Silva S15 VHF developing senile dementia?

[oilyrag]

My S15 is forgetting it's settings - memory presets, Navtex settings etc. when turned off.
i.e. as long as it is fed with a supply of nimble amps from the ship's supply it has total recall, however when isolated from the supply for more than a few hours it cannot remember anything.

Anyone know if they have an internal battery?

 

[Talbot]

Pretty safe bet that it has an internal battery. also a safe bet that it is not a normal user replacement job, but one involving a significant number of notes.

 

[oilyrag]

mmm, that was my guess. Odd really, as these Silva sets only seem to have a life expectancy of +/- 20 minutes, I seem to have the only one that has lasted long enough to have the internal battery run down.
On that basis I am reluctant to spend money on it - maybe I could run a fused connection direct to the battery and see if it keeps it's memory with a permanent supply but turned off at the set...I have often wondered if the Navtex would keep receiving if wired in this way as well....?

 

[FullCircle]

The answer is...yes and no.

The S15 should be wired straight to battery through fused circuit, for safety of supply if other circuits get fried.
I use an 'essential circuits module' from BEP which complements the Voltage sensitive relays that I have. Also connected to these are the Webasto heater controls and the Sony CD/Audio, for memory.

All these circuits together draw about 0.1 amp after I have turned off the battery switches.

I have had no problems yet, and this is my 4th season with the logically challenged S15.

There is no mention of a feeder memory wire in the S15 manual.

The Navtex does not receive unless the set is switched on, which on receive mode only draws 0.3a (according to the manual). As the Navtex memory is only 64 messages, it hardly seems worth it.

 

[Talbot]

if you have a good one, and that would seem to be true, worth doing open heart surgery and seeing what is there.

 

[kds]

You did better than I did - mine had juvenile dementia as well !!
ken /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[oilyrag]

Thanks guys - I'll try wiring it direct to the battery and if that doesn't work I'll try the open heart surgery...

 

[Solitaire]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks guys - I'll try wiring it direct to the battery and if that doesn't work I'll try the open heart surgery...

[/ QUOTE ]

For what it's worth I use the S15 as a training radio (had it adapted) and it will lose the memory when not connected to a power supply. I use a 12 volt adapter into a 240 socket and when it's left in the socket it retains memory. Remove it and after about 2 hours it will loose all memory. I also use the S10 and ICOM, they all do the same.

 

[oilyrag]

Silva S15 VHF - update

Interesting. It has always been isolated via the house battery switch panel when not in use and has always remembered it's settings. This includes being taken home for the winter and still remembering when re-installed in the spring.
However, I rewired it direct to the battery and it would still forget. So opened it up and found a button cell soldered to one of the PCBs. Replaced this (new one less than a fiver from CPC) and it seems to be back to it's old self. The cell is rechargeable so I guess it's purpose is to maintain the memory while disconnected from it's 12v supply...
I'm glad it's working properly again because in spite of it's poor reputation I find it a nice set and the Navtex is far superior to the NASA it replaced.