Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Asia
Posts: 15

Visor Pro batt LIFESPAN

I was wondering - since the Visor Pro case is sealed, and as we all know that all rechargable batteries has a lifespan, and after that it just dies - well, I'd just bought a Pro as an upgrade from my Deluxe - and was wondering how long the Pro battery will last before it won't charge anymore?

Registered: Apr 2002
Location:
Posts: 74

it depends.

I've had a Pro for about 3 months now. From what I understand, *most* rechargable palm pilot batteries will go 2 or 3 years without any significant problem. It was MUCH worse in the days before they put in "regulators" that prevented the battery from being overfilled.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: New York City
Posts: 158

I am in an identical situtation and was wondering the same thing.
But is the 2 - 3 year range realistic for heavy users as well? I know the LiIon battery is not susceptible to the shadow effect and that daily top-offs do not decrease capacity. But is there some general rules for maximizing the battery's longevity? Will the daily charging that I need for my VisorPhone decrease the Visor Battery's overall life?

Thanks.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Arlington, TX
Posts: 334

You will get tired of the Visor before your battery quits on you
unless there is a defect. I guess I should say you'll upgrade
instead of get tired of...

Rick

__________________
Rick

www.visorsolutions.com

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Posts: 29

I was doing a little research on the life of my Prism rechargable and came up with this from the FAQ page of makers of the battery, GS-Melcotec

"A. The cycle life of an individual cell is determined by various factors including charge and discharge management, frequency of use, temperature environments, etc. Under normal usage a GS-MELCOTEC Li-ion cell would be expected to yield >80% of original capacity after Min. 500 Cycles."

I believe that by Min. 500 Cycles they mean draining the battery to minimums before recharging, but I'm not sure. If you charge the batttery as often as possible, via an emergency charger if neccessary, you'll extend the life of the battery significantly. This holds true even if you use the handheld a lot. I imagine the internal battery in the Pro is very similar, if not the same as the battery in the Prism.

Personally I use a emergency charging kit from
Tech Centre Labs. It's really nothing more than a Radio Shack AA Battery case that connects to the prism via a visor serial dock. I use 4 NiMH AA rechargables, and bring a Radio Shack travel charger with me ( the one that will connect to your cigarette lighter in your car) because it is very compact, and it works beautifully for me. I've never run out of recharging power.

Hope this helps!

Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Asia
Posts: 15

Battery replaceable?

Thanks for all the information. Okay, now that I've got a basic idea of how long my new Pro will last me, what i want to know now is that _if_ my battery goes kaboom or something will I be able to replace it, and will there be parts? After the warranty I mean.

I'm hoping that they'll come up with a Fuel-Cell SpringBoard module in the future so I can use my Pro up to a few years.... well, I can dream, can't I?

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Posts: 29

I've looked for an aftermarket replacement on the net for a while and cannot find any retail source anywhere. Neither have I heard of anyone else being able to find a replacement battery so far(there are also a few threads at visor village that deal with this subject).

Apparently, the problem with Lion battery's is their volatility, and the manufacturers don't want just anyone messing with these things. The battery itself though doesn't look like a big deal to replace, in fact it looks just like one of those cordless batteries with the two prong connector. I tried here at a place called the battery House, and he claims he can get me one, but he has to see the cell first. He also couldn't give me a price for it. So since my 1.5 year old battery still works fine I didn't bother following up.

Anyway, I'm by no means an expert on this subject, so hopefully we'll hear from someone who is!

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Arlington, TX
Posts: 334

Check out my website by following the link below.

__________________
Rick

www.visorsolutions.com

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Posts: 29

That's right! I forgot that You had the battery chargers too. I took a look at the pics, they are essentially the same, but the wiring on your battery plug looks more substantial than on the battery pack I have.

Registered: Jun 2002
Location: By the toilet.
Posts: 174

Pro stickers?

Just wondering, does the Pro come with stickers and a leather pouch, like what was included in the Deluxe? And is the plastics easily scratched, like the Neo?


It seems the newer Visor Neo models scratch easily, I've seen one before..

Registered: Apr 2002
Location:
Posts: 74

*whipping out my Pro *

no, its not what you think it is... get your mind OUT of the gutter!

I've had mine for about 5 months now.. no scratches or dings and I switch back and forth between the plastic hardcover and a soft case.

Ask me again in a few months.

Registered: Jul 2002
Location:
Posts: 8

quote:

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Originally posted by gooselab
I was doing a little research on the life of my Prism rechargable and came up with this from the FAQ page of makers of the battery, GS-Melcotec

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