Re: [NTLK] Best Practices for Newton Battery

From: Frank Gruendel (newtontalk_at_pda-soft.de)
Date: Mon Sep 19 2005 - 16:35:12 PDT


> Recently I ordered a "brand new" Newton
> rechargeable Nickle-metalhydryde
> [sp] battery pack labeled "Newton
> Rechargeable Battery Pack" on the edge
> of the pack. It's labeled =3DA9 copyright
> 1998 Apple Computer. Model HO163.

Snip...

> I full realize that in all probability
> the Apple rechargeable must have been
> manufactured in 1998 or thereabouts

Yes, that's about correct.

> sometimes when I power on my Newton I get
> the warning that says "Your batter is almost
> dead and needs to be recharged". But, then
> if I go to extras and tap on view the battery
> condition bar it's about 3/4 full charge.

This can have a couple of reasons. It will for
example be that way when the Newton was switched
on, displayed the warning, then went to sleep and
was charged before you turn it on the next time.

It can also happen if you draw much current from a
weak battery (maybe using an ethernet or a WLAN card
or one of Adriano's NewtLights). The displayed capacity
will increase after current consumption has returned to
normal conditions.

> Is this just part of the "training"
> routine that any new rechargeable
> Newton battery normally goes through,

Definitely not.

> My [very limited] understanding is
> that the status is measure by the
> "temperature" of the batteries!

This is wrong. The capacity is derived from
the battery's voltage. The temperature is only
evaluated while charging to prevent overcharge.

Frank

-- Newton software and hardware at http://www.pda-soft.de

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