PM3 monitor: "replace batteries".... No way!?

[scooterz]

Hi.

I've had my rower for almost 1 year. Got a screen message 2 months ago to say I must replace batteries because the power was low.

I replaced them with nice high-quality batteries. Did 3 rows over 2-3 weeks. Did nothing for 2 weeks, then tried to row again. No power! I press buttons a bit and screen comes alive but with the "low power" warning. What? I just replaced the batteries. Anyway, I opened the monitor and circuit boards look great. Clean, no obvious corrosion, etc.

The weather is pretty cold now (0 - 6 degrees) at night but my rower stays dry and warm in the garage with my other toys. I tried again this evening hoping for a miracle, but same story. Then I pop batteries out and stick them back in. Monitor looks good until I select a programme and then it's back to "low power" warning at which point monitor shuts down. Really!? I'm frustrated.

I need to get a tester to see how much power is in the batteries. Either I happened to buy a bum batch of batteries OR my monitor is now, for no apparent reason, draining the power from the batteries. Is any of this sounding familiar to anyone? Or is there some other angle I'm overlooking.

I don't understand how it can go from seamless experience to now not being able to power-up. I have not bashed/wet/manhandled/shot-putted my monitor, so what's up?

Thanks guys.

[Carl Watts]

How old is the PM3 ? what version an date code does it have in the product ID screen ?

It is possible it has developed a fault and is not shutting right down and using very little current.

Yes you really need a 3V power supply and and a multimeter to test it. It's unlikly your getting a bad batch of batteries.

The most comon fault is a monolithic chip capacitor goes short or high resistance and is drawing current when it should'nt. These are VERY hard to find on the PM3 as there are so many of them. The fault is pretty rare however.

The other fault that occurs is that it tells you the battereies are flat and they are not, however this would be the case even with new batteries so doesn't sound like your problem.

[scooterz]

Hi Carl.

I know it's a Model D (2003 - 2006)

PM3 Firmware Version 90
Hardware version 433
Date code 2562005
Serial # 300033996

How do I use the 3V power supply and a multimeter to test it? What goes where and what am I looking for?

I'll get more batteries this weekend anyway and see what happens on my next few rowing sessions, but it would be great to solve this mystery.

Thanks

[Carl Watts]

You have the very old version of the PM3.

The Firmware on it is also way out of date and it is now up to V105. this however will not solve the problem.

You can use just a couple of batteries in a battery holder and a couple of flying leads with aligator clips on and connect them to the battery terminals without even taking the PM3 appart.

The multimeter is set on DC Amps range and connected in series with the leads.

You should see about 25 to 40mA depending what is on the PM3 display and when it turns off it should drop below 1mA and when left like this for a while it will go as low as 0.25mA.

Realistically though this is about as far as you will get unless you have a component level electronics service background as you then are faced with finding a faulty component on the board and replacing it.

Your only other option is get a USB plug pack or connect the PM3 to an old PC and supply power to it via the USB port and you will not need to keep replacing the batteries.