Omnimaga
Calculator Community => Other Calculators => Topic started by: fb39ca4 on October 17, 2010, 03:06:23 pm
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I was playing gbc4nspire on my calc 15 mins ago, and the calc turned off. I assumed the emulator had crashed, so I removed the keypad to pull a battery, but when I opened it, one battery went bang, and it was smoking, and battery paste was inside the compartment.
Before anyone asks, yes, the batteries were all in the right way.
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Pics or it didn't happen.
And before anyone says anything else. Are you okay?
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Yes, I'm fine, but my mom is freaking out. (The calc was on my bed, and she is insisting on getting all the sheets washed)
Unfortunately, I already cleaned it out, but I could get a pic of the battery.
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Glad to hear you are alright!
Is your Nspire ok, or is it destroyed too?
/me thinks this has struck again:
(http://i23.servimg.com/u/f23/13/23/13/53/tisate10.jpg)
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That might happen if the battery terminals got shorted together somehow by something metallic. Or maybe it was a very strange defect in the battery or it somehow developed an internal short or something weird like that.
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yikes! Holy crap man...
now it is a whodunit
the nspire, the battery, the emu, or ndless
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yikes! Holy crap man...
now it is a whodunit
the nspire, the battery, the emu, or ndless
Blame TI :D
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I think it was just the battery. If it was any of the other three, I am sure this would have happened earlier.
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I'm not sure about the calc - I'm waiting for some rechargeable batteries to charge. (Don't want to use batteries form the same batch)
I had alkaline batteries in there, btw.
If the calc is bricked, then at least I have an excuse to buy a Prizm :)
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If it was an internal short, you probably don't have a calculator anymore. It takes a lot of heat to break the battery compartment as compared to what the electronics can handle. Although, if TI was smart, they had temperature shutoff circuits installed into the processor to prevent overheating. Not much chance of that, though.
If it was an intracell short, then you may or may not have a calculator depending on exactly what happened.
If it was software, then you almost certainly don't have a calculator. Software is notoriously bad at regulating batteries.
EDIT: You need an excuse to buy a Prizm? ;)
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Well, the battery was leaking around the top edge, where the outer wrapping ends.
If I had my way, I would buy a prizm anyways, but my parents would say it is a waste of money.
EDIT: Also, the batteries had been in the calc for around 3 hours prior to this, and the calc had been used for around an hour.
EDIT: The calc still works!
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Dude, get the sheets cleaned anyway. Makes your mom happy, and you don't have to worry about battery acid! Seriously, I think there is a defect with the batteries. Of course, if it is bricked, then by all means din't get rid of it! Write your own os and have it just be a test device.
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I just said it works in the previous post^
But if it were bricked, how could it be a test device ???
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If it was an internal short, you probably don't have a calculator anymore. It takes a lot of heat to break the battery compartment as compared to what the electronics can handle. Although, if TI was smart, they had temperature shutoff circuits installed into the processor to prevent overheating. Not much chance of that, though.
If it was an intracell short, then you may or may not have a calculator depending on exactly what happened.
If it was software, then you almost certainly don't have a calculator. Software is notoriously bad at regulating batteries.
Ah, I was probably a bit ambiguous there. I was thinking of a short internal to the cell itself, though I don't know whether that's actually common with alkaline cells (I've never heard of it, personally). It sometimes happens with rechargeables, though I think it's rare for the internal short to actually draw enough current to generate that much heat and an explosion (usually, the symptom is simply a cell that completely drains itself in a matter of hours or days after a full charge, even if not used—I have a few worn-out NiMH cells that exhibit this condition).
It seems unlikely, but maybe somehow a battery terminal or something shorted the terminals of that one cell together. I think I've heard of a rare case or two before of a poorly-designed battery compartment damaging the insulation on the cell and causing this, leading to a product recall.
Although I've never seen it happen firsthand, one thing I've heard of quite frequently over the years are TI calculators that seem to drain batteries in an excessively short period of time for no apparent reason. I guess somehow something in the calculator circuitry develops a defect that draws excessive current from the batteries in these cases.
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I was thinking of a short internal to the cell itself, though I don't know whether that's actually common with alkaline cells (I've never heard of it, personally).
Well, that's what I was referring to. Some Alkaline batteries have multiple cells inside, I believe. Each side of each piece of filter is one cell.
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Just wondering, is it a bad thing if you get a low battery warning immediately after putting in new batteries? That happened when I put in those batteries, and I ignored it because they were fresh
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Does the warning stay on persistently or just show occasionally? Also, alkaline or rechargeable?
Whoops, misread the post.
That was probably due to the cell that exploded, due to whatever made it explode. If it was a short of some kind, it probably drew enough current to drain the battery very quickly and pull down the voltage too much. If it happened right after you put in those batteries, and the explosion occurred much later, that might be evidence that it was the battery itself that was defective in this case.
