.de/mp_1x0_battery_pack.html
again, there is more on that topic)
But Newtonia being a free country (free as in culture, not as in
beer),
you're free to try 'n' fry your own. I wouldn't, though, as I have come
to
appreciate the wisdom of Frank (amongst other things through services
rendered in reanimating my MP 130 twice...).
> ambiant temp is 22.92C
> Battery temp 24.62C
> charge state fast charging
> voltage 6.1v
> charge current 1,214.26 (I'm guessing that's in milliamps)
> AC voltage 6.62v
Check that against NewtTest's readings. Any differences?
DJV.
P.S.: While everybody is busy praising Frank for his excellent
documentation
efforts, feel free to drop him a mail and hustle him to finish his
BattLog
app... ;=}
-- This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/ WikiWikiNewt for all kinds of articles: http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/
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