Re: [NTLK] Maintenance Q's re. MP130 and 2100

OK, after Ecartis rejected me for the second time although I
sent it from my NewtonTalk address, here's the third attempt :-)

Hi gang,

I'm merging some posts here to save bandwidth.

1) Your MP130:

> However, after using the backlight a few times,
> swicthing it on and off with the power switch,
> it now refuses to come on. The batteries are basically
> at full charge, the light just won't come on now.
> Any ideas what has caused this, and how I can fix it?

Backlights can of course die like all components. But with
the 130 in 99 out of 100 case the problem is a two cent resistor. See
my description here:

    http://www.pda-soft.de/mp130fixes.html

2) Your 2100:

> However, although the pack passed the PDA-soft testing,
> when I put it into the 2100 and plug in the power, the
> newton says that the pack cannot take a charge and should
> be replaced.

If I remember correctly, I have checked that pack around February
2002. To the best of my knowledge I haven't rebuilt it, I just ironed
out some minor problems you ran into when rebuilding it yourself. I
can't vouch for the quality of the cells you used back then, but the
pack made a good impression when I sent it back. However, if it hasn't
been used since then, or even if it has, but hasn't been charged
regularely, chances are good that the cells have been deep-discharged
for a long time and are toast by now.

---------------------------------------------------

Marco chimed in here:

> Certainly did Frank cycle the accus some times to detect early dead
of
> one of the cells. However, it might easily happen that an accu cell
> dies after the 5th cycle or even later.

I measure every single cell's capacity before it even sees
a Newton battery pack. That way I can match the 4 cells as closely as
possible capacity-wise. Apart from that, I run every rebuilt pack
through at least 5-7 full charge/discharge cycles before I deem it fit
for being sent back. So to the best of my knowlege no cell in any pack
I've ever rebuilt has died after the 5th cycle...

> Also does charging only start if the temperature of the
> accu is above 45 deg C

Sorry, but no. The Newton's charge circuitry will STOP
charging when the battery temperature is higher than what
the Apple developers considered healthy, which is between
36 and 40 degrees celsius I think.

---------------------------------------------------

> How can I check if (a) the pack's OK, and (b) the Newton
> is sending charge into the pack correctly?

NewtTest, available in the software section of my site, will tell you
the most important details about what is going on battery-wise.

> Finally, I've noticed that the 2100's digitizer is never aligned
> correctly. After running the Align Pen utility, writing appears
2-3mm
> below where the pen is. Any way to correct this?

You can cheat the Newton while calibrating. In your case I'd suggest
tapping about 0,5...1mm below the center of the Xs when calibrating.
This often needs some experimenting, but you can almost always improve
pen position recognition that way.

> As an update for you all, I had a mess around with the 2100 last
> night, testing that the battery pack had "spring" to it when I
loaded
> it, and fiddling about with the power supply. And guess what ... the
> thing started charging!

Congratulations!

> Maybe as the cells were brand new they needed to be kicked a couple
of
> times before they started charging.

Quite unlikely. I do all this kicking myself before a rebuilt pack
leaves my premises. Even if, as in your case, I haven't rebuilt it
myself...

> I think the 130 will be winging its way to Germany once I
> get a reply from Frank.

Okeydokey. The reply will be winging its way to whereever you are as
soon as the question drops in my mailbox :-)

Regards

Frank

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

====================================================================
The NewtonTalk Mailing List - http://www.newtontalk.net/
The Official Newton FAQ - http://www.splorp.com/newton/faq/
The Newton Glossary - http://www.splorp.com/newton/glossary/
WikiWikiNewt - http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/
====================================================================
Received on Wed Feb 13 16:36:53 2008