Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: redrumloa on September 17, 2003, 06:08:06 PM
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This should probably be the headlines of every Amiga site every day! Every single Amiga that I cross paths with, which is quite alot in recent times, has a fuzzy battery! Almost daily I see posts/emails from people who have damaged or destroyed motherboards.
[color=CC0000]Leaky batteries are the #1 killer of Amiga computers![/color] If you havn't checked your battery, chances are your Amiga will simply DIE very soon :-(
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@ redrumloa
FYI 90% of electronics items, die or need repairs, due faulty or cheap capacitors.
Battery, in some Amiga model, was fault on arrival.
Good new auction :-D
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Good new auction
Naah not really, I'm just about sold out :-D
Faulty capacitors? Possible in general electronics, but with Amigas I have seen so many leaky batteries it isn't funny
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This condition is exacerbated if you don't power on your miggy very often to cycle the batteries strength. :-(
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Lo wrote:
This condition is exacerbated if you don't power on your miggy very often to cycle the batteries strength.
I hear this a lot - that keeping your machine on recharges the battery. It doesn't; the electrochemical reaction is irreversible. All that keeping the computer on does is keeps a potential across the battery and stops the electrolyte eating the casing and getting out all over your motherboard.
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How easy is this to check? are there any on-line Pics showing? If the battery is bad, what is the replacement?
Figure i would ask, i have a Amiga 1200 i havent fired up in like 3 years. But i will check it.
Silvanus
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Welcome to A.org :-D
I believe that this problem only affects the big-box Amigas - though it would be good if someone could confirm this :-)
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Very important more and more amigas are dying now due to this .Dont forget its not just the a4000 which most people seemed to have battery problems with ,but amiga,s such as the a500+ a1500+ a3000? and also some ram expansions have these batterys the + versions of amiga,s have a battery for the onboard clock they have .For more info and some pictures try this site .leaky clock batteries (http://www.starnet.com.au/davem/overclock/batt.html) :-)
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EVERY computer with a battery is at risk of damage once the battery dies and leaks. The actual model of the computer is not that important except that the placement of the battery in some models may be more prone to seriously damaging critical components, yes I am trying to scare you!
;-)
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Hi fellow Amiga fans,
You do not have to buy a new battery from redrumloa, just do the following mod:
First, carefully de-solder the original battery from the mother board. Then solder a red wire and a black wire to the motherboard, where the battery use to be. Drill a hole in one of the rear slot covers for a mono sub-mini jack. Then mount the jack onto that cover. Next solder the other ends of the red and black wires to the jack. Get a 2-AA battery holder and solder on a mono sub-mini plug to the wires coming out of the battery holder. Install rechargeable batteries and plug it in. The batteries should last about one year. The battery holder sits behide your Amiga 2000, so it is not seen. This is how I have mine set up. It works great and you do not have to worry about battery-acid leakage because the 2 AA batteries sit outside your Amiga. I got the idea from my Atari Mega ST4 computer. It takes 2 AA batteries for it's clock. IMPORTANT: When you solder the red wire to the positive pad on the motherboard, make sure that the temperature of your iron is NOT hotter then 650F and that you do NOT leave the iron on that solder-pad for more then 4 seconds. The positive solder-pad for the battery is very small and is easily burned off if you are not careful. When you solder the black wire to the ground-plain on the motherboard, you may have to increase the temperature of the iron to 800F to 1000F in order to get the solder to flow properly. Do not leave the iron on the ground-plain for more then 10 seconds. If you do, the ground plain may bubble or discolor. This is a very simple mod and it works great. You never again have to worry about battery acid corroding your motherboard. Enjoy! :-D
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I killed an A4000 by removing a battery. It was working fine, then I read a story "Leaky battery can kill your Amiga" so I thought I would remove it as a precaution. After I desoldered it, it wouldn't power up any more so I had killed the A4000 for no reason and had to buy a new one.
I would say don't bother removing the battery unless it has actually started to leak - if it looks ok then just leave it instead of doing something that could potentialy kill your Amiga for no good reason.
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@DoomMaster
The idea is good but without a diode fitted to positive lead the amiga will be trying to charge batterys that might not be rechargable .
besides i thought you would have militry grade batterys in your amiga. :-D :-D :-)
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Figure i would ask, i have a Amiga 1200 i havent fired up in like 3 years. But i will check it.
Like alx said, A1200 doesn't have battery on board. A500, A600, CD32 and CDTV don't have it either. A500+ (with Rev 8A motherboard (http://www.amiga-hardware.com/a500_68010_big.jpg)) has a battery (and probably the RTC also) on board.
With A1200 the accelerator typically provide the real time clock (RTC). At least phase5/dce accelerators use battery that doesn't leak.
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Get a 2-AA battery holder and solder on a mono sub-mini plug to the wires coming out of the battery holder.
