portuesi@tweezers.esd.sgi.com (Michael Portuesi) (07/06/90)
from the Toshiba BBS...
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3 NOTICE: THIS FILE WAS UPLOADED BY A TOSHIBA USER. TOSHIBA AMERICA 3
3 INFORMATION SYSTEMS DOES NOT CONFIRM THE ACCURACY OF THE 3
3 FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS, DOES NOT AUTHORIZE SUCH 3
3 MODIFICATIONS, AND WILL PROVIDE NO ASSISTANCE OR SUPPORT 3
3 FOR THIS TYPE OF NON-TOSHIBA HARDWARE MODIFICATION. 3
3 3
3 ...but hey, if it works for you that's great! 3
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The Toshiba T1000 comes with 4 "sub-C" batteries in it. Optimistically,
they yield a maximum of 4 hours running time with no disk access.
Periphex (203-264-3985) sells a set of 4 high capacity "C" cells that
will power the T1000 for up to 8 hours after a 16-18 hour recharge.
You don't need to be a brain surgeon to mount these batteries, but you
must be careful. If you damage the computer in any way that inhibits
your ability to replace the original battery pack, you will have voided
your warranty!
You will need
1. The 4 Periphex C cells. The 4 C-cells, shrink-wrapped into a block
with two leads welded in place, cost around $30, including
shipping. If you ask Periphex, they will ship the battery pack
with wires already on the tabs.
2. A soldering iron or gun (about 45 watts)
3. Two female crimp-on connectors, commonly used to connect to
"blade"-type auto electrical systems. When you look at the end of
these connectors, you see a shape like this:
(____)
Radio Shack sells a package of 8 "female quick-disconnects" (64-
3039) for just 99 cents.
The Toshiba batteries are mounted in a plastic tray that takes up a lot
of room in the battery compartment of the machine. C cells are slightly
bigger than sub-C's so you will be unable to use the plastic tray to
mount the new batteries. Keep the old batteries and tray in case of
emergencies -- for example, if you must return your T1000 to Toshiba for
service.
Toshiba batteries come with two red wires on one corner of the
batteries, and two black wires on the other end. Match this
arrangement, if you are soldering the wires to the battery pack
yourself. Use stranded wire, about 8 inches long.
Why 2 leads from each pole? Because the design allows for separate
circuits between the battery and the computer, and the battery and the
charger. However, as currently configured, the computer doesn't take
advantage of that separation. The connector that attaches the batteries
to the motherboard is hard to come by, so you'll have to improvise.
Fortunately, the male side of the connector is on the PC board.
BEFORE YOU REMOVE THE FEMALE CONNECTOR,
1. BACK UP YOUR D: DRIVE TO A FLOPPY, BECAUSE AS SOON AS YOU
DISCONNECT THE BATTERY, YOU WILL LOSE ALL FILES, AND IT WILL HAVE
TO BE REFORMATTED FROM THE C: DRIVE (THE ROM CHIP) BEFORE IT CAN BE
USED AGAIN
2. NOTE CAREFULLY WHICH TWO PINS HAVE THE RED (POSITIVE) WIRES
ATTACHED, AND WHICH HAVE THE BLACK (NEGATIVE) WIRES ATTACHED.
The configuration of the pins will look like this:
[ * * * * ]
B B R R
(B=Black) (R=Red)
After you solder (or crimp) a quick-disconnect to the black and
red wires, you'll slip each over the appropriate pair of male pins. You
should pick the female disconnects that most closely match the spacing
of the pins, and then adjust them with a small screwdriver blade, until
they fit smoothly over a pair of pins without bending them.
Solder (or crimp) those connectors on the wires; then, wrap each with
electrical tape to keep them from touching as you push them onto the
appropriate pair of pins.
The physical mounting of the pack is up to you to improvise. Some
people have used "peel-and-stick" velcro (also available at Radio
Shack) to stick the battery pack to the "ceiling" of the case and a
thin (1/4th inch thick) piece of plastic-tape-covered rubber foam under
the pack to protect the motherboard. (Remember that this is a
portable computer, and in the event of a physical shock, you don't want
the batteries to flex the motherboard enough to cause a hairline
fracture in one of the traces.)
That's it. Carefully reassemble the two halves of the case (WATCH OUT
FOR THE FLAT CABLE AND TOROID CHOKE THAT CONNECTS THE LCD SCREEN TO THE
MOTHERBOARD!) Reformat the D drive (Format D:) and run the batteries
down to shutdown, then charge them for at least 24 hours with the
regular charger. After that, you should get about 7-9 hours of total
life between charges. Ordinarily, you should double the recharge to
about 16 hours.
(Watch for a forthcoming mod: A nicad-protected slip-in alkaline-cell AA
pack for your T1000. That will enable a modem-less T1000 to run on AA
alkalines, with the D: drive protected-- then you'll have to take advantage
of Toshiba's wisdom in separate charge-discharge circuits!)
--
__
\/ Michael Portuesi Silicon Graphics, Inc. portuesi@sgi.com
"man, this is weak."