[GCTonyHawk7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo de Monet /img/forum/go_quote.gif Interesting. First of all, big obligatory safety warning: Lithium-Polymer (Li-Po) batteries are ridiculously dangerous to mess around with - as in, like, "can explode and start on fire, a fire that can't be put out with even a chemical fire extinguisher" sort of dangerous. So, yeah, don't mess around with those. If you could get an exact replacement - same chemistry, same capacity, same physical size - replacing, or having someone replace for you, the battery wouldn't be too terribly difficult, but I don't believe that's something you can just go out and pick up online easily. I really wouldn't start screwing around with other sorts of rechargeable batteries - see the warning about explosions, fire, et cetera above. In theory, from what I can see, if you disconnect the red and black wires from the battery-management board, and then apply voltage there (i.e. 9V battery, as a fairly safe proof-of-concept) you *should* find that you have a working amp. It might not be *quite* that easy, however, because the power-management functionality doesn't appear to be *entirely* done on that little daughter-board - the charge and charge-indicator LEDs are on the main board, and the only connection between the two is the two wires, suggesting that at least some of the power-management functionality is done on the main board... Can you post a picture of the bottom of the main board?

Your wish is my command:

My brother is helping me out with this a bit. He tried attaching a 9V to the red/black ports on the main green board and he said it smoked a little bit; can't be a good thing. (Hopefully it didn't break anything)

Anyhow, hope that pic helps you out.

 

[Jaw007]

Did you check and see if the batteries have a charge,and if so how many volts?
If the bat's have a good charge.Then the problem stems from something on the board it's self.

 

[MisterX]

The "battery-management board: is actually a protection circuit, it is what keeps the battery from exploding from being over charged or over discharged (and then re-charged).
The actual charge circuit is on the bottom of the amp board.

 

[GCTonyHawk7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaw007 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did you check and see if the batteries have a charge,and if so how many volts? If the bat's have a good charge.Then the problem stems from something on the board it's self.

We did test the 3.7V batteries that are attached and they read basically zero, like 0.014 or something. So, I think they are pretty much dead, ya.

 

[MisterX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCTonyHawk7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif We did test the 3.7V batteries that are attached and they read basically zero, like 0.014 or something. So, I think they are pretty much dead, ya.

Measured where? Across the red and black wires from the protection board or the black wires from the cells (that go to the protection board)?

 

[Jaw007]

Sorry about all these troubles.
Perhaps MisterX can help you more.

 

[GCTonyHawk7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterX /img/forum/go_quote.gif Measured where? Across the red and black wires from the protection board or the black wires from the cells (that go to the protection board)?

We tested them from the red/black parts in the protection board.

 

[MisterX]

That is kinda what I figured, if the protection board is functional and the battery voltage is below the cutoff voltage (usually 2.4 volts per cell) then you should get zero volts at the red and black wires.

 

[GCTonyHawk7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterX /img/forum/go_quote.gif That is kinda what I figured, if the protection board is functional and the battery voltage is below the cutoff voltage (usually 2.4 volts) then you should get zero volts at the red and black wires.

Ok, soooo... does this tell us that it is the batteries that are the problem here? (I hope so)

 

[Nemo de Monet]

Yeah, that's going to be a problem; the charging and other power circuitry is annoying complicated, and is going to get in the way. You might just have to concede defeat, on this one.

I wonder, though - don't try this, at least yet! - if applying voltage at the reservoir capacitors would produce a functioning virtual ground, or if they've overengineered this to the point where such a MacGuyverish tactic wouldn't work? Anyone care to hazard a guess?

 

[Jaw007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo de Monet /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, that's going to be a problem; the charging and other power circuitry is annoying complicated, and is going to get in the way. You might just have to concede defeat, on this one. I wonder, though - don't try this, at least yet! - if applying voltage at the reservoir capacitors would produce a functioning virtual ground, or if they've overengineered this to the point where such a MacGuyverish tactic wouldn't work? Anyone care to hazard a guess?

I'm stupid enough to try something like that!But I would not want to advise
somebody else to do so.