Battery terminals in Classics and Topcats Message #8 Posted by Geoff Quickfall on 16 Oct 2009, 2:19 p.m., in response to message #1 by Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil)
Luiz, Hello!
Yes the rotted or fatigued battery terminals are a flaw in long term design.
I too am preparing a new system for the classics and the Topcats:
1 The classics are easy, purchase a standard 3 NiNH AA battery
pack with the standard female phone plug.
2 Purchase the male plug
3 Open up the classic or topcat and remove the two prongs or
whatever remains!
4 Mill a rectangular hole in the side of the battery housing in
calculator.
5 Epoxy the male plug in place inside the milled receptacle.
6 attach the power wires to the male plug.
7 Insert the new battery pack (charged!).
8 Plug it in and voila, a new system for keeping the calculator
running with available battery packs.
With the topcat the battery packs are not available. If you have
an existing battery pack, diassemble it with a knife (carefully) as we want to keep the pack. Purchase the batteries and connect them, place them in the battery pack case and glue the halves together.
Now follow the above steps to modify the battery housing to accept the male battery plug. Secure the female plug and attach it to the correct poles in the battery pack and you are set to go.
This is acutally an appendix in my book for Calculators without the battery prongs due to corrosion or fatigue.
Like you, I have not yet documented the procedure but have all the bits here to complete the task.
Good luck, Geoff
Materials:
1 Male and female phone connector plugs (electronics shop).
2 4 (classic) NiMH AA batteries or 4 (topcat) C batteries.
3 Knife to open up the old battery packs (optional).
4 Tape or heat gun glue to secure the batteries to each other
if not using the old battery packs.
5 tools to mill the receptacle for the male battery plug into
the calculator battery hatch.
6 Of course; wire, solder, flux and solder iron!
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