Digital Calipers That Don\'t Drain the Battery...

[Don Y]

On 11/13/2022 9:07 PM, Don Y wrote:

References in the literature, please.

First instance that I came across:

And another:

<https://www.creasefield.co.uk/technology/passivation-in-lithium-batteries/>

\"Due to the formation of a high resistance LiCl film on the surface of the
anode within dormant Passivated Lithium cells , self-discharge rates are very
low. Without a passivation layer cells of this chemistry could not be stored
and would not exist, the Lithium would discharge and degrade very rapidly. The
typical rated shelf life of a Lithium Thionyl Chloride Primary battery is over
10 years, this is primarily due to the capability of the Passivation layer to
protect the cell from high self-discharge rates and allow a ‘dormant’ state to
exist.\"

[Feel free to google/DDG for other references]

 

[Carlos E.R.]

On 2022-11-14 00:23, Joe Gwinn wrote:

On Sun, 13 Nov 2022 23:10:50 +0100, \"Carlos E.R.\"
robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

On 2022-11-13 15:44, legg wrote:
On Sun, 13 Nov 2022 15:21:44 +0100, \"Carlos E.R.\"
robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

snip
Apparently, once a battery is \"started\" it starts slowly losing charge
even if you put it again in a box, disconnected. The warranty date is
not valid once you start using the battery even once, the chemistry
inside changes.

That is NOT \'apparent\'.

References in the literature, please.

I saw somewhere someone that had bought some batteries, and claimed they
did not last as long (years) as the label said they would, that they
leaked. The manufacturer (Duracell or Energizer) said that as the
batteries had been used for a short time (a day?), the warranty was
void, that the chemical processes had started.

This would be the Duracell Copper-Top batteries. The problem was that
they leaked and ruined expensive items, not just flashlights, causing
their sales to crater when word got around. Pretty soon they came out
with a \"premium\" version guaranteed for ten years, now 12 yeses, while
\"in storage\". Probably is the original design with new marketing.

You might search for duration guaranteed \"in storage\" versus maximum \"in
use\" duration (not minimum) or some equivalent wording.

In any event, the bit about the chemical reaction being started by
first use is nonsense. Batteries wear out just sitting there, some
faster than others.

The bit about the warrantee is a legal issue, not a technical or
engineering issue. The problem is that Duracell cannot know what the
actual load will be (or was) after installation in a user-provided
device, so there is no way to guarantee that aside from the guaranteed
capacity, to prevent warrantee abuse.

Joe Gwinn

--
Cheers, Carlos.

 

[John Larkin]

On Sat, 12 Nov 2022 04:08:34 -0800 (PST), Lamont Cranston
<amdx62@gmail.com> wrote:

On Friday, November 11, 2022 at 11:04:03 AM UTC-6, John Larkin wrote:
On Fri, 11 Nov 2022 08:43:35 -0800 (PST), Lamont Cranston
amd...@gmail.com> wrote:

On Friday, November 11, 2022 at 9:40:10 AM UTC-6, Ricky wrote:
I, like many others, have digital calipers that drain the battery while sitting, and have no on/off switch, so the battery must be removed when not being used. I recall a conversation here some time ago about this and some had found different brands that worked better than others, in this regard.

Anyone recall the names of the brands that don\'t drain the battery?

--

Rick C.

- Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
- Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

I don\'t, but that is the reason I buy dial calipers, I buy cheap, but stainless steel calipers (they make plastic dial calipers) .
I misuse them by scribing lines, but that function is so handy, it is worth replacing a set occasionally.
Mikek
The good ones last forever. I like the analog display too.

I scribe lines on copperclad FR4 and that doesn\'t seem top dull the
points. They could be sharpened too.

Yes I have been using them on a project lately and one point is dull, I looked it over and decided it can be sharpened
without affecting accuracy. I\'m in the market for a new one as the one I have has a problem, sometimes it zeros at a zero sometimes at 0.004\".
Probably something got in the gear track, but I don\'t see it.
I\'ve had them close 10 years, I got my money\'s worth out of them, $15,99 at Harbor Freight. Now there $29,99 and I never see them on sale.

Mikek

Take the dull one home. They are great for home shop use too.

 

[Carlos E.R.]

On 2022-11-14 01:30, Ricky wrote:

On Sunday, November 13, 2022 at 6:12:12 PM UTC-4, Carlos E.R. wrote:

I know from personal experience that white or no name batteries tend to
leak earlier, before they are really spent, when used in things like
clocks or tv remotes.

