Why would two Wisdom 2 computers show Low Battery after only 3 months of replacement?

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fnfalman

fnfalman

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My dive buddy and I took our 1-year-old Wisdom 2 computers in for battery replacement because the Low Battery came on. The shop is a Sherwood dealership.

The tech/owner put the new batteries in (brand new in wrap) and I verified that the batteries were the correct models.

This was in early December 09. Now, Mar 10 and both our computers show Low Battery when we turn them on. We both have less than ten dives since the battery changes were made.

Another thing is that the dates and years were all screwed up too. We both reset the dates and times after the battery changes, but yesterday when we turned the computers on, the dates and years were wrong. Time of day was good to go though.:idk:

The battery compartments didn't leak, otherwise the units would have gone bonker.

What is the probability of having two bad batteries at the same time?

Any ideas?
 
There are two or three things that could be causing this.

1. Are they name brand batteries? (Sony, Energizer, etc...) Several of the no name batteries meet the specs of the CR2450 but they do not provide the power needed to keep the computer going. The computer will read it as a low battery because there is not enough power generated from the battery.

2. If it is a name brand battery, how long was the battery there at the store. If the store has been sitting on the battery for a couple of years, the new battery just out of the packaging might have been worn out before you started.

3. I have seen this happen several times. When taking out the old battery, the technician could have bent up the battery connection pin that sits on top of the battery. The way you can tell this has happened is when you take off the battery cover is the small pin touching the battery? If it isn't and it is bent up, then there is not a proper connection and the circuit is not properly completed. The computer reads this as a low battery because, like in scenario 1, the computer is not getting enough power.

Couple things to look at.
 
Wow...that's a quick response. I wish the marketing company in Canada treated your customers that way.
Hats off to Sherwood US
 
Sherwood SCUBA rep.:
There are two or three things that could be causing this.

1. Are they name brand batteries? (Sony, Energizer, etc...) Several of the no name batteries meet the specs of the CR2450 but they do not provide the power needed to keep the computer going. The computer will read it as a low battery because there is not enough power generated from the battery.

2. If it is a name brand battery, how long was the battery there at the store. If the store has been sitting on the battery for a couple of years, the new battery just out of the packaging might have been worn out before you started.

3. I have seen this happen several times. When taking out the old battery, the technician could have bent up the battery connection pin that sits on top of the battery. The way you can tell this has happened is when you take off the battery cover is the small pin touching the battery? If it isn't and it is bent up, then there is not a proper connection and the circuit is not properly completed. The computer reads this as a low battery because, like in scenario 1, the computer is not getting enough power.

Couple things to look at.
Click to expand...

We just replaced my buddy's computer's battery and I'll do mine tonight.

Yes, the battery was a "Ligia". We're replacing them with Duracells.

The connection pin looked good on his computer and I'll check mine tonight when I do mine.

Thanks a lot for the quick reply. If the Low Battery symbol comes up again in just a few more months then we might have to send these bad boys back to Sherwood for an inspection.
 
fnfalman:
My dive buddy and I took our 1-year-old Wisdom 2 computers in for battery replacement because the Low Battery came on. The shop is a Sherwood dealership.

The tech/owner put the new batteries in (brand new in wrap) and I verified that the batteries were the correct models.

This was in early December 09. Now, Mar 10 and both our computers show Low Battery when we turn them on. We both have less than ten dives since the battery changes were made.

Another thing is that the dates and years were all screwed up too. We both reset the dates and times after the battery changes, but yesterday when we turned the computers on, the dates and years were wrong. Time of day was good to go though.:idk:

The battery compartments didn't leak, otherwise the units would have gone bonker.

What is the probability of having two bad batteries at the same time?

Any ideas?
Click to expand...


Yeah that's how my Wisdom 2 behaves, it turns on and shows low battery for the first 5 mins. Then it goes away. It was working like that after 2 battery replacements, I replace the battery only when it starts showing the battery sign constantly. I use Duracell baterries
 
elan:
Yeah that's how my Wisdom 2 behaves, it turns on and shows low battery for the first 5 mins. Then it goes away. It was working like that after 2 battery replacements, I replace the battery only when it starts showing the battery sign constantly. I use Duracell baterries
Click to expand...

That's what my Wisdom 2 was doing yesterday. Showed Low Battery and then it went away. Anyway, I replaced the no-name battery with Duracell and everything seems to be hunky dory, no Low Battery symbol at all.

I'll take that mutha into the pool tomorrow to check for leakage and etc.
 
I've had trouble with Duracell's too
As the Sherwood rep alluded to.. you need batteries that are rated for "pulse duty" ... they provide the momentary higher current necessary when the computer does something, if not able to handle the current requirements, the resultant momentary voltage drop is read by the computer as "low battery"
 
Hmmm, I am not sure I agree on the "Brand name battery only" There are many,many reasons why a battery can and dos fail and little has to do with the manufacturer. Even Brand name batteries fail - this is a mass production item, a few defective ones are going to slip through.

Many "generic" batteries are made in the same facilities as the brand names to the EXACT same specs, the reason the brand name is more expensive is generally not because its better, but because you are paying for the license on the label.

These batteries have a reasonable shelf life, certainly months, even years is not uncommon, my suggestion would be to test the battery before you install it, and then again when you get a "low batt" reading - that should give a better indication if there is a power drain or the battery is a dud.
 
testing a batteries voltage will not tell you all you need to know .. the voltages on all my batteries were over 3 volts, yet when loaded the ones not rated for the current required during computer operations would allow the voltage to drop .. that is not something that you can easily test for ...
The solution? ... get batteries that are rated for that kind of requirment .. pulse duty

For example ... the specs on a Sony CR2450 battery ...
3V ... Nominal Voltage
0.4mA ... Recommended Continuous Drain
24mA ... Recommended Pulse Drain

Some of the reasoning behind the above post ... http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3691845-post2.html
 
Last edited:
D_B:
testing a batteries voltage will not tell you all you need to know .. the voltages on all my batteries were over 3 volts, yet when loaded the ones not rated for the current required during computer operations would allow the voltage to drop .. that is not something that you can easily test for ...
The solution? ... get batteries that are rated for that kind of requirment .. pulse duty
Click to expand...

Absolutely, I agree with you. Use the right battery for the job - but, - I dont believe that it has to be a "brand name product" to fill that function.

The reason behind my "testing" point was just to ensure the battery was running at full voltage before its installed -I understood it was suggested that the battery may not have been at full voltage on installation (ie) old, - I guess it could happen, but its very rare, this particular battery has a very long shelf life.
 
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