VCII replacement the easy way

Here is the updated procedure on replacing your battery (12/07/05). Please read my originalVC page before attempting the mod.

Non lawyer type disclaimer:

If you’re good with electronics, have a volt meter, and own safety glasses, you might want to read on. Please don’t try this if you have not done a lot of PC board work. If you screw up your board, or blow an Eye ball out when the lithium battery blows up in your face, don’t come crying to me. You have been warned. Please note, several 4dtv forum members reported their lithium battery burst while performing battery swap out. Some lithium batteries have a small fuse on the plus lead. This fuse can be easily broken causing the battery to spray caustic lithium all over. Be very careful when cutting the leads. Cut away from the batteries fuse (metal bulge on plus lead) and don’t bend the leads much.

I recommend you hook up the new battery before carefully cutting the old one out. If it’s a Tadiran, don’t break the small metal encased fuse that protrudes out of the + lead.

Always unplug your IRD before yanking or spanking your VCII boards, wait a minute or two after unplugging before removal or insertion of the VCII. ESD protection and safety glasses should be considered.

PARTS:

1. Buy one AA Battery holder Radio Shack #270-401A, One AA Lithium battery RS#23-037, and a small tie-rap to hold in socket.

2. Solder in AA battery holder, use the extra holes near the existing battery leads (Red to + black to - )

3. Insert AA battery, don't put in backwards.

4. Carefully cut the + lead on old battery

5. Carefully completely remove old battery, don't bend leads, battery might explode if stressed.

6. Tie rap battery and holder down in the same spot as the original battery.

7. Reassemble cage, and test.

Completed board with Radio Shack parts

Step by step photos:

Remove hidden Phillips screw under hologram label.

If you have a dremmel tool, use it for a clean job.

Carefully cut along seams

VC2 case

Use clamps or a vice. I am holding in a dangerous position for the photo. Some of the tabs will break, but try to avoid breaking them, if possible.

Move blade along epoxy attempt to break seal every few inches.

Once the epoxy is mostly broken away, release the front and back tabs, then hold cage firmly in both hands apply a twisting motion on the cage, Back and forth. The epoxy will pop, and the board will then come out. Take care with the board, handle on the edges. Place board on insulated material ESD pad, cage, or mouse pad. Don’t short the PC board.

VC2+ Battery

Locate the extra solder pads on either side of the existing battery. Don’t insert the new battery yet.

Use your soldering skills: solder sucker, solder tape, or carefully pre heat pad, and push pre-tinned wire through.

Check your work top, and bottom.

VC2+ solder

VC2+

This next part is your option. Some folks say that the board will go dead immediately if the battery is removed. I tested one of my boards. Just for fun I removed the battery jumper W1 while watching the voltage on pin 6 of IC U-31. After over a minute the voltage was still above 2.6 volts. So a brief loss of battery should not be a board killer on older VC2+ and VCRS boards. Both of the boards I checked had 47uf capacitors after Diode CR12 to keep voltage up for several minutes without the battery. It looks like the newer boards don’t have the protective diode CR12 or capacitor to keep the voltage up while changing batteries.

The picture below shows a Tadiran with the external fuse on the + lead. Don’t cut or bend the fuse. Poof!

Insert the new battery in its socket then carefully clip the old + lead. Try to limit the parallel time to less than 30 seconds, especially if your original battery is at or below 3.0 volts.

Many years ago I had a lithium battery blow up in my hand. I was attempting to put a quick charge on it (5 amps several seconds). The shrapnel tore through my fingers, and caustic lithium was all over my face, eyes, and arms. It wasn’t a pretty sight. I lucked out; no major injuries. The blast taught me a lesson, I respect lithium batteries. Don’t be a fool, use safety glasses, try to be gentle with the tabs on your old battery, and don’t short it.

RadioShack holder

Insert the new battery with proper polarity. Carefully snip the positive lead, once the old battery is cut, relax the board is backed up.

Remove old battery

Old battery clipped without breaking the protruding fuse or releasing caustic lithium.

Cut - lead

Clip the old tie-rap, carefully cut the negative lead. Several folks reported that their old batteries burst after bending the tabs during parallel replacements.

New battery and socket

The old battery should now be easily removed, trim the old leads on the board (don’t short anything)

A clean job, the tie-rap will keep the battery in its holder. If there are any VC2 channels available in ten years you can simply remove the old battery, and insert a new one.

If you use a battery holder rather than the solder in tabbed type battery, there is a slight increased chance of failure from the contacts corroding after years. If you use a tabbed battery simply solder a few inches of thin wire on the leads to make swap out easy.

While the boards apart clean the gold contact pads with a pencil eraser.

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