A500+ battery

alexh · 01 September 2009, 20:50

I've been meaning to do this for four years, ever since I learned that A500+ has an on board battery that leaks, however my A500+ was in a box in the attic that was impossible to reach, until now :

I hope I've caught it just in time, it looks in a lot better condition than the pictures of the A500+ posted just a few days ago.

Not done a battery-ectomy in a while. What is the best way to get these out? Take out the whole motherboard and desolder the brackets?

Just shows that all A500+ are suicidal and you should check yours NOW!!

pmc · 01 September 2009, 21:01

Your battery looked like mine did before I removed it from my A500+ a while ago - just on the verge of going really bad.

Don't know what the best, most professional way to take it out is but I managed to kind of "snip" mine out with some wire cutters. Probably a very amateur thing to do - I'm *not* good with hardware but my A500+ was saved and is still working.

alexh · 01 September 2009, 21:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmc

I managed to kind of "snip" mine out with some wire cutters.

I might try that as it should mean I don't need to remove the motherboard.

Plus I have no idea what heat from the soldering Iron will do to a battery & crystals in this state.

DH · 01 September 2009, 21:24

I would try and remove it properly, but then, I like things cleanly done. It all depends on your preference. If I were removing it, I'd snip it out first then de-solder the rest to leave the board as clean as possible. Like you said "I have no idea what heat from the soldering Iron will do to a battery & crystals in this state".

Jope · 01 September 2009, 21:25

I've removed a few like that and didn't really think twice when desoldering them. Still got vision in my eyes and haven't received any new scars because of it. :-)

Zetr0 · 01 September 2009, 23:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jope

I've removed a few like that and didn't really think twice when desoldering them. Still got vision in my eyes and haven't received any new scars because of it. :-)

snap!

rkauer · 02 September 2009, 00:16

Cut the holders with pliers and then de-solder the remains. touching the thing with the iron will not blow it out, but the large leads will act as a heatsink, rendering the job harder than it need to be.

kipper2k · 02 September 2009, 02:51

Dremel!.

Dremel that sucker outta there with a cutting disc, just slice the legs off. Put a coin or something on the board so you cant nick the board and then once the battery is out you can heat up the legs and pull them off.

Other than that do a clean up of the board and use a hot air blower to remove it.

rare_j · 02 September 2009, 22:53

I've had two A500+'s with batteries in that state.
One of them, I just put my finger on the battery and gently rocked it for a minute until it cleanly snapped off.
The other I snipped the legs with a pair of pen knife scissors.
You can get the boards out later and de-solder the stumps.

Are you going to go for NiMH barrel or a coin setup?

alexh · 02 September 2009, 23:21

I wasn't going to install anything an RTC is a waste of time if you ask me.

pmc · 03 September 2009, 08:57

@ AlexH - agreed. I took out my dying battery, never replaced it, never missed it.

Paul_s · 03 September 2009, 20:14

I put 3x 16 year old barrel batteries into my ex-girlfriends handbag. Hopefully she'll have lost all her makeup and stuff by now

alexh · 03 September 2009, 20:20

More likely her skin.

MagerValp · 05 September 2009, 20:38

When I desolder batteries I just jam a large flat head screwdriver underneath, flip the board over, heat the pin with the soldering iron, and gently twist the screwdriver. Alternate between the three pins a few times, and it comes out nicely.

alexh · 29 September 2009, 17:52

All done, took three weeks to actually get around to it and about 2 mins to actually do.

As you can see there is a little bit of corrosion and the alkali has eaten away a bit of the PCB lacquer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmc

I managed to kind of "snip" mine out with some wire cutters.

I do not recommend anyone try this with an A500+ unless there is enough room below the battery to leave space between the motherboard and the wire cutters.

I tried this at first, but with the battery still in the holders, the wire cutters are prone to grazing against the motherboard (and possibly damaging tracks).

I took the motherboard out of the shielding, flipped it over and desoldered the three battery terminals using solder wick. However you really need the proper tool to un-do all the bolts which hold the shield to the rear ports, I imagine it would be nightmare with needle nose pliers. Fortunately I had one. A good squirt with PCB cleaner and jobs a good 'un!

