28S woes and puzzled by 19B II

[edryer]

I always thought the 19BII has the modified battery area?

However on this advert:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-19B-II-Busin...4047445425

Shows not so.

Anyways, purchased an *allegedly* mint 28S with manuals for a small fortune ($100 in GBP) with manuals etc, wanted a pristine one and they are of course extremely rare (and possibly none exist) and being in the UK currently everything HP is double the US price....

Well it came.. and !&*&#(... it has the battery door issue, although not hugely bad, some cracking (rest of calc is mint, perhaps guy not a HP guy just didn't realise admittedly as you need to look carefully). Am too angry to send back if that makes sense... next time though I will ASK before buying about the door.

Has anyone tried the 2/3 AAA flat top cells? I guess this is the ONLY solution other than some tin foil, balsa-wood sticks and 3 X Watch batteries (have seen this, but the batteries surely will only last weeks!).

I am so angry, I love the 28S, it by far my favourite HP, and this "achilles heel" is so widespread and will eventually affect all calculators that are used I just NEED a solution )))

Incidentally I read in an HP magazine from 1989 that the 28S was until that date the BEST selling HP calculator ever (it really beat the 41 series?). Pricing was just in-between a 41CV and 41CX at $235.

[grsbanks]

(01-05-2020 07:20 PM)edryer Wrote:  I always thought the 19BII has the modified battery area?

As I understand it, the 19BII was the only model to get the revision, but it happened towards the end of its production cycle so there are not many that have it. None of the other clamshells have it.

[Giuseppe Donnini]

You have to be careful here. The seller is NOT offering the HP-19BII, but the HP-19B.

Both the HP-19B and the HP-19BII were nicknamed "Business Consultant II" by HP, in reference to their predecessor, the HP-18C, which was actually the first "Business Consultant".

[edryer]

(01-05-2020 07:33 PM)grsbanks Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 07:20 PM)edryer Wrote:  I always thought the 19BII has the modified battery area?

As I understand it, the 19BII was the only model to get the revision, but it happened towards the end of its production cycle so there are not many that have it. None of the other clamshells have it.

thank you GRS, I didn't know only the later 19BII models had this modification.

Unfortunately us 28S owners are stuck with this classic problem.

"Solutions" I have seen.

1. Use 3 x 2/3 AAA Flat top cells (a few mm less than the N cell) have been shown to work. These are rechargeable only I believe, and it is hard to find a charger as most are purchased to replace integrated batteries in a system with a charging solution in place.

2. Balsa wood stick covered with tin (aluminium) foil, and one of them shorter to allow the insertion of three x Watch batteries. Again has been shown to work but battery life I guess would be a matter of days/weeks.

3. Metal hinge that wraps around the back, somebody made one, wish it was commercially available - however this is "ugly" as it replaces the original door inset, and all the ugly wear of the hatch is shown.

I'm thinking option 1 is best currently if I can locate a charger.

After a lot of experience with 38 series, 28's, 41's, 48's, 49's, 50G.... I now realize (in my humble opinion) the 50G is actually the best constructed of the bunch, although the 41's are about equal. The 28's definitely have the worst design flaw.

Edited to say... sorry the Voyagers are the most sturdy overall possibly? (I forgot about them).

[edryer]

(01-05-2020 07:40 PM)Giuseppe Donnini Wrote:  You have to be careful here. The seller is NOT offering the HP-19BII, but the HP-19B.

Both the HP-19B and the HP-19BII were nicknamed "Business Consultant II" by HP, in reference to their predecessor, the HP-18C, which was actually the first "Business Consultant".

Oh, OK, confusing )))))

[grsbanks]

(01-05-2020 07:49 PM)edryer Wrote:  I'm thinking option 1 is best currently if I can locate a charger.

A charger might be hard to find. What will be easier to find is a sleeve that's the size of an AA cell and in which you can charge the 2/3 AAA in a normal charger (provided you can lower the charge current to something sensible for these cells).