[comp.sys.apple2] Still Ticking!

sk2f+@andrew.cmu.edu (Seth D. Kadesh) (11/26/90)

I just got back from Thanksgiving and some wonderfull food!  :-)
My GS is at home, so as to not distract me from my work :-(but I always
seem to be down the hall, playing Rastan on Greg's machine...:-)
Anyway, I sat down to make sure that everything was still working, and I
found that the battery was still good!  I have must have one of the
first Woz machines (I got it in late December when they were first
introduced).  The clock was a little off (an hour plus, but I wasn't
home to set it back for daylight savings!)
So what's the record for one of these batteries?  And what do I do when
it (eventually) dies?

a happy GS owner
 -seth

---
  - tHe mAd ScienTisT, and other carnations 
sk2f@andrew.cmu.edu
R746SK2F@CMCCVB

phs172m@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au (Stephen Harker) (11/27/90)

In article <wbI6KcO00WBMM1TqwP@andrew.cmu.edu>, sk2f+@andrew.cmu.edu (Seth D. Kadesh) writes:
[deleted]
> found that the battery was still good!  I have must have one of the
> first Woz machines (I got it in late December when they were first
> introduced).  The clock was a little off (an hour plus, but I wasn't
> home to set it back for daylight savings!)
> So what's the record for one of these batteries?  And what do I do when
> it (eventually) dies?
> 
> a happy GS owner
>  -seth

I too have a Woz signature GS with its original battery. I bought my machine in
November 1986, but the date it was bought has little effect - a friend has a
Woz machine bought about a year later (brand new); in Australia they seemed to
have much lower initial GS sales than expected, hence Woz machines were
available for a  long time. However the Woz machines were supposed to be the
first few (I think 40,000 from memory) produced.

The critical thing seems to be variations in the battery. Some just last longer
than others - use should not affect this much according to some electrical
engineer friends. 

When your battery dies get a replacement from Night Owl.  These are slide on
batteries, you just clip the leads of the present battery and the new one
should just slide on.  I know a number of people who have done this and it is
very easy.  I don't know the address for Night Owl, but you can get them from
A2-Central.

-- 
Stephen Harker
Monash University

sk2f+@andrew.cmu.edu (Seth D. Kadesh) (11/27/90)

Second try - the mail demons didn't eat well over Thanksgiving  :-)

I just got back from Thanksgiving and some wonderfull food!  :-)
My GS is at home, so as to not distract me from my work :-(but I always
seem to be down the hall, playing Rastan on Greg's machine...:-)
Anyway, I sat down to make sure that everything was still working, and I
found that the battery was still good!  I have must have one of the
first Woz machines (I got it in late December when they were first
introduced).  The clock was a little off (an hour plus, but I wasn't
home to set it back for daylight savings!)
So what's the record for one of these batteries?  And what do I do when
it (eventually) dies?

a happy GS owner
 -seth





---
  - tHe mAd ScienTisT, and other carnations 
sk2f@andrew.cmu.edu
R746SK2F@CMCCVB

NOWAKO09@SNYBUFVA.BITNET (APPLE //GS - THE POWER TO BE YOUR BEST) (11/27/90)

I bought an origional Woz machine from a used computer store (ahem! Previously
Owened!!) and its clock is still going strong also...that would be six years
now, unless, of course, the battery was replaced.....
                                                - Joe Nowakowski

THROOP@GRIN1.BITNET ("Throop,Henry B") (11/27/90)

Joe Nawoski writes:
>Woz machine [...] and its clock is still going strong after six years.

Probably no more than four years, since the gs wasn't available in
quantity much before Jan 1987 (introduced Sep 1986).

Contrary to what someone else wrote, the life expectancy should depend
upon usage, as the the battery is only supplying power when the power
is off.

