HP16 abruptly quit working

[Gary Olmstead]

My HP16C,which I bought on the second day they were available, has been working just fine until recently. I had been using it earlier that same day, but when I pushed the ON button.... nothing. As of right now, still nothing.

So, what happened, and how can I fix it? The Windows calculator isn't nearly as handy.

[Marcus von Cube, Germany]

Gary,

I had some problems with the battery contacts. Some aluminum foil on one end (after some cleaning) might do the trick.

Marcus

BTW, you *know* that the HP 16C runs on batteries and not on good will alone? Since a set of these usually lasts a few decades you might have forgotten about the fact...

:-)

Edited: 7 Feb 2006, 1:22 p.m.

[Gary Olmstead]

BTW, you *know* that the HP 16C runs on batteries and not on good will alone?

Well, yes. In theory, there is a low battery indicator, but the only time it has ever gone on was about a year after I got it. I bought batteries, but by then the indicator had gone off, and I forgot to replace the batteries. Some years later, my wife was cleaning out the refrigerator, and asked "What are these batteries for?" The "new" batteries had leaked, and I had to throw them away.

I don't know if I have ever replaced the batteries. I am certain that the low battery indicator was not on the last time it worked.

But I have my DVM here, so... let's see... 1.2V... Looks good.. 0.34V oh-oh... and ummm ... 0.04V Oops. Guess that answers that question. Wonder how long it WAS running on good will alone?

Thanks. Nothing like a little Electronics 101 to counter-act all that high falutin' fancy Dan nonsense I spend my days creating...

Off to the battery store.

Regards
Gary

[hugh steers]

wasn't there a trick with the 12c involving shorting out the battery terminals to cure this problem (assuming battery failure isn't the cause) ??

maybe it works for the 16c.

Edited: 7 Feb 2006, 1:40 p.m.