So to my fellow xdrip/ g6 users. I just received my 2nd transmitter. Do I switch to the new one and hold on to the old one, or ride the old one or till it dies? The reason I included xdrip is I’m looking at voltages, both a and b. Voltage A is at 303, and voltage B is at 292. What should I be looking for voltage wise to get ready for the demise of said transmitter? Or should I be looking at another piece of information to anticipate said demise.
Thanks in advance,
9 toe Joe.
1 Like
The days when G6 TRANSMITTERS could be restarted and run until their battery died are long gone. G6 transmitters will not start a sensor more than 99 days after first start, and then will no longer start a new sensor. You can get a maximum of 99 days plus 10 days, as described in this thread: Oldest G6 trans to start new sensor? - #15 by Jag1
Voltages are now irrelevant. If you look in System Status page, on G5/G6 Status, Transmitter Days field shows how many days ago transmitter was started, so watch that to see when your transmitter will be expiring.
2 Likes
[post content deleted by author]
1 Like
Your voltages are right where they’re supposed to be, so no worries. Voltage B is the one you may want to keep an eye on. You’re expecting it to vary through it’s lifetime, but should be in the upper 200s generally. It’s not worrisome until the voltage declines rapidly. @Jag1 is right, though, there isn’t much you can do with that information. I’ve had bad transmitters, but tech support doesn’t know what to do with voltage info, since the average Dexcom user isn’t privy to that info. So all you can do is wait and watch the transmitter die, and then call tech support when it finally fails.
G6 voltage info here:
You always want to run the transmitter as long as you can, otherwise you’re just wasting money. There’s zero reason to chuck a transmitter at day 90 just because a new one showed up in the mail. The trick is watching the timing to get maximum life. The transmitters are guaranteed to last 90 days, but they’re programmed to hard stop at 110 days. You won’t get a second’s use past 2640 hours. That means you have to start your last session BEFORE the clock rolls over to day 100. Day 99.99999 is fine, but not day 100. Conversely, if you start a session on day 90 and let it run the full 10 days, you’ll get the shortest transmitter lifespan, because it will hard stop at just day 100.
3 Likes
Great info, thanks so much!
1 Like
I offer a warning about accumulating too many backup transmitters. I have almost always managed to get 109-and-a-fraction days from a transmitter, except for the last one. I expect to get the “this is your last session” warning, and except for this last one, I have. Nine days into its tenth session, the transmitter died, before the sensor’s ten days were up. I called expecting a replacement, and was told that the transmitter was past its expiration date. Oh.
I can accumulate the things because I am resupplied every 90 days. I have gotten 110 days from so many of them that I usually have two in reserve. I think I have reached the limit of the usefulness of that.
1 Like