Error: The clock battery voltage is low...

[maxjuan]

I have the same problem could someone solve it?

[maxjuan]

Hi, yesterday at a gig after powering up my Kronos I got the following message:

The clock battery voltage is low.
Please replace the battery, and set the date and time in Disk mode.

I could finish the show without any further problems. Today the message also showed up directly after booting the Kronos up. Does anybody know what this exactly means? Could a low battery cause any further problems or even keep it from running properly? I this something I can fix myself by opening up the Kronos? I have another show next weekend and don't want to go without the Kronos...

I have the same problem could someone solve it?

[Xenophile]

Did you read the thread?
The answer is right here. If you don't understand it, then you probably need a technician to help you.

[Xenophile]

yes with the kronos too, the battery positioned vertical, I saw that with google search pictures:

That small silver disk near the middle of the photo. That is what needs to be replaced.

[Derek Cook]

Just to add to the knowledge base here

I needed to replace the battery of my Kronos X 61 after nine years of ownership. It is an easy job, just the usual large amount of screws on the base of the synth to remove and put back.

The battery is easily accessible and replaceable, as per the photos above. I always have a stock of CR2032s, so just grabbed a new one. The hardest part these days is getting them out the anti-baby packaging, which is also nearly anti-adult!

So far, so easy, but the one thing that threw me, which I have not seen mentioned here, in the operation manual or anywhere else, is that when you are setting the date time values in disk mode using the numeric keys in each field, you need to hit ENTER before moving to the next field.

If you just type in the values in each field, touch in the next field, etc., and only hit OK, it does not save the values. So when you reboot you still get the low battery warning.

That had me foxed, as I checked the battery voltage was healthy (3.2V), and was certain I had put it in the correct way around.

I very nearly took the synth apart again, but on the off chance tried pressing ENTER after each numeric entry before moving to the next field and that does the job!

In other words OK, does not register the values you are entering. Which is counter intuitive. Also strange that the Set Date/Time is found in Disk mode and not Utility mode!

Whilst I had the keyboard apart I also put a squirt of WD40 on the fan, as that was starting to get a little clicky. If you look at the fan there is a small gap between the fixed body and the rotating body, so that is what I directed the WD40 at.

So both the battery and the fan are as good as new.

[Pedja]

How long can Kronos be used, after the first battery low message?
With a PC, it is unlimited, only that it loses data from the BIOS, which includes the year, month and day. Other settings are lost and set to default values.
Does this adversely affect the functionality of Kronos (besides the time involved in creating the file)?

[Pedja]

Any answer to my question?
It seems impossible to me that no one has an answer, not even an approximate one.
Thank you for your patience.

[KK]

How long can Kronos be used, after the first battery low message?
With a PC, it is unlimited, only that it loses data from the BIOS, which includes the year, month and day. Other settings are lost and set to default values.
Does this adversely affect the functionality of Kronos (besides the time involved in creating the file)?

I don't see why you would keep a malfunctioning battery in your Kronos. They are very easy to replace, simply do a complete backup of your Kronos stuff before replacing it. If you don't want to open your unit, any tech can do it for you. The main problem is that old/finished batteries leak at some point and create a chemical mess which can damage the MB PCB. Luckily, everything being "upside down" inside a Kronos the risk is small, but I would not wait since a very simple fix.

[Pedja]

Thanks for the reply and suggestions @KK.
I still have no problem with the battery. My question is of a theoretical nature. Does a dead battery affect the functionality of the OS (except date and time)? I assume that the data in the BIOS is reduced to the factory values, and the date to 2011.
I wish you all best.

[KK]

It could possibly cause registered sound libraries to stop working normally and go back to demo mode (with silences every few seconds).

I say this because when the battery in my old laptop goes empty after I don't use it for a long time, as the BIOS internal battery is low too the computer loses the current date/time. Then when I try to open software like MS Word or Excel or others and I forget to set the current date, they refuse to start because their registration fails after checking the computer time. So I suppose the Kronos registered sound libraries will not work normally for the same reason and stay in demo mode. This would need to be confirmed of course, but it would make sense.

[projectaspen]

How long can Kronos be used, after the first battery low message?
With a PC, it is unlimited, only that it loses data from the BIOS, which includes the year, month and day. Other settings are lost and set to default values.
Does this adversely affect the functionality of Kronos (besides the time involved in creating the file)?

my Kronos X failed after 1 month of change battery alert... not sure if related, but a heads up.

[Pedja]

@projectaspen Thank you very much for this info.
Thank you to @kk too, for very valuable info.