Friday musings: battery longevity

[Failure]

Just something that jumped into my head last week, and I keep thinking about it so in the interest of laying it to rest...here is my very non-scientific observation:

It seems to me, based on the 4 A3000s I have owned, that Amigas that are used regularly and have not sat for a long time unused are less likely to have leaky original batteries.  I recently aquired two 3000s that sat for a period of time, one the 3000UX and another a 3000 I picked up from a gentleman here in Atlanta...both have leaky batteries (the UX has its battery removed already, the 3000's will get replaced this weekend along with making the int2 mod).  But the other two 3000s I have owned were both used regularly throughout their lives, and both had original, non-leaking batteries.  I still have one of them and it's still not leaking.

So what I was wondering is...is it just coincidence, or do they tend to leak more when left sitting for a long time?  That's all.  :-)

[KennyR]

When the computer is on, the RTC (realtime clock) gets its power from the board, not from the battery. The chemical reaction inside the battery is stopped from proceeding by the potential at its terminals. In layman's terms: when the A3000 is on, the battery's charge is held inside it. When the A3000 is off, the battery has to keep the RTC running. Even when its past the point when it can't do that and keep the time any more, parasitic drain from the rest of the board will make it eat itself away. That's why you should never store batteries in anything that won't be used for a long time.

[Failure]

Makes sense.  So it's not coincidence, then.

Now I can stop with the conspiracy theories of battery gremlins, RTC fairies and such.

[Castellen]

And in case you were wondering, the Varta Ni-MH battery datasheet says they have a rated lifetime of approx 6 years.  Would be similar for the original Ni-Cad battery as well.
I've found it's usually 8-10 years before they start leaking, depending on temperature, operating cycles, etc.

[Robbie]

I still have the original battery in my A2000 in perfect condition. Just waiting to buy a new monitor for it though so I've just turned it on to charge it's battery!!!

[mikey2001]

Thats battery must be sooo old! :-o  Cool avatar btw! :-D

[Lemonty]

I find it ironic that analoguous to this thread, Amigas on e-bay carrying comments such as "hardly used" or "factory-boxed" are the ones to avoid.

[Framiga]

Hi all

altough the battery is a problem (sometimes) we all need to understand, that our beloved Amigas, are near the end . . . and NOT for the batteries.

The real problem nowaday, is the age of the capacitors (electrolitic) for the mobos and for the accellerator cards (CSPPC too).

The only solution is to start to think to a full replacement for ALL the capacitors.

. . . estimated life ~ 5 years (more the time they were stocked-produced).

Bye :-(

[Robbie]

that's worrying!!  :-(

[Framiga]

worrying . .  . yes but "quite" easy to fix :-)

Bye

[Robbie]

I'm not sure I'd like to replace all those capacitors by myself. I'd get an electrician to do it or something.....I'm most worried about the power supply breaking. I don't suppose that's very easy to fix!!

[Framiga]

obviously, i was speaking about mobos and accelerator cards . . . .PSUs, better replace it.

Anyway DON'T replace anything, if you haven't the right tools and . . . the right experience too ;-)

Bye

[mikey2001]

That is quite depressing news to hear that.  :cry: