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Do-it-yourself battery replacement in 'new' keypad vs have AP do it ? (Cost ?)

drgert1
 

Hello All,

I need to replace the keypad battery for my AP900 mount.The keypad is the 'newer' model (with resp. to being from AP900 a few years back when it was still offered) I've seen the symptoms as corrupted messier objects DB (magnitude 100). I have serviced two AP1200 mounts for our club and club members. Both where the 'older' model with the cr1632 (3V) battery.

I wasn't aware that there are two variants of the keypad, grabbed my printed instructions from the work at the AP1200s and went right to work. Got confused about the inside of the keypad. Soon realized that I erroneously removed the clock battery. Replaced it. Tried the keypad and time/date was still good. Does the clock chip has some emergency run-time? Could I have damaged something else? Functionality of keypad looks normal (Other than not (yet) having replaced the DB battery? )

The DB battery reads 0.4V. Way out of spec (3V)! So needs replacement.

Going back to AP docs, the procedure to replace the new keypad battery seems 'more tricky'.

1. Have some of you folks gone through the replacement procedure (new keypad) yourself? (Any issues?)
2. I am contemplating sending the keypad to AP and have them do it. Maybe they can do the clock battery and clean connectors at the same time.  (Did some if you do the same? What additional cost?)

Thanks & Clear Skies,
Gert
George
 

Gert,

 

Please reference the following:

https://astro-physics.info/tech_support/mounts/keypad/keypad-maintenance-instructions.pdf

 

Regards,

 

George

 

George Whitney

Astro-Physics, Inc.

Phone:  815-282-1513

Email:  george@...

 

From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of drgert1 via groups.io
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2020 4:23 PM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Subject: [ap-gto] Do-it-yourself battery replacement in 'new' keypad vs have AP do it ? (Cost ?)

 

Hello All,

I need to replace the keypad battery for my AP900 mount.The keypad is the 'newer' model (with resp. to being from AP900 a few years back when it was still offered) I've seen the symptoms as corrupted messier objects DB (magnitude 100). I have serviced two AP1200 mounts for our club and club members. Both where the 'older' model with the cr1632 (3V) battery.

I wasn't aware that there are two variants of the keypad, grabbed my printed instructions from the work at the AP1200s and went right to work. Got confused about the inside of the keypad. Soon realized that I erroneously removed the clock battery. Replaced it. Tried the keypad and time/date was still good. Does the clock chip has some emergency run-time? Could I have damaged something else? Functionality of keypad looks normal (Other than not (yet) having replaced the DB battery? )

The DB battery reads 0.4V. Way out of spec (3V)! So needs replacement.

Going back to AP docs, the procedure to replace the new keypad battery seems 'more tricky'.

1. Have some of you folks gone through the replacement procedure (new keypad) yourself? (Any issues?)
2. I am contemplating sending the keypad to AP and have them do it. Maybe they can do the clock battery and clean connectors at the same time.  (Did some if you do the same? What additional cost?)

Thanks & Clear Skies,
Gert

Roland Christen
 


the procedure to replace the new keypad battery seems 'more tricky'.
Just plug your keypad into the CP controller, turn power on. Now you can replace the battery and you won't lose any of the memory data.

Rolando


-----Original Message-----
From: drgert1 via groups.io <drgert1@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Fri, Jun 19, 2020 4:23 pm
Subject: [ap-gto] Do-it-yourself battery replacement in 'new' keypad vs have AP do it ? (Cost ?)

Hello All,

I need to replace the keypad battery for my AP900 mount.The keypad is the 'newer' model (with resp. to being from AP900 a few years back when it was still offered) I've seen the symptoms as corrupted messier objects DB (magnitude 100). I have serviced two AP1200 mounts for our club and club members. Both where the 'older' model with the cr1632 (3V) battery.

I wasn't aware that there are two variants of the keypad, grabbed my printed instructions from the work at the AP1200s and went right to work. Got confused about the inside of the keypad. Soon realized that I erroneously removed the clock battery. Replaced it. Tried the keypad and time/date was still good. Does the clock chip has some emergency run-time? Could I have damaged something else? Functionality of keypad looks normal (Other than not (yet) having replaced the DB battery? )

The DB battery reads 0.4V. Way out of spec (3V)! So needs replacement.

Going back to AP docs, the procedure to replace the new keypad battery seems 'more tricky'.

1. Have some of you folks gone through the replacement procedure (new keypad) yourself? (Any issues?)
2. I am contemplating sending the keypad to AP and have them do it. Maybe they can do the clock battery and clean connectors at the same time.  (Did some if you do the same? What additional cost?)

Thanks & Clear Skies,
Gert

Geert
 

Gert, 

 

I have replaced batterys in my keypad(s) with the instructions as given on the AP tech support page, no problem to do it yourself provided you have the correct battery type for your keypad.  Read the instructions carefully.

 

Sending a keypad to AP to do this is possible but for me prohibitive because of the cost and hassle to do so from Europe.

 

Best regards,

 

Geert Vdbulcke

Belgium

 

 

From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of drgert1 via groups.io
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2020 4:23 PM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Subject: [ap-gto] Do-it-yourself battery replacement in 'new' keypad vs have AP do it ? (Cost ?)

 

Hello All,

I need to replace the keypad battery for my AP900 mount.The keypad is the 'newer' model (with resp. to being from AP900 a few years back when it was still offered) I've seen the symptoms as corrupted messier objects DB (magnitude 100). I have serviced two AP1200 mounts for our club and club members. Both where the 'older' model with the cr1632 (3V) battery.

