[bookcourier] Re: Sapping batteries - a helpful warning
- From: "A. Lester Buck III" <bookcourier-reg@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: bookcourier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 06 Jun 2005 16:34:25 -0500
Sure, I'd be happy to describe the procedure. This isn't necessarily
very simple with low vision, but maybe a friend could help.
Leave the cover off the Book Courier battery compartment. While it is
operating in the mode of interest (reading a book, playing an MP3,
shutdown), use the sharp pointed probes on the digital multimeter and
measure the voltage across either one or both (in series) batteries. If
the current is of interest, there are "fake batteries", little empty
battery shapes with terminals on either end that can be wired into
whatever and can thus measure current in circuit.
There are also many types of "battery tester" that put batteries under
load. The problem with them is that it is not clear what the correct
load is for each mode of the Book Courier.
Some battery rechargers for rechargeables includes a built in tester.
(Of course, the recharger must have some tester that tells it when to
stop charging. I am referring to a gauge for the humans.)
Also, as part of the marketing, at least one battery brand in the US
used to include a tester built into the package, so that one could test
the battery by pressing a button without opening or buying the
batteries. It was sort of an chemical display that showed red or green
on a line depending on the charge level. I don't know what load (if
any) such battery packages actually applied during the test.
By the way, with some Book Couriers apparently dropping dead when people
breath on them the wrong way, there is obviously some risk in performing
any measurement. Certainly I am not proposing this as a standard thing
to do to anyone's or everyone's Book Courier. That's what the builtin
battery gauge is for.
I'd probably do these tests myself but I live in Houston and my father's
Book Courier is in San Antonio.
Best regards,
Lester
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