Bat Err in KX3
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My KX3 has been sitting idle for many months. Turned it on today and tried to charge the battery, which I am guessing is depleted to zero, but I keep getting "Bat Err." Yes, there is a rechargeable battery installed - it has worked just fine for years. And yes, I did RTFM, about accessing the menu and the steps for readying the rig for charging (page 23, as I recall). But that doesn't do it. No matter what charge time I select, I get the same error message when I exit the menu. "Bat Err." Any ideas? Could the batteries have died from having been ignored for so long?
Ted, KN1CBR ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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I had NiMH batteries expire on me from disuse. From my POV it's possible.
On Sat, Mar 31, 2018 at 19:36 Dauer, Edward <[hidden email]> wrote: > My KX3 has been sitting idle for many months. Turned it on today and > tried to charge the battery, which I am guessing is depleted to zero, but I > keep getting "Bat Err." Yes, there is a rechargeable battery installed - > it has worked just fine for years. And yes, I did RTFM, about accessing > the menu and the steps for readying the rig for charging (page 23, as I > recall). But that doesn't do it. No matter what charge time I select, I > get the same error message when I exit the menu. "Bat Err." Any ideas? > Could the batteries have died from having been ignored for so long? > > Ted, KN1CBR > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [hidden email] > 72, Rich Hurd / WC3T / DMR: 3142737 PA Army MARS, Northampton County RACES, EPA-ARRL Public Information Officer for Scouting Latitude: 40.761621 Longitude: -75.288988 (40°45.68' N 75°17.33' W) Grid: *FN20is* ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by Edward A. Dauer
Re: "Could the batteries have died from having been ignored for so long?"
Although I have never experienced this with quality Low Self Discharge (LSD) NiMH cells, it may have happened. I have experienced this with non-LSD NiMH cells, and they just aren't worth the time and effort to use. I suggest you remove the cells and check the voltage across each one individually using a voltmeter. Any cell that has dropped below 1 volt has most likely been damaged and should not be reused. If any of the cells are below 1 volt, it may be best to replace all 8 cells and save yourself later frustration. Using old cells intermixed with new cells isn't really good practice since their capacities will differ. That results in reverse charging of the old cells as the set of cells is depleted, causing quick failure of the remaining old cells. It just isn't worth messing with. Just as a data point, I just now powered my KX3 up after it had been tucked away in my backpack for over a year since they were last recharged. The voltage as indicated by the KX3 display was 9.9 volts, which is about 1.2 volts per cell, the nominal voltage for NiMH cells. They are Eneloop 2000 cells and are over 5 years old. I suspect that their capacity has decreased and their voltage will drop quickly when I transmit. Probably time for me to get a fresh set of Eneloops. Mark KE6BB On Saturday, March 31, 2018, 4:38:36 PM PDT, Dauer, Edward <[hidden email]> wrote: My KX3 has been sitting idle for many months... ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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I had Eneloops do this to me too. :(
On Sat, Mar 31, 2018 at 20:55 Mark Petiford via Elecraft < [hidden email]> wrote: > Re: "Could the batteries have died from having been ignored for so long?" > > Although I have never experienced this with quality Low Self Discharge > (LSD) NiMH cells, it may have happened. I have experienced this with > non-LSD NiMH cells, and they just aren't worth the time and effort to use. > > I suggest you remove the cells and check the voltage across each one > individually using a voltmeter. Any cell that has dropped below 1 volt has > most likely been damaged and should not be reused. If any of the cells are > below 1 volt, it may be best to replace all 8 cells and save yourself later > frustration. > > Using old cells intermixed with new cells isn't really good practice since > their capacities will differ. That results in reverse charging of the old > cells as the set of cells is depleted, causing quick failure of the > remaining old cells. It just isn't worth messing with. > > Just as a data point, I just now powered my KX3 up after it had been > tucked away in my backpack for over a year since they were last recharged. > The voltage as indicated by the KX3 display was 9.9 volts, which is about > 1.2 volts per cell, the nominal voltage for NiMH cells. They are Eneloop > 2000 cells and are over 5 years old. I suspect that their capacity has > decreased and their voltage will drop quickly when I transmit. Probably > time for me to get a fresh set of Eneloops. > > Mark > KE6BB > > On Saturday, March 31, 2018, 4:38:36 PM PDT, Dauer, Edward < > [hidden email]> wrote: > > My KX3 has been sitting idle for many months... > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [hidden email] -- 72, Rich Hurd / WC3T / DMR: 3142737 PA Army MARS, Northampton County RACES, EPA-ARRL Public Information Officer for Scouting Latitude: 40.761621 Longitude: -75.288988 (40°45.68' N 75°17.33' W) Grid: *FN20is* ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by Edward A. Dauer
Ted,
The battery voltage was too low to start charging without possible damage. Yes, NiMH batteries will self-discharge to the point of not being able to recover them. Keep them charged, or you can loose them. The KX3 internal charger requires a certain minimum voltage before it can start charging. Bat Err is the indication that charging cannot start. You might be able to remove the batteries and charge them using a different charger, but be aware that if they are deeply discharged, they may overheat during the process and destroy their future lifetime. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/31/2018 7:36 PM, Dauer, Edward wrote: > My KX3 has been sitting idle for many months. Turned it on today and tried to charge the battery, which I am guessing is depleted to zero, but I keep getting "Bat Err." Yes, there is a rechargeable battery installed - it has worked just fine for years. And yes, I did RTFM, about accessing the menu and the steps for readying the rig for charging (page 23, as I recall). But that doesn't do it. No matter what charge time I select, I get the same error message when I exit the menu. "Bat Err." Any ideas? Could the batteries have died from having been ignored for so long? ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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