radio eats batteries

[RichD]

I purchased an armband radio recently, for jogging.
Truetech, if that means anything.

I inserted 2 new alkaline AAA batteries, they
are now dead after about 90 minutes use.
Is that normal? I can still return the radio,
if it's presumed defective.

What is the capacity of a AAA battery?

Also, this is the first time I've tried earbud style
earphones. The damn things won't stay in my ears!
Are there different sizes? I figure it's 'one size fits all'.
Maybe my ear canals are too narrow.... (also
my ears are too big, but that's another story)

They have the foam pads, which are pretty large,
and overflow out the ear canal - they don't squeeze
in completely.

--
Rich

 

On May 6, 1:55 pm, "David L. Jones" <altz...@gmail.com> wrote:

"RichD" <r_delaney2...@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:5d913de7-b003-4728-ac19-86cd66b66110@u36g2000prf.googlegroups.com...

I purchased an armband radio recently, for jogging.
Truetech, if that means anything.

I inserted 2 new alkaline AAA batteries, they
are now dead after about 90 minutes use.
Is that normal?

Sounds very low, but depends entirely on the device.
Does it have any specs?
Is this it:?http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-0480377-6420629?asin=B000RB0...AMFM_Armband_Radio_with_Safety_LED_Light&ref=tgt_adv_XSC10001

If that's the case then the LED light will take some extra juice to run. But
it could just be badly designed, wouldn't be the first time for such a
product.

I can still return the radio,
if it's presumed defective.

What is the capacity of a AAA battery?

For Alkaline, anywhere from about 1200mAh down to under 500mAh depending
upon the current drain.
So if your device was designed properly, it would be draining say 300-400mA
from the batteries to last that long. That is very high for such a device.
So either you got some dud cells, the device is faulty, or it's badly
designed. Perhaps even a combination of all three.

Also, this is the first time I've tried earbud style
earphones.   The damn things won't stay in my ears!
Are there different sizes?  I figure it's 'one size fits all'.
Maybe my ear canals are too narrow.... (also
my ears are too big, but that's another story)

They have the foam pads, which are pretty large,
and overflow out the ear canal - they don't squeeze
in completely.

Looks like it uses a standard 3.5mm jack, in that case you can use any
headphones on the market.

Dave.

Hi there,
One reason could be a leaky decoupling capacitor across the main
supply rails.
Was the battery incorrectly connected? Components today seem to have
less
tolerance to abuse due to constraints on size minaturisation and costs.

 

[RichD]

On May 6, "David L. Jones" <altz...@gmail.com> wrote:

I purchased an armband radio recently, for jogging.
Truetech, if that means anything.

I inserted 2 new alkaline AAA batteries, they
are now dead after about 90 minutes use.
Is that normal?

Sounds very low, but depends entirely on the device.
Does it have any specs?

From the user's manual:
output power: 10 mW

Is this it? http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-0480377-6420629?asin=B000RB0...AMFM_Armband_Radio_with_Safety_LED_Light&ref=tgt_adv_XSC10001

yep, it came from Target:
Trutech T50-A

I can still return the radio,
if it's presumed defective.

What is the capacity of a AAA battery?

For Alkaline, anywhere from about 1200mAh down
to under 500mAh depending upon the current drain.
So if your device was designed properly, it would
be draining say 300-400mA from the batteries to last that long.
That is very high for such a device.

hmmmm... 10 mW at 3 V = 3mA .......
so the internal dissipation is 100x the load power...

So either you got some dud cells, the device is faulty, or it's badly
designed. Perhaps even a combination of all three.

I replaced the batteries, and I'll track their life.

Or the individual unit is defective, or the
manufacturer is an ass.


--
Rich

 

[RichD]

On May 5, "Phil Allison" <philalli...@tpg.com.au> wrote:

I purchased an armband radio recently, for jogging.
Truetech, if that means anything.

I inserted 2 new alkaline AAA batteries, they
are now dead after about 90 minutes use.
Is that normal?

** What does the maker's spec sheet say ?
Have you ask the dealer what is the normal running time?

Ask the dealer, good one, Philster,
hahaha!!! It's Target - staffed by highly
trained audio electronics professionals!

You dumb question is more suited to some
consumer whinger's forum.

I figured this group includes some
experienced circuit designers, who
might estimate the expected power
burn on a portable FM radio.

But please, direct me to one of these
whinger's forums, of which you are so
familiar, Phil old buddy, and I shall
proceed thence forthwith.

--
Rich

 

[sparky]

On May 5, 8:57 pm, "Phil Allison" <philalli...@tpg.com.au> wrote:

"RichD"

I purchased an armband radio recently, for jogging.
Truetech, if that means anything.

I inserted 2 new alkaline AAA batteries, they
are now dead after about 90 minutes use.
Is that normal?

