Moderated by: chrisbet,
AA Battery TerminalNot making contact?  Rate Topic 
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Posted by Robert: Thu Oct 17th, 2019 16:25 1st Post
I have several bluetooth Apple keyboards, mice and trackpads, I can't afford to feed them on ordinary batteries, I use re-chargables.

A while back I started to buy Eneloop white AA cells and from time to time I have bought more.  On one occasion I could only get Fujitsu cells rather than the very similar Eneloop ones.

Recently I have been suffering from the peripheral devices stopping working for a few minutes at a time.  In the last few days I have two devices refuse to work at all with fully charged Eneloop cells, yet work perfectly with the Fujitsu cells.  The cell voltage is the same or near enough, freshly charged. I have tried several combinations but the Eneloops seem to be getting worse, I have thought of putting a tiny blob of solder on the pintle to make it slightly longer but I'm reluctant to apply soldering iron to a cell for fear of melting the plastic film inside.

In the Apple peripherals, mice etc, you have to insert the pintle (+ positive) end first and it sits on a soft washer which prevents a battery making contact with the terminal if inserted the wrong way round, (flat end first).  I don't have any issues with the Fujitsu batteries.

By eye the Fujitsu batteries seem to have a very slightly longer pintle to make slightly deeper contact inside the peripheral.

Other than dumping all my Eneloop cells does anyone have any suggestions or comments on how I might get over this, all these cells should have plenty of life left in them.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Eric: Thu Oct 17th, 2019 16:53 2nd Post
I am guessing you know the answer to this, but I will ask it anyway...

Do you know how long non rechargeable batteries last in the resp devices?

The reason I ask is that I only once changed the non rechargeable batteries in my wireless Microsoft (sorry) keyboards in 5 years to my certain knowledge....probably longer. That's using it virtually every day while the running the business. Don't understand why your would be draining batteries at such an uneconomic rate?

Edit.... just been and checked my WIFi mouse, which admittedly has sat virtually unused for the best part of I don't know how long (I used the Wacom tablet exclusively)....the Duracell batteries still work it! ( much to my amazement)



____________________
Eric


Posted by Robert: Fri Oct 18th, 2019 02:19 3rd Post
I haven't monitored battery consumption in detail but I would guess a pair of rechargeable AA's last about a two to three of weeks, no more. I do have a 'proper' Apple rechargeable trackpad which also seems to last about two weeks, maybe a bit more.

It's funny that you are suggesting this because my friend Len, who runs an iMac, also uses normal (non rechargeable) batteries, Morrisons cheapest and gently scoffed at my use of rechargeable batteries.  I will be seeing him this morning and will ask him how long HIS batteries last.  Maybe I am on the wrong boat... I tried a couple of his batteries in my reluctant mouse and they worked perfectly.

I have always used mice and keyboards with tails until comparatively recently because I feel a hard wire connection is far more reliable but the wires do tend to get in the way. My wired peripherals gradually pack up over many years , so I decided to go wireless for convenience and more or less went with rechargeable batteries immediately, given I already had a few.  I only use ordinary batteries as a stop gap in an emergency.  So I don't really have any experience of using non rechargeable batteries in my peripherals.  I have had this issue with the mice particularly, briefly dropping out over the last year or so.

All this is with the background of the use of rechargeable batteries being encouraged to save the planet... Perhaps it's all hype?



____________________
Robert.



Posted by jk: Fri Oct 18th, 2019 02:29 4th Post
Robert you can use brass rod and conductive glue if you want to extend the pintle.

I agree with Eric.  I think you Eneloops may be getting end of life.  I use Eneloops in my SB-800 (4) and Sigma SG140 and have 40 Eneloop AA batteries.  The original NiMHs (preEneloops) have all gone to the bin!

I use Eneloop AAA in my mice and charge them once or twice a year.  I think Eric is probably more efficient than me with his mouse movement! My Intuous5 is USB linked so charges when my machine is on but I should use it on wireless mode as a test.



