DR1000 Is it possible changing battery in DR1000S?

[bokjeid]

I know it isn't essential thing, I just wonder whether it is possible or not.. Somebody has tried it?

[Sardy]

After opening the DR1000 a few times (adding an on/off switch and replacing the mini-USB connector with an type A), i'd say replacing the battery is possible. You'd have to find a (Varta?) battery with roughly the same dimensions though. There was a thread in this forum some time ago discussing this.
I've been looking for some time now for a replacement battery. The original Varta battery (PLF503759 B) was difficult to find. Farnell has a PLF503759, but it seems that that particular model is not manufactured any more. Alternatively you could think about other brands 3.7v lithium-polymer batteries. I found an IPaq battery that looks promising, though it has a higher capacity. I'm tempted to use a higher capacity, but as discussed in that old thread, the hardware (and software?) of the DR1000 could cause trouble there.

Is there anyone out there who has already tried this kind of replacement?

[bokjeid]

Ah, there was a thread regarding it in this forum as I had guessed.. But it couldn't be searched by me.. btw, is there somebody who has succeeded it?

[Sardy]

Found it: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46869

[bokjeid]

Thank you so much!
btw, It seems that no succeeded one here maybe..
l've also considered an external USB battery pack as another choice - would there be some slim product which suits DR1000S?

[Sardy]

You mean something like this? http://www.bixnet.com/5v7libapa.html
Looks a little expensive though. I did only a quick Google-search. I'm sure there are a lot of alternatives to this one.
I myself would prefer an internal solution, to avoid extra cables etc. I would be limited to an alternative battery pack, like i mentioned above. It will involve some handywork inside the case for sure.

[bokjeid]

I also already discarded an external battery choice after searching about it for a while. I concluded that there is no need to add something heavy to the device.

[jbbebg]

Yes, it is possible to change the battery. You have open the case and replace it with a new one. It's not so important that the battery is from the same producer. Important is that the battery chemistry is the same. So Li-Po battery is the right choice.
I added the external battery parallel to the original battery and has been working fine for approximately 6 month. There were some erroneous information about battery status from beginning, but now is almost fine. The curve of battery life time is still a little bit non-linear, but my reader works for hours and hours. I added external batter of 5500mAh.
The key is that internal battery gauge learning each charging cycle, so it is important to empty the battery to the end and charge it to full. The battery gauge has full priority in this case and it turns off the reader although the battery is still (full) charged. Battery is full charged at 4.20 V, nominal voltage is 3,7V and the empty threshold voltage is approximately 2.9V depends of the battery type. To decrease battery under this value is impossible and it is responsibility of the hardware battery protection. But at this reader seems that the batter gauge react using its gauge charge meter.
Battery gauge is smart and learns the current flows out/in of the cell and finally accept the added capacity.

Regards,
Jbbebg

[bokjeid]

Good, thanks for posting your practical experience!!

[Sardy]

Thanks jbbebg! Good to know this. Today i ordered a Varta batterypack 3.7v 1900 mAh. It's a doublepack, so twice the height of the original battery. Hope it will fit, looks like there's enough room.
Then we'll see ...
I'll be back here when i've replaced and tested the the new pack (and hopefully not destroyed my DR in the proces ).

[jbbebg]

Hi,

Take attention to:
- right polarity, it should be written on the battery otherwise use volt meter
- if you will not be able to insert the battery inside the housing, you can glue it outside the cover. It is good to cover it, to protect against the mechanical stress. Connect external battery contact to internal battery by thin wires and lead it through housing through the holes at top button side.
- batteries can wire parallel only if the its voltage is equal, otherwise high current may flow. I suggest to charge it both to full, to voltage 4,2, or working with open irex until battery voltage becomes equal to external battery voltage. Any other same voltage will be good.
- battery gauge will be fully confused at the begging, after charging cycles it will become smarter.

Regards,
Jbbebg

[Sardy]

thx jbbebg. No worries, i'm far from an electronics expert, but i won't make a mistake with the polarities. Got the battery today. I wasn't planning on wiring the new battery parallel to the old one, so i took the old one out.
Too bad the new battery is a little too high to fit inside the case. Maybe i'll have to cut a little piece out of the backside of the case and then put some cover over it, like you suggested. For now i drilled a little hole in the back of the casing to fit the wires through and taped the battery to the backside. Before i do some more handywork, i want to test the new combination. Everything is working fine right now, but i want to be sure what happens to the battery indication after charging etc.
I'll be back when i know more. This might take some time though, because of the learning curve of the battery circuitry, like you mentioned.

[jbbebg]

Sardy, I suggest you do not drill the hole in back casing, leave it original. Wire the battery through the holes already made at the back case. Afterwards jut glue the battery somewhere, isolate the poles, cover with a kind of case.
Regards,
Jbebbg

[myprecious]

@Sarty - would you be so kind as to take photos of the whole process and make them available to us - that would be very useful indeed cheers

[Sardy]

Almost done. Just a little plastic putty to fill small gaps and some paint for the finishing touch.
To do some testing, i drilled a small hole in the back casing to fit the wires of the new battery through. Everything was working fine, so i jigsawed a piece of plastic out of the casing. Taped the new battery in place and the had to think of some sort of cover. I made one out of plastic but decided to make a new one from a piece of scrap metal, because the plastc cover added a little too much height to the construction. The metal cover feels a lot more solid too. The cover needed some paint and after some experimenting i'm quite pleased with the result.
Hopefully the battery indicator and its circuitry will adapt to the new battery after some charging cycles. Today it switched the DR off 3 times because of an "empty" battery. After a reset i'm stll reading without a recharge! I'm trying to really drain the battery before recharging it.
I'll add some pictures of my DR "surgery".
On the pictures: the old battery (top) and the new one (and the on/off switch i already added earlier, the additional wiring you can see top right leads to the new usb connector). The jigsawed hole. The new battery rises about 2 mm above the casing. The painted metal cover and the final fit.