Batteries for wireless mouse mines keep going bad
- Thread starter tpw
- Start date
- Status
Yes. Very common. The wireless keyboard and mouse are two of the most frequently donated computer items at White Elephants and Salvation army... Many users are disgusted with them.
An acquaintance at the Computer department at Wal-mart, says they are some of the most frequently returned items due to this issue.
We get repair calls on them all the time. For most, they switch back to USB units... but I am told that the newest Logitech wireless devices have conquered the problem.
An acquaintance at the Computer department at Wal-mart, says they are some of the most frequently returned items due to this issue.
We get repair calls on them all the time. For most, they switch back to USB units... but I am told that the newest Logitech wireless devices have conquered the problem.
D
DelJo63
Standard Alkaline batteries have low mAh ratings.
Look for rechargeable with 2500mAh capacity or better
Look for rechargeable with 2500mAh capacity or better
SNGX1275
Posts: 10,615 +467
Thats not entirely true jobeard. Under low load (like in my LX7, perhaps not in one that drains in a week) alkalines last longer than NiCads or NiMH.
Some quick and dirty googling came up with this: http://www.climber.org/gear/batteries.html
Little further research shows that the lower current draw, the higher 'mah' capacity: http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/E91.pdf
Some quick and dirty googling came up with this: http://www.climber.org/gear/batteries.html
Little further research shows that the lower current draw, the higher 'mah' capacity: http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/E91.pdf
D
DelJo63
interesting. Higher capacity ratings will still outlive a lower rating under the same current draw. After all, that's the definition of mAh.
captaincranky
Posts: 19,684 +8,825
OK...........Time Out.......
This is the mouse's fault, not the batteries. I'm using a couple of Intellimouse Explorer 2.0 s and I have no complaint about battery life. Nor did I have any with a M$ laser Mouse 6000. The scroll wheel on that did sort of crap out though.
This is the mouse's fault, not the batteries. I'm using a couple of Intellimouse Explorer 2.0 s and I have no complaint about battery life. Nor did I have any with a M$ laser Mouse 6000. The scroll wheel on that did sort of crap out though.
It might be helpful to know which mouse and keyboard are giving you trouble The ones that have been power hogs have been Microsoft, and some of the pre-2007 Logitechs... as well as the variety of off-brand devices.
Ask Wal-mart and BestBuy why they stopped handling them in most of their stores for nearly nine months.
The Intellimouse Explorer 2.0, and similar, came out as replacements to fix the problem.
In most of the failures, it was standard AA batteries that were failing, but there were no warnings reporting that the 2500 was the one to use.
Ask Wal-mart and BestBuy why they stopped handling them in most of their stores for nearly nine months.
The Intellimouse Explorer 2.0, and similar, came out as replacements to fix the problem.
In most of the failures, it was standard AA batteries that were failing, but there were no warnings reporting that the 2500 was the one to use.
captaincranky
Posts: 19,684 +8,825
What Raybay Said......
Some devices don't work properly with the lower voltages of Ni-Cad & Ni-Mh batteries, It is a gamble, as long as you consider that going in. In my ongoing endeavor to make myself insanely popular, might I suggest throwing it away and buying a new one?
Poor design?tomrca said:
tomrca said:
Some devices don't work properly with the lower voltages of Ni-Cad & Ni-Mh batteries, It is a gamble, as long as you consider that going in. In my ongoing endeavor to make myself insanely popular, might I suggest throwing it away and buying a new one?
D
DelJo63
the typical alkaline AA is only 1300mAh -- the AAA will be even less.
SNGX1275
Posts: 10,615 +467
I think the moral of the story is if you have one of these logitech mice that last 3/4 of a year then you are probably better off using alkalines because of the extremely low current draw. If you use NiCads they would probably discharge themself to an unusable state over 8 months without even using the mouse. NiMH is better, but do you want to spend over $4 apiece and have them locked away in a mouse for 8 months?
Now if you have a mouse that eats batteries in 2 weeks, then definately the smart answer is to go with some high capacity rechargeables. If yours discharges in sometime between 2 weeks and 8 months, then its up to you on what is the best battery to use.
Now if you have a mouse that eats batteries in 2 weeks, then definately the smart answer is to go with some high capacity rechargeables. If yours discharges in sometime between 2 weeks and 8 months, then its up to you on what is the best battery to use.
captaincranky
Posts: 19,684 +8,825
OK Look.......
