Re: Rechargeable Battery/Battery Charger

May 23, 2009

,

That has happened to me, but it's rare. I think one time it was because I

did not push it into the charger securely. There is one battery that stopped

working. I did a number of things to determine the problem. I put it in

another battery slot in the charger. If another battery worked & that one

still did not, then it is not the charger. Turned out it was a faulty

battery that needed to be replaced. Batteries that need charging do not keep

if they are not used. When I first got the rechargeables, I continued to use

the disposables, til my audie explained the rechargeables need to be used

now as they will lose their charge over time.

May 23, 2009

If you have more than one rechargeable battery, , I recommend that you

keep them all on the charger and rotate them. I have a 4 cell charger and

keep two on the charger, one in the processor and one in a small carrying

pack in case it's needed some time during the day. It never is.

If the charger has a light for each position, as mine does, that indicates

that the battery is charging put the one in question back on the charger and

see if the light lights. If it does, it probably just didn't get properly

connected the first time. I had that happen just once.

If the light doesn't indicate charging it either indicates that the battery

won't take a charge or that position on the charger isn't working. Try a

different position if there is more than one.

Virg

> Hi everyone,

>

> I'm frustrated right now because after placing one of my rechargeable

> batteries in the charger overnight, I learned that it did not have any

> power when I put it in my processor. Could this mean there is something

> wrong with my charger and/or the slot I placed it in? If so, I don't

> understand how that's possible since I've only been using the rechargeable

> batteries and charger for a very short period of time.

>

> ------------------------------------

>

May 23, 2009

,

If you can get someone to check the lights, then you can determine if

its the charger or the battery. There is no other way because the lights

are the only inidicators.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

How come Superman could stop bullets with his chest, but always

ducked when someone threw a gun at him?

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276@...

Home Page-

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

May 23, 2009

, I found a circuit for a portable light indicator that signals with a

varying audio tone, that was designed for blind amateur radio folks to sense

the status of LEDs.

This is from back 1n 1987, in an ARRL publication.

Is anything similar available commercially?

Looks like it could be very useful to me.

Here's the URL, a pdf file,although I do realaize is problematic.

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/8707035.pdf

Bob

............

Re: Rechargeable Battery/Battery Charger

,

If you can get someone to check the lights, then you can determine if

its the charger or the battery. There is no other way because the lights

are the only inidicators.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

How come Superman could stop bullets with his chest, but always

ducked when someone threw a gun at him?

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276@...

Home Page-

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

May 23, 2009

Yes there are light sensors available for the blind. I dont know if

they pick up the different colors, as the Cochlear charger uses green and

red to indicate status. I will look at thwat you came across.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person

to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276@...

Home Page-

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

May 23, 2009

I was looking to see what might be available for blind and partially sighted

and found this " Vibrating Light Probe " which goes on a key chain for $47

http://www.soundbytes.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD

<http://www.soundbytes.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD & Store_Code=SB &

Product_Code=447280 & Category_Code=DeafBlind>

& Store_Code=SB & Product_Code=447280 & Category_Code=DeafBlind

that detects LEDS and changes vibration with brightness of light that might

work with red/green contrast.

I know that I have to check my charger to make sure that the light is

flashing (indicating that it is charging) to know that I have inserted it

correctly. When the battery supposedly is fully charged the light stops

flashing and remains solid.

The " red " on the charger rarely appears. I have only seen it once in couple

years of using the charger and that was immediately before the battery

totally lost its ability to charge at all.

I do occasionally, but not often, get a " bad charge " and a supposedly fully

charged battery dies within a couple hour use versus the full day. However

when I put it back in the charger it charges and performs like it is

supposed to.

Ruth

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2009 2:58 PM

Subject: Re: Rechargeable Battery/Battery Charger

Yes there are light sensors available for the blind. I dont know if

they pick up the different colors, as the Cochlear charger uses green and

red to indicate status. I will look at thwat you came across.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person

to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276@... <mailto:rclark0276%40charter.net>

Home Page-

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

May 23, 2009

That looks like a winner, Ruth, that would accomplish the mission.

I noticed they also have a model with audio alert only for $23.95:

http://tinyurl.com/odh635

Bob

...........

