My Cordless Mouseman Optical needs a new set of batteries every 3-4 days!!!

Teslacoiled

Member
May 1, 2001
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That's instead of 2-3 months!!!
Thank God I have 2 sets of rechargeable batteries!!!
I don't know if this maybe it,but I have a metallic desk here...
Thanks in advance for your help!
 

RedShirt

Golden Member
Aug 9, 2000
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Mine lasts a month... I use Renewal Alkaline Batteries.

Those NICAD rechargables just don't work as well. They lose 30% of their charge each month even when they do NOTHING. Also, I think they only put out 1.25v instead of 1.5. And also, Alkaline puts out full force until it dies, NICAD just gives out less and less until it completely dies.

So, if your using Nickel Cadium(sp?) rechargables, then this is probably the reason why they go bad so fast.
 

Jerboy

Banned
Oct 27, 2001
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<< Mine lasts a month... I use Renewal Alkaline Batteries.

Those NICAD rechargables just don't work as well. They lose 30% of their charge each month even when they do NOTHING. Also, I think they only put out 1.25v instead of 1.5. And also, Alkaline puts out full force until it dies, NICAD just .
>>



Its actually the opposite. Alkaline starts at 1.5V, but quickly drops to about 1.25V and voltage slopes down with depth of discharge. NiCd starts at 1.4V or so and sharply drops to 1.25V, but maitains 1.25V until battery is almost empty and voltage sharply drops.

 

Jerboy

Banned
Oct 27, 2001
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<< That's instead of 2-3 months!!!
Thank God I have 2 sets of rechargeable batteries!!!
I don't know if this maybe it,but I have a metallic desk here...
Thanks in advance for your help!
>>



It could be. Cut out an old white T shirt and attach it to your desk and use your mouse on top of that.

See if battery lasts any longer.
 

RedShirt

Golden Member
Aug 9, 2000
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Ack, oops, sorry for the misinformation. I did a science fair project on batteries like 8 years ago... Can't remember all the details :)
 

Adul

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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danny.tangtam.com
Try NiMH batteries instead. Also my mom has the same mouse and and jsut now replaced the batteries after one month. nicad dont have that much storae capacity.
 

John

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
33,944
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<< That's instead of 2-3 months!!!
Thank God I have 2 sets of rechargeable batteries!!!
I don't know if this maybe it,but I have a metallic desk here...
Thanks in advance for your help!
>>



How long has this been a problem? I have one on the desk behind me and the batteries last for months at a time.
 

Teslacoiled

Member
May 1, 2001
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That 's been a problem since I bought the mouse...The set of Philips batteries that was in the box lasted for about 10-15 days...
By the way,do you take the batteries out when you shut down the computer?If not,is the LED light always on?Mine flashes once every second when I'm not using the mouse...
Thanks again!
 

GoSharks

Diamond Member
Nov 29, 1999
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nimh batteries are the best out of the 3 common types, store more than the rechargable akaline and nicd, and have a very flat discharge curve.

you should go get some of those instead of the nicds.
 

element

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Jerboy is right Redshirt, you had it backwards. I also agree with going with NiMH over NiCD. I'm using them now in my logitech cordless desktop and they are great. I use it all the time and they really last a long time. Not sure how long I haven't kept track.

One thing to note no one has mentioned yet: how are you determining that they need replacing? My software tells me when the batteries need replacing and it is always wrong about the battery level. Reason being that rechargables run at 1.2V rather than 1.5, so the mouse hardware tells the driver the batteries need replacing, when in actuality they still have months of life left in them!
 

John

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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<< That 's been a problem since I bought the mouse...The set of Philips batteries that was in the box lasted for about 10-15 days...
By the way,do you take the batteries out when you shut down the computer?If not,is the LED light always on?Mine flashes once every second when I'm not using the mouse...
Thanks again!
>>



Yea the one I have flashes once every second when not in use.
 

AMDPwred

Diamond Member
Mar 22, 2001
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That's the sole reason I won't be buying a cordless mouse. And man I want that new MS cordless mouse. Looks and feels awesome in your hand.
 

Jerboy

Banned
Oct 27, 2001
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Try the shirt or a light colored mousepad.

I wouldn't use piece of paper though. I have tried it before and it feels grainy.


