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Posts: 900 | Thanked: 273 times | Joined on Aug 2008 @ Fresno CA USA
#31
Originally Posted by bilofsky View Post
This was my problem also.

My Mugen battery fit quite snugly so I didn't think a shim would make any difference. But when a replacement failed the same way, I added a couple of thicknesses of masking tape to the end of the battery. It now charges and works OK. I'll have to see if the fix is reliable.

The photo below shows how the Mugen contacts don't extend as far as the Nokia BP-4L or the other third-party battery. And the contacts look less sturdy.
Your images illustrate the issue well. I'd call this a Mugen design flaw.
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bilofsky's Avatar
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#32
Update: I had several problems with Mugen batteries, and now can not recommend them. In addition to the flaky lugs mentioned above, the capacity of my Mugen battery is not any higher than the Nokia battery, advertised claims to the contrary. And two batteries I've had were unable to survive a deep discharge, unlike the Nokia batteries.

Regarding capacity, here are the results from some tests I ran:



I used flip clock to keep the N810 awake, and browsed to a web page that I set to refresh every five minutes. As the graph shows, the capacity of the new "1800 mAh" Mugen, on two different runs, was about the same as the well-used 1500 mAh Nokia, which had been deep discharged on several occasions. The other 3rd party battery (magenta line) was marked 1300 mAh, and indeed it has less capacity.

(Li batteries gain capacity when used for a bit, so I ran the Mugen through a few cycles before and during these tests.)

The real problem, though, is an inability to survive deep discharge. When I first purchased a Mugen battery, I put it in the N810, connected the charger, and then tried to boot the N810. Well, this is a mistake. I figured it would run off the charger, but apparently during the boot process the charger is cut off, and there was not enough juice in the battery to get through the boot.

Too late, I remembered having the same experience with the Nokia battery when I first got the N810. It had to be charged up a while before booting, even with the charger attached.

But unlike the Nokia battery, the Mugen was unable to survive this treatment. It would not charge any more, either in the N810 (which refused to go into charge state) or in a third-party charger.

Mugen generously exchanged the battery. But the other week I inadvertently left the N810 with the Internet radio on, and ran the new Mugen battery down. That killed it.

This doesn't happen with the N810 batteries. If they run down, the N810 shuts off, I recharge, and they recover (although no doubt a bit worse for wear).

Mugen customer support has been responsive down the line. They said that the lugs work with all the other devices that take a BP-4L, but are redesigning them to work with the N810. However, they have not responded in almost two weeks to my report about the batteries dying after one discharge.
 

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#33
Originally Posted by bilofsky View Post
the capacity of my Mugen battery is not any higher than the Nokia battery, advertised claims to the contrary.
I have a mugen battery for N800. The advertising and text on the battery claims 1800mAh, but the battery itself tells the N800 that it's 1300mAh, which is roughly correct according to my own tests.

And two batteries I've had were unable to survive a deep discharge, unlike the Nokia batteries.
What do you mean here? All Li-Ion batteries, except for LiFePo4 and LiMn based chemistries, become dangerous when deep discharged. The software on the tablets should shut down before 3.2Volts though, but there are ways to disable that. I hope you didn't.

The most damaging state of charge for Li-Ion batteries is empty and full. The more time you spend at empty, even the 3.2V empty state, damages the battery and reduces capacity. High temperature further accelerates degradation.

I used flip clock to keep the N810 awake, and browsed to a web page that I set to refresh every five minutes. As the graph shows, the capacity of the new "1800 mAh" Mugen, on two different runs, was about the same as the well-used 1500 mAh Nokia, which had been deep discharged on several occasions. The other 3rd party battery (magenta line) was marked 1300 mAh, and indeed it has less capacity.
What did you use to take the measurements?

(Li batteries gain capacity when used for a bit, so I ran the Mugen through a few cycles before and during these tests.)
Not generally true for Li-Ion, though some manufacturers recomend it for LiFePo4 chemistries.

The real problem, though, is an inability to survive deep discharge. When I first purchased a Mugen battery, I put it in the N810, connected the charger, and then tried to boot the N810. Well, this is a mistake. I figured it would run off the charger, but apparently during the boot process the charger is cut off, and there was not enough juice in the battery to get through the boot.
That's a seriously defective battery. If the battery has been shipped empty, then it will have degraded seriously during storage and transport, to the point that it might even pose a safety hazard.

But unlike the Nokia battery, the Mugen was unable to survive this treatment. It would not charge any more, either in the N810 (which refused to go into charge state) or in a third-party charger.
Once you've managed to deplete the battery, any battery, too low, it will be hit-and-miss trying to convince the N8x0 to charge them, they'll be shutting down for safety and woken up by the charger, shutting down for safety, woken up by the charger...

Mugen generously exchanged the battery. But the other week I inadvertently left the N810 with the Internet radio on, and ran the new Mugen battery down. That killed it.
Would be interesting to get voltage reading on that. People have observed the same reboot-loop behaviour with Nokia batteries too, and Nokia has generally sent them new charge adapter and new battery.
 

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#34
Originally Posted by shadowjk View Post
The software on the tablets should shut down before 3.2Volts though, but there are ways to disable that. I hope you didn't.
Oh, please don't think I disabled that. I wouldn't even know how.

Originally Posted by shadowjk View Post
What did you use to take the measurements?
battery-status.

Originally Posted by shadowjk View Post

Originally Posted by bilofsky View Post
(Li batteries gain capacity when used for a bit, so I ran the Mugen through a few cycles before and during these tests.)
Not generally true for Li-Ion, though some manufacturers recomend it for LiFePo4 chemistries.
I inferred this from the Mugen instructions, which say:
"The first time, please charge the battery in the device for at least 8 hours ... After fully charged, please use the device until the device tells you the battery is verly low, then recharge. Repeat this process for 2-3 more times, where after (sic) you can recharge the battery whenever is suitable. Important: NEVER drain the battery completely to 0%."
Originally Posted by shadowjk View Post

Originally Posted by bilofsky View Post
The real problem, though, is an inability to survive deep discharge. When I first purchased a Mugen battery, I put it in the N810, connected the charger, and then tried to boot the N810. Well, this is a mistake. I figured it would run off the charger, but apparently during the boot process the charger is cut off, and there was not enough juice in the battery to get through the boot.
That's a seriously defective battery. If the battery has been shipped empty, then it will have degraded seriously during storage and transport, to the point that it might even pose a safety hazard.
If you say so. But as I said, the original Nokia battery that shipped with my N810 wouldn't boot either in the same situation.
 
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#35
Those mugen instructions are probably more an attempt to make the battery meter calibrate itself... Unfortunately I don't think it ever does
 
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