Now to see if it still works

coze · 29 September 2009, 17:56

nice job there, not much visible damage, it should work. I've seen much worse work flawlessly.

pmc · 29 September 2009, 18:21

Well done alexh.

Another one saved from an early demise.

01 September 2009, 20:50	#1
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,478	A500+ battery I've been meaning to do this for four years, ever since I learned that A500+ has an on board battery that leaks, however my A500+ was in a box in the attic that was impossible to reach, until now : I hope I've caught it just in time, it looks in a lot better condition than the pictures of the A500+ posted just a few days ago. Not done a battery-ectomy in a while. What is the best way to get these out? Take out the whole motherboard and desolder the brackets? Just shows that all A500+ are suicidal and you should check yours NOW!!

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01 September 2009, 21:01	#2
pmc gone Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: completely gone Posts: 1,596	Your battery looked like mine did before I removed it from my A500+ a while ago - just on the verge of going really bad. Don't know what the best, most professional way to take it out is but I managed to kind of "snip" mine out with some wire cutters. Probably a very amateur thing to do - I'm not good with hardware but my A500+ was saved and is still working.

01 September 2009, 21:24	#4
DH Global Moderator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Might as well be WORK :( Age: 57 Posts: 4,110	I would try and remove it properly, but then, I like things cleanly done. It all depends on your preference. If I were removing it, I'd snip it out first then de-solder the rest to leave the board as clean as possible. Like you said "I have no idea what heat from the soldering Iron will do to a battery & crystals in this state".

01 September 2009, 21:25	#5
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,926	I've removed a few like that and didn't really think twice when desoldering them. Still got vision in my eyes and haven't received any new scars because of it. :-)

02 September 2009, 00:16	#7
rkauer I hate potatos and shirts Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sao Leopoldo / Brazil Age: 58 Posts: 3,482	Cut the holders with pliers and then de-solder the remains. touching the thing with the iron will not blow it out, but the large leads will act as a heatsink, rendering the job harder than it need to be.

02 September 2009, 02:51	#8
kipper2k Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Thunder Bay, Canada Posts: 4,323	Dremel!. Dremel that sucker outta there with a cutting disc, just slice the legs off. Put a coin or something on the board so you cant nick the board and then once the battery is out you can heat up the legs and pull them off. Other than that do a clean up of the board and use a hot air blower to remove it.

02 September 2009, 22:53	#9
rare_j Zone Friend Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London Posts: 1,179	I've had two A500+'s with batteries in that state. One of them, I just put my finger on the battery and gently rocked it for a minute until it cleanly snapped off. The other I snipped the legs with a pair of pen knife scissors. You can get the boards out later and de-solder the stumps. Are you going to go for NiMH barrel or a coin setup?

02 September 2009, 23:21	#10
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,478	I wasn't going to install anything an RTC is a waste of time if you ask me.

03 September 2009, 08:57	#11
pmc gone Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: completely gone Posts: 1,596	@ AlexH - agreed. I took out my dying battery, never replaced it, never missed it.

03 September 2009, 20:14	#12
Paul_s Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Amigaville Age: 46 Posts: 3,338	I put 3x 16 year old barrel batteries into my ex-girlfriends handbag. Hopefully she'll have lost all her makeup and stuff by now

03 September 2009, 20:20	#13
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,478	More likely her skin.

05 September 2009, 20:38	#14
MagerValp Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Göteborg / Sweden Posts: 237	When I desolder batteries I just jam a large flat head screwdriver underneath, flip the board over, heat the pin with the soldering iron, and gently twist the screwdriver. Alternate between the three pins a few times, and it comes out nicely.

29 September 2009, 17:56	#16
coze hastala vista winny vista Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: mt fuji Age: 46 Posts: 1,335	nice job there, not much visible damage, it should work. I've seen much worse work flawlessly.

29 September 2009, 18:21	#17
pmc gone Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: completely gone Posts: 1,596	Well done alexh. Another one saved from an early demise.

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