Batteries Wtf!?

[The Master]

Wotcha,

Anyone got any ideas why a GP2X would suddenly stop working with batteries overnight?

I've tried loads, so it's not the batteries, and I've not put any in the wrong way round. Everything is nice and snug in the battery compartment, so it's not that either. The last thing I was doing with it prior to this happening was watching a movie with TV-out and the official PSU (and batteries removed). Still all works fine with the PSU.

Any thoughts? Fixable??

Cheers...

 

[carlgeorge]

Mine has never worked with normal alkaline batteries (it gets those coloured vertical lines even with fresh, good quality (energizer/duracell) batteries) it only works with decent rechargeables.

Are you trying to use it with non-rechargeable batteries?

Does it do anything at all?

Is there any oxidisation on the battery terminals?

 

[Alex.]

It could be your rechargeables are overused, and you need to buy new ones.

Edit: I saw your avatar, do any of your other 2 GP2Xs work with that particular set of batteries?

 

[The Master]

Are you trying to use it with non-rechargeable batteries?

Does it do anything at all?

Is there any oxidisation on the battery terminals?

No, I've tried 12 different sets of fully-charged NiMH rechargeables, including the ones that were working fine just before I took them out the evening before (which still show as being 50% charged on a different unit).

It won't power-up at all, and the battery terminals are fine. It's as if the electrical bits that handle "being powered by battery" have suddenly inexplicably broken. As I said, it still works perfectly on PSU, and the batteries themselves are OK too.

Edit: I saw your avatar, do any of your other 2 GP2Xs work with that particular set of batteries?

Yep, with all of them...

 

[Laser]

When the DC-in plug is used they usually have a switch inside it to disconnect the batteries. It is possible this has jammed. (It's usually very crude and forms part of the contact spring.)

Hard to say what to do about that really, but you could try plugging the DC jack in and out a few times and wiggling it around. :blink:

 

[The Master]

When the DC-in plug is used they usually have a switch inside it to disconnect the batteries. It is possible this has jammed. (It's usually very crude and forms part of the contact spring.)

Hard to say what to do about that really, but you could try plugging the DC jack in and out a few times and wiggling it around. :blink:

Yeah, I did think of that, and I have tried plugging/unplugging umpteen times already, but as yet to no avail. I suppose I could open it up and have a look, but I guess I was just wondering if anything more "serious" could cause similar symptoms...

 

[sehs33]

Someone else mentioned that this happened with them because of a blown capacitor or something else, ask ED if he can fix it for you or if he can at least give you directions to what might be the problem so you can fix it yourself or look for any shop that provides maintenance for mobile phones, I guess such people can easily change that part for you.

 

[DaveC]

When the DC-in plug is used they usually have a switch inside it to disconnect the batteries. It is possible this has jammed. (It's usually very crude and forms part of the contact spring.)

Hard to say what to do about that really, but you could try plugging the DC jack in and out a few times and wiggling it around. :blink:

Yeah, I did think of that, and I have tried plugging/unplugging umpteen times already, but as yet to no avail. I suppose I could open it up and have a look, but I guess I was just wondering if anything more "serious" could cause similar symptoms...


That contact "spring" (just a bent piece of metal) may be bent open. Go in there and jumper that contact temporarily and test. If that is the problem try to bent it back in place.

 

[morebeat]

I have the same Problem. After using the DC-Adaptor the Batterys ain't working anymore.
My workaround is to blow shortly and strong in the DC-Hole of my GP2X.
Then I turn it on and have power again. :rolleyes: