New Battery for R-Time 8?

[+Larry]

I decided to attempt to rejuvenate my R-Time 8 cart, and it definitely needs a new coin-type 3V battery. The +/- leads are currently soldered to the two sides of the battery, and that's my first question. I didn't think that soldering directly to a battery was a good idea? I suspect that several folks out there have successfully replaced these batteries. Any tips? Incidently, my RT8 does not have the IC numbers ground off. I was told some years ago that some had been "erased" to help prevent attempted cloning. Thanks.

 

-Larry

[+bob1200xl]

Digi-Key (and, probably others) has a number of coin cells with pins attached. (P195-ND, for example) Just choose one that can be adapted to the R-Time8. Soldering to the case is a very bad idea... use a cell that has some kind of pins from the factory.

 

Bob

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to attempt to rejuvenate my R-Time 8 cart, and it definitely needs a new coin-type 3V battery. The +/- leads are currently soldered to the two sides of the battery, and that's my first question. I didn't think that soldering directly to a battery was a good idea? I suspect that several folks out there have successfully replaced these batteries. Any tips? Incidently, my RT8 does not have the IC numbers ground off. I was told some years ago that some had been "erased" to help prevent attempted cloning. Thanks.

 

-Larry

[+Guitarman]

I replaced mine by desoldering the battery and pins and installing a low profile coin battery clip to the board. That makes it easier to replace the battery in the future.

[spookt]

I've done the same. I replaced the battery (which had the tags attached at the factory as pointed out above) with a new coin cell and low profile holder. I posted a pic in This thread.

 

It's a pretty easy fix but you might want to check the data sheet for the battery holder and get the lowest one you can find.

[+bf2k+]

I replaced mine by desoldering the battery and pins and installing a low profile coin battery clip to the board. That makes it easier to replace the battery in the future.

 

I did the same thing to both of mine - put sockets for the batteries in them.

[+Larry]

I've done the same. I replaced the battery (which had the tags attached at the factory as pointed out above) with a new coin cell and low profile holder. I posted a pic in This thread.

 

It's a pretty easy fix but you might want to check the data sheet for the battery holder and get the lowest one you can find.

 

Thanks for the info/tips. I'll check into the coin cell holder, and I can visualize from your pic how the original battery must have been attached. Radio Shack no longer carries the holders, so I'll have to do mail order. I do have a working RTime cart from Sunmark. Mark used a replaceable battery holder, so all I had to do was get a new CR2025 (slightly smaller than the CR2430 in the RTime-8. Of course, it's not gray nor pass through, so I can't stack my carts 3-high...

 

-Larry

[+Larry]

Digi-Key (and, probably others) has a number of coin cells with pins attached. (P195-ND, for example) Just choose one that can be adapted to the R-Time8. Soldering to the case is a very bad idea... use a cell that has some kind of pins from the factory.

Bob

 

One last question about this (I hope)...

I've been doing some research and I find that most of the coin cell holders are listed as "through the hole, horizontal mount". No problem with the "through the hole" (20 mm for the R-Time 8 ) but I would interpret the "horizontal mount" to mean that the plastic holder mounts horizontally (lays flat) on the board surface. Some "vertical mount" have pins at one side so that it appears to "stand up" vertically from the board. Also makes sense to me. But some of the "vertical mount" holders look to lay flat. (?) For instance compare these two holders:

 

http://shopping.microbattery.com/s.nl;jsessionid=0a01074e1f433332d4fc53cc4d2493a6b9ac4da77eaa.e3eTaxeKbh0Te34Pa38Ta38PaN50?it=A&id=6275

(versus)

http://shopping.microbattery.com/s.nl;jsessionid=0a01074e1f433332d4fc53cc4d2493a6b9ac4da77eaa.e3eTaxeKbh0Te34Pa38Ta38PaN50?it=A&id=6276

 

Alas, most sites do not have nice pics showing both sides of the holder, which would be very helpful in nailing this down. Is my interpretation of "vertical" and "horizontal" correct? I'd really like the holder + cell versus cell with welded leads.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks,

Larry

[+Guitarman]

It looks like they have the wrong picture with the second one you posted.

[+Larry]

Thanks!

I think I have found a usable, inexpensive holder at

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/eeedesigner__W0QQ_armrsZ1QQ_fsubZ445633014

 

I ordered the "slim" 2025/2032 mount @ 2pcs/$1 + $4.50 shipping. I think the R-Time8 originally came with a 2430 battery, so I'll lose about 50 mah (~20%) in battery capacity. I suspect that's not a big deal -- we'll see.

-Larry

[+Larry]

Update -- still no joy...

 

I've replaced the holder and battery and cleaned the contacts. SDX recognizes the R-Time 8, but the time and date keep changing. It is mostly a case of increasing the time by several minutes each time I issue the TIME command, even if only a few seconds have elapsed. I've reset the time and re-booted probably 20 or more times, but the R-Time 8 keeps giving flaky results.

 

I can invoke TD ON to set the display line and watch the time change -- increases about 1 minute for each 5 seconds, but not consistently.

 

My Sunmark RTIME cart keeps perfect time.

 

Any thoughts? BTW, what is YC1 and the little silver "tube" (Y1) adjacent to it? (see the link from spookt in his post above).

 

Thanks,

Larry

[+GroovyBee]

Any thoughts? BTW, what is YC1 and the little silver "tube" (Y1) adjacent to it? (see the link from spookt in his post above).

 

Looks like a trimming capacitor to me. The silver tube led down (before it in the picture) is the 32kHz crystal. Try reflowing all the joints on the underside of the PCB. Don't heat the crystal up too much tho. If the crystal and trimmer capacitor aren't connected properly due to dry joints that could also cause problems with keeping track of time.

[+Larry]

Hi GroovyBee-

 

I thought that Y1 looked suspiciously like a crystal, but that is the smallest I can recall seeing!

 

But anyway, I took your advice and re-flowed all the solder joints and added a little at a couple of pads that ICD "shorted" on the solder.

 

And the R-Time 8 works perfectly now! I've got TDLINE activated and I'm watching the seconds tick by -- it hasn't missed a beat!

 

Thanks much!

 

-Larry

 

Looks like a trimming capacitor to me. The silver tube led down (before it in the picture) is the 32kHz crystal. Try reflowing all the joints on the underside of the PCB. Don't heat the crystal up too much tho. If the crystal and trimmer capacitor aren't connected properly due to dry joints that could also cause problems with keeping track of time.

Edited October 1, 2009 by Larry

[+GroovyBee]

But anyway, I took your advice and re-flowed all the solder joints and added a little at a couple of pads that ICD "shorted" on the solder.

 

And the R-Time 8 works perfectly now! I've got TDLINE activated and I'm watching the seconds tick by -- it hasn't missed a beat!

 

I'm glad it was an easy fix.