No name, like Kirkland or Sunbeam or other dollar store brands?

But local names, like Mercadona or Carrefour.

My experience has been just the opposite. Duracell, Rayovac and Kirkland have all leaked for me, prior to the expiration date, including in the original package in the case of the Kirkland batteries. I\'ve used Sunbeam and other \"no name\" brands from dollar stores and never had one leak. I keep them in my computer bag as backup batteries for the mice.

Duracell honored their warranty, sending me a $100 check for equipment damaged by the corrosion. Rayovac wanted me to send them the equipment at my expense. Costco all but laughed at me. So much for their \"forever\" warranty.

I don\'t know if Sunbeams warranty is good or not. Never had to find out. Isn\'t that the best warranty?

--
Cheers, Carlos.

 

[Carlos E.R.]

On 2022-11-14 04:06, Don Y wrote:

On 11/13/2022 7:21 AM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
Apparently, once a battery is \"started\" it starts slowly losing charge
even if you put it again in a box, disconnected. The warranty date is
not valid once you start using the battery even once, the chemistry
inside changes.

Yes, battery vendors can control the passivation layer to prolong shelf
life
by reducing self-discharge rates.  Once a load is applied, the passivation
layer disappears and self-discharge rates climb.

For most applications, the downside of the passivation layer (i.e., a
delay in output voltage available on initial application of load) is
tolerable.  (the battery \"looks\" more exhausted than it really is
because of the increased resistance of this layer).

The layer can reform (once the load is completely removed) but not
always with
the same effectiveness as from initial manufacture.  It\'s presence can
be thought of as a \"switch\" that remembers when it has been \"activated\"
(loaded).

I suspect process variation in the manufacture of the semiconductor/circuit
in question is also a big factor in battery life expectancy /in situ/.

Interesting. This is much more detailed that what I read long ago, they
did not explain the chemistry at all.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

 

[legg]

On Fri, 11 Nov 2022 07:40:06 -0800 (PST), Ricky
<gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

I, like many others, have digital calipers that drain the battery while sitting, and have no on/off switch, so the battery must be removed when not being used. I recall a conversation here some time ago about this and some had found different brands that worked better than others, in this regard.

Anyone recall the names of the brands that don\'t drain the battery?

Two sets here in two tool boxes. I keep a spare battery in their
cases - expect to have to change at least annually. If you only
pick them up once, every year or two, then dead batteries will be
no surprise.

A Cdn Tire \'MOTO whatever\' branded set (5yrs) seems to keep battery
better than the other generic set. It has an on-off \'switch\', but
will time-out. It was \'free\' from a junk pile clearance (I tend to
avoid their retail mark-up for this chinese-sourced crap).

The other relies solely on time-out, and is the more common
culprit - but came in a gen-you-wine deeloox wooden presentation
case 20 years ago. A new battery sends it into some kind of
fit - as though it were trying to remember whether it was a
caliper or a clock-radio.

Mech calipers (40yrs) are back-up.

RL

 

[Ricky]

On Saturday, November 12, 2022 at 1:02:46 PM UTC-4, legg wrote:

On Fri, 11 Nov 2022 07:40:06 -0800 (PST), Ricky
gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:
I, like many others, have digital calipers that drain the battery while sitting, and have no on/off switch, so the battery must be removed when not being used. I recall a conversation here some time ago about this and some had found different brands that worked better than others, in this regard.

Anyone recall the names of the brands that don\'t drain the battery?
Two sets here in two tool boxes. I keep a spare battery in their
cases - expect to have to change at least annually. If you only
pick them up once, every year or two, then dead batteries will be
no surprise.

Think about that for a minute. If I can\'t expect a battery in an unused device to last a year sitting in the case, why would I expect an extra battery to be good? This is clearly bad product design. End of story.

--

Rick C.

-+- Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
-+- Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

 

[Lamont Cranston]

On Saturday, November 12, 2022 at 10:04:57 AM UTC-6, John Larkin wrote:

Yes I have been using them on a project lately and one point is dull, I looked it over and decided it can be sharpened
without affecting accuracy. I\'m in the market for a new one as the one I have has a problem, sometimes it zeros at a zero sometimes at 0.004\".
Probably something got in the gear track, but I don\'t see it.
I\'ve had them close 10 years, I got my money\'s worth out of them, $15,99 at Harbor Freight. Now there $29,99 and I never see them on sale.

