Introduction: Blackweb Suitcase Speaker Battery Replacement (BWA18AA014)

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About: I'm a seasoned musician (performing and composing/arranging) and technical hobbyist. I have a small homelab I've been working on for a few years and have been into computers, networking, and technology just ab…

Blackweb BWA18AA014 Speaker

12v4AH AGM Battery


Most wireless rechargable bluetooth speakers follow a simple schematic including a case, speaker/speakers, 1-3 circuit boards, and a standardized battery and power circuit. When my girlfriend's Blackweb BWA18AA014 rechargable suitcase speaker became tethered to the wall outlet for power, I knew there may be a solution to restoring its ability to hold a charge.

With a few pretty standard tools and a little insight and research, I was able to restore this to a relatively impressive battery life of 8-9h at medium-high volume instead of seeing it added to e-waste bundles and waste money on a new speaker.

I made this instructable because I was surprised at how basic the assembly was overall (even though I probably should not have been) and I think there are probably MANY bluetooth speakers that have relatively similar reuse paths, and I couldn't find any prior how-to's and thought I'd collect some pics and make an instructable!

Supplies

Required: Small allen wrench set (assuming you don't already know the size/type of battery needed, otherwise you'll need the replacement battery)


Helpful: Multimeter to confirm the issue and decent plastic wedges/spudgers


I have a pretty basic electronics spudger kit with a few simple pry tools. I actually broke a few of mine so if you're in the market for a decent set, I'd go ahead and splurge on it because (at least for this speaker) this project definitely takes a spudger with good rigidity.


Notes on the allen set: I don't have the most complete toolset and found myself missing most exact fits. The smallest allen key I could use was a 7/64th and I did the job with a Torx 2.5 (possibly due for correction, label was a bit smudged). The only screws that have to be removed are holding the main panel on the back.

Step 1: Remove Power and Turn the Speaker Off

I didn't take any pictures for this step but in general this should always be a first step. Ideally it would be reasonably discharged but that's kind of what we're fixing today. Little risk of shock in this instructable but still worth following a few bigger safety practices.

Step 2: Remove the Label (May Not Need to on Different Speaker)

On this speaker in particular one center screw is hidden behind this panel (almost found out the hard way). It is a hard plastic and is adhered to the speaker, but came off without a trace. I also found out the original plastic was accidentally left on it, to my relief.


It took a good bit of working with it before it began to give, but once it gave it peeled off with little force. Other models/brands may have other caveats and hidden screws so if the lid isn't giving and doesn't show any signs of glue or anything, feel around where it's getting held on for any other possible screw covers/panels that can expose remaining screws/fasteners.

Step 3: Remove All of the Screws and Remove the Back Cover

Remove every screw from the back and remove the back cover/panel.


For me the panel came off with no real effort after every screw was removed and didn't have to be popped, from what I remember. No glue/sealant on mine, but I'd always be cautious of any weatherproofing to try to restore it. That can require extra steps and materials that I didn't have to contend with.


If you're anything like me, now is a great time to snap some pics of the back with the cover off, in case there are any complicated wiring paths/connections you have to work with. In my case it was very very simple and the only exposure on the back was the battery and what looked like a management/programming I/O pad array). A few pics or more here can make reassembly exponentially easier.

Step 4: (Optional) Verify Issue With a Multimeter

You can't necessarily tell a dead battery just by voltage alone, but in my case the speaker had already been charging and should have had some voltage (a 12v battery will generally be a little at/over 12v when fully charged), so the fact that it wouldn't turn on at all without wall power even after charging for hours told me via this test that the battery must surely be dead.


I actually had to switch to mV after the voltage was so low because the defective display on one of my multimeters would barely let me read the voltage.

Step 5: Remove the Lead Wires and Remove the Battery

Like most electronics, the connectors were pretty committed to staying on since they were in place since factory, but were still standard spade male/female blades so it took a little screwdriver work but they popped right off and allowed me to remove the battery and figure out exactly what size I needed to look for.

Step 6: (If Not Already Determined) Figure Out Battery Type Needed and Reorder

In my case I had to remove a little padding to confidently determine full battery specs but as expected mine was a generic 12-volt 4 amp-hour AGM battery. If possible, see if the exact battery is available by model number off of the battery (unless there's any reason you wouldn't want to use an OEM like it being especially new and losing ability to hold charge too early. Her speaker was nearing 5-6 years in her possession after getting it used). If you are able to find it by model, you can go ahead to the next step. The rest is for if you had to research a fitting battery.


For inexpensive hobby batteries like smaller 12v AGM batteries, refurbishment is not really a cost-effective option, so I simply bought a battery off of amazon with good and plentiful reviews. There are probably more reputable storefronts to pick from and you may even have local suppliers you trust.


After matching voltage and amperage, check the physical dimensions of the battery you're ordering to make sure length/width/height either matches the battery you're replacing or minimally fits into its spot with room on the height for wiring.


Be sure to pay attention (on the new battery being ordered) to the location and orientation of the terminals and their polarity ( + / - ) as although batteries are generally standardized, there can be multiple batteries of the same exact voltage/capacity/size but have the terminals in different arrangements/locations/directions. For this blackweb the wires were long enough to compensate if the terminals were in a weird location but I didn't want to risk it, as I've paid for that mistake before.


My battery took 2 days to arrive, which was great because this was supposed to be a small surprise!

Step 7: (Optional) Verify Current Charge Level of New Battery

I may just be a stickler but I was curious if the battery already had some charge or not, so I made a point to check. As I'm writing this I'm realizing there may have even been a battery manufacturer-supplied break-in/first charge procedure I did not check for, so don't be me. I may be paying for that sooner than later, but so far I'm not sure we've had any issues.

Step 8: Reassemble Everything

As you probably expect, at this point we re-hookup the battery positive to positive and negative to negative and then stick it in its spot, making sure it's flush and isn't going to have pressure from the cover from sticking out a bit. Replace the cover and refasten the screws into the plastic.


I didn't make a point to replace the padding that was on the first battery but it has pretty low tolerances and the speaker isn't used as much as it used to be, so I didn't feel like I necessarily needed to.


My label cover in the center stuck right back on and still needs a spudger to get it back off!

Step 9: Verify With a Power Up and Test!

Self explanatory!


If you don't get any power when you turn it on with the new battery and know for a fact the battery has charge already, remove the cover and double check wiring. You may even have to invest in an inexpensive multimeter to confirm potential further issues. Otherwise it should power right on.


I think battery level is something, if shown on the speaker, that is calibrated with specific drain/recharge sequences, so that may be worth looking up when you go to order the replacement battery or may even be specified by the speaker manufacturer. So if that is inaccurate, calibration may be a necessity to confirm.