If a decent set of batteries is put into this mouse (by "decent set" I mean a fresh pair of branded alkalines such as "Energizer" or "Duracell") and they only last 2 weeks this mouse is poorly designed and you should look toward replacing it. A fresh pair of alkalines will outlast a pair of re-chargable batteries, but that wouldn't matter if you had the batteries and recharger already. The newer mice, such as the ones which Rabay and I described don't suffer from excessive drain. So spring for the recharger and batteries, or spring for a better mouse, the choice is yours. In any event, either choice will settle the issue.
If a decent set of batteries is put into this mouse (by "decent set" I mean a fresh pair of branded alkalines such as "Energizer" or "Duracell") and they only last 2 weeks this mouse is poorly designed and you should look toward replacing it. A fresh pair of alkalines will outlast a pair of re-chargable batteries, but that wouldn't matter if you had the batteries and recharger already. The newer mice, such as the ones which Rabay and I described don't suffer from excessive drain. So spring for the recharger and batteries, or spring for a better mouse, the choice is yours. In any event, either choice will settle the issue.
SNGX1275
Posts: 10,615 +467
lol captain. that was just a rehash of every one of my posts in this thread 
Alkalines aren't the best choice for him because obviously he has a high drain device, or if not 'high drain' at least it makes sense to go rechargables because he's replacing alkalines every 2 weeks.
Also, raybay first mentioned the newer logitech's having good life, then I came in with a real world example of them having incredible battery life.
Alkalines aren't the best choice for him because obviously he has a high drain device, or if not 'high drain' at least it makes sense to go rechargables because he's replacing alkalines every 2 weeks.
Also, raybay first mentioned the newer logitech's having good life, then I came in with a real world example of them having incredible battery life.
D
DelJo63
I don't think anyone has yet mentioned that a mouse is a current sensing device,
ie: current flows and changes in the current is what is noted in the X/Y axis
ie: current flows and changes in the current is what is noted in the X/Y axis
captaincranky
Posts: 19,684 +8,825
You are, I assume, fully aware, that this qoute is Just Asking For It
I had thought that a wireless mouse was an analog to digital servo mechanism, combined with a radio transmitter. I even dared to think that it could possibly be a PCM based device where the X axis might be controlled by pulse rate and possibly the Y axis could be controlled by pulse width. In any event, whether that speculation is correct or not isn't necessarily germane to this discussion. When motion is sensed the mouse circuitry attempts to null the current flow, The nulling after motion is the basis of most if not all electronic servo control strategies.
The moral of the story here, boys and girls is, the less you move your mouse, the longer your batteries will last. This of course again makes the assumption that the designers have indeed created a circuit that has a sleep function, so that the mouse, like a naughty child, will probably fall asleep if you ignore it long enough.
Again, a string of assumptions. Which is an sort of snide way of saying, if you don't use it, the batteries won't go dead. Which somewhat unwittingly on my part, is somewhat snide in itself. I didn't plan this, there's just no way of getting around it.
In my area, we had an automotive speed shop, that kept a sign in it's window, "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go". It's a cruel world, but so does computing, (cost money). In this cruel world, products that won't do the job in an energy efficient manner are brought to market all the time. People are duped into buying them all the time. "So it goes", to quote Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
So,time and again the consumer has to take matters into his own hand, and strike a blow for energy conservation. I say, "save a mouse, grab a chicken instead".
jobeard said:
I had thought that a wireless mouse was an analog to digital servo mechanism, combined with a radio transmitter. I even dared to think that it could possibly be a PCM based device where the X axis might be controlled by pulse rate and possibly the Y axis could be controlled by pulse width. In any event, whether that speculation is correct or not isn't necessarily germane to this discussion. When motion is sensed the mouse circuitry attempts to null the current flow, The nulling after motion is the basis of most if not all electronic servo control strategies.
The moral of the story here, boys and girls is, the less you move your mouse, the longer your batteries will last. This of course again makes the assumption that the designers have indeed created a circuit that has a sleep function, so that the mouse, like a naughty child, will probably fall asleep if you ignore it long enough.
Again, a string of assumptions. Which is an sort of snide way of saying, if you don't use it, the batteries won't go dead. Which somewhat unwittingly on my part, is somewhat snide in itself. I didn't plan this, there's just no way of getting around it.
In my area, we had an automotive speed shop, that kept a sign in it's window, "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go". It's a cruel world, but so does computing, (cost money). In this cruel world, products that won't do the job in an energy efficient manner are brought to market all the time. People are duped into buying them all the time. "So it goes", to quote Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
So,time and again the consumer has to take matters into his own hand, and strike a blow for energy conservation. I say, "save a mouse, grab a chicken instead".
- Status
Similar threads
