Check out this thread. → About removing and replacing barrel batteries..

I'll be going with a 3 cell pack of Eneloop AAAs myself, but there are several options to choose from.

On the Apple IIgs, we use 3.6v barrel batteries. In the case of the original design, these are soldered on as I recall them being on many 386 boards. The ROM3 machines have a battery holder. And it turns out the battery holder fits the holes for the soldered battery, so if you have room, that's an option. Otherwise, clip the leads near the battery, straighten them out, and go with a solution like WR3ND suggests. That's what I ultimately chose to do on a ROM01 machine, except I got a 3.6v barrel battery holder soldered to wires that plug in rather than using eneloops.

King_Corduroy wrote:

I've heard you can replace them with coin cell ones but I'm a bit wary, what is a good way to go about replacing one. Also I've noticed this new thing an Amiga user made and is available online, anyone know if this would work with a regular PC? http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/p … roducts_id=1093

In one of the reviews, the guy mentioned it is "ok for old computers like 386/266". It's about 6-7 GBP including international shipment, so why not try it? (I ordered one, too). I'm just assuming they did something on the replacement battery kit to not allow recharging though.

Otherwise, I always prefer external battery connection on the board + external battery box + regular AA sized batteries (both 3 or 4 pieces work, according to my experience).

I pulled a bunch of coin cell 3v batteries and housings from scrapped modern computers and converted my entire fleet of x86 machines.

This is child's play compared to having to cut apart a Dallas style RTC with the integrated battery...

Here's one on my 486DLC that I've converted from a Lenovo laptop's CMOS battery - I had to solder the ground to the underside of the board due to excessive corrosion to the ground terminal.

This is where I usually get modern ones from (This particular laptop mobo failed a reflow - lasted a few days before GPU failed again)