Battery Acid leak in GPS Receiver
Submitted: Saturday, Jul 16, 2005 at 16:50
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Muddy 'doe (SA)
Hi Folks,
Pulled out the trusty GPS today only to find that the screen is full of weird colours and has white powder around the edges. Uh Oh!
Pulled the back off and it appears that one of the AA batteries has crapped itself and spewed acid into the unit. It was an Energizer e2 Titanium.
This post is to do two things: warn people of the dangers of storing small electronic devices with batteries installed, and see if anyone can help me get my GPS going again!
The unit was lying face down in a soft bag. Has been there for several weeks. It is a Magellan Meridian Colour (about $1000 new but I got it for less on ebay as a US import). The acid appears to have run down into the casing and seeped into the side of the LCD screen. I can't belive one AA could leak that much and do that much damage. I could smell the acid once I took the unit apart.
The screen is basically rooted but rest of circuitry board looks untouched by acid corrosion with the white powder ending up in the plastic casing. I think I was just unlucky that the unit was lying face down!
The most likely repair will just be a new screen but being a colour model this is likely to be expensive! Anyone had to do a similar repair or have some idea? I will email Magellan for a quote on supply of a new screen but it may be uneconomic.
The other option is to ask if anyone has this model that has broken down for another reason. It may have an OK screen still and I can swap the screen over.
I put new batteries in and powered up the unit and it came on but the screen was unreadable. It may
well be the case that a new screen is all that is required. I also wonder if I might get away with using a mono LCD in it.
If anyone has an old non-funtioning Magellan GPS (any model) they want to get rid of please drop me a line at leesc@optusnet.com.au
Not very Cheery today!
Muddy
Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Monday, Jul 18, 2005 at 21:10
Monday, Jul 18, 2005 at 21:10
Muddy,
I realise it is a bit late this time 'round but in future, I would recommend you forget all about "Energizer e2 Titanium" batteries, or other brand equivalents.
They are just not cost effective, beside of the leakage problem you describe.
IMHO the best batteries to use are NiMH rechargeables. I also have a Magellan Meridian (Marine) GPS and have never used anything else. I use the same type of batteries in the GPS unit, the digital camera, the portable UHF transceiver and an emergency torch. I just have a bunch of AA's (and 4 AAA's) which can be recharged via a small charger plugged directly into the cigarette lighter socket.
So I am never out of
battery power.
My understanding is that due to the pricipal of construction and operation of the NiMH battery, there is very little chance of leakage, even if fully discharged.
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121018