Replacement battery for Lexia

[white exec]

Am having difficulty finding a replacement battery for Lexia...

Tablet is a Fujitsu-Siemens Stylistic 5022D
Battery type is an FPCBP77 (Li-ion 10.8v 4400mAh), although larger capacity versions of the same fitting are also available (eg 7800mAh).

Managed to find just one outfit advertising the battery (everpowerindustry.com), but have subsequently found them to have had customer complaints. May have to lodge a PayPal reclaim, if order continues not to be delivered.

Any helpful recommendations really welcome.

[MikeT]

Do you have soldering skills, Chris?
If so, one option would be to crack the pack open and test the cells to see which are faulty, then order replacements (they'll be more commonly available and far cheaper) to solder back into the pack formation.
Or upgrade all the cells capacity-wise.

[Paul-R]

My recommendation also. You can order the individual cells with solder tags already welded on. The only thing you have to specify is whether they're in 'S' formation or 'Z' formation.

[white exec]

Thanks Mike, Paul. Have just come to the same conclusion. Soldering not a problem!
Will go for some decent genuine Panasonic or Samsung cells.

[EDC5]

Good plan. I did this with an old laptop battery once. I replaced the 18650 cells with higher capacity ones but the controller chip refused to see this extra capacity unfortunately. It's not all lost as the cells wont ever be fully charged giving them an easier life long term.

I assume the cells in packs like this are unprotected 18650's and with the protection being overseen from the charge controller.

[white exec]

Thanks for the extra detail; have just ordered 6 x Panasonic, 3400mAh.

[Gibbo2286]

How's that little tablet for Lexia, any good?

[white exec]

Quite an ancient device now - they date back to 2005!
In genuine Citroen workshop strip.
Bought secondhand from Normanlindley, of XM/C6 renown. He kindly brought it to Andalucia one day for a demo, and I liked it so much that . . .

Spec here:
http://www.computer-specifications.com/ ... Specs.html
or
https://www.cnet.com/products/fujitsu-s ... hdd/specs/ - scroll down past all the dots!

Runs WinXP. 2 x USB, which I use one for OBD link, one for a small keyb (can't be bothered with the on-screen one). Touch screen with stylus.
Also have an endoscope viewer program on it, sometimes handy.

[GiveMeABreak]

Even my Lenovo thinkpad wont recognise my higher capacity new battery even though it is the official approved version. It will still only charge to 65% regardless of any power management options applied so I have just resigned myself to that fact.

[Paul-R]

Slight bit of bum information from me there. 'S' and 'Z' are the same thing topographically. The other type of tab format is 'C'.

But you must have found that out in order to place an order!

[white exec]

Tab-less (round ended) ordered, so will wire across.
The battery case was good fun to open - glued on all edges. Lots of fairly gentle work with a sharp 1" wood-chisel got it apart without splits.
Looks straightforward enough, and a darn site less convoluted in there than my 24v Bosch drill (at 1.2v apiece!).
Will be interesting to find out the level of charge obtainable.

[Paul-R]

Ouch. How are you going to wire across the ends? The tabs are ultrasonically welded on to the cells so you can then solder the tabs with impunity. It's very much NOT advised to solder to the cells themselves as they can explode with the heat of a soldering iron.

[myglaren]

[myglaren]

More practical, perhaps some electrically conductive glue?

Amazon.

[white exec]

The battery ends will be carefully cleaned and fluxed, and first rapidly tinned.
Pre-tinned linking wires then added.
Have read a good few of the cautions about overheating, so will take care not to do it. Have been soldering electronics with caution for about 60 years now. Famous last words, I know.
Thanks for the heads up.