Hi greg...check out the faq
Greg Mueller said:
If what the Ebay description says is true, then this unit was new in March of this year. Hopefully it will last a while.
While the idea of replacing an onboard battery sounds scary, I have actually done it on computer mbrds.
Maybe you could write a tutorial with pictures and all...
Hi Greg:
1st off if your 922 was built even within the past couple of years...you are safe! (unless the unlikely event occurs and the onboard battery is defective.) Also living in an area with few blackouts doesn't hurt!
Wonder why the guy sold off such a new 922...maybe he was moving? (It should be "made in the Philippines")
The Lithium batteries should be good up to 10 yrs at least....It is best to keep the 922 and VCII units in a cool area if possible (If taken from service), since heat helps shorten the life of the battery. Otherwise, always plugged in is better!
I wrote what I did in the C band faq. It is not hard, since you have worked with PCB's...JUST TAKE NOTE OF THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS! As lithiums age, they become "touchy" about being stressed and can burst...mucho dangerous stuff!!!.
The faq has great links w/ pics to replacing the lithium on a VCII so you can get the idea! Somewhere I also posted a few of my own pics when I did my own
VCII also and took a few shots(use the find all posts for me) It was last year when I joind up or early this year that I wrote that post! (nothing special about my Pics...the ones in the faq link are better with lots of info!) I did not take Pics when I did my 920 since I was a bit nervous (and took care of business straight away) about the Lithium ...that sucker was OLD!
Here is one to get you going...
again, if it is this new...just watch and enjoy!
http://www.pacificsites.com/~alanjudd/vc.htm
Also there is what looks like a little bubble on one of the leads...if that breaks, you will be covered in lithium...NOT A NICE THING! I wore goggles, latex gloves, as always, (+ a long sleave jacket) just in case since my 920 battery was so old (it still measured 3.6 V after all that time!)
Again, I have not looked into the 922 since I got it late last year. Also if the battery is the same...the Positive end has
TWO leads (actually tabs)...THAT WAS A PAIN! I always use the lowest possible setting on my solder station on PCB boards, and felt safer, since I left the 920 plugged into AC during the batteryectemy!
I am only saying this since you already know to stay away from anything other than the low voltage area..
AND BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO SHORT ANYTHING!!!
FINALLY...I WOULD NOT WORRY IF YOU ARE SURE THAT YOURS WAS MADE SO RECENTLY!!!!! MAYBE 5 -7 YRS FROM KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE A PEEK (MUST HAVE TORX TOOLS!) Check out the faq for a few links to replacing batteries in VCII boards...very similar except you have to maintain 3.6 v during the operation since it has no other source of power when you remove the module! I used the radio shack battery holder with a lithium 3.6 AA during the swap...no problem there either!
regards
jeff