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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: A4000_Mad on August 09, 2008, 06:24:41 PM
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Hi Guys,
I've got an A4000 that has trouble starting after not being used for a few days. It does eventually start but the time and date have reset to midnight January 1st 1978. I'm now switching it on for about 2 hours every couple of days, and this is keeping it happy.
I'm curious to know the minimum hours per week to run an A4000 to keep the battery topped up?
:pint:
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If you're having this problem then you need to at least, remove the (probably leaking!) original battery from the motherboard. That would be the 'low cost' option as you can do it for free.
The best option is to buy one of those lithium battery upgrades from eBay and solder or have it soldered in. Corrosion from leaking batteries is a well known villain around here :-/ And it is the silent killer of many an old Amiga.
Just a word to the wise.
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It might be a case of the battery being ready to expire as it sounds like it's only holding just enough charge to power the circuit for short periods of time.
A possible alternative is something like this if you can find one:
Linky (http://www.amiga.org/gallery/index.php?n=1113=13)
Perhaps this would work??? Ebay link (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110204758205)
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Get that battery off the board and then install some software to get the time off the internet? NNTP client.
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Why not just get a replacement that fits at that location:
http://nl.farnell.com/jsp/search/productdetail.jsp?sku=279341
This one is better then the original which is an NiCd whilst this is an NiMh.
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I would expect to hear this problem with PC's, but it's odd that it should cause your A4000 not to boot…
With or without the battery I presume that A4000's should have no problem (As many users have Amiga's both with and without any internal clock battery), so all I can presume is that the voltage on the battery is at a crucial level, where, by some means, it’s causing unpredictable switching in the RTC and corrupting data on the bus. But that's just my guess.
Just to reiterate: Swap, or at least remove the original battery if it's still fitted!
PS. I’ve always assumed that, in PC’s fitted with the 3v lithium cell, that a few hundred microampere float current is present when the machine is powered up just to help extend the life of the cell, even though they’re not meant to be recharged.
Is this true? (Though, without any charging system it’s a terrific way to make sure that the system *dies* after a couple of years and needs replacing…Unless you know to swap the cell…)
Hodgkinson.
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Most of the time, the batteries outlast the boards in PC's these days. They call it progress apparently :lol:
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Thanks for your thoughts guys :pint:
Previously I've only ever experienced a Compaq Deskpro PC being completely unable to start due to a flat battery. Anyway, I'll get the battery changed soon. That Super Lithium battery in ZeBeeDee's link looks nice :-)
:cheers:
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Before you make your final decision - have a look at this thread on EAB http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=35291&highlight=replacement+battery
It's what I've stuck in my Miggys that need batteries :-)
Dave G 8-)
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8-)
I really like the look of it thanks davideo :-)
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You're welcome ;-)
Dave G 8-)
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A4000 won't start due to flat battery
stomp stomp ;-)
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weirdami wrote:
A4000 won't start due to flat battery
stomp stomp ;-)
I hope your feet are stomping because you are giving the A4000 a push start, and not because you stamping it into the ground ;-)