Hmm the last time I checked 2 AAs in series would be 3V not 3.6V. I guess with tolerances it would probably work, but you'd better install a diode inline:-)
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A triple AA holder would work, if you then used NiCd or preferably NiMH rechargables. Anyone know if lithium batteries are rechargable and if they are 1.2 or 1.5V per cell? :-?
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@KennyR
I hear this a lot - that keeping your machine on recharges the battery
Probably because its true? After all it is a RECHARGEABLE battery!All that keeping the computer on does is keeps a potential across the battery and stops the electrolyte eating the casing and getting out all over your motherboard.
The reason for keeping a potential across the battery is to keep it CHARGED!
If a Nicad is unused for a long period, it will leak sooner. So there :-D
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Lithiums are 2.7-3.6V per cell.
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For those that missed this one in a previous discussion on leaking batteries here are some batteries that will work in your Amiga. One or all is probably stocked at your local electronics store.
Manufacturer -- Part/Model#
Daytona Industries, Inc. -- COMP-16-3P
AT&T -- 6300, 6300+
COMPUTERLAND -- BC88, 286
HYUNDAI -- SUPER 16TE
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by amigamad on 2003/9/17 20:50:22
@DoomMaster
The idea is good but without a diode fitted to positive lead the amiga will be trying to charge batterys that might not be rechargable .
For the first time i agree with DoomMaster :-)
The idea of the two wires and a battery placed on the bottom of a tower case (rechargeable with its socket), is the best way.
By the way, amigamad, DM said to use rechargeable batteries . . . so . . .please!
Ciao
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That Amiga 601 Ram Expansion Card for the Amiga 600 died on me as well, due to battery failure.
Isn't there a battery on the Blizzard PPC? Is there any chance of that leaking? Should i remove it? I dont want to go through the same fiasco again.
DoomMaster wrote:
Hi fellow Amiga fans,
You do not have to buy a new battery from redrumloa, just do the following mod:
First, carefully de-solder the original battery from the mother board. Then solder a red wire and a black wire to the motherboard, where the battery use to be. Drill a hole in one of the rear slot covers for a mono sub-mini jack. Then mount the jack onto that cover. Next solder the other ends of the red and black wires to the jack. Get a 2-AA battery holder and solder on a mono sub-mini plug to the wires coming out of the battery holder. Install rechargeable batteries and plug it in. The batteries should last about one year. The battery holder sits behide your Amiga 2000, so it is not seen. This is how I have mine set up. It works great and you do not have to worry about battery-acid leakage because the 2 AA batteries sit outside your Amiga. I got the idea from my Atari Mega ST4 computer. It takes 2 AA batteries for it's clock. IMPORTANT: When you solder the red wire to the positive pad on the motherboard, make sure that the temperature of your iron is NOT hotter then 650F and that you do NOT leave the iron on that solder-pad for more then 4 seconds. The positive solder-pad for the battery is very small and is easily burned off if you are not careful. When you solder the black wire to the ground-plain on the motherboard, you may have to increase the temperature of the iron to 800F to 1000F in order to get the solder to flow properly. Do not leave the iron on the ground-plain for more then 10 seconds. If you do, the ground plain may bubble or discolor. This is a very simple mod and it works great. You never again have to worry about battery acid corroding your motherboard. Enjoy! :-D
Yeah i have heard about this as well. Isn't it possible to do this on a Blizzard PPC card? I recall some ebay seller was selling a BlizzPPC and it has a battery holder and that connected to where the normal battery would have been on the card.
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Well, Ni-cads actually don't do so well in constantly charged scenarios. Unlike lead-acid they do better if they are fully cycled (last about 1000-2000 cycles) or if they are being stored, fully discharged.
This is why car batteries are supplied charged and cell phone batteries are supplied DISCHARGED.
Nowadays, with the availability of super capacitors in small factor sizes, these are the best option for cmos backup. They never leak, they don't self discharge, they are not damaged by constant charging and they cycle millions of times.
Having said this I paid Analogic £100 last year to replace my A4K battery! 8-)
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Colin_Camper wrote:
Having said this I paid Analogic £100 last year to replace my A4K battery! 8-)
:-o
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by Colin_Camper on 2003/9/18 14:17:05
........Having said this I paid Analogic £100 last year to replace my A4K battery!
WHAT!!! Only to replace the battery, or . . .some damaged component arount it?
No words to define them.
Ciao
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@Colin_Camper
Well, Ni-cads actually don't do so well in constantly charged scenarios. Unlike lead-acid they do better if they are fully cycled (last about 1000-2000 cycles) or if they are being stored, fully discharged.
I Agree, perhaps were one to store some Amiga MB's they should discharge the batteries with a 1 ohm or so wire beforehand. I am not sure though if a Ni-Cad would "come back to life" if stored with a dead short. (probably not, but beats the alternative?)Having said this I paid Analogic £100 last year to replace my A4K battery!
A little steep, perhaps, but its a risky custom "operation". I would charge at least $75! 8-)