RE: Rechargeable Battery/Battery ChargerThast

I was looking to see what might be available for blind and partially sighted

and found this " Vibrating Light Probe " which goes on a key chain for $47

http://www.soundbytes.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD

<http://www.soundbytes.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD & Store_Code=SB &

Product_Code=447280 & Category_Code=DeafBlind>

& Store_Code=SB & Product_Code=447280 & Category_Code=DeafBlind

that detects LEDS and changes vibration with brightness of light that might

work with red/green contrast.

I know that I have to check my charger to make sure that the light is

flashing (indicating that it is charging) to know that I have inserted it

correctly. When the battery supposedly is fully charged the light stops

flashing and remains solid.

The " red " on the charger rarely appears. I have only seen it once in couple

years of using the charger and that was immediately before the battery

totally lost its ability to charge at all.

I do occasionally, but not often, get a " bad charge " and a supposedly fully

charged battery dies within a couple hour use versus the full day. However

when I put it back in the charger it charges and performs like it is

supposed to.

Ruth

May 23, 2009

Ruth and all,

I completely forgot about light probes, so thank you for bringing that to my

attention Ruth.

Good news. I placed the battery which didn't have any power into a different

slot and it now works, so I don't know if I didn't insert the battery far enough

like said or if it was a bad slot. Tonight I'm going to try putting the

battery in the shot I originally had it in to rule out the possibility of it

being the cause.

I'm now a very happy camper after having spent several hours using my 3Gs. Don't

get me wrong. I'd rather have unclear hearing than no hearing at all, but it's

still nice to have my right Freedom processor working again.

By the way, I gave my audi the battery cage for my right Freedom. She's going to

send it to Cochlear so we can determine if that is the cause of the Freedom not

working.

May 23, 2009

Virg,

Whenever I'm not using my rechargeables, I always keep them in the charger. I

asked a neighbor of mine to check the lights and she said they are working fine.

She also said that when I placed the rechargeable battery into the slot that

didn't originally give a charge, the green light started blinking.

May 24, 2009

Been trying to find out more but the typical light probe does not

differentiate between colored LEDs. If the Cochlear charger used separate

LEDs to show status, then it would work. But its a multi colored LED that

is used so no can do.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

Whether they find a life there or not, I think Jupiter should be called an

enemy planet.

--Jack Handey

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276@...

Home Page-

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

May 24, 2009

I've been doing some digging too, , and I concur.

However, for the vast majority of cases, as Ruth presented, the light probe

could be valuable in sensing the flashing or continuous green light, given

that the red rarely appears.

Not perfect, but better than nothing.

I'm rather surprised that none of the CI makers have addressed this issue!

Not only could they provide separate LEDs for the 3 charge status

indications, they could also provide an audible alert for each battery slot,

differentiated by tone or pulses, actuated by a test button for the

respective slot.

Maybe next year?

Bob

..........

Re: Rechargeable Battery/Battery Charger

Been trying to find out more but the typical light probe does not

differentiate between colored LEDs. If the Cochlear charger used separate

LEDs to show status, then it would work. But its a multi colored LED that

is used so no can do.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

Whether they find a life there or not, I think Jupiter should be called an

enemy planet.

--Jack Handey

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276@...

Home Page-

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

May 24, 2009

,

It would be nice but... My perspective on this is that the

sighted/hearing world makes products for the sighted/hearing world. Making

products for the disabled is an afterthought, usually when the disabled

advocate for them.

One example is the touch screen debit machines. There is absolutely no

way for a blind person to access these. It took advocacy by the blind to

get WalMart to install some older tech debit machines...at " some " of the

checkout stations. Nice but then, how is a blind person to know which

checkout has an accessible debit machine?

And so it goes...

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

If aliens are smart enough to travel through space, then why do

they abduct the dumbest people on earth ??

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276@...

Home Page-

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

May 24, 2009

I may be butting in but...I agree with that response. The hearing/sighted world

doesn't fully understand what visually or audially impaired people have to deal

with. I have a CapTel phone that I thought would be a great idea but the person

interpreting for me usually gets the words wrong. I had to communicate with tech

people from Norton and AT & T Internet and it was chaos! Oh, what Bell

started! He meant well I'm sure but...

Cassandra

From: <rclark0276@...>

Subject: Re: Rechargeable Battery/Battery Charger

Date: Sunday, May 24, 2009, 4:43 PM

,

It would be nice but... My perspective on this is that the

sighted/hearing world makes products for the sighted/hearing world. Making

products for the disabled is an afterthought, usually when the disabled

advocate for them.