I wasn't aware that there are two variants of the keypad, grabbed my printed instructions from the work at the AP1200s and went right to work. Got confused about the inside of the keypad. Soon realized that I erroneously removed the clock battery. Replaced it. Tried the keypad and time/date was still good. Does the clock chip has some emergency run-time? Could I have damaged something else? Functionality of keypad looks normal (Other than not (yet) having replaced the DB battery? )

The DB battery reads 0.4V. Way out of spec (3V)! So needs replacement.

Going back to AP docs, the procedure to replace the new keypad battery seems 'more tricky'.

1. Have some of you folks gone through the replacement procedure (new keypad) yourself? (Any issues?)
2. I am contemplating sending the keypad to AP and have them do it. Maybe they can do the clock battery and clean connectors at the same time.  (Did some if you do the same? What additional cost?)

Thanks & Clear Skies,
Gert


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Mike Dodd
 

On 6/20/2020 3:25 AM, Geert wrote:
Gert,

I have replaced batterys in my keypad(s) with the instructions as given
on the AP tech support page, no problem to do it yourself provided you
have the correct battery type for your keypad. Read the instructions
carefully.

Sending a keypad to AP to do this is possible but for me prohibitive
because of the cost and hassle to do so from Europe.
The battery mentioned in the instructions is a coin cell with wires soldered to it. These are not easy to find.

Instead, I bought on eBay a CR1430 battery with tabs intended to solder in holes in a PC board. I unplugged the wires in the hand box, and cut them off where they attached to the original battery. Then I soldered the wires onto the tabs of the new battery, and re-plugged the connector.

The hand box works fine, and now I never need to search for a battery with wires.

A photo is attached. (The soldered wires are covered with black heat-shrink tubing, so the wire colors are hidden.)

--
Mike

Mike Dodd
Louisa County, Virginia USA
http://astronomy.mdodd.com
Roland Christen
 

The batteries can be purchased from us, and they have the connector attached, so all you do is unplug the old battery and plug in the new one.

Rolando



-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Dodd <mike@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Sat, Jun 20, 2020 12:08 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Do-it-yourself battery replacement in 'new' keypad vs have AP do it ? (Cost ?)

On 6/20/2020 3:25 AM, Geert wrote:
> Gert,
>
> I have replaced batterys in my keypad(s) with the instructions as given
> on the AP tech support page, no problem to do it yourself provided you
> have the correct battery type for your keypad.  Read the instructions
> carefully.
>
> Sending a keypad to AP to do this is possible but for me prohibitive
> because of the cost and hassle to do so from Europe.

The battery mentioned in the instructions is a coin cell with wires
soldered to it. These are not easy to find.

Instead, I bought on eBay a CR1430 battery with tabs intended to solder
in holes in a PC board. I unplugged the wires in the hand box, and cut
them off where they attached to the original battery. Then I soldered
the wires onto the tabs of the new battery, and re-plugged the connector.

The hand box works fine, and now I never need to search for a battery
with wires.

A photo is attached. (The soldered wires are covered with black
heat-shrink tubing, so the wire colors are hidden.)

--
Mike

Mike Dodd
Louisa County, Virginia USA
http://astronomy.mdodd.com
Mike Dodd
 

On 6/20/2020 1:17 PM, uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io wrote:
The batteries can be purchased from us, and they have the connector
attached, so all you do is unplug the old battery and plug in the new one.
Cost? (Asked in the subject line.)

--- Mike
Roland Christen
 

Call AP and they will tell you, depending on which keypad you have.

Rolando



-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Dodd <mike@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Sat, Jun 20, 2020 12:31 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Do-it-yourself battery replacement in 'new' keypad vs have AP do it ? (Cost ?)

On 6/20/2020 1:17 PM, uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io wrote:
> The batteries can be purchased from us, and they have the connector
> attached, so all you do is unplug the old battery and plug in the new one.

Cost? (Asked in the subject line.)

--- Mike
Michael Hamburg
 

Just replaced the battery of the hand of my AP900. Be careful; work slowly; be alert and it's simple.

;

On Sat, Jun 20, 2020 at 2:01 PM, uncarollo2
<chris1011@...> wrote:e
Call AP and they will tell you, depending on which keypad you have.

Rolando



-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Dodd <mike@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Sat, Jun 20, 2020 12:31 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Do-it-yourself battery replacement in 'new' keypad vs have AP do it ? (Cost ?)

On 6/20/2020 1:17 PM, uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io wrote:
> The batteries can be purchased from us, and they have the connector
> attached, so all you do is unplug the old battery and plug in the new one.

Cost? (Asked in the subject line.)

--- Mike
Robert Berta
 

Download the instructions....basically there are two battery types based on your controller serial number. One is a direct replacement....the newer one has pig tails. The newer model ensures a better connection so a drop of the hand controller won't result in a disconnect.

I have changed mine twice and the clubs once (both with the newer battery.) It isn't hard to do although follow the instructions. Main thing to watch out for is the fiber optic wires....be careful that you don't pinch them when reassembling. If you are at all nervous about this or all thumbs, you may want to send to AP and have them do it.I change mine after every 5 years....could probably go longer but why push your luck. A dead controller will ruin your trip to a star party....although you can always run the mount directly from a computer without the HC connected.
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