In article ,
"J.B. Wood" wrote:

On 05/24/2016 07:22 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:

At the risk of being simple minded, I see a couple
posible reasons:

1) Low quality battery, doesn't have much
energy to begin with.
1a) You do use alkalines, yes?

2) Problem with the machine, excess current
draw. Possibly dried out capacitor.
2a) I don't know the normal current draw. But
with a VOM and devices using 9 volt battery
clips, not hard to check current draw.


Thanks for the quick turnaround, Stormin. (So use to you being over at
the locksmithing ng.) I did try fresh 9V alkalines. I wouldn't think a
dried-out cap would be a problem, but what about a leaky cap? A VOM in
series with the batt connected to the answering machine indicated a
current draw of less than 1 mA with the AC adapter connected. I'm
wondering why there should be any current drawn from the batt when
powering from AC. Sincerely,

J. B.-

I would expect there to be an isolation diode between the battery and
the AC adapter's power. I can think of three possibilities:

1. The diode is shorted, so power from the AC adapter is ruining the
backup battery.

2. There is a leaky electrolytic capacitor on the battery side of the
diode. Check current draw from the battery with the AC adapter
disconnected.

3. The AC adapter has failed, so the device is being powered entirely
from the battery. Does it work with the battery removed?

Fred