Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 6

I know I've seeen a lot of battery maintence tips sprinkled throughout a ton of threads but I'd like to see them all in one.

What 'non-written' rules do you follow in order to conserve battery power. Below are a few of mine.

1) I keep a pack of batteries at my desk at work, a pack at my desk at home, and two batteries taped together in my coat pocket.

2) I turned off the 'Beam-Receive' function in my preferences. I don't use that anyway.

3) I use Runtime and check it about every other day to keep up with my battery usage.

4) I try to not use the backlight if I can help it.

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

I use the FullCharge from eXtend and try to top it off nightly. I also keep spare batteries at work and in my car just in case.

When done with any app, I return to the launcher and make it a habit to always power off the Visor when done as opposed to letting it wait for the auto-off to kick in.

I, too, use Runtime to track my battery usage, though I've found that since going with the FullCharge, it's not that necessary any more, but still nice to know the voltage changes over time.

Of course, unless I need it, Beam Receive is OFF as well as the Stowaway keyboard driver.

If I need the backlight, I use it... another one of the advantages of rechargeables.

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Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

I just use recharables.. they last for 3 days for me.. (10 hours a set, normally.) I do carry an extra set of batteries all the time with me (Alkaline..) so that I always have a emergency backup if I have to take some important notes.. and my battery's dead.

I don't leave springboard modules in.. not that I have any.. (except I JUST (as in 30 minutes ago) got a back-up module!)

I keep everything on.. That doesn't conserve battery's but I'm always beaming, and using my stowaway so..

-miradu2000
I"M EXTREMELY HAPPY RIGHT NOW!

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-miradu

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 8

I also do the things mentioned above, but additionally, I make sure that my Plat is reading for the right type of batteries (especially when switching from NiMh rechargeables to alkaline (emergency sets). It does make a difference in when the Plat tells me the batteries are low....

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Not so sunny, San Diego, CA
Posts: 51

Go rechargeable

Bought 2 4-packs of NiMH AAA's and a 4-battery recharger.. My RhinoSkin 2000 has 2 2pk battery holders, so I keep the extras there.. I've always got the 2 replacement sets waiting, the last 'empty' set in the charger.. If I empty a set while I'm out, I just swap it to one of the battery pouches and replace it with the newly charged set when I get home, naturally throwing it into the charger.. on a few rare occassions I've run through more than one set on a day (using MiniJam on my bus runs around town ), so that's why I've got 2 sets of 4.. I figure if that system ever breaks down, I'm doing something wrong, and I deserve to have to buy a set of alkalines for a day..

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 5

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MarkEagle
[B]I use the FullCharge from eXtend

Of course, unless I need it, Beam Receive is OFF as well as the Stowaway keyboard driver.

Hi,

Newbie question...what is the fullcharge from extend and how do I turn off the Stowaway Keyboard driver?

Thanks!

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 8

Full Charge and Stowaway

quote:

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Originally posted by hopscotts

Newbie question...what is the fullcharge from extend and how do I turn off the Stowaway Keyboard driver?

Thanks! [/B]

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 5

stowaway keyboard drain

Hi,

Thanks for the tip! My keyboard was enabled-- perhaps that is one reason that I go thru batteries so quickly.

PS. 5 AAA batteries fit nicely inside an empty Starbucks "After Coffee Mints" tin. This makes the tin a bit heavy for a pocket perhaps, but keeps them from rolling around in a briefcase or handbag!

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: mass
Posts: 56

hopscotts, is that tin metal? ;)

If it is, make sure that the + and - don't touch the case wall. If Alkalines do this, they may drain quickly. If NiCads do this, they will drain real quick, heat up the case and ignite nearby stuff. NiMh, I'm not sure, but probably something like NiCad.

If you buy a pack of those overpriced Engizer e2 batteries, the plastic from the packaging is reusable. Makes a great holder for recharagebles.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 42

I'm using some NiMH and now i'm not as scared to leave my visor on, though i still turn it off after i finish using it. How much power does the keyboard driver use anyway? Also at about what percent should i change my batteries? I'm pretty anal and change them when they are around 80%. I know NiMH kinda drop fast after a certain point. I'm thinking of getting a full change and maybe modifying the batteries (my dads an EE for 20 years). I'm concerned about heat though as my charger gets those NiMH really hot. Does the full charge make the batteries hot? Thanks a lot guys your guys are always helpful.

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Pasadena, MD, USA
Posts: 11

Full Charge

I'm using the Full Charge batteries from EXtend Computing, and I swear by them. I top the batteries off nightly (as eXtend reccomends), and I have only had my VDX drop below 100% once in the last 2 mos.

As for the prongs, they are relatively hard and are not prone to breaking, at least in my experience, but a simple problem arises from the way the prongs must be inserted:
The prongs are inserted so that the power cord runs up the back of the visor (as if the prongs are facing down toward the serial port, with the cord trailing). This is rather convenient for sitting the Visor down and eventually syncing in the cradle, but poses a problem for moving the VDX or using it at all. My fear was that I would either tear out or at least bend the prongs by moving the VDX too sharply or accidentally pulling the cord. I have fashioned a crude device (made out of a bent paper clip) which fastens itself around the cord and then slips into the sylus silo so the cord can not bend until AFTER it is above the Visor, and so will not possibly bend the prongs. It slows down insertion by about 2secs and adds the possibility of losing or forgetting my stylus in the morning, but that is well worth the chance of bending the prongs and paying $25 to get a new adapter.

Anyone else have any other questions or comments, or possible suggestions on how to improve my prong-protector?

-Ryan

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 501

Re: Full Charge and Stowaway

quote:

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Originally posted by PlatLaw
As for the Stowaway keyboard, just open the Keyboard app on the Visor and uncheck the "Enable Stowaway" box. Just make sure to recheck it when you set up the Stowaway again

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"And he died like he lived: with his mouth wide open."