Is my battery toast?

[Guest]

[Jenny_Y8S]

Hi

Just got my OQO e2 back from repair, worked fine with the high capacity battery, but my standard battery was down to one blip. I put it on the unit to charge and although the OQO said it was charging the lights didn't flash and capacity sat at 2%.

Took it off the unit to try a battery reset (hold button town etc) and this seemed to work OK but still won't charge.

I've not got the battery off attached via an adaptor to the PSU and still the lights don't flash. I've tried another reset but I simply can't get any lights to light up on it.

Extended battery charges fine no matter what, is my standard battery toast? Was it because it was left almost fully dead for six weeks while my OQO was being RMA'd? If it's broke because of this I'll be well miffed, I could have charged it up if I'd have known this!

Thanks in advance if you've had similar experience.

[acer23]

Yeah, the battery is dead. You should leave some power in the battery. Now you have to RMA the battery.

[Bungee]

See below. My condolences.

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M02 1x battery issues 10627320768  Discussion Thread
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Response (Jeremy Belk) - 06/17/2008 11:14 AM

Looks like you have covered pretty much everything we have customers do to recover a battery. What I like to have customers do is hold down the fuel gauge on the battery for 15 seconds and then charge it overnight. Most of the time that works but of course sometimes it doesn't and we just swap the batteries out. However the serial number you gave me XXXXXXXXXX what purchased on 10/01/07, which is a couple months outside of the 6 month warranty we have on batteries. I apologize but the only option we have left is to purchase a new one from our resellers.

Sincerely,Jeremy BelkOQO Tech Support

customer (xxxxxx) - 06/17/2008 12:03 AM
summary: PLS HELP: Model e2 battery with single flashing LED
date created: 06/16/2008 09:40 PM
last updated: 06/16/2008 09:40 PM
status: Unresolved

Hi there, My standard model e2 battery will displays a single flashing led, either when the fuel gauge is depressed or during charging. It refuses to display, or report to Windows, its actual power/charge level even when it's fully charged. Based on what I've read on the support knowledge base, it sounds like that I left the battery uncharged for too long (actually it was only a couple of days). I've tried the reset the battery following the instructions here, totally discharging (in BIOS) and recharging the battery, but it continues to still only shows a single flashing LED.  Is there anything else I can do that will make my battery report it's charge correctly again? The standard battery can still hold a charge, although it's impossible to see the remaining battery life anyway. Windows reports it at 0%...
Thanks & Regards

[kyone]

I have a double capacity battery that seems as though one of the cells out of the two has become faulty.  It does everything as it should except only lasts as long as the standard battery.  Windows also gets confused with the capacity remaining.

I think I will discharge the battery and take it apart... see what I can find.

Like most people have claimed, if I shake my double capacity battery I can hear the cells moving within.  This over time I believed would have caused the problem.

[Ronc]

I think I will discharge the battery and take it apart... see what I can find.

Like most people have claimed, if I shake my double capacity battery I can hear the cells moving within. 

Each cell has 2 short, stiff tabs.  They are soldered to the board in two places. There is also some double stick tape to prevent stress on the tabs when shaken.  Sounds like your double stick tape gave way and one tab from one cell separated (possibly broke in half).  You may be able to resolder after removing any broken tab piece.  I don't think you need to discharge. (I believe they should never be fully discharged anyway.)  Just be careful not to short anything on the printed circuit while working on it.

[freak6144]

Hi,
first of all you're battery is not toasted. When it get under a certain discharge rate, your battery circuit board recognise the battery as dead.
When you open the battery, you can conact the power directly  to one of the two battery connections and charge it of around 5 minutes. Watch that you don't shorten the circuit board and tape the connections after you are finished.
I have used this method several times on dead batteries and they started working again.
If you need some pictures, I can send them to you how to do it.

Patrick

Hi

Just got my OQO e2 back from repair, worked fine with the high capacity battery, but my standard battery was down to one blip. I put it on the unit to charge and although the OQO said it was charging the lights didn't flash and capacity sat at 2%.

Took it off the unit to try a battery reset (hold button town etc) and this seemed to work OK but still won't charge.

I've not got the battery off attached via an adaptor to the PSU and still the lights don't flash. I've tried another reset but I simply can't get any lights to light up on it.

Extended battery charges fine no matter what, is my standard battery toast? Was it because it was left almost fully dead for six weeks while my OQO was being RMA'd? If it's broke because of this I'll be well miffed, I could have charged it up if I'd have known this!

Thanks in advance if you've had similar experience.

[kyone]

My battery was working fine one minute.  Put it in my pack and went on a trip.  Worked fine on the site I was working on then on the way back in the airport I noticed it had issues.

Thanks for the advice.  I like having a double capacity battery for certain circumstances so i'll have a go at fixing it soon.

[Bungee]

first of all you're battery is not toasted. When it get under a certain discharge rate, your battery circuit board recognise the battery as dead.
When you open the battery, you can conact the power directly  to one of the two battery connections and charge it of around 5 minutes. Watch that you don't shorten the circuit board and tape the connections after you are finished.

You're right. Someone else in the forum has suggested this too. Problem is that I have no idea where I've placed my voltmeter and I'm not going to risk my one good standard battery until I get a spare (currently on back order).
Also overall not an easy solution for your general user. IMO, the circuit board of the OQO battery seems to be extra sensitive.

[Jenny_Y8S]

>> If you need some pictures, I can send them to you how to do it.

That would be great if you could

[markleesk]

I have the same problem, Can you post out the picture? thanks you

[Jenny_Y8S]

Anyone got details on how to kickstart a too flat battery?

[Ronc]

Anyone got details on how to kickstart a too flat battery?

I assume you have checked OQO's website for all the usual battery reset stuff and now you want to brute force a charge to get the process started.
Have you got tools like these:
A small enough screwdriver to pry off the back.
A couple of clip leads to clip onto the battery terminals.
A source of DC voltage to charge with.
A selection of resistors to limit the charging current to a low value, say 0.1 amp.
A familiarity with ohms law to calculate the resistor value.
A multimeter to measure the current and check the voltages.
If not, you may want to find someone to help you or to send the battery to.

Keep in mind that it's possible the battery cell or cells (for a double battery) are fine and the circuit board is simply bad.  But since it was fine until you simply left it alone it sounds like a kickstart may be worth a try if it doesn't cost anything.  I have 2 batteries (single and double) and I switched from the single to the double several months ago leaving the single charged but disconnected from anything.  The lights still indicate a full charge.

[pax]

Yes to all of the above.  Can anyone advise how best to pry the cover off without breaking anything?  Are the cell terminals apparent once you remove the cover? 

I have a smal Li-Ion charger, so I should be able to trickle charge the thing with no problem.  I assume you cannot directly access the cell terminals from the external battery connector.

[Robbert Raktoe]

Can anybody post some pictures so its clear which is the positive and which is the negative. I managed to open the battery but don't know which lead is the negative etc.

Would charging it via usb (thats 5v right?) do the trick?

[pax]

Make sure your charger is suited for the proper voltage.  lipo / ion charge at different voltage and currents depending on number of cells and their configurations.  A low current 5V charger should be sufficient for oqo packs as they are in a single cell configuration. 

Yes, it's a multicharger and can handle just about any combination.  I just want to know how to identify which terminal is which (or is it self-evident), and how to open the battery without breaking the case.