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VMU Batteries Die Under 24 Hours Without Being in Controller

Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 10:29 am
by MetroidTalon
Got my first VMU and cleaned it up nicely. Placed 2 new CR2023 (3V) batteries into it. Set the time, checked out the previous owners saves and put it to Sleep on the desk. Came back the next day and it is flashing the bottom nav with a black screen and the set year over and over. If I remove the batteries and put them back in, it says to replace the batteries.

I know the battery life is awful on these things, but something seems wrong if its under 24 hours without even being used. Could something be shorting out?

Re: VMU Batteries Die Under 24 Hours Without Being in Controller

Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 1:03 pm
by Holsten
seems normal

Re: VMU Batteries Die Under 24 Hours Without Being in Controller

Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2023 7:51 pm
by MetroidTalon
Haha. Just got my 2nd VMU, a new sealed one, so I'll see if that lasts longer.

Re: VMU Batteries Die Under 24 Hours Without Being in Controller

Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2023 9:24 pm
by Xiden
MetroidTalon wrote:Haha. Just got my 2nd VMU, a new sealed one, so I'll see if that lasts longer.
Rechargeable vmu battery mod ftw! https://www.dreammods.net/vmu.html

Re: VMU Batteries Die Under 24 Hours Without Being in Controller

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2023 8:07 pm
by MetroidTalon
Same pack of batteries work fine on the new VMIU (although the original Maxell batteries worked too).

To figure out what was causing the drain, I took it apart again and nothing looked wrong, so my initial thought is the wires hooked to the speakers may be the cause so I desoldered them. Turns out I was right. 3 days strong so far without any degradation.

Re: VMU Batteries Die Under 24 Hours Without Being in Controller

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 10:03 am
by Holsten
aren´t the batteries just to play some mini games on the vmu? i never had any batteries in my vmu´s.

Re: VMU Batteries Die Under 24 Hours Without Being in Controller

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2023 12:31 am
by Falco Girgis
Guys, I'm a VMU developer doing a lot of testing and debugging with VMUs, often using the 6Mhz clock you're only supposed to use when it's attached to the Dreamcast with external power (so it dies even sooner)...

WHAT YOU GUYS WANT is this pack of rechargeable LIR2032s for cheap from amazon. Comes with a few sets, so you can charge one while you use one, plus a charger:
https://www.amazon.com/EEMB-LIR2032-Rec ... hdGY&psc=1

If you're up for modding, there's a 3D printed attachment you can get for housing AAs to power your VMU, which you can have printed for very cheap. Plus there's an easy-to-do USB power mod.