My TI-83 plus seems to work fine for a while and then after 6 or 8 weeks, the batteries no longer work. Why does it wear out the batteries so fast?

SOURCE: TI-83 Plus Problem

Batteries:
Make sure to replace the "battery backup" too the little lithium ion battery

Try Adjusting contrast:
Hold down "[2nd]" key press up or down arrow repeatedly to lighten or darken contrast.

First attempt reseting:
Step 1: Remove all the batteries
Step 2: Hold "Clear" key down
Step 3: Still holding "Clear" key reinstall batteries
Step 4: Still holding "Clear" key press "On" key until home screen is displayed.

Second shot reseting:
remove all batteries including lithium ion (backup battery), wait 3 hours and reinstall batteries.

Third Shot reseting:
Step 1: Remove a battery
Step 2: Hold down "DEL" key reinstall battery
Step 3: Possible msg pops up saying "Waiting ... Please install software" IGNORE msg and take out battery again
Step 4: Reinstall battery do not hold down "DEL" key

reseting will cause the handheld to loose all of its stored memory.

Hope that helps!

Posted on Jan 30, 2008

SOURCE: TI-83 Plus Silver Edition problem

Use a paperclip (tiny hole on back of caculator) and reset.

JC

Posted on Sep 20, 2008

SOURCE: ti 83 plus small black screen?

try pressing 2nd then hold in down arrow to change the contrast

Posted on Feb 16, 2009

SOURCE: TI-83 Plus calculator--fractions

just type it in, e.g. 1/2 or 3/5. if you want to have answers display as fractions, press [MATH] ENTER.

Posted on May 08, 2009

SOURCE: my TI-83 plus calculator doesn't work

As battery gets drained, the screen contrast dims. But when you change batteries, some times the contrast is reset to some low value and the screen appears dead: it is so light that you do not see anything, and you think the calculator is malfunctioning. This is the most frequent reason users think the calculator refuses to turn ON. And I hope that is the case now.
To correct that, you must increase screen contrast: draken the screen a bit. To do so

1. press [2nd] key and release it.
2. Press the Up arrow and HOLD pressure.
3. Keep pressing the arrow key until screen is dark enough.

If that solve your problem that is good, rate the post accordingly.. If that does not, do not get irate and berate the post. Post a comment here describing what you did and what message (if any) calculator returned, and I will give you further diagnostic steps.

Posted on Jan 21, 2010