Flash

I have a powertap pro+ and my hub batteries are draining faster than normal. Replacement batteries are either duracell or energizer 357 and I'm getting less than 100 hours from them.

One day things will be working fine, the next my garmin edge 500 can't find the powertap no matter what I do: reset the unit, remove the powertap as an option, then add it back and attempt a rescan. Replacing the hub battery fixes things.

I'm curious if there is anything I could be doing to prolong battery life. My bike usually sits in a kurt kinetic trainer downstairs in the cool basement when I'm not using it. There are wireless network devices nearby (computer/bluray player).

History: my ptap needed repair early on due to wildly inaccurate readings. torque tube replaced and that problem fixed. Lately it's just the battery issues.

** Also, I'm assuming the Edge 500 does not provide a warning re: low battery in the powertap hub, pls confirm.

thanks

Psimet2001 

Correct - no warning from the 500 on battery life.

100 hours seems about right believe it or not. I know at least one "mega rider" who goes through a set of batteries every 100 hours or so. I also had 2 customers in NY who needed new batteries in 100 hours.

Maybe un-do the tension on the trainer (skewer tension). You may have so much tension on the hub that something is staying "on". Try that and see if it improves. 100 hours of riding is how long these other guys have them last. If yours are lasting 100 hours (continuous) then odds are something in the hub isn't turning off.

ericm979

Spec battery life is 400 hours. If your hub was on all the time the batteries would be dead in two weeks.

Maybe your battery source has stale batteries? Are you using the lithium batteries? They are what's recommended and they last longer than the other kind.

The PT turns on when it detects that it's moving (the hub is rotating around the sensor magnet on the axle spacer). I don't think that wireless devices or clamping in a trainer would turn it on.

valleycyclist

If any water got in the hub the batteries will drain quickly. Was there any trace of moisture inside when you took off the hub cap?

Flash

I never see moisture inside when I change batteries. I wonder if there is an issue with moving the bike from the basement with temperatures hovering around 68 degrees F to the extreme heat outdoors (between 90-100 degrees F these days) and then back to the basement again after a ride.