Mikek
Take the dull one home. They are great for home shop use too.

All my projects are home! I fully retired 4 years ago.
Mikek

 

[Bertrand Sindri]

Ricky <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

On Saturday, November 12, 2022 at 1:02:46 PM UTC-4, legg wrote:
On Fri, 11 Nov 2022 07:40:06 -0800 (PST), Ricky
gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:
I, like many others, have digital calipers that drain the battery
while sitting, and have no on/off switch, so the battery must be
removed when not being used. I recall a conversation here some
time ago about this and some had found different brands that
worked better than others, in this regard.

Anyone recall the names of the brands that don\'t drain the battery?

Two sets here in two tool boxes. I keep a spare battery in their
cases - expect to have to change at least annually. If you only
pick them up once, every year or two, then dead batteries will be
no surprise.

Think about that for a minute. If I can\'t expect a battery in an
unused device to last a year sitting in the case, why would I expect
an extra battery to be good?

A disconnected battery will last significantly longer than one that is
being actively drained because the \'off\' button was interpreted by the
Chinese engineer as \"turn off the display\" instead of as \"use as little
quiescent current as possible\".

How often do you make use of the calipers? Implying that they \"sit in
the case\" for a year between uses means you seldom ever reach for the
calipers. In that case, your best course of action is to invest in a
nice pair of vernier calipers, invest the small amount of time needed
into learning to read the vernier, and then never have to worry about
\"dead batteries\" ever again (because vernier calipers have no
batteries).

Otherwise, if you do use them often, then either invest in a supply of
fresh batteries, or invest in a better quality caliper that does not
drain the battery so fast while \'off\'.

> This is clearly bad product design.

Yes, but you can\'t change the design of the ones you have, all you can
do is remove the battery after each use so it is not drained by the
always on electronics of the pair you have.

 

[Three Jeeps]

On Friday, November 11, 2022 at 10:40:10 AM UTC-5, Ricky wrote:

I, like many others, have digital calipers that drain the battery while sitting, and have no on/off switch, so the battery must be removed when not being used. I recall a conversation here some time ago about this and some had found different brands that worked better than others, in this regard.

Anyone recall the names of the brands that don\'t drain the battery?

--

Rick C.

- Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
- Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

Yes, mitutoyo, Starrett. I own one of each. Battery life for each is many years. IIRC, the batteries last 4-5 years. I use them sporadically, so most of the time they are sitting on the shelf in their box.

 

[Joe Gwinn]

On Fri, 11 Nov 2022 15:10:40 -0800 (PST), Ricky
<gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

On Friday, November 11, 2022 at 7:02:12 PM UTC-4, Joe Gwinn wrote:
On Sat, 12 Nov 2022 08:49:39 +1100, Sylvia Else <syl...@email.invalid
wrote:
On 12/11/2022 2:40 am, Ricky wrote:
I, like many others, have digital calipers that drain the battery while sitting, and have no on/off switch, so the battery must be removed when not being used. I recall a conversation here some time ago about this and some had found different brands that worked better than others, in this regard.

Anyone recall the names of the brands that don\'t drain the battery?

For the record, I got so tired of this problem that I bought a
non-electronic one. There\'s a slight learning curve, but they\'re very
easy to read to the nearest 0.1mm, and can do 0.02mm with a bit of effort.
I can no longer see well enough to use vernier calipers. I still have
dial calipers, and that works, but I\'ve gone over to digital calipers
that don\'t exhaust themselves between uses. They are just too
convenient.

What brand?

Mitutoyo. I get the coolant-proof kind, so an accidental splash does
not kill the caliper.

Joe Gwinn

 

[Dimiter_Popoff]

On 11/12/2022 5:58, Ricky wrote:

On Friday, November 11, 2022 at 7:21:45 PM UTC-4, Dimiter Popoff wrote:
On 11/11/2022 23:42, Ricky wrote:
On Friday, November 11, 2022 at 1:03:14 PM UTC-4, Martin Brown wrote:
On 11/11/2022 15:40, Ricky wrote:
I, like many others, have digital calipers that drain the battery while sitting, and have no on/off switch, so the battery must be removed when not being used. I recall a conversation here some time ago about this and some had found different brands that worked better than others, in this regard.

