Steripen Classic What if You Try to Use It Again
@hikin_jim
I was out yesterday in the San Bernardino National Woods on the Santa Ana River Trail and my Steri-Pen failed. The greenish indicator lite came on, merely it would flash reddish after a few seconds. I *always* deport a spare set of batteries. I tried it multiple times with both sets of batteries but no go. Dunno what's going on. Water was plentiful at Forsee Creek, then the unit was fully submerged. I know that the unit will shut off if not fully submerged.
Is in that location some kind of diagnostic procedure one can follow? Has the UV seedling burnt out? Is there a way to confirm that the bulb is burned out and information technology's not some other problem?
And I guess I'1000 simply screwed, i.e. no repair is possible if a bulb burns out?
I hope the water in Forsee Creek isn't polluted. I drank it "raw" from a indicate downwards stream of the Hwy 38 crossing.
HJ
@retiredjerry
try a different set of batteries
possibly both sets you tried are non good enough
Steripen requires a lot of electric current
Which model of Steripen do y'all have?
Their customer back up and warranty exchange service is excellent.
@dkramalc
Hi, Jim –
I had that happen, I think it turned out to be the element that failed. They are very skilful about replacing the unit for you, at least.
@hikin_jim
I have a Steripen Traveller.
I ran both sets of batteries through a bombardment tester when I got home. Both check out as "adept" although I have heard that the Steripen actually wants a lot of juice. I'chiliad going to try it with a brand new set of batteries that I picked up a few weeks ago.
HJ
Did it work when yous got dwelling house ?
@hikin_jim
It did not work when I got dwelling house — using the same batteries, batteries that tested well into the "good" range on a bombardment tester.
However, I just now tried a brand new set of batteries, and… it worked just fine. So, I judge you accept to have just really really potent batteries with the darned affair. Sigh. But at least information technology isn't broken. Approximate I've been incredibly lucky up til at present (I really don't care for my water in a lot of the places I go).
HJ
HJ, Yup. When it gets about half style used up, the bulb/element demands a larger initial current draw. If it doesn't become it it assumes a bad battery/element and flashes crimson. One play a trick on I have had practiced results with is to keep the Opti in my pocket hence keeping both the unit and the batteries effectually 80F+. If y'all have had information technology a while, the element might just be at the end of information technology'due south life bicycle (effectually 1500L.)
@retiredjerry
I had an Opti and had similar problem. Some batteries worked, some didn't. I just returned it.
Although I recognize it'll work fine but y'all actually need to be careful with batteries. Always take an extra set of batteries that have never been used. Don't leave the batteries in the Steripen between uses…
Sawyer Squeeze works better for me, just information technology has problems also…
@rcaffin
How-do-you-do Jim
What make batteries? If they were non 'brand name' batteries, like Panasonic ec, but cheaper ones from the spider web, then that is the problem. You lot have to use the expensive batteries! Just when you do, the Steripen works well.
The alternative is to upgrade to the Classic3 – seriously. Information technology takes AA Lithiums, and actually lasts well on them. Merely Non the AA alkalines.
Thank you
@hjuan99
The alternative is to upgrade to the Classic3 – seriously. Information technology takes AA Lithiums, and really lasts well on them. But Not the AA alkalines.
I did testing with AA alkalines and was pleasantly surprised…used generic Kirkland (costco) batteries.
https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/99976/folio/two/#post-3412979
I got the manufactured merits of 50L of purified h2o.
@hilight
Jim, glad you got it going. I've had to mess with mine to convince the sensor that yeah, information technology actually was immersed. Non much fun when you're surrounded by articulate lake h2o but can't take a sip.
Roger, any news on when UV LED models volition hit the market? I similar my SteriPen, only I'll happily pass the finicky, fragile unit along when I can purchase an LED version.
@rcaffin
Howdy Shawn
Y'all are not the only one!
I do know (from private correspondance) that Steripen are working equally difficult as they tin on getting a system with UV LEDs to piece of work. The biggest trouble they have – really, the Simply problem, is finding suitable UV LEDs. The LEDs have to emit at a very short wavelength (250 – 280 nm) to be able to 'impale' crucial parts of the bugs – disrupt a sure chemical bail in their Dna etc. (That is an over-simplification, simply it is close enough.)
Up until a year or two ago such UV LEDs simply did not be. Our engineering science was non up to it. OK, you could get UV LEDs which emitted a microwatt or 2, but they were quite useless for our needs. Fortunately the potential market place for these is huge (low-cost h2o purification for the world) and the hamsters have been spinning their wheels difficult. To the best of my knowledge at that place are now not one but two companies in the world claiming to be able to supply UV LEDs in the high 250 nm region with ability approaching something useful. Well, they are shipping data sheets in volume and may even have samples to bear witness. Typically, they merely need 1 or two big orders …
So when volition Steripen be selling a UV LED version? I recollect it volition notwithstanding take a few years before we can see them on the market. Functional UV LEDs is one thing; affordable UV LEDs is another matter. But I am quite certain they WILL come. I'll run a risk a GUESS and say 3 years? Possibly.
