Geez......You're STILL fussing and we've yet to see the demo.
Nah... yesterday was just a big steaming load of Murphy's for me. As my grandmother would say, "One gawddamn thing after another..." all topped off with my son bringing home some summer cold bug and a filling crumbling in one of my teeth. I just decided to take it out on the 9V battery that was such a thorn in my side rather than the people at my daughter's school, who are hamstrung by the State of Texas' War on Public Education.
Also, I'm trying to fix the AC in the ol' Franken-Cruiser; this has been a bit of a higher priority, I'm afraid. I gave it a shot of dye last fall when I found it was low; but I can't find a trace of it. Means the leak is either super slow and high enough that no oil is carried with, or it's in the evap and not enough to be carried out with the condensate. I've declared a strategic withdrawal on that front as well; gonna just add enough refrigerant to bring it up to normal operating pressures and make it stop short-cycling.
@mnementh I find it amazing that didn't download a copy of the manual for your DE 5000 before buying it. Then you'll have known that needed 9v and either have prepared like a boy scout should be, or looked at other meters.
I always have around 100 to 240v handy and that doesn't include 9v batteries of which I normally have 27 to 36v in my spares containers.
Just think about it, had you gone for the XJW01 then you would have done your playing around and would have presented your demo by now. And no batteries to cause these problems [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
Perhaps we should all chip in and buy him a few.
You know I've had plenty of the normal single cells shit over the devices that they were supposed to be powering. But I honestly have had a 9v battery crap it self yet on any of my equipment, I've seen some that were rusty in a piece of Heathkit gear, 9v FTW especially on small low power items that aren't going to be used that much.
I suspect that's because they're typically made up of cells within the outer case, rather than the outer case directly containing the chemicals as it is with a normal AA, C or D cell. That means that the nastiness needs to breach two barriers instead of just one before it can run amok corroding the crap out of the innards of one's precious and pricey piece of gear. This is a good thing, IMO.
-Pat
I actually DID download a manual, as the listing warned me that the meter was coming from Japan with all packaging and documentation in Japanese. I just expected to be able to stop in and grab ONE on the way home; I wasn't prepared to spend a steak dinner's worth on batteries I didn't need or want. The rest was just real life getting in the way with OTHER shit I had to do instead of play with my new toy.
Alkaline 9V batteries used to be made of AAAA cells tab-welded together; however since the mercury-free days, I don't think I've seen one made that way. The ones I've seen since all appear to be series stacked polymer-block construction very similar to regular carbon-zinc. These DO have a new failure mode; when they leak, they blow the ends off the battery and "grow" lengthwise, cracking the battery box of whatever they're installed in. I've seen a bunch of wireless microphones in various AV depts that died this way.
I think we need to consider all types of batteries here:
1. Alkaline. Leak
2. Lead acid. Gassing, sulfation, meltdowns.
3. Lithium chemistry. Violent explosions. Leaks (think CMOS/backup batteries)
4. Zinc carbon. No energy density worth mentioning
5. Nimh. Low cell potential
Know your cells and look after them. All battery chemistries are a compromise and all dense energy storage mediums are risks.
"Lithium chemistry" is a family and it's mostly the most common rechargeable one that has earned it its bad rap. Li-ion can be violent, LiFePO 4 and upcoming solid state cells are much less of a hassle. There's plenty more of them.
Lixx cylindrical cells, particularly the 18650 variant, now have decades of service in everyday life under some of the most rigorous abuse-case scenarios and have proven themselves generally much more reliable and safer than alkaline. The main real safety issue they present is that inherent in their high-energy density; that they CAN deliver dangerous amounts of current in a short-circuit scenario.
LiPo cells used in any consumer electronics is simply a calculated risk; one that the public has shown they're willing to live with for the sake of thin & light. They are a fragile technology; physicallly, environmentally and electrically. They are NOT suited to use in a TOOL, nor in any hostile environment.
Cheers,
mnem
I'm vertical and wearing pants. What the fuck more dooya want?!?