Anyone recall the names of the brands that don\'t drain the battery?
The ones with an on/off switch!
Actually mine just has an on switch and times out after a few minutes.

I suppose I was not clear as to my meaning by \"on/off\" switch. They typically have a push button to turn on. I\'ve never seen one with a mechanical switch to directly disconnect the battery. Turning them off by the push button seems to only mute the display.

It does turn off the display and likely puts the MCU into deeper sleep.
I have one of these, needs a new battery every 3-4 years, cost me
something like $10 or $20, don\'t remember. Is quite accurate, I also
have a micrometer (I do have a mechanical workshop, lathe etc. and I
am quite experienced doing that sort of thing, too) and they match
really well, if you know how to use it you can rely on it all the
way down to its 0.01mm resolution.
Keeping a blister of cr2032-s has you covered for at least a decade.

How long do you expect your battery to work?

To work? A few weeks at least. When off? Years, or as long as the
batteries last sitting on the shelf. I don\'t know how long they
actually last. Every time I put it away without removing the battery
it is dead the next time I use it. I don\'t have a battery at the
moment, so it\'s useless. It uses the smaller battery. I might have
a pack of those somewhere, but I don\'t care. If I can\'t find a
digital caliper that will not run down the battery, I\'ll just get a
pair of head mounted lenses and use the dial caliper.

Here is the one I got some 7-8 years ago:
http://tgi-sci.com/misc/caliper.jpg

Works just fine as I said before, I have the habit to switch it off
(I don\'t even know if it times out) and the battery lasts for years
of sporadic use. Obviously no matter how long it lasts one must have
some spare batteries at hand, just like say for the DMM.
I got the caliper at a food store, Lidl, like the rest they also
sell now all sorts of things.
Of course even if you see the same in a shop today it does not
mean it will work the same, who knows how many levels of cheapefying
it has undergone.

I do know better than to ever use a Kirkland (Costco) battery again.
I had a batch of AAs that ruined a half dozen pieces of equipment.
Costco wouldn\'t even refund the purchase price.

For batteries I discovered (perhaps after someone\'s post here) the
right source was.... IKEA. For AA NiMH and alkaline at least.

For the DMM (a 9V battery) I have been out of events \"dead battery
in the middle of work\" ever since I bought a few NiMH \"9V\" ones,
I keep some charged. They lose plenty of their charge in a year
etc. but still have some to let you resume work for the day
until you have a freshly charged one.

 

[Joe Gwinn]

On Fri, 11 Nov 2022 07:40:06 -0800 (PST), Ricky
<gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

I, like many others, have digital calipers that drain the battery while sitting, and have no on/off switch, so the battery must be removed when not being used. I recall a conversation here some time ago about this and some had found different brands that worked better than others, in this regard.

Anyone recall the names of the brands that don\'t drain the battery?

Yeah. The expensive ones, like Mitutoyo. But you do need to use the
silver oxide batteries, not their alkaline \"equivalents\".

I do have a Harbor Freight 6\" digital caliper with an on/off button
that (with silver oxide) doe last a long time when turned off every
time.

Joe Gwinn

 

[Lamont Cranston]

On Friday, November 11, 2022 at 9:40:10 AM UTC-6, Ricky wrote:

I, like many others, have digital calipers that drain the battery while sitting, and have no on/off switch, so the battery must be removed when not being used. I recall a conversation here some time ago about this and some had found different brands that worked better than others, in this regard.

Anyone recall the names of the brands that don\'t drain the battery?

--

Rick C.

- Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
- Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

I don\'t, but that is the reason I buy dial calipers, I buy cheap, but stainless steel calipers (they make plastic dial calipers) .
I misuse them by scribing lines, but that function is so handy, it is worth replacing a set occasionally.
Mikek

 

[Martin Brown]

On 11/11/2022 15:40, Ricky wrote:

I, like many others, have digital calipers that drain the battery while sitting, and have no on/off switch, so the battery must be removed when not being used. I recall a conversation here some time ago about this and some had found different brands that worked better than others, in this regard.

Anyone recall the names of the brands that don\'t drain the battery?

The ones with an on/off switch!
Actually mine just has an on switch and times out after a few minutes.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

 

[John Larkin]

On Fri, 11 Nov 2022 08:43:35 -0800 (PST), Lamont Cranston
<amdx62@gmail.com> wrote:

On Friday, November 11, 2022 at 9:40:10 AM UTC-6, Ricky wrote:
I, like many others, have digital calipers that drain the battery while sitting, and have no on/off switch, so the battery must be removed when not being used. I recall a conversation here some time ago about this and some had found different brands that worked better than others, in this regard.

