Chewing Batteries

[[old] Rob Lewis]

Does anyone know why our PM3 is getting through a set of D batteries in a week?<br />Came home tonight, looking forward to a row, and nothing doing <br /><br />We have only had the rower a couple of weeks, and this is the second set it has gone through. We have a model D, which is meant to boost the battery life!<br />At first, I noticed that the PM3 wasn't switching off unless I unplugged the USB, so I assumed it was that, or that the rower had been in transit or in stock a while before we bought it.<br />This time, i tried the batteries in a torch, and they are fine - the PM3 is just too sensitive. I emptied all of our torches, but couldn't find a set it liked the look of, just got a bunch of vertical lines on the screen.<br /><br />I can't use Concept's support desk, as we are in a third world country - well, it feels like it sometimes, so I guess I just have to wait and take the PM3 back to the dealer at the weekend. Hope I don't have to wait three months for a replacement...

[[old] TLCoons]

Rob,<br />A new set of batteries in the PM3 should, indeed, last for year(s). Mine are over a year old with daily use and going strong. Your entire PM3 monitor will likely need to be replaced. But don't fret, no matter where you are C2 will make it right.<br /><br />Sorry that you have to go through this inconvenience with your new toy, i mean, torture machine.

[[old] ehagberg]

Maybe it's not just me then... I thought I'd noticed my batteries (which I don't use as I'm usually hooked up via USB) had gone kaput for no good reason, shortly after one of the PM3 beta firmware updates... maybe I'm not alone.<br /><br />They definitely lasted quite some time when I first got the machine, but now if I do turn off my computer, the PM3 shuts off as well, and can't be turned on again.

[[old] Rob Lewis]

Hi,<br /><br />Thanks for that. I am sure they will fix it - just venting my frustration yesterday. <br /><br />Bought some fresh batteries on the way home this evening!

[[old] c2scott]

Rob,<br /><br />First off, when the PM3 is connected to a PC, it should be getting power from the PC, so should not be drawing power from the batteries. Batteries are, however, neeed to start up the PM3 -- it cannot be reliably started from USB power alone.<br /><br />If you say that the new batteries did not help, and the old batteries work in a torch (or I might call a "Flashlight" although I like your term!), then I would say that something else is going on. <br /><br />I'd say leave the batteries out for an hour, then put in some batteries that work in a torch, and see if the PM3 comes on. <br /><br />Explanation: There are some cases where a PM3's microprossor can go of into lala land. The PM3 has a capacitor in it to keep the "memory" and "time/date/language" settings set properly, this will keep it in lala land for quite a while, so a brief changing of batteries or a 'pinhole reset' in the back won't quite do the trick. So, batteries out for an hour and see if the unit works.<br /><br />The main thing that can make the PM3 go off into LaLa land are: <br />1) Static discharge, mainly from the LogCard being inserted, but also possible from other entry points.<br />2) power supply glitch -- maybe a battery contact is not making great contact, and when putting it into storage or moving the machine the battery power got glitched.<br />3) plugging the USB cable in upside down by accident (yes, it is possible).<br /><br />Please note: all of the above items are are infrequent cases, but possible. They are all being addressed as soon as we can in future production runs of the PM3. <br /><br />If this happens frequently, let's get the PM3 replaced under warranty.<br /><br />If you think the PM3 is truely draining batteries, you could look each day at the battery level screen, and record the % displayed. Keep a log. If the batteries are draining that fast, you will see this % drop daily until low percentages and the PM3 not working should happen after some warnings. If this is the case, then you have a defective PM3. <br /><br />Please feel free to contact me anytime at 1-802-888-5226 extension 3062, or email pm3 (at) concept2 . com<br /><br />-- Scott<br />

[[old] Rob Lewis]

Hi Scott,<br /><br />Thanks for that reply. No, it wouldn't come back with any of the partly used batteries, but it did respond to a brand new pair being inserted.<br /><br />The first time it went dead, the USB had been left plugged in all the time.<br /><br />I went to a local electronics store this morning and bought a 3v 200mA DC power adapter and a pair of miniature croc clips. Works fine now with no batteries.<br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />Rob

[[old] ehagberg]

<!--QuoteBegin-c2scott+Aug 24 2005, 11:16 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(c2scott @ Aug 24 2005, 11:16 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->If you think the PM3 is truely draining batteries, you could look each day at the battery level screen, and record the % displayed.  Keep a log.  If the batteries are draining that fast, you will see this % drop daily until low percentages and the PM3 not working should happen after some warnings.  If this is the case, then you have a defective PM3.  <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Well, I changed my batteries when they went really low (even though I always have the PM3 hooked up via USB) and after replacing them, started to track the % battery numbers starting 6 days ago. (I actually replaced them something like 3 weeks back.)<br /><br />In just those six days, and always turning the PM3 off when turning off the computer, the battery levels have dropped from 90% to 82% already. I could swear that this didn't happen when I first got the machine (04/2004 or so) and thought it corresponded with one of the PM3 firmware updates, though I can't be sure, as I'm not going to backrev my monitor for any length of time at this stage. I'm currently using the PM3 firmware that's not marked as beta, but not yet released as production.<br /><br />Oh, and the batteries are Duracell, marked w/ a March 2012 expiration date, if that makes a difference.