Thank you
@hilight
Thank you for the mini-SOTM. Somehow, I knew you'd have some dope on the progress. : )
HJ, Please return it to Steripen. They tin can handle it and you will accept a new i. It was doing pretty much the same thing, sometimes it would merely kickoff flashing red in the middle of a bike and next bike it would just flash red. Remove and replace the batteries, it ran fine. Warm upward the batteries, it ran fine. Deadline and information technology would by lazy about boot the bulb on…up to 2-3seconds.
@hikin_jim
Thanks all for the info and feedback.
I am using "brand proper name" batteries (Duracell, Energizer, and now Sure Fire). Home Depot (of all places) carries Sure Fire brand for a much amend cost than many of the other places effectually where I alive.
I wish I had washed a bit more homework before getting the Traveler model. The batteries are expensive and hard to find. Annihilation that uses CR123 batteries would be a poor choice for a long distances hiker. CR123 batteries are hard to discover. Even my local Walmart doesn't conduct them. God aid you if yous're in a small town looking for CR123's. I notice that Steripen has discontinued the Traveler model.
The Classic3 does sound similar the style to get, for now, simply if they did become a working UV LED, now that would be something to have.
I'm going to monitor my Steripen for now. I only think that both sets of batteries were old and run down. If information technology gets flakey even with new batteries, I'll contact Steripen and come across if I can somehow get information technology repaired — or upgraded to the Classic3.
HJ
@retiredjerry
maybe the ane with built-in Lithium battery that'southward rechargeable with USB plug would exist proficient
then, always accuse it just before you go, and if necessary, have a USB power supply which you lot could also use to recharge smartphone or …
I'm not a big fan of rechargeable batteries, even the internal ones. They get weak over fourth dimension, no matter what you do. Anyway, the Archetype seems similar a good choice. Another thing is the contacts. They tin get a bit muddied, a pencil eraser works well to clean them.
I didn't care to much for the Classic, though. Information technology was a fleck larger and it seemed to be a scrap more frail due to it's size…not something I was existent comfortable with in the woods. And, all the batteries makes a bit difficult to opposite polarity on i ready to insure no power (not even idle current bleed) is running. Though, information technology does take a larger chapters and is nicer for 2 people.
@hikin_jim
My experience with rechargeable batteries is that they concluding a few years and and then don't actually agree a charge thereafter (depending on utilize and care.
Past the way, my agreement is that lithium based rechargeable batteries should be kept every bit fully charged every bit possible to prolong bombardment life.
Regarding breaking the circuit to prevent battery bleed, wouldn't flipping merely one battery do the trick?
HJ
I use only Analeptic Ultimate Lithium batteries for my Steripen Charlatan and have had no problems and then far.
These are the best and longest lasting non-rechargeable lithium batteries out there and their price reflects that.
@rcaffin
I never carp reversing a battery – and in one case where the unit used all 3 battery contacts, it would not work anyway. (That was a very wierd headlight.) Instead I open the battery instance and slip some thin hard PE or Mylar flick over the ends of the batteries, and do the case up again. I shop ane or ii spare bits of moving picture down the side of the batteries.
Actually, now I come up to think of it, one device i received recently came with such a chip of plastic provided. Very customer friendly.
Cheers
Perchance I'm being unduly influenced by a handful of gizmos ruined past batteries leaking back in the alkaline and older days only between trips I never shop batteries in their devices … in ziplock bags instead.
@rcaffin
How-do-you-do Jim
The old alkalines have a water-based electrolyte within them. That could corrode the shell and leak everywhere. Much yuk. The water is why they all die at 0 C of couyrse.
The Lithiums do not contain water. That is why they can work down to nearly -40 C. I have had lithium AA batteries run out of juice, merely so far I take never seen ane leak. Not sure there is anything to leak out.
Thank you
@hilight
Jim, I call up there may besides exist a divergence betwixt definitions of store, as in "store in a pack" or "store on a shelf".
Regardless of type, I rarely go out batteries in a device when I'm not in the field, but I do store batteries in a device while in my pack awaiting apply (think headlamp or Steripen), using an insulating strip to isolate them from whatever electric current drain. I pop fresh batteries in before an outing, meaning I usually have a supply of used batteries on my return. The one-time ones go in my sonic screwdriver, leaving my backpacking devices conspicuously in need of fresh batteries before I striking the trail over again. I know I could load freshies and isolate with a strip earlier putting a device on the shelf, but I'm cheap, and fresh-before-trip means they're always a known adept quantity, also.
Another benefit of using those little strips is that it'south occasionally possible to ophidian a fleck of the strip outside the example, making it easy to ability up the device with a simple pull on the strip without any disassembly.
Source: https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/steripen-failure-diagnosis/
0 Response to "Steripen Classic What if You Try to Use It Again"
Postar um comentário