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Gear / Technical Help => Remote Power => Topic started by: mmmatt on April 14, 2004, 10:51:11 PM

Title: batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 14, 2004, 10:51:11 PM
2 brand new 9.6v 3000MA batterys from batteryspace delivered today http://batteryspace.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=375&HS=1 .  Dead!  I'm so pissed (or so studpid... not sure which yet)!  I put them on the charger right away when they showed up.  Both registered full charge.  I built all my cables (for ua5, jb3 and svu-2) plugged it all in and started scratching my head.  Tested all my cables, and did a test on the batterys... both dead.  Do I need to do something to these batterys to make them work the first time?

Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: mirth on April 14, 2004, 11:06:57 PM
how do you know the batteries are dead? use a multimeter on them to check voltage?
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: mmmatt on April 14, 2004, 11:14:22 PM
no multimeter, I used a tester that looks like a screwdriver with a point at the end, an aligator clip out the back and a light in the handle.  The light lit on both the charger lead, and a 9v alkaline.
Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: mirth on April 14, 2004, 11:19:07 PM
Charge them overnight anyhow... did your tester thingamabob light up on the batteries?
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: mmmatt on April 14, 2004, 11:20:07 PM
nothing on the new bats... only the alkaline and the charger lead.

Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: mirth on April 14, 2004, 11:25:07 PM
d'oh! maybe something's messed up inside the packs. Odd you'd get two defective units though... Wonder if they'd cross ship a replacement pair to ya
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: mmmatt on April 14, 2004, 11:34:27 PM
I sure hope... I've got a show on the 20th... I already wrote an e-mail.  I thought 2 dead ones was strange also, but I can't think of any reason I would be wrong about this.  If mine are dead, the probably had a whole batch, and I'm not the only pissed off hombre.
+T for your instant input!

Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: mmmatt on April 14, 2004, 11:35:08 PM
your avitar looks good... I think it's time for a beer!
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: mirth on April 14, 2004, 11:37:48 PM
+T back for your troubles.... Too bad you can't find that beer outside of BeNeLux
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: ChrisV on April 15, 2004, 12:06:49 AM
Hey Matt,
I also ordered the exact same items from Batteryspace and they arrived a couple days ago.  But they screwed up and gave me the wrong charger(a Ni-MH AAA/AA one instead of the RC pack smart charger).   So I have to wait for them to send me another charger.   Haven't had a chance to try out the batteries but hopefully I am not in the same situation.
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: mmmatt on April 15, 2004, 12:16:03 AM
yes... keep me posted.  It's better to bitch in numbers!

Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: mirth on April 15, 2004, 12:17:12 AM
With as much fluffing they get here, they'd best stay on the right side of the tapirs! ;)
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA!
Post by: mmmatt on April 15, 2004, 12:31:32 AM
yes... I already mentioned that I "have my thumb on the pulse of the taping community"!  Can't hurt right?

Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 15, 2004, 12:27:51 PM
Just got a call.  They are sending two new batteries 2nd day air with a return shipping tag.  VERY GOOD SERVICE!!!!

Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: F.O.Bean on April 17, 2004, 11:09:49 AM
very cool of em
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 17, 2004, 12:39:53 PM
yes it was very cool... I'll slam someone if they screw me, but I'll spread the word if they treat me right.  Mistakes are ok, as long as they are handled properly.  Batteryspace will get all of my battery business for sure.  They couldn't have handled it better!

Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: ChrisV on April 19, 2004, 05:33:16 PM
Well Matt,
So I got the new charger today and return label for the wrong one back to them.   But when I try to charge the batteries the green light comes on immediately even though they are completely dead.    Used a voltometer and they are both registering only about 0.30 V or so.   So I am guessing I got the same bad ones too?
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: blu666z on April 19, 2004, 05:57:17 PM
Dumb question but the green light does mean they are charged supposedly?  Not just that they are being charged?

-Kevin
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: ChrisV on April 19, 2004, 06:03:43 PM
The piece of paper that comes with them says that red light means charging and green light means they are charged(and goes into trickle charge mode).   I'll let 'em go overnight just to see if that helps but judging by the voltometer readings they are DOA.


My luck is sucking with most everything I order lately....I'll get a complete rig here someday hopefully ;p
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: blu666z on April 19, 2004, 06:28:07 PM
Is it possible that your guys chargers are bunk instead of the batteries?  Chris, might be worth holding out until Matt gets his replacements and verify that they work before getting your replacements.

-Kevin
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 19, 2004, 07:45:08 PM
Is it possible that your guys chargers are bunk instead of the batteries?  Chris, might be worth holding out until Matt gets his replacements and verify that they work before getting your replacements.

-Kevin
I got them today, and they work fine.  Red light untill it is almost a full charge, then green for the trickle.  I charged the first one at lunch, and I'm doing a runtime test now.  That sucks chris... doesn't that just burn your ass when you order something and it is broken.  I would def call them right away and let them know what is going on.  It is for sure the batts. They must have had a whole batch that were bad.  The shipping label they sent me was almost $9, so after taking $18 out of their profit on the original $58 purchase, I bet they weren't making a penny on me... multiply that by 100 (or 1000)!  Cost of doing business I know, but there is some guy in a factory somewhere who is gettin ripped a new one for sure!

Good luck!
Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: ChrisV on April 19, 2004, 08:43:32 PM
Yeah, I know...they sent me a $5 return shipping label for an $8 charger...hell I would have just bought it off of them for 3 bucks ;p   Plus the cost to send the correct one to me.

And now probably another batch of items to and from me for these heavy batteries.   Oh well, I am not that ticked since I have nothing to tape coming up till next week so if they get them to me some good ones before then it is all good.


Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 19, 2004, 09:03:55 PM
Well, good luck to you!  let me know how it turns out.  +T for feelin' the pain!

Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: ChrisV on April 19, 2004, 09:19:39 PM
Thanks Matt!  +T back at ya ;)
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: leegeddy on April 19, 2004, 10:44:18 PM
Dumb question but the green light does mean they are charged supposedly?  Not just that they are being charged?

-Kevin

i think that most charger's circuitry will measure the output current (and probably the voltage across the output leads), and that will trigger either a red LED (charging) or green (fully charged).  if a battery is a dud, then it will not take a charge, and the charger is "seeing" that battery as fully charged, hence the green light.

i'm sure someone else can explain it better than me, but that's my understanding of chargers with LED's.

marc
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: blu666z on April 20, 2004, 02:03:00 AM
I guess I haven't had experience with a nicer charger.  The Rat Shack I have just has a green light when its charging and then turns off after 5 hours.  What charger are you all using?

-Kevin
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: leegeddy on April 20, 2004, 02:11:58 AM
I guess I haven't had experience with a nicer charger.  The Rat Shack I have just has a green light when its charging and then turns off after 5 hours.  What charger are you all using?

-Kevin

kevin;

i have an iPower charger. it has "charge", discharge" and "completed" lights, but no "trickle" light, though.

marc
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: jdawg on April 20, 2004, 04:08:22 AM
I ordered the same set of batteries 2 weeks ago. No problems with them at all. Built the battery cable for the UA-5, plugged it in after charging the bats for just a short time, and everything lit up. Each battery should green light the charger in 90 mins. (at least I think that's what it took).  Used them 3 times in the last 2 weeks, no problems.
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 20, 2004, 09:13:24 AM
I guess I haven't had experience with a nicer charger.  The Rat Shack I have just has a green light when its charging and then turns off after 5 hours.  What charger are you all using?

-Kevin
I'm using the charger that came with the batts in the opening link.  No discharge, but it does have the trickle.  I like the set up a lot.  I takes only 90 minutes to give a full charge on a 3000 mah, and if you forget to unplug your batts, it won't fry them!

Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: blu666z on April 21, 2004, 01:13:32 AM
Wow...90 minutes would be sweet.  Amazing how often I forget to plug my in the afternoon of a show.  

-Kevin
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: ChrisV on April 21, 2004, 03:16:46 AM
Just an update....got in contact with Batteryspace and they are indeed sending me 2 more new ones and return label for the DOA ones.   Should arrive to me in time and assuming these new ones aren't caput as well I should be fine.   Otherwise I'll need to throw together 8 Ni-MH AA's for a homemade pack ;p
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 25, 2004, 12:07:31 PM
what's the latest chris?  Get the new batts?
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: ChrisV on April 25, 2004, 01:18:37 PM
Was hoping they'd arrive Friday but they didn't....so probably will arrive tomorrow.
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: Mojowill on April 26, 2004, 04:14:31 PM
Should I even risk getting these packs if you guys are having troubles with them?  I need to get some power before the haymaker coming up on may 7th & 8th
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 26, 2004, 04:38:37 PM
I think you'll be ok. Call in your order and ask if they will check them before they ship.  They really are a good company to work with.

Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 27, 2004, 05:03:00 PM
any luck chris?
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: ChrisV on April 27, 2004, 05:28:19 PM
*Sigh*  Still hasn't arrived.   I am used to ground shipment shit taking forever to get to me being in Oregon when shipped from East Coast....but now that I look at it they are from CA so who knows?

Kinda drives me insane when I don't have a tracking #....I like to follow the little package's travels ;p

I got 3 things all arriving soon UPS(and only able to track one of them)...but hopefully they all arrive today.
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 27, 2004, 05:32:14 PM
bug em... they owe you.  the probably have a tracking number.
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: blu666z on April 27, 2004, 05:38:29 PM
Just out of curiosity, how come you all got 2 of these?  Doing a lot of festival to need all that power?

-Kevin
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 27, 2004, 05:51:46 PM
it's a package, and yess it will be nice for a festival.  I think I'm going to get 2 more because I can run my jb3 off them as well.  With 4 I know I can go 12 hrs maybe 15 running my whole rig.

Matt
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: ChrisV on April 27, 2004, 10:52:05 PM
I got 2 out of 3 packages today...got my vu meter kits and my microphones but no batts!   Oh well, if I was to only get 2 items today I kinda wanted it to be those ones anyways ;p
Maybe I will bug them one last time to get a tracking #.

Yeah, I do think one battery would suffice since that would get like 5-6 hours I think for a UA-5...dunno what I'll use the other one for.  I could power my JB3 with it for a few hours in a pinch(when not using the SLA) or I could just have it as backup.
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: ChrisV on April 28, 2004, 05:51:46 PM
Got 'em today....tested both battery packs with a voltometer and they both were about 10.3 V...much better than the small fraction of a volt on the others ;p

So Batteryspace is a good company...even though they made 2 seperate mistakes on my order but sent out the replacement goods at their cost and paid for shipping both ways to make things right.
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 29, 2004, 02:00:30 AM
glad it worked out... hope it didn't translate to down time for you
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: Joe w. on April 30, 2004, 09:16:40 AM
Those batteries come delivered without a charge on them. This is not anything out of the ordinary really. Set them up for a full charge when they arrive and you'll be fine.
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: mmmatt on April 30, 2004, 09:47:18 AM
my first set wouldn't take a charge... thats the problem
Title: Re:batteryspace batterys DOA! (they took care of me!)
Post by: Mojowill on May 11, 2004, 11:49:32 AM
My smart charger worked fine the first time but after the haymaker I tried to charge my bats up again and the charger would not light up at all.  Should i plug a bat in to it and test it after 90mins or is my charger broken?