Has this happened to anyone else
Hello,
Sue from Sydney here. I don’t post very often usually just read and
take in the information. But the other nigh I had to put new
batteries into my MiniMed 507, took them out of the refrigerator and
put the new one in and all the alarms went off and the screen went
blank. Took batteries out and waited 1 hour and put them in again
and some weird lettering appeared and alarms (like I have never heard
before went off. Contacted MiniMed Rep. and was told they would have
a replacement pump to me the next day so injected that afternoon and
night. When I got up the following morning decided to try putting in
the batteries again and everything was fine, except that all memory
had gone, time came up at 12:00, basals all gone and no memory of
last doses. It has been fine for the last 2 days so cancelled the
replacement machine. MiniMed Rep. suggested that it could have been
from moisture on batteries and it took overnight to dry out. I have
been on the pump for 10 months and whenever I have replaced batteries
before have had no problems - maybe previously I got them out of the
refrigerator and didn’t replace for 30 mins or so. Has anyone every
found that you can’t put batteries in directly from refrigerator you
must get them to room temp. before replacing. Any answers would be
greatly appreciated.
Thankyou
Sue
June 18th, 2005 at 10:49 pm
Sue-
I keep my extra 357 batteries in the cupboard, they might have some
moisture on them if they are stored in the fridge. The only problem I have
ever had concerning batteries, was when I put them in backwards, I then got
an alarm 25 minutes later.
Try keeping your batteries in a dry area.
Jan G.
June 19th, 2005 at 5:57 am
<< , took them out of the refrigerator and
put the new one in and all the alarms went off and the screen went
blank. >>
You keep them in the refrigeragtor? Why?
Patrick
June 19th, 2005 at 11:42 am
Sue,
I have been on a pump for 19 yrs. On a 508 now. I have never refrigerated
my batteries.
Gail
June 19th, 2005 at 8:29 pm
I have never stored batteries in the fridge either. When there was the Y2K
scare last year, I went and bought a whole year’s worth of batteries from
Minimed!! (LOL) I haven’t had any problem with any of them and the year is
nearly up. –Jeana in AK Ü
—– Original Message —–
June 20th, 2005 at 7:03 am
HiSue: yes, let batteries come to room temp before using in the pump. You
erased the memory and will have to reprogram. I’s sugggest you put some of
those little dryer packets that come with vitamins and stuff to keep moisture
out. It works…Joan :))
June 20th, 2005 at 9:21 am
Hi Sue!
I haven’t read past your post to see if you got a million replies already,
but here goes anyway! I had had my pump for about 1 1/2 years and never had
any problems going straight from the fridge to the pump while I lived in the
San Diego area. Then I moved to Cleveland, and on the way I had a few sets
of batteries that worked for a couple of days and then got the LO warning.
It stopped after a few changes and I didn’t think anything else about it.
Then I went back to San Diego in July, and it started all over again. I
called MiniMed and got the same answer you did, and have followed the advice
to "warm up" my batteries for an hour or so and haven’t had any problems
since. It’s a little frustrating that the manufacturer recommends storing
batteries in the refrigerator, yet no one mentions to not put the batteries
directly into the pump. Oh, well, this whole pump thing is an endless series
of discoveries–it’s still the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.
Janet
June 20th, 2005 at 11:17 pm
Isn’t it funny Radio Shack (or anyplace else) does not store the
batteries they are selling, in the fridge?
Jan
June 21st, 2005 at 4:21 am
I use my batteries up so fast, using the vibrator, that I don’t have to
worry about storing them.
Gail
>Isn’t it funny Radio Shack (or anyplace else) does not store the
>batteries they are selling, in the fridge?
>Jan
June 21st, 2005 at 7:16 pm
Thank you all for your answers and suggestions. I just got 12 new
batteries and have only put 3 in the refrigerator (as I was told by
our only Minimed person here in Australia - was told the batteries
keep better in the refrigerator) and have put the others in with my
infusion sets etc. So next time I need to change the batteries will
try with the ones from the refrigerator first and if same thing
happens will then use the non-refrigerated ones.
Thanks you all again for your assistance.
Sue from Sydney
June 22nd, 2005 at 7:52 am
Those vibrators do chew up the batteries, eh? <G>
Scott
June 22nd, 2005 at 8:59 pm
Scott,
Just to clarify this for everyone, it is the vibrator on my insulin pump.
Gail Ü
>Those vibrators do chew up the batteries, eh? <G>
>
>Scott
June 26th, 2005 at 9:53 pm
we don’t keep the batteries in the fridge, also we have a disetronic so we
haven’t had this problem
kathy
June 27th, 2005 at 6:00 am
how can the batteries go in backward? don’t they just screw in only one way?
kathy
June 28th, 2005 at 2:16 am
The 357 batteries are silver oxide "button" type batteries with a +/- .
You can put them in with the wrong end up, therefore the pump will not work
with the battieries in backwards.
Jan G.
June 29th, 2005 at 5:03 am
i have never put these batteries or any other batteries in the fridge. ??? as to
sharon
why would you?
i believe that is one of those old wife’s tales
we don’t keep the batteries in the fridge, also we have a disetronic so we
haven’t had this problem
kathy
June 29th, 2005 at 2:42 pm
I don’t think this ‘problem’ is a problem; only a technical question.
Also, the Disetronic has nothing to do with it; I believe they also use
Silver Zinc batteries as well. If they don’t the same concerns would
apply anyway.
David
June 29th, 2005 at 10:50 pm
The 357 button batteries can be inserted backward. No harm done; things
just don’t work until the error is corrected.
David
June 30th, 2005 at 6:57 am
It may not be, subject to confirmation. The technical data that I
presented in a previous post clearly shows that shelf life is extended
dramatically when stored at a reduced temperature. However, this
effect is insignificant for the first year or so.
June 30th, 2005 at 5:25 pm
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I just don’t see the sense of storing batteries in the fridge. The batteries
are 1.49 a piece at a local drug store. Why even take a chance on damaging a
6 thousand dollar pump to save a few cents.
Frank
July 1st, 2005 at 3:07 am
Please, tell me, tell me, tell me what drugstore????? I can find only
$2.99 each and don’t know if present ins. will cover the power pack from
MM. °Ü°
Jan
July 2nd, 2005 at 3:51 pm
Agreed!
I was only presenting the data in response to interest by others on the
list.
Since the minimum shelf life is at least a year without refrigeration,
and at the price you quote, why bother…
By the way, the cheapest I can find them, even at bargain basement
places, is well over $2.00.(Northern California). And in Europe, ;they
can easily cost up to $5.00 in some places (Vienna, Austria was the
worst I found).
David