Posted by Larry K on October 19, 2004 at 13:30:28:
In Reply to: anyone every replaced QS8 internal battery? posted by LarryK on September 17, 2004 at 22:52:14:
FYI (if anybody really cares)
Alesis uses a standard BR2325 3V button battery ($6 bucks from Alesis). But these batteries have "clips" added to the top and bottom of it. These clips (actually like miniature stand-off posts) are affixed onto the battery by the battery mfg. (Panasonic). This whole "battery" assembly is SOLDERED onto circuit board.
WHY would anyone use a soldered part in which they knew the part had a limited life and must be replace within 5+ years? All my other gear, mainly rack, has button ("watch") batteries, one even uses a CR2325 (suitable sub for BR but with shorter stable battery life). THEY COULD have used "sockets" with clips (like other gear).
I have changed the batteries in ALL my rack gear - some of them TWICE since I've owned them (the battery is what keeps your USER bank and MIX alive - when it dies so do your user memory areas)
I use to be an electronics tech so I have done 1000's of solder jobs. Trouble is you need to remove main PC board to get underneath it to solder in new battery. My eyesight isn't what it use to be and these are SMALL solder points - so I simply put case bak on unit and quit. When it's time to change battery (after it dies) I will have someone else change it, or buy a Yamaha ES8 to replace it, probably the latter.
My QS8 is approaching 6 years old and I doubt it will last much longer - we'll see how long it lasts (although these batteries CAN last 10 or more years)
I must admit I have had batteries last 12+ years in some rack gear (GR-50 guitar synth). But not planned that way. I thought I replaced the GR-50 battery about 6/7 years ago and decided to do whole rack again. I found when I opened it the label I placed in the unit, to remind me when I did it last, said I last replaced it in 92'
lgk