--
Henry Throop
THROOP@GRIN1.BITNET
throoph@jacobs.cs.orst.edu

mrapple@quack.sac.ca.us (Nick Sayer) (11/27/90)

phs172m@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au (Stephen Harker) writes:

<In article <wbI6KcO00WBMM1TqwP@andrew.cmu.edu>, sk2f+@andrew.cmu.edu (Seth D. Kadesh) writes:
<[deleted]
<> found that the battery was still good!  I have must have one of the
<> first Woz machines (I got it in late December when they were first
<> introduced).  The clock was a little off (an hour plus, but I wasn't
<> home to set it back for daylight savings!)
<> So what's the record for one of these batteries?  And what do I do when
<> it (eventually) dies?
<> 
<> a happy GS owner
<>  -seth

<When your battery dies get a replacement from Night Owl.  These are slide on
<batteries, you just clip the leads of the present battery and the new one
<should just slide on.  I know a number of people who have done this and it is
<very easy.  I don't know the address for Night Owl, but you can get them from
<A2-Central.

I replaced mine with a pair of AAA cell holders in series. The voltage
may be a tad low, but I've had no problems. I did this a while ago
and still have not had to replace the Energizers. The draw at 3 volts
is about 5 microamps, and with the computer's power turned on,
the draw is immeasurable.

If you do this and blow up your motherboard as a result, you didn't
hear me suggest this. :-)

-- 
Nick Sayer              | Disclaimer: "Don't try this at home, | RIP: Mel Blanc
mrapple@quack.sac.ca.us | kids. This should only be done by    |   1908-1989
N6QQQ  [44.2.1.17]      | trained, professional idiots."       |  May he never
209-952-5347 (Telebit)  |                     --Plucky Duck    |  be silenced.

meekins@CIS.OHIO-STATE.EDU (timothy lee meekins) (11/27/90)

In article <FB11D99D691F200ECE@snybufva.bitnet> you write:
>I bought an origional Woz machine from a used computer store (ahem! Previously
>Owened!!) and its clock is still going strong also...that would be six years
>now, unless, of course, the battery was replaced.....
>                                                - Joe Nowakowski

Well...considering the GS was released in the Fall of 1986, I'd say you've
had yours more like 4 years. My battery is also still working on my Woz
machine. Though, I've had it reset to its default for no apparent reason 
a few times.

-- 
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>>   meekins@cis.ohio-state.edu <<>>   8372 Morris Rd.     <<>>  Forever!  <<
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rankins@argentina (raymond r rankins) (11/27/90)

In article <74287.2752297a@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au>, phs172m@vaxc (Stephen Harker) writes:
>When your battery dies get a replacement from Night Owl.  These are slide on
>batteries, you just clip the leads of the present battery and the new one
>should just slide on.  I know a number of people who have done this and it is
>very easy.  I don't know the address for Night Owl, but you can get them from
>A2-Central.

Nite Owl Productions
Slide-On Battery Dept.
5734 Lamar Street
Mission, KS 66202
(913) 362-9898

Ray
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2 Moonglow Rd.       |(518) 583-3320 | COMPUSERVE: 71131,3236
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MQUINN%UTCVM@PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU (11/28/90)

On Mon, 26 Nov 90 21:29:00 EST APPLE //GS - THE POWER TO BE YOUR BEST said:
>I bought an origional Woz machine from a used computer store (ahem! Previously
>Owened!!) and its clock is still going strong also...that would be six years
>now, unless, of course, the battery was replaced.....
>                                                - Joe Nowakowski

Ummm, maybe four years.  The GS was introduced about this time of year
in '86.  (-:

----------------------------------------
  Michael J. Quinn
  University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
  BITNET--   mquinn@utcvm
  pro-line-- mquinn@pro-gsplus.cts.com

johnmac@fawlty.towers.oz (John MacLean) (12/04/90)

In article <9011270430.AA29122@apple.com> THROOP@GRIN1.BITNET ("Throop,Henry B") writes:
>Contrary to what someone else wrote, the life expectancy should depend
>upon usage, as the the battery is only supplying power when the power
>is off.
>Henry Throop

