Check you batteries

eddyb74 · December 8, 2012, 01:56 PM

Did some reloading two nights ago on my 650 with the primer buzzer and powder check buzzer and everything was working fine. I always know within a few rounds when the primer buzzer is gonna go off. Last night however as I was getting ready for it, it never went off. I reach up hit the switch and nothing. Pulled it off and checked the battery, corroded top and bottom. I would be willing to bet that the original batteries were in both units(9-10 years). A little scraping on the contacts and I was back in business. The battery in the powder check was fine, but it went in the trash as well.

SL1 · December 8, 2012, 02:20 PM

Anything that has batteries in it should be assessed at least once per year, or they can leak and ruin equipment.

For seasonal things like my boat equipment, batteries are either removed for the off-season and replaced with new when reconditioning, or, with things like clocks that at best kept moving, fresh batteries are installed for the winter.

For non-seasonal stuff, I use the daylight savings time changes to assess batteries on everything, not just the smoke detectors. That includes flashlights and other gear that is often just "standing-by" without much use.

For things that I use infrequenlty and with preplanning, like my chronograph and digital scale, I never leave a battery in it when I am not using it.

I don't have a progressive with electonics, so I am not sure what category I would put that into. Probably the check with the smoke detector group.

SL1

Clark · December 8, 2012, 02:46 PM

I have designed a lot of battery chargers for medical and aerospace.

I think it is interesting that we are becoming MORE battery dependent instead of less.

Everyone wants a gas gauge on their battery.
Cell phones kind of have one.
Some flash lights kind of have one.

I interviewed at a gun sight company 9 years ago during the Iraq war. They said one could track the US GIs by the AA batteries on the ground. They never knew how much charge the batteries had or when they would get in a fight, so they compulsively installed new batteries often.

dmazur · December 9, 2012, 05:44 PM

I am not compulsive. I can quit making lists any time I want...

However, I got tired of trying to remember what kind of batteries the various stuff uses, when they were last inspected, etc. so I made up an Excel spreadsheet to track them all.

Stuff that gets used rarely gets batteries installed before use and is stored without batteries. (To prevent corrosion damage)

The rest get inspected and I run a DMM on the batteries and replace them if the voltage is low or if the "good until date" is approaching. And the date of inspection / new battery installation is put in the spreadsheet.

I agree. We have way, way too many battery powered toys.

SL1 · December 10, 2012, 10:02 AM

But, using those new hand-cranked electronic thingys would be difficult for our chronographs.

SL1

Clark · December 23, 2012, 11:33 PM

I had a rack and pinion geared squeezer flash light from Russia.

I had a heard of sheep. The sound of that flash light frightened the sheep.

BigJimP · December 25, 2012, 01:15 PM

Yes, you need to just replace the batteries on all of the alarm systems on the press ( low powder sensor, powder check dies, etc ) once a year.

I lost a couple of the powder check die sensors - one to battery corrosion...and had one wear out ../...they aren't warrantied like the mechanical parts on the press indefinitely - but Dillon has a rebuild kit you can buy as well.

December 8, 2012, 01:56 PM	#1
eddyb74 Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 222	Check you batteries Did some reloading two nights ago on my 650 with the primer buzzer and powder check buzzer and everything was working fine. I always know within a few rounds when the primer buzzer is gonna go off. Last night however as I was getting ready for it, it never went off. I reach up hit the switch and nothing. Pulled it off and checked the battery, corroded top and bottom. I would be willing to bet that the original batteries were in both units(9-10 years). A little scraping on the contacts and I was back in business. The battery in the powder check was fine, but it went in the trash as well.

December 8, 2012, 02:46 PM	#3
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I have designed a lot of battery chargers for medical and aerospace. I think it is interesting that we are becoming MORE battery dependent instead of less. Everyone wants a gas gauge on their battery. Cell phones kind of have one. Some flash lights kind of have one. I interviewed at a gun sight company 9 years ago during the Iraq war. They said one could track the US GIs by the AA batteries on the ground. They never knew how much charge the batteries had or when they would get in a fight, so they compulsively installed new batteries often. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

December 9, 2012, 05:44 PM	#4
dmazur Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2007 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 1,310	I am not compulsive. I can quit making lists any time I want... However, I got tired of trying to remember what kind of batteries the various stuff uses, when they were last inspected, etc. so I made up an Excel spreadsheet to track them all. Stuff that gets used rarely gets batteries installed before use and is stored without batteries. (To prevent corrosion damage) The rest get inspected and I run a DMM on the batteries and replace them if the voltage is low or if the "good until date" is approaching. And the date of inspection / new battery installation is put in the spreadsheet. I agree. We have way, way too many battery powered toys. __________________ .30-06 Springfield: 100 yrs + and still going strong

December 10, 2012, 10:02 AM	#5
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	We have way, way too many battery powered toys. But, using those new hand-cranked electronic thingys would be difficult for our chronographs. SL1

December 23, 2012, 11:33 PM	#6
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I had a rack and pinion geared squeezer flash light from Russia. I had a heard of sheep. The sound of that flash light frightened the sheep. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

December 8, 2012, 02:20 PM	#2
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	Anything that has batteries in it should be assessed at least once per year, or they can leak and ruin equipment. For seasonal things like my boat equipment, batteries are either removed for the off-season and replaced with new when reconditioning, or, with things like clocks that at best kept moving, fresh batteries are installed for the winter. For non-seasonal stuff, I use the daylight savings time changes to assess batteries on everything, not just the smoke detectors. That includes flashlights and other gear that is often just "standing-by" without much use. For things that I use infrequenlty and with preplanning, like my chronograph and digital scale, I never leave a battery in it when I am not using it. I don't have a progressive with electonics, so I am not sure what category I would put that into. Probably the check with the smoke detector group. SL1

December 25, 2012, 01:15 PM	#7
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Yes, you need to just replace the batteries on all of the alarm systems on the press ( low powder sensor, powder check dies, etc ) once a year. I lost a couple of the powder check die sensors - one to battery corrosion...and had one wear out ../...they aren't warrantied like the mechanical parts on the press indefinitely - but Dillon has a rebuild kit you can buy as well.

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