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Posted by Robert: Fri Oct 18th, 2019 03:08 5th Post
Thanks JK, I never knew of conductive glue... will google it.  A tiny blob would be all it needs,  we are only talking 0.5mm at the most, maybe only 0.2mm.

It may be you are right about the end of life, I expect these things to go on forever!  However, I think there may be two issues here which could be linked... If they are getting towards end of life, they may be swelling internally and pushing the envelope up around the pintle, effectively reducing it's height, causing a complete loss of contact even with fully charged batteries, because the contacts are quite deeply recessed to prevent reverse polarity connection inside the devices.

OMG!!!

I just looked up conductive glue...

RS Components...



____________________
Robert.



Posted by chrisbet: Fri Oct 18th, 2019 03:29 6th Post
I wonder if the issue is really that the rechargeables are 1.2v versus the "old" tech batteries 1.5v - I have had countless issues with rechargeables over the years, even brand new ones and now buy AA & AAA batteries in bulk packs which works out cheaper. And, yes, the pintle is longer on the standard batteries.

A rechargeable in my mouse lasts a month or so - standard batteries last over a year ....



____________________
If it is broken it was probably me ....


Posted by Eric: Fri Oct 18th, 2019 03:52 7th Post
jk wrote:
Robert you can use brass rod and conductive glue if you want to extend the pintle.

I agree with Eric.  I think you Eneloops may be getting end of life.  I use Eneloops in my SB-800 (4) and Sigma SG140 and have 40 Eneloop AA batteries.  The original NiMHs (preEneloops) have all gone to the bin!

I use Eneloop AAA in my mice and charge them once or twice a year.  I think Eric is probably more efficient than me with his mouse movement! My Intuous5 is USB linked so charges when my machine is on but I should use it on wireless mode as a test.
Probably didn't make myself clear...the longevity of battery life I mentioned was JUST the keyboard. I never used the mouse, favouring the pen and tablet for all 'movements'. The tablet is USB.



____________________
Eric


Posted by Robert: Fri Oct 18th, 2019 03:57 8th Post
Thanks for the input Chris, currently 3:2 in favour of non rechargeable...

I can feel a test coming on, side by side, Eneloop, Fujitsu, Duracell and supermarket specials.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by jk: Fri Oct 18th, 2019 03:58 9th Post
RS are taking the mick!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solderless-Silver-Conductive-Wire-Paste-Glue-PCB-Electronics-Repair/263390579167?epid=15020502243&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item3d534d49df:g:MVwAAOSwuD9ZwQ3T&enc=AQAEAAACMBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qWTTuiEig7l6Ssw9bs3CTk2qDQzOhjbNOIOfTSkn9xlhfBYoVhtkK9pbS8cwgINc8BtZHgCcqQaCFYrWswm8GMh6CEQf1g9BvGAN%2FPwoWWxce%2FRvOIRusThYnHZaIE1%2B%2B6ylwNqlczQ4V26HKepoQqBYk78WI%2FYgU4B1W9pldujWcg4FXfuY8LMiENwEE5VipsHiJopI5DPDlofmKpmkIklMph%2FI%2FycLsJ8X5nzJmE9ApcVkn%2BR3r3V2kyPTtjP%2B7aEo2Dwtj%2FAlCeI82sL7aOJ2q%2B7lBOkwYBpeH52h%2FSl%2B16cc5vuaxpDYX3w9GnkYA9Unduthw7NJicG07yC8MiCDx3SJ%2FXwqllAGwlvdn6lKLWRHcbJQVlNQe5R9sxWbOwzeR35QxUn5GLo%2B7VNgVLhJmOWdF%2F7aHy8n32wMxC3IpZZp3BGnydm4wWaNOPtwrskBJTHIUPiSRgR77DlSxjywB06z5CnfNYOivz1PFP5aCqeMVlCyXceVdXGJcwSfPvszDztTwf6fh1x9qbm7xEYgSiDe0VzeXrqYuxzlnJpvb1p1ujof38NzYOnsCpxGGICWnzL6Ra4jObvCwsosXbVgp8FsZdguYHrz%2FplSnRELzrTJ%2FwJRzED9AvlLfPZYKExuHf%2BLdyq6HWdGzWTM2j308my1HnyQOCvNoJgQBtbD22O4RXV0BTeyjtXiQ6UspgZQXHO6yBUnL2IwmHkiC8G&checksum=2633905791677f3460fa2b984c8b8acf2fb5320850cb



