[NTLK] MessagePad 2100 recell problem

[Gavin Watson]

On Aug 7, 2010, at 7:49 PM, Forrest Buffenmyer wrote:

> Sorry to ask you this, it's such an elemental question...but you are  
> soldering these connections, right? I'm referring to your mention of  
> the reattachment of the yellow square, above.
>
> I ask this because, when I did my first pack, I didn't see the need  
> to solder the wires from positive tip to negative base. "Certainly  
> just having them press together will be all the contact they require."
>
> Wrong answer! I would guess there was too much resistance...and it  
> didn't work.
>
> Please accept my apologies if this doesn't apply, and you are  
> soldering everything. Again, maybe a dumb question...but I'm trying  
> to think of other potential possibilities to solve your problem.

That's a thought.  I initially soldered everything, but have made  
modifications with tape and wire to save a bit of time.  I intended to  
solder everything down when I got it to work.  That (resistance) seems  
to be consistent with the problem where it briefly turned itself on,  
as well.  If there was just barely too much resistance, there is a  
chance that the battery meter would change often, as described in the  
first email.  I'll resolder all the temporary joints and report back.

It isn't a dumb question.  It is a lot like technical support phone  
calls.  They have to ask "Is the device on?  …Good.  Is it plugged  
in?  …Good," and the like because some people just don't think about  
it.  Likewise, the question that might frustrate more veteran Newton  
battery recellers applied to myself.  I have always maintained that  
there aren't stupid questions, just stupid people.  In this case, I'm  
the stupid person.  It was a very good question.

Thank you again for the help.  I would literally never have thought of  
making sure that everything is soldered down when copper wire is used  
for almost every other household device on the planet.