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Just wondering, is it a bad thing if you get a low battery warning immediately after putting in new batteries? That happened when I put in those batteries, and I ignored it because they were fresh
From now on we know it is. I'd say, sue that brand of batteries, it was obviously the batteries 'fault'. You shouldn't have this problem with rechargable batteries because they are nearly immune to exploding...
I myself use duracel batteries, not specifically because of that brand but just because you know there is something going wrong when 'custom' supermarket batteries are like $5 dollars cheaper....the signs are everywhere
edit: I am not supersticious! I just want to know where my shotgun is!
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You shouldn't have this problem with rechargable batteries because they are nearly immune to exploding...
Well, I wouldn't be too quick to say that—any type of battery is potentially dangerous if defective or abused (e.g., incorrect charging, drawing more current than it is designed to safely do, etc.)
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well.. ndless did have that power management bug didn't it? :o could that have something to do with it maybe?
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Although I've never seen it happen firsthand, one thing I've heard of quite frequently over the years are TI calculators that seem to drain batteries in an excessively short period of time for no apparent reason. I guess somehow something in the calculator circuitry develops a defect that draws excessive current from the batteries in these cases.
I know DJ's 83+SE had this happen to it. :(
Good luck fb39ca4! :)
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Take some baking soda mixed with water along with a QueTip and clean that acid out of your calc.
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Take some baking soda mixed with water along with a QueTip and clean that acid out of your calc.
QueTip?
interesting, where i live there is only QTip... oh well...
Ya, Ranman is right, make sure you tidy it up really nice, as battery acid is acid... (happybobjr just realized what he said ...:P)
I would get it out of your calc as much as possible as fast as you can. (baking soda neutralizes acids)
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The material in an alkaline battery is actually alkaline, though, which is the opposite of acid (hence the name). ;) Still, though, it's an irritant and corrosive to some materials, so be sure to clean it up anyway. :)
Although I've never seen it happen firsthand, one thing I've heard of quite frequently over the years are TI calculators that seem to drain batteries in an excessively short period of time for no apparent reason. I guess somehow something in the calculator circuitry develops a defect that draws excessive current from the batteries in these cases.
I know DJ's 83+SE had this happen to it. :(
Yeah, I think I also remember Netham45 mentioning on IRC the other day that he had a calc that not only did that, but made the batteries hot in the process. It would be interesting if someone hooked up an ammeter or ohmmeter to a calc doing that to see what the current draw/resistance is at the battery terminals compared to a properly functioning calc.
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The material in an alkaline battery is actually alkaline, though, which is the opposite of acid (hence the name). ;) Still, though, it's an irritant and corrosive to some materials, so be sure to clean it up anyway. :)
hummm, its a bace? thats good to know. (so pour orange juice into your calc??? >:D )
Edit: we were tought bace and acid instead of alkaline and acid at our school. I guess the teachers think we're dumb? ))) (<- syntax error :P )
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The material in an alkaline battery is actually alkaline, though, which is the opposite of acid (hence the name). ;) Still, though, it's an irritant and corrosive to some materials, so be sure to clean it up anyway. :)
Well... That's embarrassing...
I'm gonna blame the Hydrocodone pain medication for clouding my brain functionality. :D
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I already did the qtip thing-luckily the base came out between two batteries, so it didn't get on the terminals.
Does the warning stay on persistently or just show occasionally? Also, alkaline or rechargeable?
Whoops, misread the post.
That was probably due to the cell that exploded, due to whatever made it explode. If it was a short of some kind, it probably drew enough current to drain the battery very quickly and pull down the voltage too much. If it happened right after you put in those batteries, and the explosion occurred much later, that might be evidence that it was the battery itself that was defective in this case.
Let this be a warning to everyone-if you get a low battery warning right after putting in fresh batteries, get them out ASAP!
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No picture ? :'(
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Glad to hear it still works, now go wash your sheets.
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Thankfully I've never had a battery explode on me in any of the portable devices I've had. That would've scared the shit out of me. I'm glad that you and the calc are fine. ^^
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Although I've never seen it happen firsthand, one thing I've heard of quite frequently over the years are TI calculators that seem to drain batteries in an excessively short period of time for no apparent reason. I guess somehow something in the calculator circuitry develops a defect that draws excessive current from the batteries in these cases.
I know DJ's 83+SE had this happen to it. :(
Good luck fb39ca4! :)
Yeah :(
Power is drainer ridiculously fast when the calc is turned OFF.
I hope the batteries didn't damage anything x.x
Btw when a battery explode literally, does it do a very loud detonation and large explosion like fireworks or a grenade? :P
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Btw when a battery explode literally, does it do a very loud detonation and large explosion like fireworks or a grenade? :P
I think that if this would've happened, his calc would be dead. x.x
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We never know. Maybe these things are more resistant than you think. ;D
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Btw when a battery explode literally, does it do a very loud detonation and large explosion like fireworks or a grenade? :P
I think that if this would've happened, his calc would be dead. x.x
It just went bang, sort of like a small firecracker.
