MS3Pro Real Time Clock Not Staying

[shaodome]

So I have a few MS3Pros and none of them keep the real time clock after it's set for more than maybe a few minutes? Every time I go to pull the logs its back to january 2000. Any suggestions?

[WestfieldMX5]

You did put a battery in them, right?

[shaodome]

You did put a battery in them, right?

Wait I would need to add that for the PRO? I know the RTC module would need it....

[racingmini_mtl]

Section 3.5.3 of the MS3Pro manual.

Jean

[shaodome]

Section 3.5.3 of the MS3Pro manual.

Jean

Thanks Jean. I read the same thing, but it didn't state that a battery wasn't ALREADY installed. I would have figured it would be as the 8gb SD card comes installed. Section 3.5 makes no mention of whether or not the battery is there from the "factory." I'm going to open a unit later to find out.

Matt, if indeed it isn't there, I would suggest making that a little more clear that the user needs to install a battery....unless of course I missed it somewhere in the manual.

[racingmini_mtl]

I think they don't install it because there are serious restrictions on shipping material with lithium battery due to the risk of fire and explosions. If you read the regulations, I think you can simply disable the battery connection (which is what I do with my board) but that's not clear and I think they don't want to risk problems.

But that should indeed be clearly indicated. I thought it was (which is why I have the information above that I remember from somewhere) but I can't see it now.

Jean

[jsmcortina]

Yes, it is all due to the recently changed regulations about Li batteries. Oddly, in the UK it works the other way. You can't ship batteries UNLESS they are installed in a device.
I was talking to Ben & DIY just last week and he said that they specifically cannot ship products with a battery installed. If they were allowed to, the battery would be pre-installed.

James

[subwoofer]

I find this a bit odd, because I thought the transportation limitations for Class 9 Dangerous Goods kick in at 1g of lithium contents. AA batteries are under that limit, button cells should be nowhere close (http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/l91.pdf).

[shaodome]

Yes, it is all due to the recently changed regulations about Li batteries. Oddly, in the UK it works the other way. You can't ship batteries UNLESS they are installed in a device.
I was talking to Ben & DIY just last week and he said that they specifically cannot ship products with a battery installed. If they were allowed to, the battery would be pre-installed.

James

Interesting. What do motherboard manufacturers do for PCs then? Are they not lithium ion I wonder?

[Reverant]

Almost none of these goods travel by air in bulk.

[elaw]

I find this a bit odd, because I thought the transportation limitations for Class 9 Dangerous Goods kick in at 1g of lithium contents. AA batteries are under that limit, button cells should be nowhere close (http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/l91.pdf).

A number of sources I found online seem to agree.

"USPS packaging instruction 9D" (http://pe.usps.gov/text/pub52/pub52apxc_040.htm) states: "When mailed domestically only: Primary lithium (nonrechargeable) cells and batteries and secondary lithium-ion (rechargeable) cells and batteries are mailable in limited quantities domestically via air or surface transportation when they are installed in or packed with the equipment they are intended to operate." and "When mailed internationally or to and from APO, FPO, or DPO locations: Primary lithium (non-rechargeable) cells and batteries and secondary lithium-ion(rechargeable) cells and batteries are mailable in limited quantities internationally or to and from APO, FPO, or DPO locations via air or surface transportation only when they are properly installed in the equipment they operate."

UPS has a lengthy document at http://www.ups.com/media/news/en/shipping_batteries.pdf that states that batteries containing less than 1.0g of lithium metal are excepted from shipping restrictions and special labeling rules.

Personally I've ordered many items online (as recently as a couple of weeks ago) that contain small lithium batteries and were shipped by air (domestically).

[Hey_Allen]

I don't know how properly 'legal' it was, but I've ordered a dozen 2032 batteries at a shot, and had them show up in the mail like any other parcel. That said, they were shipped from China so who knows how strictly (hah!) they were adhering to shipping regulations...

[jsmcortina]

Here in the UK, a couple of years back I ordered one coin cell battery among other electronic parts. It arrived in its own large box (400x400x300mm) covered in hazard warnings. Seems ridiculous, but the supplier wouldn't do that unless they were required to.

James

[elaw]

Wow, that's messed-up!

I do know the regulations have changed fairly recently - late 2012 and possibly since then? So what was correct a few years ago may not be now.

[racingmini_mtl]

That link seems to say that it would be ok to ship the MS3Pro with battery installed even internationally: https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/ ... dt_002.htm. It would need to have some protection to prevent it from shorting so I assume that a small plastic or paper sleeve would work. That's what I do.

But it does date from 2012 so, as Eric says, regulations may have changed.

Jean

[subwoofer]

According to this: http://www.dhl.com/content/dam/download ... ations.pdf there is no reason to package the batteries separately or even having to disconnect them from the circuit. Updated for 2014 rules, there was a change 2014-01-01.

[Matt Cramer]

According to this: http://www.dhl.com/content/dam/download ... ations.pdf there is no reason to package the batteries separately or even having to disconnect them from the circuit. Updated for 2014 rules, there was a change 2014-01-01.

DHL is nearly impossible to ship with in the US. They won't even tell us how much shipping charges will be until after they've picked up the package.

[subwoofer]

My point wasn't that you should use DHL, Matt! But I believe the rules are set by IATA, and that all the couriers adhere to the same rules. There will be no competitive advantage in having heavier restrictions than mandated by the authorities. So I find it strange that you feel you have to ship the units without batteries, I wonder if it could be a misinterpretation of the rules on someone's part.

[racingmini_mtl]

My point wasn't that you should use DHL, Matt! But I believe the rules are set by IATA, and that all the couriers adhere to the same rules. There will be no competitive advantage in having heavier restrictions than mandated by the authorities. So I find it strange that you feel you have to ship the units without batteries, I wonder if it could be a misinterpretation of the rules on someone's part.

That's also my understanding.

Jean