Quote:
Originally Posted by Stu Jackson
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I have to disagree. I do plan ahead. I have read that article. I write down what all the settings I need to change and the order to change them. I try and have a friend, so one can operate the device while another is reading notes prepared in advance.
Then while going through it, then display spits out something unexpected (the programming has changed slightly with different
software versions) fumble the manual, then get kicked out of programming mode. Then go through the whole procedure to get into programming mode again.
Then miss a setting, because I don't remember what the hundred or so codes mean, and had to fumble the manual, wait for it to got around again, and hope I don't get kicked out of programming mode-again.
Repeat about 10 times.
Then spend another 15 minutes going through all the programming levels writing everything down so I can confirm it is right. Then go back to step one to fix the things that still aren't correct.
It is very difficult, even with 2 people, one reading the display out loud and actuating the reed switch, and another with notes and the manual. The one I did a few weeks ago was for a
Lithium bank a friend was replacing, as the tech that originally installed the
battery didn't setup the
regulator and smoked his bank. It was an older model, without a
Lithium preset, meaning that most settings needed changing, it wasn't just chose the
battery type. It was very difficult.
I could see a professional that did one or two of them a week getting good and almost reasonably fast with it. But for it to be as difficult as it is, for any electronic device built since about 1980, is an embarrassment. The additional
parts for a better interface are pennies.
I have setup other
electronics that have hundreds of settings in confusing menus, require 30+ dip switches, that require connecting to a computer and using obscure commands, that require programming and replacing a PROM, etc. etc. Nothing I have seen comes close to as difficult as that regulator.