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Posted by chrisbet: Fri Oct 18th, 2019 04:18 10th Post
Robert wrote:
Thanks for the input Chris, currently 3:2 in favour of non rechargeable...

I can feel a test coming on, side by side, Eneloop, Fujitsu, Duracell and supermarket specials.
A Which report said that Energizer out performed Eneloop but Amazon basics were nearly as good.... the Energizer AAs I have are 2500mAh



____________________
If it is broken it was probably me ....


Posted by chrisbet: Fri Oct 18th, 2019 04:22 11th Post
jk wrote:
RS are taking the mick!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solderless-Silver-Conductive-Wire-Paste-Glue-PCB-Electronics-Repair/263390579167?epid=15020502243&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item3d534d49df:g:MVwAAOSwuD9ZwQ3T&enc=AQAEAAACMBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qWTTuiEig7l6Ssw9bs3CTk2qDQzOhjbNOIOfTSkn9xlhfBYoVhtkK9pbS8cwgINc8BtZHgCcqQaCFYrWswm8GMh6CEQf1g9BvGAN%2FPwoWWxce%2FRvOIRusThYnHZaIE1%2B%2B6ylwNqlczQ4V26HKepoQqBYk78WI%2FYgU4B1W9pldujWcg4FXfuY8LMiENwEE5VipsHiJopI5DPDlofmKpmkIklMph%2FI%2FycLsJ8X5nzJmE9ApcVkn%2BR3r3V2kyPTtjP%2B7aEo2Dwtj%2FAlCeI82sL7aOJ2q%2B7lBOkwYBpeH52h%2FSl%2B16cc5vuaxpDYX3w9GnkYA9Unduthw7NJicG07yC8MiCDx3SJ%2FXwqllAGwlvdn6lKLWRHcbJQVlNQe5R9sxWbOwzeR35QxUn5GLo%2B7VNgVLhJmOWdF%2F7aHy8n32wMxC3IpZZp3BGnydm4wWaNOPtwrskBJTHIUPiSRgR77DlSxjywB06z5CnfNYOivz1PFP5aCqeMVlCyXceVdXGJcwSfPvszDztTwf6fh1x9qbm7xEYgSiDe0VzeXrqYuxzlnJpvb1p1ujof38NzYOnsCpxGGICWnzL6Ra4jObvCwsosXbVgp8FsZdguYHrz%2FplSnRELzrTJ%2FwJRzED9AvlLfPZYKExuHf%2BLdyq6HWdGzWTM2j308my1HnyQOCvNoJgQBtbD22O4RXV0BTeyjtXiQ6UspgZQXHO6yBUnL2IwmHkiC8G&checksum=2633905791677f3460fa2b984c8b8acf2fb5320850cb
That is good value! The last lot of paste I bought was £15 in a bottle and 95% was wasted as it dried out! I use it to repair MG heated rear screens.



____________________
If it is broken it was probably me ....


Posted by jk: Fri Oct 18th, 2019 05:10 12th Post
chrisbet wrote:
A Which report said that Energizer out performed Eneloop but Amazon basics were nearly as good.... the Energizer AAs I have are 2500mAh The latest Eneloops have that power level but does it deliver what it says on the battery?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-PCS-Panasonic-eneloop-PRO-AA-Battery-2500mAh-Rechargeable-UK-Batteries/352712767286?hash=item521f51b736:g:qsEAAOSwvrddIz4F



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