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From: djo7613@blake.acs.washington.edu (Dick O'Connor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Replacing lithium batteries
Keywords: lithium, batteries, replacement
Message-ID: <4923@blake.acs.washington.edu>
Date: 14 Dec 89 15:47:59 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Univ of Washington, Seattle
Lines: 22


As I watched a repairman cut out the old dead lithium battery from a
Kaypro XT and solder in an inexpensive battery pack that takes 3 AA
batteries and keeps the clock running just fine, I began to wonder 
about similar surgery for 286 or 386 machines.

Lithium batteries are pretty expensive.  Is there any built-in
capacity in 286/386 machines to replace them with cheaper, more
common batteries with an equivalent power rating?  Is the price
of lithium batteries so high because you have extended life and
the convenience of not having to pop the top every few months?

I'm not eager to solder *anything* inside my machines, but some of
the stuff this tech said made me wonder.  Like he said that lithiums
go out all at once (I've seen this in one or two cases), but that
standard batteries go slowly, so that before CMOS memory is affected,
you notice little things, like the clock time slowing down.  True??

"Moby" Dick O'Connor                            ** DISCLAIMER: It would
Washington Department of Fisheries              ** surprise me if the
Olympia, Washington  98504                      ** rest of the Department
Internet Mail: djo7613@blake.u.washington.edu   ** agreed with any of this!