HP Forum Archive 16

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Storing HP Calcs Without Batteries Message #1 Posted by jacksonconsult on 21 Jan 2007, 9:10 a.m. Please can somebody advise whether batteries should generally be removed from Pioneer and Voyager HPs if the calculators are to be stored for long periods of time? Over the past 2 years I have bought some new-in-box HP calculators to keep stored away as future backups. These are an H14B, HP32S, HP42S, HP19BII and an HP11C. I have removed the batteries as a precaution in case the batteries do leak, but I have heard that it might be prudent to actually leave the calculators stored with batteries inserted to provide nominal power to the calculator circuitry and capacitors. Please can anybody advise on the pros and cons? Thanks Ian J Manchester, UK

Re: Storing HP Calcs Without Batteries Message #2 Posted by Katie Wasserman on 21 Jan 2007, 12:16 p.m., in response to message #1 by jacksonconsult Older electronics with large electrolytic capacitors did need to be used at least occasionally to keep the capacitors "formed". I don't think that there's any advantage to keeping the batteries in LCD calculators other than as a convenience. However, I've never seen any damage due to leaking cells in a Voyager or Pioneer calculator, those batteries are not prone to leakage. The Clamshell ones use N size cells and they are prone to leaking, I think the batteries in those calculators should be removed for storage.

Re: Storing HP Calcs Without Batteries Message #3 Posted by unspellable on 21 Jan 2007, 4:02 p.m., in response to message #1 by jacksonconsult Take the batteries out for storage. Period. The only type of capacitor that needs occasional excercise are aluminum electrolytics. If you put in batteris once a month and power it up for a couple of minutes you have satisified that requrement. I seriously doubt that any newer calaculators have any aluminum electrolytics in them. Battery leakage is the greatest danger.

Re: Storing HP Calcs Without Batteries Message #4 Posted by jacksonconsult on 22 Jan 2007, 6:15 p.m., in response to message #3 by unspellable Thank you both; that's very helpful. Ian J

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