Gp2x Mutates Into Battery Eating Monstrosity

[Tobriand]

Like I say, I used the C9000 on my last test set, which reported that they all held ~2500mAh, which is plenty (even though this set should hold 2800mAh, really), so the batteries being used were matched. The "low battery" light still turned on within 10 minutes, and the batteries still powered down within about an hour and a half, which i8s a LOT faster than they should...

 

[Franxis]

I think i have the same problem (only 30 minutes of autonomy)... I suspected about the batteries (2700mah), but i have not done so many recharges... I use the power adaptor now... Also the joypad is starting to run bad... I think my GP2X is getting premature old...

 

[virusx]

From the MAHA website. Their chargers are doing some extra things that others sometimes don't:

Refresh & Analyze: Charges the battery, rest for one hour, discharge, rest again, then recharges it...
Suitable for batteries stored for more than two weeks but less than 3 month or those showing poor performance.

Break-In: Also known as IEC capacity measurement and "Battery Forming". Charges battery at 0.1C for 16 hours, rest for one hour, discharges battery at 0.2C, then recharges again at 0.1C for 16 hours.
Suitable for new batteries and those stored for more than 3 month.

Cycle: Performs charge-discharge cycle for up to 12 times with discharge capacity stored in memory. Recharges battery after final cycle.

I'm not an expert but those features seems to match your problem(and mine with my two older 2800 batteries).
I just bought new 1900 ones and they're doing a great job.

 

[Gruntfuggly]

I had a similar problem with mine - I had the capacitor fall out, although it seems like a different capacitor to everybody elses, and since then it got worse until I finally gave up and bought one of Craig's last 280Mhz units. I've gone from about 20mins back to 3-4 hours and its fab.

However, my addition to this thread is that I noticed that the battery contacts had become a bit corroded - cleaning them off seemed to improve things a bit. Also I noticed that there appeared to be a loose connection somewhere - rotating the batteries whilst inserted would crash or glitch the power to the unit, so I was wondering if there 'loose connection' was causing some kind of power drain...

 

[yaustar]

It might be due to battery memory or something related?
http://www.zbattery.com/memoryeffect.html

 

[virusx]

I don't think that memory effect affects nimh batteries. Isn't that more a NiCad related issue?

 

[rokdcasbah]

yes, mostly nicads, and then only certain kinds and only when you discharge to exactly the same amount every time.

but a good charger will do a more thorough job charging in the first place.