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Battery Replacement

CGornet

Aluminum
Joined
Oct 26, 2016
I did some researching on here, but couldn't find anything on my vintage machine.

This past weekend I got a low battery alarm on startup on my '99 VF-0E

I couldn't find any step by step procedures for replacing the battery. Anybody happen to be able to help me out?

Appreciate it in advance. If I wait until this coming weekend (I work out of town), will it already be too late? I can have somebody run over to the shop to replace it if you feel I could be in serious trouble losing my params.

Thanks all.
 
I did some researching on here, but couldn't find anything on my vintage machine.

This past weekend I got a low battery alarm on startup on my '99 VF-0E

I couldn't find any step by step procedures for replacing the battery. Anybody happen to be able to help me out?

Appreciate it in advance. If I wait until this coming weekend (I work out of town), will it already be too late? I can have somebody run over to the shop to replace it if you feel I could be in serious trouble losing my params.

Thanks all.

Turn your machine on, and do not turn it off.
I can't help with replacement. But, I know if it goes dead, you will be very un-happy.
 
If you're getting a low batt alarm, back up your parameters now.

Don't know how a '99 is, my '93 has 2 plugs on the PC board, right above the soldered on battery. P6 and P7. These are for external batteries.

Plug in a new batt onto one of these before removing the old one. Do it with the machine powered up. Then carefully snip the leads on the old batt and remove it.

The Haas dual-battery upgrade board is a good idea. I have one on P7 and a single battery on P6.
 
99 model is like 3 boards stacked up and battery is on the back board ... you cant do it powered up ... I would call and have a tech do it .. you screw up that board your out close to 20K to fix the machine ... any yes if your getting the low battery alarm don`t shut down the machine.
 
So I called Haas today, and they are saying that there is no external battery that I can connect to this machine to keep the data while I unsolder the battery.

Everything I have read says that this is incorrect. He (service) was also saying that I may lose my software, options, and for sure the parameters, but the machine will go through a re-initialization and ill get everything back minus parameters.

Also seems incorrect.

Thoughts?
 
99 model is like 3 boards stacked up and battery is on the back board ... you cant do it powered up ... I would call and have a tech do it .. you screw up that board your out close to 20K to fix the machine ... any yes if your getting the low battery alarm don`t shut down the machine.
I wasn't sure about the "newer" machines. That is another reason to get the dual battery kit- you can position the batteries so they can be replaced without all the dorking around next time...
 
So I called Haas today, and they are saying that there is no external battery that I can connect to this machine to keep the data while I unsolder the battery.

Everything I have read says that this is incorrect. He (service) was also saying that I may lose my software, options, and for sure the parameters, but the machine will go through a re-initialization and ill get everything back minus parameters.

Also seems incorrect.

Thoughts?
The website says all machines built after 1989.

PCB, DUAL BATTERY REPLACEMENT KIT (BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED) | Batteries | Electrical Cabinet | Find Replacement Parts | Haas Parts | Genuine OEM Haas Automation(R) Parts Factory-Direct

Main Processor - Dual Battery Replacement Kit - Installation - CHC
 

I called the last tech that was out to our facility and he is saying that some boards were never equipped with the connector for an external battery source. Not sure how accurate that is, but it seems ass backwards to not engineer some sort of aux power source that allows the machine to keep its parameters during a battery swap. I'll have to open it up and look. I was hoping to just order the parts while I was out of town, but it's not looking that way now.
 
If machine loses memory it is a bigger deal to have it restored.


Back up Parameters and programs, leave machine on and have battery swapped out AND have them install the Dual Battery Kit BEFORE your Battery dies.

Even if they are doing the battery swap make sure machine is backed up.


A couple years ago I had low Battery, called HFO, left machine on and was told no need to backup he could hot swap or whatever.
Hour later he was trying to find software and parameters, plus I lost all my programs, tech couldn't stay late, we start real early and I was down a day and a half when machine was backed up busy.

My fault, I knew better, but I was busy and think its what I wan't to hear.
 