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We never know. Maybe these things are more resistant than you think. ;D
Last year, I dropped my 89 from the top of my locker to a very hard concrete floor. It hit at such an angle that the battery cover came off and all 4 batteries came out. There was not one scratch on the calculator though! :)
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Btw when a battery explode literally, does it do a very loud detonation and large explosion like fireworks or a grenade? :P
I think that if this would've happened, his calc would be dead. x.x
It just went bang, sort of like a small firecracker.
X.x. I would personally be scared, kinda, lol.
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Now that we are on the topic of batteries, I have always wondered this: What is better, Energizer or Duracell? Every time I test my batteries, the Energizers tend to have a higher charge. But their pink bunny makes me suspicious. You just can't trust a pink rabbit.
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I personally prefer Duracell, they seem to last longer for me, and they're not as flashy. :P
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Btw when a battery explode literally, does it do a very loud detonation and large explosion like fireworks or a grenade? :P
I think that if this would've happened, his calc would be dead. x.x
It just went bang, sort of like a small firecracker.
X.x. I would personally be scared, kinda, lol.
Yeah, I was pretty freaked out ... like most people, I take it for granted my batteries won't explode in my calc.
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We never know. Maybe these things are more resistant than you think. ;D
Ah, irony...
And seeing as this isn't in Randomness, that's a bit disturbing. What brand of batteries?
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Now that we are on the topic of batteries, I have always wondered this: What is better, Energizer or Duracell? Every time I test my batteries, the Energizers tend to have a higher charge. But their pink bunny makes me suspicious. You just can't trust a pink rabbit.
I prefer Duracells as they seem to last longer but at like $8 per battery set (4 AAA's) I prefer the $1.49 sets of 12 batteries at the dollar store. I didn't have problems with them yet and in the end I end up saving money despite the fact they last like 4 times shorter.
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Having that happen to me would definitely startle the heck out of me. It could be a close call for sure—I once (around 10–12 years ago) saw a story on the news about a children's toy with a battery compartment where the springs were somehow damaging the battery's insulation and causing it to get shorted out. The guy who had taken them out said that the moltern battery guts got squirted right in his face or eyes.
I prefer Duracells as they seem to last longer but at like $8 per battery set (4 AAA's) I prefer the $1.49 sets of 12 batteries at the dollar store. I didn't have problems with them yet and in the end I end up saving money despite the fact they last like 4 times shorter.
Ouch, seems expensive over there. Where I live (though I don't know what the difference between U.S. and Canadian dollars is right now), a few bucks more than $8 will get you a pack of 4 AA or AAA NiMH rechargeables. That's what I've been using for years now for almost everything, because I go through batteries quickly and this way I only have to buy new ones every few years instead of every few days or weeks. In some devices like TI calcs, though, it's tricky because the battery low warning doesn't take NiCd/NiMH characteristics into account, and the calc can end up dying without warning when they run down, in some cases causing a RAM clear. To avoid this, I just get in the habit of swapping them out for recharging every so often before they have a chance to get low.
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Wow, I just got 4 new rechargeable batteries (AAA) for $6 ... and they're 1000 mAh, unlike the $12 850 mAh ones I had...
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No way! what was it? Energizer, duracell..
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Well, $12 for 850 mAh was Energizer (talk about brand pricing :P), and the $6 one for 1000 mAh was from Polaroid.
EDIT: Just realized, they're actually 850 and 1000, respectively.
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I really don't like that brand system...The difference of cost of store brand and Delmont is significiant but the taste are yet the same...
(Why am I talking about brand when the thread is about exploding batteries?)
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Well, $12 for 850 mAh was Energizer (talk about brand pricing :P), and the $6 one for 1000 mAh was from Polaroid.
EDIT: Just realized, they're actually 850 and 1000, respectively.
I once got a pack of Polaroid for about that price at Wal-Mart. Usually, all I see there is Energizer, though. I personally stay away from Energizer rechargeable now because I haven't had good experience with them. Compared to all other brands I've used, the Energizers have given me much fewer charge/discharge cycles before wearing out.
I recently got really lucky and went to a local battery shop and found Sanyo Eneloop “pre-charged” (i.e., low self-discharge) batteries. In the online hobbyist community, this brand seems to have a reputation of being very high quality, but they tend to be very hard to find.
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That's what I'm using in my Nspire right now - I recommend them, even if you have to buy them on line at $2.50 a piece.
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Doesn't nspire supports rechargeable battery now?( $10)
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I thought a rechargeable battery came with the calc.
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no it doesn't
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I think they aren't even sold worldwide yet either
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And they are only for touchpad nspires-the clickpads lack the compartment.