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Battery fault, do you carry spare batteries?

phoenix

Expert
Messages
5,671
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Came in from the garden today an noticed an alarm, it could have been going for a while (Medtronic alarms aren't loud though they get more insistent after a while). It said Battery failed check , when I pressed to get rid of the alarm the screen immediately went blank so presumably the pump was no longer working.
Now this wasn't a battery that I'd left too long, it was just one that suddenly failed (I think I changed it a week ago). I was fine since I was at home and could change it but I've often gone out for the day with spare cannulas but not batteries.
Another thing to carry?
 
Definitely.

I got a ruck sacky bag that has a spare meter, bag of dolly mixtures, bag of favourite pinball sweets, spare sets a d tubes, test strips and a syringe....literally a spare kit in my handbag ruck sack.
When I weighed it instead of me on the hospital scales... It weighed 6kg.. As also have purse etc... Good job it just normally gets slung on seat and not actually carried very far!!


Loving life
 
I always carry a spare battery due to only having an hour before everything wiped from the pump.
 
Yes, I think another thing to carry. It makes sense but it something I hadn't considered before .
(need to keep my backup kit considerably less than 6kg though, I'm starting to plan our 2 month, 1,140km, straight out of the door 'Camino de Santiago' for Autumn next year. I'm trying to work out how to get my rucksack to be a maximum 10kg! )
 
Omg!! Get someone else to carry some spares for you!!
I'm OTT. As I also have spares in glove compartments of both cars and vary rarely more than an hour from home.
Just that experience has taught me that I will get caught out for something when least expected.
If going out for a night with a change of outfit, bag or similar for a meal, then I know spares are always in car, and I've had to use them in Chinese toilets.
Better that than worry. What do men do without handbags?


Loving life
 
Hi - yes always carry a spare. This happened with me on my Medtronic pump. No 'low battery' warning just a fail like yours. I phoned Medtrnoic and, after checking that my batteries were stored properly, they told me to clean out the battery compartment with a dry cotton bud as there can be a build up of static and they also sent me 2 replacement battery compartment caps as these can be faulty too which could have caused a problem? Anyway like you I hadn't heard the alarm so my pump had stopped for a while until my husband uttered something about my pump alarming. I so wish we could increase the vol!! Once I changed the battery it was fine but I did go through above with Medtronic because I'm a bit OCD about pump things too
 
Thanks Riri, I'll have a go at cleaning the compartment out. I think the cap seems OK. It's one of the problems being here, I could phone my prestataire (the company that looks after pump matters, we don't get service direct from the pump company) but of course I would have to explain in French and I find that very difficult. I don't even know what the alarm said in French since I change it back to English between visits.
 
Most batteries have a lonnnnng expiry date on them .
So should be okay to carry along with you in a kit bag
or similar .
Yep- phoenix another thing to add and carry along with you .
Mine are dated with expiry date to 2022
 
Yep I always carry them! I have the accu chek spirit combo & as soon as the blood glucose meter battery gets low the blue tooth stops working so it no longer 'speaks' to the pump which is really frustrating!
 

Where will you be starting the Camino from? On foot or bike? Either way, you'll be travelling light! Sounds exciting!
 
lizdeluz said:
Where will you be starting the Camino from? On foot or bike? Either way, you'll be travelling light! Sounds exciting!
Click to expand...
Home straight out of the door We live near Villefranche de Rouergue. ( just off the 'orange route on the map)
We've already done Le Puy to Conques in two stages but we really want to try and do the rest in one go .
 
Last edited by a moderator:
As they are standard batteries I don't carry them with me when I'm out unless I have a Low battery warning. I figure I can always buy one from a shop or late night garage.

Probably stupid of me and I should just carry one, but I have too much clutter already. And no man bag.
 
I have my blood test kit with spare battery in a carry case that I got when I was given the pump initially. Always have spare battery and a 2p coin to open the battery lid.
 
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