One example is the touch screen debit machines. There is absolutely no

way for a blind person to access these. It took advocacy by the blind to

get WalMart to install some older tech debit machines...at " some " of the

checkout stations. Nice but then, how is a blind person to know which

checkout has an accessible debit machine?

And so it goes...

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

If aliens are smart enough to travel through space, then why do

they abduct the dumbest people on earth ??

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276charter (DOT) net

Home Page-

http://webpages. charter.net/ dog_guide/

May 24, 2009

i believe it became mandatory to subscribe to an Internet relay

service and I use Hamilton. If a person is deaf there is a probability

the he/she will not speak clearly. The communications assistant CA

abbreviations s troublesome but it is a boon for the sighted. Unlike

AT & T and Sprint Hamilton does not erase the message and the entire

transcript can be reviewed by the subscriber. Customer service is 9-5

Monday to Friday Central Time. I have phone captel too but the called

person can get exasperated with me.

Gerald

From: <rclark0276charter (DOT) net>

Subject: Re: Rechargeable Battery/Battery Charger

groups (DOT) com

Date: Sunday, May 24, 2009, 4:43 PM

,

It would be nice but... My perspective on this is that the

sighted/hearing world makes products for the sighted/hearing world. Making

products for the disabled is an afterthought, usually when the disabled

advocate for them.

One example is the touch screen debit machines. There is absolutely no

way for a blind person to access these. It took advocacy by the blind to

get WalMart to install some older tech debit machines...at " some " of the

checkout stations. Nice but then, how is a blind person to know which

checkout has an accessible debit machine?

And so it goes...

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

If aliens are smart enough to travel through space, then why do

they abduct the dumbest people on earth ??

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276charter (DOT) net

Home Page-

http://webpages. charter.net/ dog_guide/

May 25, 2009

No butting in. This is an open forum and anything posted is open for

discussion. Sometimes we are better off not to respond, but those are rare

cases. LOL

Enjoy the group.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

's Computer Law 3: It's morally wrong to allow naive end

users to keep their money.

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276@...

Home Page-

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

May 26, 2009

,

Good post! You just earned yourself a mocha. <smile>

Don't forget talking ATMs which aren't accessible to blind people who are hard

of hearing. I could go on and on about all of the products and devices I can't

use because of my deafblindness. TIVO and DVR are two of them. Since I have no

way of reading the menus that appear on the screen, it's completely inaccessible

to me.

Unfortunately, the blind, deaf and physically disabled are an afterthought when

it comes to those who can see, hear and walk.

May 26, 2009

Let's make that two. I heard some Coalition is trying to get a bill into

Congress, & one will allow accessible menus for those of us who are blind &

DB. How it is progressing I don't know. Really ridiculous that some things

are not accessible to us in this day & age.

May 26, 2009

,

Thanks for the mocha! LOL Those ATMs also have braille, even in the

drlve ups. LOL

You probably have heard of communities that do those one day things

where someone might be stuck in a wheelchair for the day, or blindfolded,

etc. Problem is, they know its just for the day and they will be fine later

that night. So whqt good is it? A week would be better. But how to

prevent cheating?

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

The best way to predict the future is to create it. "

-- Drucker

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276@...

Home Page-

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

May 26, 2009

,

I was referring to blind people who don't know Braille or those who have

diabetes and can't read Braille in the first place. Oh well.

I also think it would be a good idea to create an awareness program where people

could live a week in ours shoes. The only problem with that kind of a program is

that it isn't realistic for the reason you've already mentioned, but aside from

that, it gives people the wrong impression of what it means to be blind, deaf or

in a wheelchair.

For example, when someone tries to use a cane, they aren't taught the proper

techniques. If they are forced to use writing to communicate with another

person, they haven't been taught how to do that in order to make communication

as efficient and effective as possible.

By the way, my audi just sent Medicaid a claim for 2 additional rechargeable

batteries. Hopefully it won't take too long before I receive them. She also sent

the battery cage to Cochlear, so I should have a replacement within a few days.

May 26, 2009

,

Right, exactly. What good is braille to one who does not know braille.

And I would not want anyone to even know basic skills when " trying on " a

disabllty for a day or week. Rather, I'd want them to experience what

happens when disability strikes. Let them soak in it and begin to

appreciate the hurdles they suddenly face. Let them ponder on the

difficulties involved in learning coping skills and at the same time, let

them learn just how difficult it is to even get to the point of accessing

those services and programs which are being drastically cut back even as we

speak.

