HP IPAQ Backlighting "Feature" Issue and Fix

OK, I finally found the REAL power issue with my IPAQ and thought I
would pass it on. This became a major problem when my PDA would power
down in flight. Arggg. I was also having problems charging the unit
on the ground. I had to set it juuuuusssst right to get it to
charge. I figured it was the connector on the bottom and began
looking for a replacement PDA.

What I found was...

The battery cover was loose. It appears that if the battery cover
isn't PRECISELY seated, the PDA will not power up (and if loose will
power down). Just a very, very small amount of pressure on the cover
(not the battery) made the difference, to the extent that it would
work laying on the desk but would power off if I even very, very
gently picked it up. This makes sense HOW? Protecting the consumer
from a shock hazard?

Anyway the fix was a judiciously placed piece of tape over the battery
cover. Now the unit will stay powered up in all those wild Midwestern
thermals. ;-)

My $0.02.

Thanks, John DeRosa

On Sun, 28 Jun 2009 07:04:53 -0700, ContestID67 wrote:

The battery cover was loose. It appears that if the battery cover isn't
PRECISELY seated, the PDA will not power up (and if loose will power
down). Just a very, very small amount of pressure on the cover (not the
battery) made the difference, to the extent that it would work laying on
the desk but would power off if I even very, very gently picked it up.
This makes sense HOW? Protecting the consumer from a shock hazard?

I have a 3630, so this may not apply. Anyway, mine had a dead battery
when I bought it so I had to change the battery and, in the process,
discovered that the battery connector is a 4 pin connector on the end of
a length of 4 land printed plastic conductive strip. I was surprised at
the small size of the connector and how relatively short its pins were.
It never ocurred to be but I suppose its possible that connector could
work partly out of its socket - after all DIL chips have been known to do
just that when socketed rather than soldered in and Murphy should never
be mocked.

If your 2215 uses a similar power connector, it might be worth checking
that it is clean and fully pushed home.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

ContestID67 wrote:
OK, I finally found the REAL power issue with my IPAQ and thought I
would pass it on. This became a major problem when my PDA would power
down in flight. Arggg. I was also having problems charging the unit
on the ground. I had to set it juuuuusssst right to get it to
charge. I figured it was the connector on the bottom and began
looking for a replacement PDA.

What I found was...

The battery cover was loose. It appears that if the battery cover
isn't PRECISELY seated, the PDA will not power up (and if loose will
power down). Just a very, very small amount of pressure on the cover
(not the battery) made the difference, to the extent that it would
work laying on the desk but would power off if I even very, very
gently picked it up. This makes sense HOW? Protecting the consumer
from a shock hazard?

Anyway the fix was a judiciously placed piece of tape over the battery
cover. Now the unit will stay powered up in all those wild Midwestern
thermals. ;-)

I had a similar symptom with my 2215, but the problem was a bad battery.
It still worked, but had swollen slightly, so the door didn't fit
properly anymore. I replaced the battery, and that cured it. A swollen
battery is a potential fire hazard, and should be removed and properly
discarded.


--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* Sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

Eric,

Good input. I will have to check that out.

I still don't get why the battery cover must be in place for the unit
to operate. Seems a needless extra complication.

Thanks, John