Topic: Wal-Mart battery woes?

[Patrick]

I've got a typical wally battery that charges fine, and displays the 4 lights when the button is pressed.  However, it will no longer power my UA-5 or my jb3 (through a voltage regulator contraption).  I've got two identical other batteries that are giving me no problems. 

This particular battery was actually the first one I bought last summer, and hasn't given me any problems until now.

Thanks for the help in advance.

[spreadheadtom]

I'm not fully understanding what you are saying.  have you tried it on another device?

[Patrick]

I'm not fully understanding what you are saying.  have you tried it on another device?

I've tried it, unsuccessfully, on:

1: My Ua-5
2: A voltage regulator that is used for external power for the Jb3.

So it is not sending power, but it charges and shows a charge (the 4 level lights illuminate).

Does that help?

[spreadheadtom]

do you have a volt meter?

[spreadheadtom]

did you get it figured out?

[Patrick]

do you have a volt meter?

Yes, I do have a volt meter, how do I test the output without blowing myself up 

[spreadheadtom]

do you have a volt meter?

Yes, I do have a volt meter, how do I test the output without blowing myself up 

should be able to just stick it in the output.  test a good battery first


this will not hurt anything...not even you 

[Patrick]

well, as expected, it is putting out nothing.  while the other batteries are putting out about 9.21 volts.

Any way to "reset" these things or do I have a paperweight?

[spreadheadtom]

Any way to "reset" these things or do I have a paperweight?

I'll take a look at mine when I get home, but I think you might have a paperweight

[spreadheadtom]

Patrick.......I did't see any way to reset this thing.  before you decide to dump it, give it a good smack on a hard surface (concrete floor maybe).  I have done this to a different type of battery that was giving me a similar problem.  It made it work for a little while.


  Tommy

[Todd R]

These Li-ion batteries have built-in protection circuits that will essentially shut them down if they have been shorted.  And there is a reset if this happens -- you need to plug them back in to their wall-wart charger.  This should reset them and allow them to act normally. 

I'm not sure if this is the problem you're having, but I'd try this first before giving them a good smack.

[spreadheadtom]

These Li-ion batteries have built-in protection circuits that will essentially shut them down if they have been shorted.  And there is a reset if this happens -- you need to plug them back in to their wall-wart charger.  This should reset them and allow them to act normally. 

I'm not sure if this is the problem you're having, but I'd try this first before giving them a good smack.

good info!

+T

[Patrick]

These Li-ion batteries have built-in protection circuits that will essentially shut them down if they have been shorted.  And there is a reset if this happens -- you need to plug them back in to their wall-wart charger.  This should reset them and allow them to act normally. 

I'm not sure if this is the problem you're having, but I'd try this first before giving them a good smack.

I've done that before, but it hasn't seemed to fix it.  How long should I leave it on charge?

Thanks.  If that doesn't work, I'm going to smack the hell out of it 

[spreadheadtom]

These Li-ion batteries have built-in protection circuits that will essentially shut them down if they have been shorted.  And there is a reset if this happens -- you need to plug them back in to their wall-wart charger.  This should reset them and allow them to act normally. 

I'm not sure if this is the problem you're having, but I'd try this first before giving them a good smack.

I've done that before, but it hasn't seemed to fix it.  How long should I leave it on charge?

Thanks.  If that doesn't work, I'm going to smack the hell out of it 

<beavis>  yeah yeah smack it <beavis>

[Todd R]

I've done that before, but it hasn't seemed to fix it.  How long should I leave it on charge?

Thanks.  If that doesn't work, I'm going to smack the hell out of it 

Looks like it's time to go ahead and smack it.   The one or two times I've had it happen, plugging the battery into the charger reset it immediately.  Too bad the shut-off protection didn't turn out to be the problem, looks like the battery may have gone bad.