Horizon HDSM V2.5 with dead battery

[Sparky66]

I'm sure its been covered but can't seem to get a hit on searching, I have the above meter with a near dead battery (won't hold charge for more than a few minutes)
Has anyone constructed a battery pack from AA or AAA batteries ? Does it work ok ?
As a very infrequent user of the meter its hard to justify the replacement costs
thanks in advance

 

[Chris76]

Rechargeable battery's will work but it's the quality of the battery's you will be using look for the MAH value the higher the better something around 2000mah would be a good start and will hold the charge. From memory there is a holder for the battery's in the horizon meter so it should be straight forward enough or another option is get an RS catalogue and find the exact match of the battery's used and replace them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hixxy1]

Hi Sparky. Yes we've made some battery packs for both the terrestrial and HDSM horizon meters and they work fine. Can upload a few pics if you need any help.

 

[Sparky66]

Hi Sparky. Yes we've made some battery packs for both the terrestrial and HDSM horizon meters and they work fine. Can upload a few pics if you need any help.

Yes would be interested in pics, did you match the rechargeable battery voltage of 7.2vdc ?

My main concern is applying to much voltage to the meter as I don't know how sensitive it is

Cheers

 

[Hixxy1]

Yes Sparky66. We matched the voltage. All we used was one of these with some rechargable AA ni-mh batteries. Will take a picture tomorrow when I'm back at work.

 

[Hixxy1]

Finally got round to taking some pictures.

 

[moonbase]

Hi Sparky. Yes we've made some battery packs for both the terrestrial and HDSM horizon meters and they work fine. Can upload a few pics if you need any help.

Are these battery packs that you made up available for purchase or did you just make them up for your own personal use?


Rgds

 

[Analoguesat]

Missing photos now fixed

 

[Hixxy1]

Are these battery packs that you made up available for purchase or did you just make them up for your own personal use?


Rgds

I just lashed them up for personal use. Thanks to A/S, the pictures are back up.
It's an easy job to make your own battery packs out of standard nimh rechargeable batteries.

 

[moonbase]

I just lashed them up for personal use. Thanks to A/S, the pictures are back up.
It's an easy job to make your own battery packs out of standard nimh rechargeable batteries.

Thanks for getting the pictures back up.

I have the older model of the Horizon satellite HDSM meter with the COM port connection, this was the earlier model before the USB version. The battery pack is like the green wrapped pack connected to the red cased meter in the pictures and the original manual states Battery Pack NiMH 2.4A, 7,2V.

The battery pack you have made up looks like it is some type of cradle with a press on connector, did you purchase the cradle at somewhere like Maplins, the meter I have does not have a cradle so I will need to rig one up somehow?. Maplins sell battery boxes, so I think if I can find out how many and which batteries to get I could rig up something?

Also is there any need to stick with the original number of batteries and how do you calculate if the batteries will provide the relevant output? Is it just a question of multiplying the individual battery output by the number of batteries in the pack, ie 6 batteries @ 0.4A, 1.2V each = 2.4A, 7.2V ?

I think that the original batteries in the green shrink wrapped pack are size "Sub-C", if I can get 6 of these and some means of connecting them I might be OK?

Sorry for so many questions, I am quite willing to have a go, I just need a bit of help as I am not very techno in this area.


Rgds

 

[Hixxy1]

I used a simple battery holder filled with 1.2v nimh rechargable batteries. Not sure on the mah value but it isn't as much as the originals. They have worked fine for a couple of years. These meters are also the older serial type.

All I did was cut the wires from the old battery and join them like you can see in this picture, as simple as that.
Linky for the new battery holder:
ebay.co.uk 170712143549

I'm sure Maplins sell them as well.

 

[moonbase]

Hixxy1,

Many thanks for your help and the link to the battery holder.

I think you said that you used a slightly lower ampage rather than stick with 6 x 1.2v, 2400mA batteries, would it be possible for you to check and let me know what the exact ampage is for the batteries you used?

Or, would you know if it is safe to use 6 x 2450 mA or 6 x 2700mA batteries, the slightly higher amp rating seem more readily available but I am concerned about damaging the meter if I go even slightly higher than the precise battery rating of the originals?

Definitely a cheaper solution than buying a replacement pack from Horizon.


Rgds

 

[hairybadger]

Or, would you know if it is safe to use 6 x 2450 mA or 6 x 2700mA batteries, the slightly higher amp rating seem more readily available but I am concerned about damaging the meter if I go even slightly higher than the precise battery rating of the originals?

That'll be mAh (the 'h' being 'hours'). It's the capacity - they just have a greater (theoretical) capacity. As long as the voltage is the same they'll be fine.

 

[rolfw]

A couple of friends have used this company for meter battery packs. www.strikalite.co.uk/prodcat_type/20/ALL/0/Specialist_Battery_Packs.html

 

[moonbase]

Thanks for all of the help and links, I have enough info now to get the replacements.


Rgds

 

[trevortronix]

Hixxy1,

Many thanks for your help and the link to the battery holder.

I think you said that you used a slightly lower ampage rather than stick with 6 x 1.2v, 2400mA batteries, would it be possible for you to check and let me know what the exact ampage is for the batteries you used?

Or, would you know if it is safe to use 6 x 2450 mA or 6 x 2700mA batteries, the slightly higher amp rating seem more readily available but I am concerned about damaging the meter if I go even slightly higher than the precise battery rating of the originals?

Definitely a cheaper solution than buying a replacement pack from Horizon.


Rgds

For what it's worth- I use my V2.5 almost daily (I prefer it to the USB model), I made up a battery pack using six NiMH 'C' cells. 9.5AH off a certain well-known auction site. It's a squeeze getting them in, you have to take the back off the meter- but they do fit. The extra capacity is really useful for driving DiSEqC motors or even greedy quads. I can upload a photo if you want. TT.

 

[Hixxy1]

For what it's worth- I use my V2.5 almost daily (I prefer it to the USB model), I made up a battery pack using six NiMH 'C' cells. 9.5AH off a certain well-known auction site. It's a squeeze getting them in, you have to take the back off the meter- but they do fit. The extra capacity is really useful for driving DiSEqC motors or even greedy quads. I can upload a photo if you want. TT.

Glad to know you've done a good mod. The AA batteries work well, but like you say if the meter is used a lot, they soon run down and wear out after a lot of use. It helps when you've got an inverter to recharge.

A picture would be great, plus I'm sure plenty of people will find it really handy

 

[trevortronix]

I hope I don't get boo'ed for publishing links- they're quite harmless, I promise!
1st pic is an old battery pack I made up using Sub-C racing cells rated at 4500mAH- then I had a go at squeezing 6 full size C cells in when I saw 9500mAH ones. OK, they're probably not quite up to that, but they certainly do last well compared to any 'original' battery paxk. And, by not wrapping them up in shrink stuff, I'm sure they'll cool slightly better too.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/58259886/2013-03-10%2018.48.58.jpg

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/58259886/2013-03-10%2018.51.17.jpg

 

[tubakias1]

Does anyone have a copy of the latest firmware, satellite lists GR 315051 and the software to install onto my Horizon HDSM V2.5