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-rw-r--r--docs/BATTERY-FAQ58
1 files changed, 35 insertions, 23 deletions
diff --git a/docs/BATTERY-FAQ b/docs/BATTERY-FAQ
index 07a7e3784b..31aa82a212 100644
--- a/docs/BATTERY-FAQ
+++ b/docs/BATTERY-FAQ
@@ -11,14 +11,21 @@ A1: Player: the charging is all done by hardware and the exact
11 11
12Q2: Will keeping my charger connected a long time damage my batteries? Can I 12Q2: Will keeping my charger connected a long time damage my batteries? Can I
13 leave it over night? 13 leave it over night?
14A2: The charger logic lets the batteries charge until they are full. After 14A2: There's a deep discharge mode and you can switch trickle charge on and off.
15 that, the charger is disabled, but the device will stay powered on and 15 If you use your AJB connected to the power supply the whole time, select
16 continue to consume some power from the batteries (the hardware does 16 "deep discharge on" and "trickle charge off". If you want to charge your
17 not allow running from the charger without charging batteries, or 17 AJB over night and take it with you the next day, select "deep discharge
18 powering off with the charger connected). After some time, it will 18 off" (that it starts charging immediately) and "trickle charge on"
19 start charging the batteries again to keep them full. This will 19 (that the batteries remain full).
20 wear the batteries a little, but overnight charging is what most 20
21 people do. 21 Trickle charge is needed to keep the batteries full. That's necessary because
22 the device will stay powered on and continue to consume some power from
23 the batteries (the hardware does not allow running from the charger
24 without charging batteries, or powering off with the charger connected).
25 The trickle charge time is 12 hours. It should be enough for you to disconnect
26 your AJB in this time and turn it off / use it.
27 However, after 12 hours of trickle charge, it will turn it off, the batteries
28 are discharged and another charge cycle is started.
22 29
23 As the Battery FAQ at http://www.greenbatteries.com/ puts it: 30 As the Battery FAQ at http://www.greenbatteries.com/ puts it:
24 "A NiMH battery can be charged and discharged hundreds of times, 31 "A NiMH battery can be charged and discharged hundreds of times,
@@ -30,18 +37,22 @@ Q3: Does Rockbox charge the batteries more/less/worse/better than the Archos
30A3: Player: Rockbox doesn't affect the charging on Players, it is all done 37A3: Player: Rockbox doesn't affect the charging on Players, it is all done
31 by hardware logic out of software control. 38 by hardware logic out of software control.
32 39
33 Recorder: The current release of 1.2 is much worse than the Archos 40 Recorder: The whole algorithm is made to carefully charge the batteries full
34 charger, it tends to stop charging much too early and leave the batteries 41 and keep them full after that with a trickle charge option. Many documents
35 half empty. 42 about charge ICs were considered. If you want to know details, then look
36 43 into docs/CHARGING_ALGORITHM. If you have comments, write to
37 The current development code (CVS daily builds as of 20.8.2002) is much 44 mail@uwe-freese.de or the Rockbox mailinglist.
38 better than the 1.2 release, but still not perfect. Linus recently 45
39 measured 6 hours continuous playtime after a rockbox charge, and much 46 Test results with trickle charge (battery capacities measured with an
40 over 7 hours after an Archos charge. We are working on fine-tuning 47 external charger, Model "Conrad Electronic Charge Manager 2010", ~100 EUR):
41 the charger logic to get the most out of the batteries, but the 48
42 emphasis is on not overcharging them, since that would damage the 49 - after normal charge and top off time: 1798, 1834, 1819, 1815 mAh
43 batteries. Better be safe than sorry. 50 - after normal + top off + trickle charge (12h): 1784, 1748, 1738, 1752 mAh
51 - charged with external charger: 1786, 1819, 1802, 1802 mAh
44 52
53 You can see, whenever you take your AJB with you in the 12h trickle charge
54 period, the batteries are at least 97% full. :)
55
45Q4: What kind of batteries are there in my factory default Player/Recorder? 56Q4: What kind of batteries are there in my factory default Player/Recorder?
46A4: Both ship with 1500 mAh NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries. 57A4: Both ship with 1500 mAh NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries.
47 58
@@ -63,13 +74,15 @@ A6: http://www.greenbatteries.com sells 1800 mAh NiMH cells at $3.25USD each,
63 online shops. Browse around. There's a pretty good comparison between 74 online shops. Browse around. There's a pretty good comparison between
64 different battery makes and models at the digital imaging resource site: 75 different battery makes and models at the digital imaging resource site:
65 http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/BATTS/BATTS.HTM 76 http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/BATTS/BATTS.HTM
77 In Germany, www.reichelt.de sells GP 2000 batteries for 2,75 EUR (12/2002).
66 78
67Q7: What kind of run-time can I expect on a set of fully-charged batteries 79Q7: What kind of run-time can I expect on a set of fully-charged batteries
68 when running Rockbox? 80 when running Rockbox?
69A7: For the stock 1500 mAh cells, from 6 hours to 8 hours, depending on 81A7: For the stock 1500 mAh cells, from 6 hours to 8 hours, depending on
70 which charger was used (see Q3). It depends a lot on the condition of 82 which charger was used (see Q3). It depends a lot on the condition of the
71 the batteries. We are looking into implementing more battery-saving 83 batteries. With 2000 mAh batteries, you should reach about 10 hours or more.
72 techniques in rockbox to make it rock longer. 84 We are looking into implementing more battery-saving techniques in rockbox
85 to make it rock longer.
73 86
74Q8: Can I use different batteries in my Archos? How much playtime would 87Q8: Can I use different batteries in my Archos? How much playtime would
75 I gain by using 1800 mAh batteries instead of the 1500 mAh ones? 88 I gain by using 1800 mAh batteries instead of the 1500 mAh ones?
@@ -205,4 +218,3 @@ A15: That depends on who you ask. ;-) NiMH sellers say NiMHs are better and
205 218
206 However, if you use your AJB connected to the charger all the time, 219 However, if you use your AJB connected to the charger all the time,
207 we recommend you to use the deep discharge option. 220 we recommend you to use the deep discharge option.
208