According to the VF Series Operator's Manual, that includes VF-0, page 457 Memory Retention Battery the battery has power for 30 days after the alarm. Processor PCB connector J6 can be used to connect an external battery. The board is probably labeled P6, J6 is the connector. That connector can be used for an external battery.
A Panasonic BR-1/2AAE5PN 3V 1000mAHr battery should be correct ($5.05 at Mouser). My VF-1 uses a BR-2/3A 1200 mAHr but I did not see that size with the solder pins on a quick search.
You can buy a second battery and holder or another with wire termination to connect to P6 when replacing the battery.
Measure the voltage at the pins to see which is +/-. J6 is a four pin 0.1" spacing connector.
If you do not have the P6 connector then solder a couple wires on the back of the board to a mating connector and tape it out of the way after replacing the battery so you can connect an external battery in the future.
 
I called the last tech that was out to our facility and he is saying that some boards were never equipped with the connector for an external battery source. Not sure how accurate that is

I have 3 machine, an 04', 05', and 06'. Only one of them has the connector for an external battery (the 05').
 
I have 3 machine, an 04', 05', and 06'. Only one of them has the connector for an external battery (the 05').

So what is the process for replacing the battery if you can not connect an aux power source? He said I have 9 seconds from when I pull the battery to replace with a new one...
 
I called the last tech that was out to our facility and he is saying that some boards were never equipped with the connector for an external battery source.
I looked at the instructions that came with the dual battery kit I bought. There are 2 exceptions that are not mentioned on the website. It says:

You can install the dual battery kit on all machines, except machines with these processors:

Processors with 16MB built from January 1996 through January 2005 (Motorola 68K 16MB, P/N 93-1031 or 93-1032). Those processors are the only processors with (2) batteries soldered to the PCB.

Processors built from December 2005 through June 2006 (Cold Fire 1, P/N 93-32-4401C). These processors do not have an external battery connector.

So if yours is one of the processors in the first example, I guess you are stuck soldering new batteries on, one at a time, with the machine powered down since it sounds like you have to pull boards to do the job.

I'd be tempted to replace one (or both) of the on-board batteries with a connector, so I could use the dual battery kit and locate the batteries in a more convenient spot...
 
So what is the process for replacing the battery if you can not connect an aux power source? He said I have 9 seconds from when I pull the battery to replace with a new one...

You have 9 seconds if the machine is not "on". The boards that do not have external battery provisions, get the battery changed while the machine is hot.
I do not see why a guy could not solder the wires from the external battery card, straight to the battery leads on the boards with no provisions?
Hopefully somebody more knowledgeable than I can chime in? But, it seems to me: voltage is voltage. Doesn't matter how it gets where it needs to go.
 
Another thing you could do is make up a temporary battery with a couple alligator clips. You could clip it to the battery terminals on the board while you are de-soldering the old battery- keep some power to the memory while performing the work.

Lol. at least you wouldn't have to do the job in 9 seconds...
 
I ended up buying their dual battery setup. Even though they said it wouldn't work, I was able to see a connector by the right side battery, so I am hoping it works.

I just don't want to d*ck with this thing and risk damaging an obsolete board for $100 bucks.

I will do the alligator clip trick though if it works. That's a great idea.
 
I ended up buying their dual battery setup. Even though they said it wouldn't work, I was able to see a connector by the right side battery, so I am hoping it works.

I just don't want to d*ck with this thing and risk damaging an obsolete board for $100 bucks.

I will do the alligator clip trick though if it works. That's a great idea.

You are a brave man.
 
So I got this dual battery kit from Haas and it plugged in fine despite them saying it wasn't compatible.

Regardless, everything went smooth. Got the old batteries out, this one went in easily enough.

Old batteries measured 2.54vdc and 2.9vdc, so I imagine it was that first battery that was causing the thrown alarm.

I am still getting the 124 alarm though with fresh batteries and I have 3.3vdc going to the processor board from this dual battery board.

The tech I spoke to on the phone on Tuesday said I might see this issue, but he didn't say what the fix was.

Thoughts?
 








 
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