I have a 'Battery needs replacing' warning on my racing pigeon electronic timing clock and the maker says they will not sell me a battery, but would charge £57 plus postage to replace it.

This particular model is no longer manufactured and is also out of guarantee. So I'm seeking help to firstly find out where the battery is located and what type it is. The image is here:-

http://www.kdwebsolutions.com/test/diester_battery.jpg

Regards,
Dave

 

I am almost 100% sure that it is that cylindrical blue thing under the display.

 

Thanks kubeek. I have zoomed in on the blue cylinder in the image below and there is text on it, do you know what it would be called for me to try ordering from somewhere?
http://www.kdwebsolutions.com/test/diester_battery_closer.jpg

I also added the black circular thing to the image as it has a + sign on it in case that might be a battery.

 

I would say that black circular thing is the battery.

 

Thanks MrChips.

I Googled BC 2200uf printed on the blue thing and it looks like its a capicitor (not that I understand anything).

If the black circle thing is a battery, what would it be called for ordering?

 

With no part number visible, do three things:

1) Measure the diameter of the black circular thing.
2) Measure the spacing of the two solder connections on the bottom side of the board.
3) Measure the voltage across the two solder connections.

 

The black circular thing looks like a piezo buzzer...

 

There's no battery there that I can see. Maybe it's hidden under the display. Or in the top case somewhere?

 

The black circular thing looks like a piezo buzzer...

+1

I think you're right.

 

Thanks kubeek. I have zoomed in on the blue cylinder in the image below and there is text on it, do you know what it would be called for me to try ordering from somewhere?
http://www.kdwebsolutions.com/test/diester_battery_closer.jpg

Yes that is a capacitor, and the black round thing looks like a piezo to me too. Try looking under the display or under the board.

 

What about that large metal thing in the back? I doubt that would be a battery, but who knows what that device actually does. Maybe they are just pulling your leg and there is no battery in there?

 

It looks like the two black connectors would be a power in, with the diodes, fuse, and ptc in line with them.

If your looking for a power battery, it maybe on the underside of that point of the PCB.

If its a clock battery, you may find it on the other side of the PCB. (Probably housed in a metal cage)

otherwise the silver lump next to the display, could be a very large lithium? (doubt it tho)

The black cylinder is a buzzer, the blue cylinder is a cap.

 

It would help to know if the unit is a stand-alone (no external power required) or one tht is usually connected to another power source such as a wal-wart (small power unit that plugs into the wall). If externally powered, I would start looking for a small disk type battery that,as others have suggested, would keep the clock running.

 

Thanks MrChips, disfantasi and theHOFIT.

Googling Piezo Buzzer they do look like the black thing.

My next door neighbor has a small thingy for checking volts and he gets no reading on the soldered black thing.

The top casing has practically nothing in it as in the left image below and I can't see how the right image screen board lifts up to inspect below it. Unless those 4 corner black clips can be prized back, do you think that I should try prizing them back?
http://www.kdwebsolutions.com/test/diester_battery_lid_screen.jpg

 

Yes moving the display away should give you no trouble. Have you checked the underside of the main board for any suspicious components?

 

Thanks siksissk and BillB3857.

The timer does use external power.

 

Kubeek there is nothing at the back of the green board other than loads of solder points. I will have a go at prizing away the screen board.

 

What about that large metal thing in the back? I doubt that would be a battery, but who knows what that device actually does. Maybe they are just pulling your leg and there is no battery in there?

The left image shows what is below the screen display and the right image the underside of the screen board.

http://www.kdwebsolutions.com/test/diester_battery_below_screen.jpg

 

Lets recap this.
Under the main board are no components, right?
On the bottom of the display is nothing but drivers, and uderneath it are just a few parts none of which is a battery.
The only remaining things are:
- the metal box on the far end of the unit, does it have some sort of connections? what is it for?
- the lid, somthing could maybe be under the keypad, but I doubt that
- the power supply, could that have some battery in it?

anyway, what is the battery used for?

 

I gotta remember that trick..

Build in a warning after X amount of operational hours..
"Battery needs to be replaced" please send $60 USD..

and there is no battery


oh wait.. Maybe it is the first blue cylinder.. Its just a "supercapacitor" battery.