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Author Topic: My Version of an MP-1 Battery Mod  (Read 1281 times)

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Cpt Adama

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My Version of an MP-1 Battery Mod
« on: Time Format »

There is nothing worse that a leaking battery in your rack gear that has not only gone dead but taken PCB traces to the grave with it. I've seen plastic battery holders that are still on the PCB that "should" contain any acid that will leak from a dying battery, but I want the battery completely off the PCB. Not only that I want a battery that will last longer and be easier to change than a soldered on button battery. I use CR123 lithium batteries that are used for my alarm system sensors, I always have some around, and they are the correct voltage.

I purchased a bunch of CR123 battery holders and place them with Gorilla double side tape to an off PCB location in the rack unit. I've done this for many of my other rack mount effects and not just for the MP-1. Advantages are no chance of leaking battery acid on the PCB and dissolving traces, battery leakage will be contained in the battery holder, and CR123 have a much longer lifespan that a button battery. CR123's predicted lifespan in an alarm sensor which draws much more current than memory chips is 5 years. I am guessing that these could last a minimum of 10 years, their rated shelf life, but probably will go quite a bit longer. This is my MP-1 installation.

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Aelfad

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Re: My Version of an MP-1 Battery Mod
« Reply #1 on: Time Format »

This looks neat. I wonder if the holder will fit in next to the MDRT?
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MarshallJMP

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Re: My Version of an MP-1 Battery Mod
« Reply #2 on: Time Format »

Normally lithium manganese oxide coin cells don't leak. I have seen MP-1's with 30 year old batteries that were still in good condition. Also never seen one of these leak at all.

As for capacity a CR123 is actually a bit overkill, the current consumption when the mp-1 is off is really low so the orignal or a cr2032 (smaller version of the original) will last many many years.

What you are doing can be dangerous IMHO, if that double sided tape gets loose and the battery touches the connection of the fuse holder you can end up with a blown up mp-1. I would NOT take that chance. Much safer to put in a battery holder and a CR2032. Just my 2 cents.
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Cpt Adama

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Re: My Version of an MP-1 Battery Mod
« Reply #3 on: Time Format »

Normally lithium manganese oxide coin cells don't leak. I have seen MP-1's with 30 year old batteries that were still in good condition. Also never seen one of these leak at all.

As for capacity a CR123 is actually a bit overkill, the current consumption when the mp-1 is off is really low so the orignal or a cr2032 (smaller version of the original) will last many many years.

What you are doing can be dangerous IMHO, if that double sided tape gets loose and the battery touches the connection of the fuse holder you can end up with a blown up mp-1. I would NOT take that chance. Much safer to put in a battery holder and a CR2032. Just my 2 cents.

Normally it may be true, but living in Arizona with high heat and the fact that the battery lives in a high heat environment with limited cooling in a 1U rack case, Lithium batteries can still leak and I've had to repair traces that got cut from the acid. Yes a CR123 is overkill, but I don't like unracking and pulling it apart to replace a battery, and if the battery isn't on the PC board it won't be damaged. As for the safety concerns, your advice about the battery coming loose was something I should have addressed better incase this ever leaves my ownership. So this battery holder can be screwed down which I've completed with the addition of a zip tie going around the battery and holder ensuring that the batter cannot come loose out of the batter holder. In addition I've added some fish paper over the whole thing and insulated the terminals on the outside of the battery holder. I feel confident that even if an MP-1 was mounted as a piece of aircraft electronics that the battery holder could take G-loading and turbulence without missing a beat. Thanks for your advice and I took that to heart and corrected the safety issue.
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