So how do you know when you’re about to lose power. I watch the battery symbol but what happens if it just finally gives out!? Will it warn me at all or do I have to carry spare batteries with me all the time? I feel like I’m changing it too soon and wasting good batteries but I’m scared of it giving out when I’m away from home. Does anyone use rechargable?
You jcannot use rechargables with the pod. I am a bit pissed because the PDM used to give me a 12 hour notice, then when the batteries were about to die (about 1 minute) it would alarm, now, for some reason, the new PDM gives NO warning. (I dont understand why, this could just be me, if I didnt do something, pls. let us know, follks) I find it difficult to believe that the people at Insulet would just let this one go!
I noticed after my last battery change that the battery meter showed full for about a day and then dropped down to nothing. I had just replaced the original batteries that came with the PDM from Insulet. (They lasted a little over 2 weeks. They were cheapies) I got a “Low Battery” error message and the PDM shut off, but then came right back on. I went ahead and changed to my Energizers then (It’s what I’ve used in my old Cozmo for 5 years). Almost 2 weeks and so far so good. I’ll check them with my meter in a little bit to see how the charge is holding up. I’m a little disappointed that the battery display doesn’t more accuratley reflect the true charge level of the batteries.
Cheers,
Has anyone just had it simply die on them? I’ve been trying to remember to keep a couple batteries with me but… It seems to me like a real screw up on the designers part.
The second generation PDM doesn’t like rechargeables or lithiums; It can’t tell that they are running low. I use Duracell alkelines and they last me about a month. With the alkelines the battery meter works well. When I was using lithiums, the battery meter didn’t work well. It showed fully charged for about a month, then dropped to 50% and then died the next day when I tried to test at breakfast.
I carry an extra set of batteries with me. They fit in the spine of the case that came with my PDM (there are two small elastic loops that hold them). My CDE recommended keeping extra batteries with me at all times.
Yes, Barb, I guess that is what is happening! I thought (as posted above) that the PDM was just not alarming me anynnore whtn the battery was getting low, but now I guess it has to be what you are experiencing, total and sudden death! drat!
Oh well, just life threatening if it happens to go dead away from battery access, not a problem.
oh yeah, I suppose you are right. Although I would prefer it not to be letal at all! After all, it is just a battery!
We carry extra batteries with us. But like most people, ours is full for a tiny while, goes down to half for a bit and then spends a lot of time at nothing. My daughters flip the batteries in the PDMs and it goes back to half for a day or two. However, we’ve gotten a week out of batteries that are showing zero battery life. I don’t trust the PDM gauge at all, hence the extra batteries.
I have found the battery meter to be totally worthless. I put new ones in and it read “clear” not black. I checked the batteries with a power meter they were fully charged. When I put them back it it went to black or full charge. I have also had them in for a couple of weeks and they are half or clear, whatever. You can’t trust it and as others say I always have extra batteries with me.
I have also pulled them out and rubbed the ends of the batteries on coarse cloth or scrapped them with my pocket knife and they appear half charged again for a day or two.
Great pump but inconsistent power meter. IMO
My new Energizers were only in for a little over 2 weeks when I got a low battery alert. I thought it was a little premature, so I took them out and measured them with my volt meter and they showed to be almost fully charged (1.46 volts each) So I put them back in and the indicator on the PDM showed only 1/2 charge. I’ve been running them for about a week now since re-installing them and the indicator started showing empty again only after a days use. I do have my spare pair in my case. Just in case.
Is there any kind of signal when they are really out? Does it alert you that it can’t bolus or something?
Yeah, I don’t even pay attention to the power meter anymore. I make sure to carry around extra batteries at all times and replace them when the PDM tells me to change batteries.
Thanks!
As Brad said, the PDM battery meter is calibrated for standard alkaline batteries and does not “know” how to measure others. Insulet clearly states in the manual and when I’ve asked that they only recommend alkaline batteries; in fact, they recommend a specific brand (there’s a long discussion of batteries in the recent history of this group).
My strategy, which has worked quite well for almost 3 years now, is to use cheap, generic alkaline batteries. When the battery meter gets down to the last bar, I put a new set in the PDM case to carry around with me. At some point, when the betteries completely exhaust, the PDM tells me to change them, which I do. I get at least 4 weeks out of the cheap batteries this way, and have never been caught without power. Even if I did, unless I’m on vacation in some remote location I’m never more than 30 minutes from some kind of store where I could buy batteries, in an emergency.