I have purchased the cm12 (uk version) it says that it requires batteries for back up.

Does it require these batteries for stand alone operation or are they just to retain memory and uses the mains supply to operate when the PC is off

I ask this because I have not fitted batteries and the unit works ok when connected to the PC but when the PC is off the macros do not run.
Is this normal or is it a faulty unit?

It says in the instructions that batteries last approx one week is that true?

Thanks
Chris

I read this:
"Once the interface has been setup, the PC is no longer needed. The two AAA batteries retain the time, scheduded events and macros for up to a week if the power fails. You can unlpug the interface after programming it and pluf it in somewhere else in your home".

This means that the unit will operate without the batteries. The batteries are to retain the memory for events and time.

You may need to have the batteries installed to allow the macros to function when the PC if off, I am not sure of that.

The batteries will last a week if the unit is unpluged.

Chris Couture

Chaps

I think it is a tad more complicated than this (but not much).

From what I can see, the batteries have a life of 500 hours for the alcaline types. This is the life with the unit not plugged in. if it is plugged in, it draws power from the mains, which makes sense to me. I fitted the batteries about a month ago, and checked the bettery life yesterday, and it showed that about half an hour had been used, which seems about right to me.

As for the unit not working when it is not connected to the PC. This may be because you are using macros which come in two flavours. The standard macro is stored in the PC and is run from the PC when it is triggered. Thus if the PC is not connected, it will not run. You might want to use fast macros which are stored on the unit itself, and don't require the PC to be connected.

Back to batteries. I think I have read in the manual that the clock is driven by the batteries, but the schedule is in EPROM, thus the batteries not being there or run out shouldn't stop the thing working all togehter.

If it is not working, and you haven;t fitted batteries, then ask yourself this. "Have you unplugged the unit from the mains after programming it on the PC". If so, it may have lost its clock setting, and thus any time based events wil not work.

Rid

Hi Chris,

I also use a UK CM12.

When I first brought I didn't realise I needed to batteries, until I got it home and read the istructions. As it was Sunday afternoon and I couldn't wait to "play" I used it without the batteries and everything (including the macros) worked fine without the PC on. In fact I didn't buy any batteries for over a week, with no problems.

I think as Rid says above, it's worth making sure that your macros are "fast" ones. Also you should click the tick box on any timers to store in the interface.

Rob

Well I have done a few tests and It DEFINATLEY needs batteries to run it's own internal clock

I have left the PC off for a few days and the clock had gone back to it's original date