I don't like using my mouse on the desk, because it seems to wear away the glossy coating from the desk :(
 

Teslacoiled

Member
May 1, 2001
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I'll try everything I can!
I'm using the mouse on a piece of lightly colored paper.I sometimes ignore what the software tells me about the batteries level being critical,but then the light goes completely off in some time...
I'm planning on buying a new wooden desk because I've noticed that the metallic desk the computer is on right now is "electrified"...
Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions!
If you have something to share with me please do it and I'll be checking back.
 

zeruty

Platinum Member
Jan 17, 2000
2,276
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The set that came with my mouse probably lasted 2 months, and I had a non-alkaline set of batteries last like a month and a half after that. Now I am using the extra NiMH rechargable batteries I have for my digital camera and each charge is lasting about a month. Definately a lot better option than wasting new batteries. $17 for a charger and something like $8 for a set of four batteries is a good investment.
I have my mouse on the same mousepad I've had for a couple years, because of the gel wrist rest
it's a light gray

when the first set of batteries died, I didnt know it til the message window popped up and told me to change
the second set didnt give me a message window, my mouse pointer just started tweakin and freakin out, I put some of my NiMH batteries in and it was better..put the old ones back in to check and yep it tweaked again
and so far with the NiMH batteries, the mouse just pretty much stops responding
I usually have my reciever on the floor (because it insists on falling down and it usually works fine on the floor anyways) but the other day my mouse was being a little unresponsive so i put it back up and my mouse is workin fine.
Oh yeah I guess its important to mention I don't have the mouseware software installed now, which would be why it doesnt tell me when the batteries are low.

And to answer your question about taking the batteries out, Testlacoiled... I just leave them in all the time, with rechargeables I'm not gonna go to the effort of taking them out. And here is logitech's info on the light when the mouse is idle.
How does Logitech help me get the most out of batteries?

Cordless MouseMan Optical works in every possible way to maximize battery life. The cordless mouse spends its time switching between sleep and awake modes. The optical sensor has four different levels of brightness that indicate which mode it is in:

Bright - Mouse is in full run mode. LED is flashed 1500 times a second.
Glow - Mouse is on but dimmer. LED is flashed 100 times a second.
Strobe - Mouse is in sleep mode. LED is flashed 10 times per second.
Flash - Mouse is at lowest response level. LED is flashed twice every second.
Whenever the user moves the mouse or clicks a mouse button, the mouse instantaneously returns to full run mode.
 

dionx

Diamond Member
Mar 11, 2001
3,500
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mine last about 3.5 weeks and i play alot of unreal tournament. not bad i guess.
 

MWink

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
3,642
1
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I would recommend NIMH batteries if you don't mind the weight. Otherwise I would use NICD batteries. My Logitech Cordless Optical mouse lasted at least 10 days with a good set of NICD batteries. It lasted about 30 days on some 10+ year old NICD batteries.
 

CigarSmokedByClinton

Senior member
Sep 4, 2000
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0
71
I use normal duracells, and since last April, I've only replaced them once.

So I've used the onces that came with, plus one set, and now I'm on my third set. Usually last 3-4 months.

Cigar
 

gogeeta13

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2000
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I use NiMH in my digital camera, my visor deluxe and all my flash lights, my energizer NiMH kick out 1.85 volts, then drop to 1.55. Although they don't hold a charge as long as alkaline(this is why tesla's batteries die so quickly), they are very powerful. Also, NiMH are poor batteries for constant use. in my cam, I may be using it for 2 hours, then they die. I turn it off for a few hours, and it has another couple hours of battery life.

my .02
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
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hehe, i just ask family members/friends for batteries when i run out.. i should get a charger tho
 

bgatot

Senior member
Mar 10, 2000
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Anyone knows where to get a white mouse pad?

I agree that the cordless mouse (at least the Logitech one) last longer when used on a white surface. I can even see that it glows less brightly on a white surface than on a black, nonreflective surface. But I'm now using a piece of white cardboard, and it has started stretching due to moisture so it's slightly concave in the middle. I've been looking for a plain white mouse pad and haven't found any. The only thing I see that seems to be perfect is a blank mouse pad for customized company logo mousepad or something. They're sold in bulks though!

My battery last about a month, I use Duracell M3 as recommended by Logitech.
 

element

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Another note about logitech cordless, the closer the receiver is to the mouse, the longer the batteries last. At least this applies to mine. try it with yours and see. (note I have a cordless ball mouse and not an optical)