This seems to imply that the more you use your GS, the longer your battery
should last. This is not what I have experienced.
I use my GS a LOT, and am on my 3rd battery, and I know another guy who is
also on his 3rd. He also managed to get a motherboard swap with the first
of his replacements at no extra cost - not bad.
John MacLean.
-- 
This net: johnmac@fawlty.towers.oz.au                   Phone: +61 2 427 2999
That net: uunet!fawlty.towers.oz.au!johnmac             Fax:   +61 2 427 7072
Snail:    Tower Technology, Unit D 31-33 Sirius Rd,     Home:  +61 2 960 1453
          Lane Cove, NSW 2066, Australia.

bill@pro-gateway.cts.com (Bill Long, SysOp) (12/05/90)

In-Reply-To: message from johnmac@fawlty.towers.oz

>>Contrary to what someone else wrote, the life expectancy should depend
>>upon usage, as the the battery is only supplying power when the power
>>is off.
>>Henry Throop

>This seems to imply that the more you use your GS, the longer your battery
>should last. This is not what I have experienced.
>I use my GS a LOT, and am on my 3rd battery, and I know another guy who is
>also on his 3rd. He also managed to get a motherboard swap with the first
>of his replacements at no extra cost - not bad.
>John MacLean.

That's weird. I use MY GS a lot (it's on 24 hrs a day every day, since I run
a BBS). I got it in June of '87, and I've still got the original battery in
it! :)

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daveharv@pro-novapple.cts.com (Dave Harvey (SysAdmin)) (12/08/90)

In-Reply-To: message from johnmac@fawlty.towers.oz


>This seems to imply that the more you use your GS, the longer your battery
>should last. This is not what I have experienced.
>I use my GS a LOT, and am on my 3rd battery, and I know another guy who is
>also on his 3rd. He also managed to get a motherboard swap with the first

There was also a problem in some of the early GS's where a diode used for
charging the battery was installed wrong and causeing the battery to fail
prematurily.  Maybe that's why you've been going thru so many batteries.
I've had my GS for a few years and still have the original
battery.  I never turn my GS off; I have a UPS powering it.
 
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kimbrennan@gnh-starport.cts.com (Kim Brennan) (12/10/90)

The reason that the GS's battery dies is pretty simple (and not something that
Apple thought of when they soldered the thing in their originally). The Lithium
cell used has a SHELF Life of only 5 years. This means that even if the battery
is NOT being used at ALL it will only last about 5 years. The current drain on
the GS motherboard is so little that the battery is basically sitting on the
shelf anyway.
     I, too, just dropped into a RadioShack and bought a battery holder and
alligator clips. Standard AA batteries put out 1.6volts. Two put out 3.2 volts
which is close enough to the Lithium cell as to make no difference to your
computer. I made the mistake of getting a AAA battery holder so I've replaced
those batteries once already! Oh, well. 
INET: /\_/\  kimbrennan@gnh-starport.cts.com
     / o o \ America Online: KimBrennan
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lexter@pro-abilink.cts.com (Sam Robertson) (12/17/90)

In-Reply-To: message from bill@pro-gateway.cts.com

re:still ticking!

>>I use my GS a LOT, and am on my 3rd battery, and I know another guy who is
>>also on his 3rd. He also managed to get a motherboard swap with the first
>>of his replacements at no extra cost - not bad.
>>John MacLean.
>
>That's weird. I use MY GS a lot (it's on 24 hrs a day every day, since I run
>a BBS). I got it in June of '87, and I've still got the original battery in
>it! :)
Okay, my turn!
I use my GS quite a bit, and I am still on my first battery.  I have had it
since the latter part of 1986 and have had no problems!  I am waiting though,
since the last year, I have not been using it nerely as much and have gone one
month without ever turning it on since a keyboard had been stolen!

But, at this time my control panel still sets up the old 128k ramdisk and the
clock is still on the money!

Sam
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