Anyone recall the names of the brands that don\'t drain the battery?

--

Rick C.

- Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
- Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

I don\'t, but that is the reason I buy dial calipers, I buy cheap, but stainless steel calipers (they make plastic dial calipers) .
I misuse them by scribing lines, but that function is so handy, it is worth replacing a set occasionally.
Mikek

The good ones last forever. I like the analog display too.

I scribe lines on copperclad FR4 and that doesn\'t seem top dull the
points. They could be sharpened too.

 

[John S]

On 11/12/2022 4:48 AM, Sylvia Else wrote:

On 12/11/2022 10:10 am, Ricky wrote:
On Friday, November 11, 2022 at 6:27:40 PM UTC-4, Sylvia Else wrote:
On 12/11/2022 9:00 am, Ricky wrote:
I just thought by now, there might be lower cost units that don\'t
drain the battery. It\'s a damn simple circuit to implement that. I
don\'t even think it requires a separate part. It\'s just a p-channel
pass transistor with the switch as a bypass. Can\'t they put that on
the chip and bring out a pin for the push button switch to bypass
the pfet?

I guess it\'s a matter of them selling a bazillion of the ones they
are making now. Why would they change?

But once one of the low cost devices starts bragging about not
draining the battery, they will all have to switch. It doesn\'t take
much sales pressure when you are only making a few cents per device.

Yes. The actual circuitry required is really simple. I think it\'s not
included because if the thing is powered down, it loses its zero
position (there are more advanced designs that have absolute
positioning, but they probably cost more to make).

So it may come down to that. People would notice the loss of zero and
complain before they realise that the batteries run down quickly.

For me, I\'d probably zero it out of habit when I turn it on and not even
notice the loss, but perhaps people differ.

Like you, I always auto zero calipers, including the dial variety if
I\'m trying to make a good measurement.  It\'s hard to think anyone
would expect zero to not drift, but many people don\'t understand
electronics and seem to think digital is supposed
to be as accurate as the display can indicate.   That is seldom true.

You mean like

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ofdf2ekw1104awn/T_temperature1.jpg?dl=0

Sylvia.

They\'re all correct. It\'s fuzzy temperature.
--
Dogs make me happy. Humans make my head hurt.

 

[Ricky]

I bought a 4\" caliper from iGaging on Amazon. It arrived the other day and seems to work fine. I hope the battery holds up. The electronics part is quite a bit larger than on the other unit I have that runs the battery down. Changing the position of the slider when the unit is off, still registers the reading when you turn it on. So it\'s never totally off.

It also has both a \"absolute\" zero and an \"origin\" button, which I haven\'t figured out yet. The instruction sheet tells you how to change the mode, but not what it does. As far as I can tell, it\'s just another way to set a zero. I guess it\'s just a temporary zero, with the original zero being restored when you turn off the mode or the device. I expect the recessed origin button is the master zero.

This one also has a bluetooth connection, I have not tried out yet.

--

Rick C.

--+- Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
--+- Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

 

[Rich S]

On Friday, November 18, 2022 at 8:44:55 PM UTC, Ricky wrote:

I bought a 4\" caliper from iGaging on Amazon. It arrived the other day and seems to work fine. I hope the battery holds up. The electronics part is quite a bit larger than on the other unit I have that runs the battery down.. Changing the position of the slider when the unit is off, still registers the reading when you turn it on. So it\'s never totally off.

It also has both a \"absolute\" zero and an \"origin\" button, which I haven\'t figured out yet. The instruction sheet tells you how to change the mode, but not what it does. As far as I can tell, it\'s just another way to set a zero. I guess it\'s just a temporary zero, with the original zero being restored when you turn off the mode or the device. I expect the recessed origin button is the master zero.

This one also has a bluetooth connection, I have not tried out yet.

--

Rick C.

