Hi all, the son of one of my D-mom friends has been having a lot of pod failures recently and they found out tonight that it might be because they have been using rechargeable batteries in the PDM. Has anyone else experienced this? Was this ever mentioned in your pump training?
I have been using regular batteries so far in my daughter's PDM, but I DID buy a package of AAA Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable batteries to use after we finish the regular ones. Or so I was hoping.
I checked the user manual and on page 9, it says, "Do not use any other type of batteries than AAA alkaline batteries to power the PDM. Never use old or used batteries; the PDM may not work properly." And that's it - no direct mention about rechargeable batteries or how the PDM or pods might not work. If this is the case, they should definitely be more precise in the instructions!
I had my training in Oct 2012. I was told that I couldn`t use recharable batteries, or cheap dollar store brands, and if I did that they were not responsible for anything that happened.
I have used rechargeable batteries in the PDM since I've been on it and have not had any issues. I was told that I can't at training too, but I didn't listen. The battery meter on the screen dose not read correctly with rechargeable, but I avoid that issue by changing the batteries monthly.
Interesting. My D-mom friend texted me today to say they had 2 more pod failures today alone. But from all I've read in similar forums about the batteries, it doesn't seem that non-alkaline batteries affect the pods, only the PDM.
I don't think the PDM can cause a pod to fail, per se. The worst that could happen is that it would somehow lose connection to the pod, but even when the batteries are removed and replaced on the PDM, it reconnects with the current pod, so I doubt the type of batteries used in the PDM would cause pod failures.
I wholeheartedly agree with you. I used rechargeable batteries at first but had some issues with the PDM that caused me to call customer support. They explained that using rechargeable batteries would void my warranty. I have since used tossable batteries (which I hate - I use rechargeable batteries for everything else in my home).
Re failing pods: Over the last 2 weeks, my PDM has given me an error message on 2 occasions. Each time, the error forced me to reset the date and time which ultimately also forced (I had no choice in the matter) me to deactivate (practically new) pods. On the phone with customer support just this morning, I was told that the issue was likely the batteries. They added that the best batteries to use SEEM TO BE Energizer Max batteries. The Duracell batteries I am currently using apparently don't fit quite right. Who knew, right??
Rechargable batteries do not give the proper voltage for many electronic devices. They may be good for motorized devices, but not electronics. Most rechargables only give out 1.2 volts, where regular batteries put out 1.5 volts. The chips in the PDM and other electronics require exact voltage to work properly. So with two batteries, instead of a full 3 volts, you'd only be supplying 2.4 volts. That could cause all types of odd behavior, especially in the BG monitor part of the PDM.