** What does the maker's spec sheet say ?

 Have you ask the dealer what is the normal running time?

 You dumb question is more suited to some  consumer whinger's forum.

.....  Phil

Your ignorant answer is a very typical leftist response to a valid
question.

 

[Dave]

"RichD" <r_delaney2001@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5d913de7-b003-4728-ac19-86cd66b66110@u36g2000prf.googlegroups.com...

I purchased an armband radio recently, for jogging.
Truetech, if that means anything.

I inserted 2 new alkaline AAA batteries, they
are now dead after about 90 minutes use.
Is that normal? I can still return the radio,
if it's presumed defective.

What is the capacity of a AAA battery?

Also, this is the first time I've tried earbud style
earphones. The damn things won't stay in my ears!
Are there different sizes? I figure it's 'one size fits all'.
Maybe my ear canals are too narrow.... (also
my ears are too big, but that's another story)

They have the foam pads, which are pretty large,
and overflow out the ear canal - they don't squeeze
in completely.

I would say that it's EXTREMELY RARE that I agree with Phil's caustic
replies to a post, but this is one of those times.

So, you bought a complete piece of shite at Target and you actually expect
something of it? What did you spend, maybe $10? Sorry to resort to
profanity, but IT'S A PIECE OF FUCKING TRASH, made in China, it probably
cost $0.50 to manufacture and another $0.10 to ship to the good ol' USA
where discerning buyers like yourself can't help but buy it. Either it's a
bad design, or it's poor construction but either way it eats batteries.

Throw it out and go buy a Sony or some other brand you've heard of.

As far as the earbuds go, how would you expect your feet to feel after you
run a marathon in some "Avidas" or "New Valance" Chinese knock-off running
shoes you bought at Target for $18? It costs MONEY to DESIGN earbuds which
are ergonomically correct. These shit-factories in China use the following
design process: they see a pair of expensive Sony earbuds through the
display case glass, perhaps going so far as to take a blurry picture of them
with their camera phone, then rush back to the factory and tell their
designer "Make headphone. Rook rike ris. Quick quick."

 

[z]

On May 8, 11:38 am, "Dave" <dspear9...@yahoo.com> wrote:

"RichD" <r_delaney2...@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:5d913de7-b003-4728-ac19-86cd66b66110@u36g2000prf.googlegroups.com...





I purchased an armband radio recently, for jogging.
Truetech, if that means anything.

I inserted 2 new alkaline AAA batteries, they
are now dead after about 90 minutes use.
Is that normal?  I can still return the radio,
if it's presumed defective.

What is the capacity of a AAA battery?

Also, this is the first time I've tried earbud style
earphones.   The damn things won't stay in my ears!
Are there different sizes?  I figure it's 'one size fits all'.
Maybe my ear canals are too narrow.... (also
my ears are too big, but that's another story)

They have the foam pads, which are pretty large,
and overflow out the ear canal - they don't squeeze
in completely.

I would say that it's EXTREMELY RARE that I agree with Phil's caustic
replies to a post, but this is one of those times.

So, you bought a complete piece of shite at Target and you actually expect
something of it?  What did you spend, maybe $10?  Sorry to resort to
profanity, but IT'S A PIECE OF FUCKING TRASH, made in China, it probably
cost $0.50 to manufacture and another $0.10 to ship to the good ol' USA
where discerning buyers like yourself can't help but buy it.  Either it's a
bad design, or it's poor construction but either way it eats batteries.

Throw it out and go buy a Sony or some other brand you've heard of.

As far as the earbuds go, how would you expect your feet to feel after you
run a marathon in some "Avidas" or "New Valance" Chinese knock-off running
shoes you bought at Target for $18?  It costs MONEY to DESIGN earbuds which
are ergonomically correct.  These shit-factories in China use the following
design process:  they see a pair of expensive Sony earbuds through the
display case glass, perhaps going so far as to take a blurry picture of them
with their camera phone, then rush back to the factory and tell their
designer "Make headphone.  Rook rike ris.  Quick quick."- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

on the one hand, it's probably harder to design a radio which actually
operates but also discharges batteries overly rapidly than one that
just works normally.

on the same hand, there is an implied warranty of usability when
target sells you something, and it could well be argued that 90
minutes for a set of batteries breaches that warranty.

on a related hand, the stupid foam-cushion earbuds for my motorola
phone which cost substantially more than $10 (just the earbuds, never
mind the phone) also don't stay in my ears; i can't figure out whose
ears these things are supposed to fit. do japanese people have
unusually shaped and sized ear canals? i'm seriously thinking of
ductaping them on every day. and they are the only ones available
which connect to motorola's mini-usb output.

so to sum up, "whaddya expect from target you get what you pay for" is
overly simple in this case.