Like HP 45 (long) Message #3 Posted by bill platt on 18 July 2003, 11:42 p.m., in response to message #2 by Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil)
Luiz,
You don't write too much--you are always a good read!
So, for old calculators, I reported here that I inherited an old HP 45 with a corroded battery pack. So just tonight, I cleaned out the compartment (I like these classic compartments MUCH better than that absurd gold-plated mylar disaster-waiting-to-happen foisted on the 41). And then I ran down some alkalines until they read 1.25 volts on my father's old US Army Signal Corps Volt-Ohmmeter (Simpson Model 324)-- It is much more fun testing vintage equipment with other even older vintage equipment--and I temporarily wired her up...
So, in short, she WORKS! WhooHoo!!
At first, she was sensitive to pressure on the on-off slider and would only function right if I put light pressure there. But then she apparently warmed up, and worked just fine.
One curiosity, though, is that after running continuously for 10 minutes, the alkaline cells became quite warm. I guess the 0.50 Amps rating stamped on the back is for real! I hope this is not a sign of trouble....
So, next is a more time consuming part---building a new battery pack---but I see some more resources here on that.
Oh, and this calculator got daily use for an engineer's entire career--she shows the wear and tear of a consciensious owner--but all the buttons still work just fine (much better than my recently acquired beat-up 15c) although some of them are a bit softer than others. I think it is really a wonderful thing that this product, made in the 70's--the time of Viet Nam, Israel-Arab Conflict, OPEC Oil Embargo, Stagflation, Disco, Double-knit Polyester, Toxic Waste, LSD and the Clean Water Act, has lasted so long after so much use! (Like, you expect old Victorian Iron to age gracefully, but 70's plastic--what a wonderful surprise!).
Here's the heretical statement--she reminds me of my father's old TI from the 70's---the shape of the keys, layout, the whole RED LED Brick thing---except just more SOLID and SERIOUS (so i guess not so heretical of me after all...)
OH, and serial number:
1349A 20320
regards,
Bill Platt
Edited: 19 July 2003, 12:03 a.m.
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