--+- Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
--+- Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

Cool! I was interested too, especially in a model with data-out.
(RS-232 is long gone; hello Bluetooth)
I looked on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-Electronic-Absolute-Bluetooth-Connectivity/dp/B0714JQG6L
Where is the \"Send\" (via Bluetooth) function?
Could the button labeled \"Origin\" actually be the \"Send\"?
Put it thru some paces, let us know how it goes!
-RS

 

[Ricky]

On Friday, November 18, 2022 at 8:52:08 PM UTC-5, Rich S wrote:

On Friday, November 18, 2022 at 8:44:55 PM UTC, Ricky wrote:
I bought a 4\" caliper from iGaging on Amazon. It arrived the other day and seems to work fine. I hope the battery holds up. The electronics part is quite a bit larger than on the other unit I have that runs the battery down. Changing the position of the slider when the unit is off, still registers the reading when you turn it on. So it\'s never totally off.

It also has both a \"absolute\" zero and an \"origin\" button, which I haven\'t figured out yet. The instruction sheet tells you how to change the mode, but not what it does. As far as I can tell, it\'s just another way to set a zero. I guess it\'s just a temporary zero, with the original zero being restored when you turn off the mode or the device. I expect the recessed origin button is the master zero.

This one also has a bluetooth connection, I have not tried out yet.

Cool! I was interested too, especially in a model with data-out.
(RS-232 is long gone; hello Bluetooth)
I looked on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-Electronic-Absolute-Bluetooth-Connectivity/dp/B0714JQG6L
Where is the \"Send\" (via Bluetooth) function?
Could the button labeled \"Origin\" actually be the \"Send\"?
Put it thru some paces, let us know how it goes!

As is usual, Bluetooth is both easy to connect and difficult to connect. When it works the first time, it\'s easy. When it doesn\'t, it\'s hard. lol

I think my problem was it first connected to my phone where I was able to add measurements to text messages. The caliper shows up as a keyboard and does not interfere with the use of the other keyboards.

When I tried to connect it to my laptop, it was still connected to the phone. But even once I figured out how to prevent that, it was a bit tricky with the laptop. As far as I could tell, I just had to wait for it to get its shit together and show up as \"keyboard\" rather than the other names it produced. Most likely those names were from the defaults in the Bluetooth chip or something similar.

Anyway, once it was connected to the laptop, I could enter values in a spreadsheet, with a LF at the end, so the cell was closed and it moved on to the next cell (the default behavior set in the spreadsheet for the enter key).. It includes no units, which I suppose is the best default.

This thing not only has metric and inches, but also fractional inches. I recall reading a review on one of the iGaging calipers where the guy complained that in fraction mode, it would only count in 1/128ths of an inch (other than the integer inches, of course). This one simplifies the fraction to remove common divisors. So it will display 1-1/8 inches. In \"fraction\" mode, the wireless connection still gives decimal fractions to the full 3-1/2 digits past the decimal point, e.g. 1.1255.

I don\'t know how often I will use the Bluetooth feature. I think a similar iGaging caliper without the Bluetooth feature was $25, or maybe it was $35, I forget. This one was $50, in fact, the same one you linked to. Be aware it is 4 inches, not the typical 6 inches. In fact, the box says 6 inches and I first thought they had shipped the wrong one, lol. But they are just using the same boxes for both sizes and I suppose one of the labels has the part number correct. Yes, I see a bar code with the 4 inch part number. Then there\'s a second bar code label from Anytime Tools with their part number.

The instruction sheet is very hard to read and can be important to understanding the controls if you are easily confused, like me! Here is a PDF file I found that was not obvious from the iGaging web site.

https://manuals.plus/m/838c3585e5aa241fa738e96815c5d2276cfdfb7fe45a1e129334fb662513527b_optim.pdf

One thing they note is to not use the Bluetooth for 10 seconds, \"It is recommended not to turn on or use the data output option within the first 10 seconds of usage.\" This is a bit cryptic, but I guess they are just letting the processor initialize or something. I assume they mean after turning on, don\'t use the data button, or maybe after making the Bluetooth connection.... I\'m not sure, but I think that was also part of my trouble getting it to work.

I see the blue led blinking once in a while, which seems to indicate a Bluetooth connection. I see that even after turning off the unit, which I thought would reset the link... maybe not. A long press of the data button (the unlabeled button on the top) seems to turn off the Bluetooth. No, it flashed five times, but it returns to blinking. Maybe it will just have to time out (5 minutes of \"none\" use). Well, after almost 10 minutes, it shows no sign of the Bluetooth timing out. I\'ve got a spare battery or ten (CR2032, so lots around), I guess I\'ll try giving it overnight.

If it doesn\'t eat batteries, I think I\'ll be very happy with this unit.

--

Rick C.

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