Think we could make money at this? Run a program where people sign up

to try a disability for a week, and pay for it?! LOL

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

The best defense against logic is stupidity.

--

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276@...

Home Page-

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

May 26, 2009

Hey ,

If someone wants to sign up to experience bipolar disorder for a week, they are

more than welcome. LOL. Me thinks that after 7 days have passed, they will think

twice about complaining because of the way people drive, because someone cares

" too much " or because they need reading glasses to read. Honestly...some of the

things people complain about really amaze me. Oh well. I guess we're all

different in that respect, but even so it would be nice if the general public

can experience what it's like to lose one's hearing and not know sign, how to

travel with a white cane when you're newly blind or how to accept having to

accept using a wheelchair for the rest of your life after a spinal injury.

May 27, 2009

,

You are so right about the minor things that many people complain about.

I am one of them. LOL Then I realize what I am doing and stop doing

it...for a while anyway.

I met a man last week who is about my age. He asked me something

profound. He wanted to know if I walked to the store, which is a few

blocks. I said, sure, all the time, and I even go to this other store

sometimes (which is about 3 miles round trip). His jaw dropped. LOL He

told me when he drove, he never walked, not even a block, he would drive a

block! LOL

Its easy to fall into a mindset and forget what we do have. I think a

lot of how it was when I had normal vision, what I used to see. But then, I

am thankful I can hold onto those memories.

And now lets go for those mochas, make mine peanut butter would you?

LOL

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

Since light travels faster than sound, isn't that why some

people appear bright until you hear them speak?

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

E-mail-

rclark0276@...

Home Page-

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

May 27, 2009

,

I apologize for bringing my bipolar into this because this isn't a mental health

list, but I have to say I feel the same way you do about blindness and your life

before blindness. Today in my therapy session I cried for the first time in 3

years about my bipolar. I've never done that before. Until now, I've smiled and

pretended that everything was okay on the outside even though I was hurting on

the inside. Now that I'm able to feel true emotions again, I'm ready to learn

how to fully accept my diagnosis as a part of who I am instead of a separate

entity. For the past 3 years, I've looked at my life as a " before and after

bipolar " just like I did when it came to my hearing. I accepted my deafness a

long time ago, but in the beginning, I was extremely angry and scared about what

my future would hold. Sometimes I feel the same way about my bipolar since it's

a lifelong condition that can become worse as one grows older. One positive way

for me to look at today is the fact that I was able to shed some tears for the

first time since 1995 when I lost my hearing. It's a relief to know I'm finally

on my way to accepting my diagnosis so that I can finally move on with my life

and start looking forward instead of back.

May 27, 2009

, I totally understand how you feel about losing your hearing! When I

started losing mine I didn't know what was causing it or the dizziness I was

having. I thought it could be a brain tumor or something! I first wen to Beltone

for hearing aids and found that was a rip off, then I saw an ENT who told me the

tests they gave me found no problem and my hearing problem was " all in my head "

and suggested I see a shrink! When I finally found out I had Meniere's I was in

my mid 20s! I was adopted during a time when family medical history wasn't a

necessity and my adoptive parents didn't understand a hereditary illness. I was

originally told my hearing would get progressively worse because there was no

hearing aid to help the type of loss I had. I would eventually become completely

deaf. I shut out my friends and gave up on a social loss because I was

embarassed about my hearing loss. I reached a point where I only went to church,

work and to functions that

required my presence. When I reached a point where I could no longer work

because of the loss, that's when I finally found the help I needed. I've finally

accepted my deafness, becoming more open to talking about it and I'm willing to

try and work at music again.

As for blindness, I became acquainted with a teammate on a weight loss site

called SparkPeople and she started going blind in her late teens from diabetes.

I'm really inspired by her because she works as a psychologist, does volunteer

counseling, worksout daily, is married to what seems to be a great guy, has a

terrific sense of humor, shares my love for good macaroni and chesse and even

though a leg injury has slowed her down, nothing stops her! Some people I know

who've lost their sight gave up and decided to wallow in self pity just as I did

with my hearing loss. The Spark teammate is part of the reason I decided to give

my processor another chance after I got upset and stopped wearing it. She has a

full, wonderful life and so can others in similar situations but we've got to

work at it!

Cassandra

From: lkozlik@... <lkozlik@...>

Subject: Re: Rechargeable Battery/Battery Charger

Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 3:38 AM