Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!munnari.oz.au!brolga!bunyip.cc.uq.oz.au!iceman!zlraa
From: zlraa@iceman.jcu.oz (Ross Alford)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Re: Advice for new T1000 battery pack?
Message-ID: <1115@iceman.jcu.oz>
Date: 25 Oct 90 06:18:07 GMT
References: <10650003@hpwrce.HP.COM>
Reply-To: zlraa@iceman.UUCP (Ross Alford)
Organization: James Cook University, Qld
Lines: 36

In article <10650003@hpwrce.HP.COM> rek@hpwrce.HP.COM (Ron Kittle) writes:
>I've got a T1000 with a dead battery pack.  I checked at Fry's, and they can
>order a replacement, but it's $70!  What other options do I have to replace
>the battery pack?  Here's what I'm thinking:
>
 ...
>2. The pack consists of 4 NiCad 1.2V cells wired together; they are a bit
>   smaller than C cells, so just wiring together 4 NiCad C cells would not
>   work as cleanly as I had hoped.  Has anyone on the net come up with a
>   slick way to replace the T1000 pack with off-the-shelf NiCads?
>
>Hoping to hear some good advice,
>
>Ron Kittle
>rek@hpwrc.hp.com
>415-691-3619

The NiCd cells are called 'sub-C' cells.  They are what's actually hiding
inside the normal-capacity rechargeable C and D cells sold most places (if you
don't believe this, check the capacity ratings in amp-hours of standard
rechargeable C and D cells--they're usually identical).  Most electronics
supply places, and even Tandy the last time I looked, actually sell sub-C cells
to be used as replacements for built-ins.  You should be able to get them for
no more than $3.00 each.

The alternative approach is to buy high-capacity C-cells, which usually have
about three times the capacity of sub-C's, and slightly enlarge
the size of the battery compartment in the T1000.  I haven't tried this, but
there was an article in a 1988 or 1989 issue of Micro Cornucopia from someone
who had successfully managed it.  This approach obviously will totally kill any
warranty you may have left, but as I recall, the person in Micro C claimed that
they got about 10-12 hours of use on a battery charge, which would be 
*very* nice.

Ross Alford
zlraa@marlin.jcu.edu.au