RE: TEK 1502 batteries

[Andrew Sandford]

NOTE:  To get off this list, send email to majordomo@aqua.ccwr.ac.za
with the body of the message containing the line:
unsubscribe sowacs

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-sowacs@aqua.ccwr.ac.za 
> [mailto:owner-sowacs@aqua.ccwr.ac.za]
> Sent: 07 March 2001 08:53
> Subject: Re: TEK 1502 batteries
> 
> 
> I'm still very interested in hearing of others that have successfully
> replaced this lithium battery with a regulator or such.
> 

We have had this battery discharge on several of our customers who then run
into the Tektronix service charge.

For a few customers we have replaced the battery for them, but instead of
using the same battery (which is a very old design, expensive, low capacity
battery) we remove the battery and take a couple of flying leads off to a
reasonable quality AA battery holder which you can mount inside the case
(there is lots of space).   In that carrier you can fit a readily available
3.6 V Lithium Thionyl Chloride battery, which has a capacity some 10X
greater than the original circuit board battery package.   If your use of
the 1502 extends beyond the life of that battery (unlikely) then you can buy
a replacement battery from an electronic store and fit it in minutes.  

Cost of the modification if you do it yourself is about $15 including
battery.  Obviously you need to be careful in unsoldering the original
battery and making sure you match the polarity when installing the new
battery but this is not a big technical challenge.  Make sure you buy a
reasonable quality battery holder and I would advise putting a cable tie
around the holder and battery to stop the battery dropping out if the unit
is jolted.

Alternatively you could consider buying a new TDR unit, see the Whats New
section of www.campbellsci.com!

Andrew Sandford
Campbell Scientific Ltd, UK