Introduction: COMPUTER CMOS BATTERY
I recently bought an old Dell Laptop and the Clock battery was dead. The Bios was locked by the previous owner and a dead CMOS battery would clear the Bios Password so the battery in my laptop is a Clock Battery?
It was either order a new battery assembly or somehow, without using a soldering iron, refurbish the dead Clock Battery Assembly. How to connect those two or three wires to the battery without heating up the old soldering iron.
Having many years of Engineering, Science, and Mathematics under my belt I found a Fast, Easy, and Effective solution.
Don't get mad or upset. I have a lot of design and engineering experience but even so it took a while until I reached the "why didn't I think of that sooner?" stage.
It was either order a new battery assembly or somehow, without using a soldering iron, refurbish the dead Clock Battery Assembly. How to connect those two or three wires to the battery without heating up the old soldering iron.
Having many years of Engineering, Science, and Mathematics under my belt I found a Fast, Easy, and Effective solution.
Don't get mad or upset. I have a lot of design and engineering experience but even so it took a while until I reached the "why didn't I think of that sooner?" stage.
Supplies
New 3 Volt CR2032 Lithium Battery
Electrician's Tape
$1 Gel Epoxy
Aluminum Can
$1 pair of Scissors
Electrician's Tape
$1 Gel Epoxy
Aluminum Can
$1 pair of Scissors
Step 1: Remove the Plastic Battery Cover
Remove the plastic insulation from the coin battery by cutting around the edges with a pair of scissors. Take a few photos of the exposed battery wires. Red wire to "+" and black to "-". Some batteries have a plastic insulative ring around the circumference of the battery__save the ring for reuse.
Step 2: Position the Spacers and Solder Tabs on the Battery
The Aluminum spacers go on top of the tabs and the tabs on the battery.
Check your photos for correct wiring. Start on one side of the battery, say the + side, place a spacer on top of the appropriate tab and press against the battery. Use about 2 inches of Electrician's Tape. Secure the spacer and tab to one side of the battery. The remainder of the tape will be used to secure the spacer and tab on the other side. Pull snugly but we just want to use this piece of tape to position the tabs and spacers.
Check your photos for correct wiring. Start on one side of the battery, say the + side, place a spacer on top of the appropriate tab and press against the battery. Use about 2 inches of Electrician's Tape. Secure the spacer and tab to one side of the battery. The remainder of the tape will be used to secure the spacer and tab on the other side. Pull snugly but we just want to use this piece of tape to position the tabs and spacers.
Step 3: Remove the Wires From the Battery
The battery has solder or spot welded tabs attached so using needle nose pliers( I used my fingers ) slowly pry the tabs from the battery. The female connector or plug, the 2 or 3 wires, and the solder tabs make up the Clock Battery Harness Assembly.
Step 4: Make Aluminum Spacers
The problem is how to connect the tabs to the new battery without solder, solder glue, or solder paint.
We want a mechanical normal force, such as spring pressure, holding each tab against the flat sides of the battery. That is the problem. A coin battery holder uses flat spring tension for the mechanical force.
Using electrical tape to hold the tabs to the sides of the battery is not enough because you need a normal force, a force pushing the tab against the battery. This is accomplished using material from an Aluminum soda can. Cut 2 thin strips about 1/4" in thickness and 1" long. Fold the strip a few times so you get a spacer 1/16" in thickness. Use a section of the can that is all silver and sand lightly.
We want a mechanical normal force, such as spring pressure, holding each tab against the flat sides of the battery. That is the problem. A coin battery holder uses flat spring tension for the mechanical force.
Using electrical tape to hold the tabs to the sides of the battery is not enough because you need a normal force, a force pushing the tab against the battery. This is accomplished using material from an Aluminum soda can. Cut 2 thin strips about 1/4" in thickness and 1" long. Fold the strip a few times so you get a spacer 1/16" in thickness. Use a section of the can that is all silver and sand lightly.
Step 5: Position the AL Spacers and Tabs on Battery
Place the plastic circumferential ring on the battery or coat perimeter with 5 minute Gel Epoxy as an insulator.
The Aluminum Spacers go on top of the Tabs and the Tabs on the battery.
Check your photos for correct wiring.
Start on one side of the battery, say the "+" side, place an AL Spacer on top of the Tab and press against the battery. Use about 2 inches of Electrician's Tape to hold the Spacer and Tab into the battery. The remainder of the Tape is used to secure the other side. Pull snugly but we just want to position the Tabs and Spacers to the battery.
The Aluminum Spacers go on top of the Tabs and the Tabs on the battery.
Check your photos for correct wiring.
Start on one side of the battery, say the "+" side, place an AL Spacer on top of the Tab and press against the battery. Use about 2 inches of Electrician's Tape to hold the Spacer and Tab into the battery. The remainder of the Tape is used to secure the other side. Pull snugly but we just want to position the Tabs and Spacers to the battery.
Step 6: Stretch the Tape Around the Battery
This is the stretch the tape part putting a lot of tension in the tape. Use longer pieces of tape and pull on the tape until it stretches and changes color. When you stretch the electrical tape around the battery the tension in the plastic tape will apply a normal force to the spacer forcing the tabs tightly against the battery surfaces. Tape it up some more or use a coating of gel epoxy and when you plug it back into your laptop the clock will spring to life.
Why didn't I think of that? A CR2032
battery cost about 33 cents. A new Clock battery on A or E cost about $10 with free shipping.
Why didn't I think of that? A CR2032
battery cost about 33 cents. A new Clock battery on A or E cost about $10 with free shipping.
