Re: [NTLK] Battery Problem

From: Frank Gruendel (fg2_at_pda-soft.de)
Date: Fri Jan 03 2003 - 19:33:35 EST


> I'm having a serious problem with my upgraded MP2ooo.
> When running on battery, if I twist or press on the lower
> right hand corner of the Newt, the power shuts off and the
> screen goes blank. When I can finally get the MP to turn
> back on, it informs me that the system restarted because
> the battery was dead, even if I have a fully charged pack.

There are battery packs out there that seem to have marginally
smaller dimension than others. Yours might be one of those,
but I doubt it. If this still happens after you cleaned the battery
contacts with something that is not abrasive (best use some
cleaning fluid), it is probably a problem within your Newton.
Especially the positive contact can be easily bent. The negative
contact is pressed to the pack by a fairly strong spring, it is unlikely
that the problem lies there. Have a look at

http://www.pda-soft.de/2x00_disassembly26large.jpg

there you see the negative contact and the spring mechanism.
Get the pack out and push the negative contact with a pencil
or something towards the back to check the spring is working ok.
More likely the positive contact is bent towards the inside of the
Newton. You can't see it in the image, but it is on the underside
of the mainboard you see in the picture, abour half an inch above
the bottom left corner. If you look into the empty battery compartment,
you should be able to see it. You could use a hook or something to
bend it back (never did this, it is safer to take the Newton apart to
do that). If you want to take it apart, go to

http://www.pda-soft.de/2x00_disassemble.html

Don't follow the instructions there completely, not everything is necessary
for what you'd want to do. Instead,

a) Remove screws 1 - 4
b) Remove the bottom case half
c) Remove screw 9
d) Disengage the battery case half

Good luck

Frank

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