My AlphaTalker Won't Turn On and/or It is Not Holding a Charge.
NOTE: The average life span of an AlphaTalker battery pack is 1 to 2 years. If the date on the battery pack is 2 years or older, you should replace your batteries. (The date is hand written on the battery pack). The Battery Pack is located on the back of the AlphaTalker. You will need to open the left hand door on the back of the device. You may need to slide the battery pack out in order to see the date.
If your AlphaTalker is not holding a charge, and your batteries are younger than 2 years old, it may be because of one of the following reason:
1. Auto Power Down is not enabled (location " H4 " in the toolbox). When Auto Power Down is Off, the device will not go to sleep after 2 minutes of non-activation and this will quickly use up the battery life. Enable Auto Power Down.
2. The Battery Charger Output voltage is not 16 volts, (defective charger). Even if the charging light is flashing, it does not mean that the charger is working properly. The flashing light just means that at least some voltage is present. The AlphaTalker will stop accepting a charge after 8 hours of charging, in order to save the battery from being over charged. If the battery charger output is less than 16 volts, (4 volts for example), the AlphaTalker will stop taking a charge before it is fully charged. Anyone with a volt meter can test the battery charger for you.
3. If your batteries are not old, and your charger is tested good at 16 volts, then your AlphaTalker will need to come in for service. The charging circuit in the AlphaTalker must be defective.
IMPORTANT: If the AlphaTalker will not turn on: unplug your battery pack inside the unit. Leave the battery pack unplugged and plug one end of your charger into the AlphaTalker's charging jack and the other end of the charger into a working wall outlet. Turn the AlphaTalker Volume knob counter-clockwise to a low volume setting. Turn the AlphaTalker ONand select some messages. If the device stays on and speaks your message, then the battery needs to be replaced. Please call othe PRC Sales Department for ordering information for replacement battery packs. 1-800-262-1933.
NOTE: Charge the AlphaTalker II's batteries on a regular basis, such as overnight every night if the device is used everyday.
The AlphaTalker II should run for about 10 hours (new), of normal use before you will need to charge the batteries. If you use the device everyday, we recommend that you charge it overnight so that it is ready to use the following morning. The AlphaTalker II will not lose its memory, even if the batteries go dead.
When the batteries are low the AlphaTalker II speaks, "Batteries are low." You hear this warning at the end of any spoken message and when you try to store or erase messages. If you continue to speak messages, the "Batteries are low" reminder is spoken at the end of each message. You will not be able to store or erase until you plug in the battery charger.
When the battery charger is plugged in, the battery charging LED lights/flashes to indicate one of three battery states:
1. A solid light means the AlphaTalker II batteries are dead, or that the device is locked up.
2. If the LED is flashing quickly (every 1/2 second), the AlphaTalker II is fast-charging.
3. If the LED is flashing slowly (once every 2 seconds), the AlphaTalker II is trickle-charging. This means the batteries are full but you may keep the charger plugged in if you wish.
WARNING!! You must use the battery charger that came with the AlphaTalker. Using an unauthorized battery charger may damage the batteries. In North America use only the battery charger with the part number, BCPS-1. In CE Standard countries use only the battery charger with part number, BCPS-UK-2