You should replace it with a different type of battery. You can solder a coin type battery holder to the old battery connector or even a AA battery pack. Those old barrel types are more prone to leakage and harder to replace when they go bad.

Thanks for the response!

I understand that there are better options in the long term however I want this board up and running ASAP. Any ideas regarding the current?

sliderider wrote:

You should replace it with a different type of battery. You can solder a coin type battery holder to the old battery connector or even a AA battery pack. Those old barrel types are more prone to leakage and harder to replace when they go bad.

NO - DO NOT DO THIS! There is a current going from the motherboard to charge the accumulator. You have to solder a diode between the coin battery and the solder point (+) of the old barrel accumulator. If not, you may risk an explosion, an inferno, a desaster!

A safe way is to desolder or cut off (with a razor blade) the barrel type accumulator and to connect an external battery pack (3xAAA) to external battery connector. many boards work when you connect a coin battery holder (for 3V coin cells like CR2032) to the external battery connector.

Sorry, but it is a very bad idea to give advice without any clue. This is dangerous, man!

Cheers,
Fab

Good to know, Thanks FGB.

I have here in my hand, another barrel battery of the same voltage just waiting to be soldered in - no fuss , no diodes, no difference except the higher current. It's even the same brand.

PLEASE! can someone just tell me whether the higher current is acceptable?

Machine_1760 wrote:

Good to know, Thanks FGB.

I have here in my hand, another barrel battery of the same voltage just waiting to be soldered in - no fuss , no diodes, no difference except the higher current. It's even the same brand.

PLEASE! can someone just tell me whether the higher current is acceptable?

It is perfect because it is the capacity printed on the barrel type accumulator and not the current - so the bigger the better 😀

Thanks, you seem to know your stuff!

The soldering iron is warming as we speak!

Machine_1760 wrote:

Thanks, you seem to know your stuff!

The soldering iron is warming as we speak!

Good luck with the soldering job. You're welcome!

Cheers
Fabian

Speaking of soldering coin-like cell holders instead of barrel-type batteries - how long does it usually take for the inferno to occur? 😀 I did this on several 386 and 486 boards, and would run them for hours without the CR2032s even getting warm...

Well, the coin element (CR2032) is a battery type, not the accumulator type. You CAN recharge battery, but you MUST NOT do this. So - yeah, diode is needed.

I remember one of my 486 boards had a separate header to connect an "external" battery... I did this after removing the barrel battery from the board. I probably posted it on here somewhere but can't remember 😖.

sliderider wrote:

You should replace it with a different type of battery. You can solder a coin type battery holder to the old battery connector or even a AA battery pack. Those old barrel types are more prone to leakage and harder to replace when they go bad.

From my experience a AA battery pack wont solve this problem..
Few days ago i have bought a 486 system with the same AA battery pack. (four batterys in it) Guess what? That thing leaked extremly more then the orginal motherboard battery..

I recommend to desolder the old one from the board..

Replace it with a coin type, or just replace it with a better quality one.. Thats the best you could do.. Dont use AA battery packs! They leak hard as well!

AA batteries may leak, but that's not a problem as it is much easier to replace them(before they do). And if you're not using a retro pc for a long time, I see no reason why not to remove the batteries.

But some people dont replace them before they are leaking.. And mostly it happens unexpectedly if they leaking.. And it happens more on systems that are stored away in closets and loft.