[[old] bgood]

I don't know if this helps - but you know that you can turn off the PM3 by pressing the Menu/Back button 4 or 5 times? <br />Press any button to turn it back on.

[[old] ehagberg]

<!--QuoteBegin-bgood+Oct 9 2005, 06:20 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(bgood @ Oct 9 2005, 06:20 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I don't know if this helps - but you know that you can turn off the PM3 by pressing the Menu/Back button 4 or 5 times? <br />Press any button to turn it back on. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />That's what I already do every time I turn off the computer, to make sure the PM3 isn't turned on and wasting battery power, and this past week, the computer hasn't been on, except when I'm rowing... so all I've been doing is using the PM3 during my daily workouts (which are USB powered) and then turning it off afterwards, and I've still dropped 8% in 6 days.

[[old] ehagberg]

My PM3 is now showing the battery level at 69%, so that's something like a 15% drop each month.<br /><br />I never row w/o the PM3 being hooked to my computer via USB and always make sure the PM3 has either auto-powered-off or manually power it off after I turn off my computer.<br /><br />Seems like the drain may be more dramatic when I leave the PC turned on for extended periods, and PM3 display on as well, though in that case, I'd think all power should be coming via USB and not from the batteries.<br /><br />I guess at this rate I'll need to replace the batteries about every 9 or 10 months, even though they really shouldn't be getting used.

[[old] c2scott]

Mr. Hagberg:<br /><br />If it is indeed dropping that fast, it sounds like it is out of specification.<br /><br />Can I swap PM3's with you to see what I can determine? Or are you handy with a digital multimeter to check current consumption? <br /><br />-- Scott<br /><br />

[[old] Godfried]

<!--QuoteBegin-ehagberg+Oct 9 2005, 12:49 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(ehagberg @ Oct 9 2005, 12:49 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Well, I changed my batteries when they went really low (even though I always have the PM3 hooked up via USB) and after replacing them, started to track the % battery numbers starting 6 days ago. (I actually replaced them something like 3 weeks back.)<br /><br />In just those six days, and always turning the PM3 off when turning off the computer, the battery levels have dropped from 90% to 82% already. I could swear that this didn't happen when I first got the machine (04/2004 or so) and thought it corresponded with one of the PM3 firmware updates . . . <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Maybe a stupid question :<br />Is your computer connected to the PM3 when they are both turned off , is your computer connected to mains ( 110V / 230V ) [ I use a switch to disconnect from 230V ] ?<br />If so , is this the same situation as last year?<br /><br />And something technical : what voltage in the batteries is what % in battery level ?

[[old] John Hendrie]

This thread prompts a related (and perhaps dumb) question. I recently upgraded my Mod C to a PM3 and am learning as I go. The comment "always make sure the PM3 has either auto-powered-off or manually power it off" leads to one of the questions n my list. How does one manually turn off the PM3? I haven't found that capability andhave been letting it turn off automatically.<br /><br />Thanx, john

[[old] Godfried]

<!--QuoteBegin-John Hendrie+Nov 5 2005, 03:43 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(John Hendrie @ Nov 5 2005, 03:43 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->How does one manually turn off the PM3?[right] <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Press MENU/BACK a number of times ( 4 ? )

[[old] ehagberg]

<!--QuoteBegin-Godfried+Nov 5 2005, 06:03 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Godfried @ Nov 5 2005, 06:03 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Maybe a stupid question :<br />Is your computer connected to the PM3 when they are both turned off , is your computer connected to mains ( 110V / 230V ) [ I use a switch to disconnect from 230V ] ?<br />If so , is this the same situation as last year?<br /><br />And something technical : what voltage in the batteries is what % in battery level ? <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Yes my computer and PM3 are always connected to each other and the computer is connected to power, just not powered on.<br /><br />I'm not sure I understand what you mean by the question about last year... I don't recall the batteries being chewed up quickly, but I probably never started checking their level until I had to replace them and thought they'd been consumed too quickly given that they shouldn't really get all that much use when constantly connected to a USB power source.<br /><br />Regarding the last question, I think C2 will have to answer.