From Brian Willoughby Sent Sat, Sep 21st 2019, 03:43
From Brian Willoughby Sent Sat, Sep 21st 2019, 03:43
A) I can=E2=80=99t imagine that these devices would still be in service = beyond the effective life of their *second* soldered battery. Do you = think that a 68-year-old Split-Eight will be working perfectly fine = except for the battery? B) This particular battery seems to have lasted 34 years. I think that a = little soldering on a vintage keyboard, once every three decades, is a = small price to pay for the ultimate reliability. C) Devices with battery holders tend to need a new battery several = orders of magnitude more frequently than once every 34 years. Whether = that=E2=80=99s because of the holder itself or the current draw of the = circuit, I don=E2=80=99t have time to gather data on that. But I do know = that nearly all circuit failures are mechanical, so I avoid adding more = points of failure. I may be biased because my first computer was = hand-made by my uncle, and he soldered the cables for the keyboard and = joystick controllers because "connectors fail." D) Yes, even with frictional physical contact, components like chips = need to be reseated after several years due to oxidization on the = contacts. Soldered components do not have this issue. Sure, soldered = components have other issues, but I=E2=80=99ve never seen a battery that = was still good needing any care or maintenance. E) I prefer military grade performance, and a soldered battery is not = going to fall out when you drop your keyboard. F) I=E2=80=99ve never had to solder a third battery in any synth or = audio electronics where I replaced the original battery with a second = one. Meanwhile, it seems like I=E2=80=99m frequently replacing batteries = in holders. G) Used synths that I have seen with a non-OEM holder tend to exhibit = the worst quality soldering and placement. In fact, I bought a used = synth where the battery was in a holder that wasn=E2=80=99t even secured = *and* the battery was already dead. The holder was basically floating = around, waiting to short out on some other component. I=E2=80=99m fairly = certain that this battery failed earlier than a soldered one would have. = I replaced it with a real, soldered battery, and threw away the holder. = I suspect I=E2=80=99ll never have to think about it again. H) It=E2=80=99s entirely possible that the original designers knew that = these batteries would need to be replaced in 30 or 40 years, and still = decided to design for the best performance rather than making it easier = to replace the battery while also increasing the rate that the battery = needs to be replaced. Brian On Sep 20, 2019, at 8:04 PM, David Bivins <xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> wrote: > I don't disagree Brian, but can you elaborate? Is the soldered = connection so superior to frictioned physical contact? Is the "reduced = effectiveness" to an extent that patches will be lost (or whatever the = battery is being used for)?=20 >=20 > My reasoning for using these battery holders has been that the = original designers of these devices never imagined that they would be in = use beyond the effective life of the battery. Otherwise they would have = made the batteries easily replaceable.=20 >=20 > Help me understand. >=20 > On Fri, Sep 20, 2019 at 10:50 PM Brian Willoughby = <xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx> wrote: >> That battery is welded to its prongs and soldered to the board. >>=20 >> In my opinion, these should be replaced with original equipment. = Swapping in a battery holder adds resistance to the battery connections, = which reduces the effectiveness of the battery. Frankly, a new one = should last until 2050, when you=E2=80=99ll be lucky if the rest of the = synth is still working anyway. >>=20 >> If you like, I can replace it for you. In fact, I=E2=80=99ll = guarantee my work and replace it again in 2053 if we're still alive. >>=20 >> Brian >>=20 >>=20 >> On Sep 20, 2019, at 5:54 PM, Tom Butcher <xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> wrote: >> >=20 >> > Hi smart synth friends, >> >=20 >> > The Split-Eight I=E2=80=99m working on has one of those disc = batteries (looks like a CR2032) attached to these metal prongs and then = affixed to the PCB. Any advice on the best way to replace it? >> >=20 >> > It doesn=E2=80=99t pop right out, seems glued or soldered or = something. >> >=20 >> > Pics: >> >=20 >> > http://x09music.com/~tom/IMG_3578.jpg >> > http://x09music.com/~tom/IMG_9526.jpg >> >=20 >> > t >> >=20 >>=20