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More awkward battery moments
Batteries. Batteries vex me. They are often bulky, heavy, and non-rechargeable. They run out, and/or need recharging all the time. But they're necessary in absolutely everything if you're to be free from the wall socket. And until we're free from chemical power storage we're stuck with them. So it's a good idea to be able to look after them. (This is not advice, just my own reckless adventure.)
Sometimes you'll purchase a cheap piece of electronics from the internet, only to have it show up not working. Unless it's plugged in to USB. So you open it up and find this goopy, lumpy mess. Measuring between the terminals reveals there's no current flowing, so you have to cut it out.
There isn't much fixing to be done in this case, more just replacing. The newest tiny LiPo batteries I get with my LilyPad stuff turns out to be the correct size, so I solder that on instead. After closing it up (tight fit that it is) everything worked just fine. (Although I am a little apprehensive about the first time I recharge it.)
But LiPos have other problems, quite apart from the JST connectors. And that's that the wires can come loose. Rather easily.
The only thing to do is pull back the heat tape and solder the wire back on. It worked for most of my LiPos, but some still didn't work afterwards. To prevent this in future it's a good idea to reinforce the connection with some electrical tape. It's such a good idea that I've started doing it to all my brand new, still functional batteries too.
But it's not just LiPos. Some boards, for instance, really don't like being dropped on the floor a whole bunch of times. When they are the leads of the coin-cell battery holder can come loose. Yet again I find the solution is to solder the two bits back together again.
*sigh* Hurry up Science, I need a better solution than batteries!
Sometimes you'll purchase a cheap piece of electronics from the internet, only to have it show up not working. Unless it's plugged in to USB. So you open it up and find this goopy, lumpy mess. Measuring between the terminals reveals there's no current flowing, so you have to cut it out.
Dud LiPo
Photo by chebe
There isn't much fixing to be done in this case, more just replacing. The newest tiny LiPo batteries I get with my LilyPad stuff turns out to be the correct size, so I solder that on instead. After closing it up (tight fit that it is) everything worked just fine. (Although I am a little apprehensive about the first time I recharge it.)
New LiPo, and where it's going to be soldered
Photo by chebe
But LiPos have other problems, quite apart from the JST connectors. And that's that the wires can come loose. Rather easily.
LiPo with ground wire come loose
Photo by chebe
The only thing to do is pull back the heat tape and solder the wire back on. It worked for most of my LiPos, but some still didn't work afterwards. To prevent this in future it's a good idea to reinforce the connection with some electrical tape. It's such a good idea that I've started doing it to all my brand new, still functional batteries too.
LiPo with wires attached and reinforced
Photo by chebe
But it's not just LiPos. Some boards, for instance, really don't like being dropped on the floor a whole bunch of times. When they are the leads of the coin-cell battery holder can come loose. Yet again I find the solution is to solder the two bits back together again.
SqrWear board with one of the battery holder legs come loose
Photo by chebe
*sigh* Hurry up Science, I need a better solution than batteries!