Idle drain power in battery operated devices
Idle drain power in battery operated devices
(OP)
I have several radios and at least one camera
that will consume their aa alkaline cells in 6 months with no usage.
This seems wasteful bordering on conspiracy. I have designed circuits to operate continuously on aa battery power for this time frame.
I can't help but think there are connections between the electronics manufacturers and the battery people.
All of my devices are of course made by Japanese companies, mainly because I want the best quality.
I am thinking of writing consumer reports with this issue because i think it can be improved.
What do you think?
Is there any legitimate reason idle devices should consume more than a couple of uA.
that will consume their aa alkaline cells in 6 months with no usage.
This seems wasteful bordering on conspiracy. I have designed circuits to operate continuously on aa battery power for this time frame.
I can't help but think there are connections between the electronics manufacturers and the battery people.
All of my devices are of course made by Japanese companies, mainly because I want the best quality.
I am thinking of writing consumer reports with this issue because i think it can be improved.
What do you think?
Is there any legitimate reason idle devices should consume more than a couple of uA.





RE: Idle drain power in battery operated devices
Real time clock chips?
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Idle drain power in battery operated devices
If it has a microprocessor, it may have many levels of doze, sleep and hibernate that take different amounts of time to wake up, sense different inputs and draw different amounts of current.
Years ago I had a little mp3 player (256MB) that would drain its AAA battery in about a week when "off". Ridiculous!
EnergyStar and other initiatives are publicizing the power drain for mains operated devices (my new TV has a standby drain of 0.3 Watts). It would be nice to have something similar for battery powered devices. Maybe a website where people could rate their gadgets. Does anyone know if something like this exists?
One reason I almost exclusively use rechargeable batteries.
RE: Idle drain power in battery operated devices
RE: Idle drain power in battery operated devices
Most cameras require battery power of some sort to maintain their datestamp clocks.
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RE: Idle drain power in battery operated devices
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Idle drain power in battery operated devices
Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: Idle drain power in battery operated devices
Regardless, I'm not inclined to support an assertion of conspiracy.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Idle drain power in battery operated devices
-Did you change batteries?
-What? Are there batteries in it?
Instruction leaflet gone, or never read.
So, even if the device is active, keeping time, checking ring signals or whatever, it should be able to last a lot longer than six months.
Gunnar Englund
www.gke.org
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RE: Idle drain power in battery operated devices
Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: Idle drain power in battery operated devices
What will Al Gore do to it?
Gunnar Englund
www.gke.org
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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...