Does 9V damage the HP37E?

[Tom (UK)]

Take a look at:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=ViewItem&item=2007198517

Did the buyer get a bargain? Or has the calculator been damaged?

I see wlodekmj bid on this calculator, one in the same :^) (I try not to bid against this guy)

A recent HP11C went for 142 pounds ($200), nice looking but no manual, case, box etc. Are UK buyers starved of decent HP calcs?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=ViewItem&item=2007121180

[Ellis Easley]

My guess is that between the condition of the particular battery and the heavy load of an LED calculator, the battery voltage is very low. I'm not sure what the spec is, but I think a 9V rectangular batttery is expected to provide about 20 ma for a reasonable time. I sure wouldn"t try it!

[Wlodek Mier-Jedrzejowicz]

Thanks to Tom(UK) for some interesting comments.
Agreed, a 9V battery does not do an HP_37E much
good - I wonder if the seller intentionally used
a high voltage to get the apparently very bright
display shown in the photograph. That would be
very unwise!

I'm honoured that you "try not to bid against" me,
but don't deny yourself items you need for your
collection :-) Since you are in the UK, maybe we
could compare collections one day. That is one of
the uses of user groups - to let enthusiasts meet
other than here :-) HPCC (www.hpcc.org) welcomes
newcomers!

UK prices on eBay reflect the fact that purchasing
from the US requires extra payment for postage, plus
customs duty, plus VAT, plus paying the Post Office
fee for their work in collecting the taxes from us!
All that combined means it is easily worth paying an
extra 10-20% more to buy in the UK. See my book :-)

I hope the final buyers of the 11C and 37E are happy!
Or buy at MoHPC!

Wlodek

[David Smith]

I have purchased numerous items from Europe (including a 9100A) and have never been charged a customs duty.