Gamma Scout Standard Radiation Detector and Geiger Counter

11-08-22 Update: Nothing appears on screen regardless whether I have the USB power source connected or not, press on the battery life indicator etc. Actually the USB only allows you to receive data and has nothing to contribute to "recharging" the battery, as the standard model contains a non rechargeable battery anyway.I bought mine maybe ten years ago, never used it, but today, 11-05-22 when I opened it up, it was dead. No screen. No battery indicator, even when I connected it to the USB, nothing appeared on my computer to indicate it was being recognized.The 3.6 V non rechargeable battery is soldered onto the circuit board which will eventually require you to send the unit back when the battery is drained. In my case, I bought this maybe ten? years ago. Gamma-Scout promptly replied saying the unit is always on and that this model does not have the rechargeable option. I understand that there is benefit to having a unit always on especially if you live and/or work near radiation, but for "civilian" use, the benefits of having a user replaceable battery outweigh the downside of perpetual battery drainage and then suddenly discovering that when you really need it, it is dead.I was looking at Survival Lilly's review of various Geiger counters on YT and this unit was supposed to be the gold standard, which might give it a 5 star rating despite its steep price. But in view of this glaring deficiency, I as a "civilian" can only give it at most 3 stars, assuming I can return it and get a new battery.Since the warranty has long expired, I opened the unit to inspect the battery and measured only 2.33 volts on the 3.6 volt non-rechargeable battery to confirm this is the likely problem.The problem is when you buy these things, like water filters, freeze dried food etc., you never know how long it will be until, and if, you ever really need them, but when you need them, you need them to work at that time. If you are unaware of this battery "vulnerability," you could be left with a useless electronic box. If you are using the unit regularly in your line of work say at a waste disposal site or at a nuclear reactor, you will be alerted to an exhausted battery. But Gamma-Scout also markets this to families who purchase this as part of their "preps" and thus be unaware of the expiration date, just as no one can predict when a nuclear "accident" will occur.This is why any device that has a proprietary rechargeable battery or a fixed permanent battery is now a non-starter for me, whether electric power tools, night scopes, flashlights etc. If it can't accept standard ubiquitous user replaceable batteries, I will accept a lower performance device that does.