Problems with CF+ battery?

[EHenry]

So, I just got a 3970 with a CF+ sleeve... a big change from my old Palm V. Not 100% sure about it yet, but...

The battery meter seems to have trouble determining the charge in the CF+ expansion pack battery. It's very often "unknown". Even when it does display a bar there's no percentage shown like for the primary battery.

Is this normal? Did I get a bum battery?

The secondary battery bar shows up sometimes, just not always (rarely).

Thanks,
Ethan

[don dre]

I have that combo as well but I have experienced no problems. However, I use battery bar so I'm not sure if that makes a difference. I show percentages for both. I only use the pack when I need storage but when i do, the extra battery time is great. The ipaq battery itself is pretty good though.

[Janak Parekh]

The battery meter seems to have trouble determining the charge in the CF+ expansion pack battery. It's very often "unknown". Even when it does display a bar there's no percentage shown like for the primary battery.
The secondary battery doesn't report its battery life "immediately", so you should notice this upon startup. But if it happens all the time, even if the iPaq has been on for a couple minutes, something might be wrong.

There is no percentage, btw, because this is using the old-style iPaq battery technology which doesn't know the precise voltage/percentage. That's by design.

--bdj

[EHenry]

[quote="BigDaddyJThe secondary battery doesn't report its battery life "immediately", so you should notice this upon startup. But if it happens all the time, even if the iPaq has been on for a couple minutes, something might be wrong.
[/quote]

OK... the odd thing is that sometimes when the iPaq has been on for a while I'll switch over, see the reading and then... poof! It goes back to unknown.

I think I'll call Comaq support when I get back home... too much business travel. :(

[inkfox]

I just got a CF+ sleeve yesterday, and after charging for 18 hours, it still only shows about 1/8 of a bar and complains that it's got to shut down owing to low battery life. I've yet to see the LED on the back go steady to indicate a full charge.

I'm starting to suspect mine's broken. Perhaps we're sharing a bit of the same luck.

[Janak Parekh]

I just got a CF+ sleeve yesterday, and after charging for 18 hours, it still only shows about 1/8 of a bar and complains that it's got to shut down owing to low battery life. I've yet to see the LED on the back go steady to indicate a full charge.
Does sound like your battery is shot. Fortunately you can put the blank cover and ask HP/Compaq to replace just the battery.

Sorry :(

--janak

[inkfox]

I just got a CF+ sleeve yesterday, and after charging for 18 hours, it still only shows about 1/8 of a bar and complains that it's got to shut down owing to low battery life. I've yet to see the LED on the back go steady to indicate a full charge.
Does sound like your battery is shot. Fortunately you can put the blank cover and ask HP/Compaq to replace just the battery.

No huge deal. The microdrive I ordered to go with it isn't here until Monday, and I just called Compaq/HP and they're sending a replacement battery overnight (so, Monday also).

Good service, nice to know.

[John Hung]

The battery program I use from OmegaOne does show percentages for my main battery and the external battery on the NexiPak, but for external battery it only shows percentages in increment of 10 at a time. I wish there is a way to detect the power level one percent at a time.

I wear a digital watch so I don't have to guess the exact time looking at an analog watch, and now I am spending time guess my external battery's percentage. :lol: