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Wiki > Main > GigabeatFXPort > GigabeatInfo > GigabeatBatteryUpgrade

Gigabeat F Series Battery Upgrade

Gigabeat F Series Battery Upgrade

This is a simple how-to for making a 4G iPod battery into a battery that can be used in the Gigabeat F series.

The iPod battery that was used is a Cameron Sino Model# CS-IPOD4HL, I suggest using this battery instead of others I have seen. Check out the benchmark for this battery Battery-Benchmark

batteries.jpg

Now on to the how-to:

Required Tools:
  • Gigabeat Battery
  • 4G iPod Battery
  • Soldering Iron
  • 60/40 Solder
  • Scotch Tape
  • Razor Knife

1. Remove Heat shrink from Batteries (Note: Try not to damage the Gigabeat Battery Heat Shrink becuase you will need it for later)

step-1.jpg

2. Desolder the wires from the PCB's

step-2.jpg step-2.1.jpg

3. Solder the Gigabeat Wires to the iPod PCB

step-3.jpg

4. Wrap the iPod Battery with the Gigabeat Heat Shrink & throw away the little rubber feet/strips on the Gigabeat Heat Shrink. Make sure there is no metal from the battery casing showing, this is where the scotch tape is needed.

step-4.jpg step-4.1.jpg

5. Okay the last step is to put the front cover back on and turn on the player. If your touch pad is not responding then you need to slightly bend out the 4 corners of the cover. To do this use your thumb and push from the inside of the cover out.

Note: If your cover is metal you should only have to do this step once but if you have a plastic front cover (I think only the black players are plastic) do this step once and let it sit for a little while (maybe overnight) and come back and repeat this step again (2 times did the trick for me).

step-5.jpg

6. Enjoy your new Battery


Alternative Method and Additional Tips

This follows an alternative method that potentially won't require any heat shrink cutting, soldering, or bending. It entails replacing the new battery's 3-pin connector with the 2-pin connector from the original Gigabeat battery as well as filing instead of bending corners to fit the battery.

I. Mark which hole of the 2-pin connector is positive (Red) and negative (Black) before removing the wires.

II. Use a small tool to slightly pry back the plastic block that holds each wire in, just enough to allow the wire to be pulled out. Do the same for the new battery's 3-pin connector. You will only need the red and black wires.

3-pin.jpg

III. Place these wires' ends into the 2-pin connector with the same orientation they had coming out of the 3-pin's. This is the side with the small pointed peak positioned toward the plastic block, as the plastic block is used to �lock� the wire in with the peak further past it in the connector. You may need to apply pressure on the plastic blocks for them to fall back into place holding the wire ends into connector. The third (White) wire on the new battery can be removed or tucked away. Be careful not to have it contact anything as I do not know if it will harm your battery or player. It may be best to tape the end.

You may not want to bend your case to allow this new battery to fit. I found it reduced the ability to easily press the buttons as well as also looking odd. I even had trouble with the down button continually being pressed even with the bent corners. I bent them back flat and took a different approach.

IV. Make the battery as thin as possible by removing any labels and stickers from the battery. Do not remove the heat shrink.

V. I discovered the part that rests on the Plus pad and caused the problems was plastic. I removed this piece, which encompasses the Plus pad. It is located between the pad and the case itself. You must be careful not to damage this, so press each of the four sides, one by one (from the outside), just enough to slightly unstick the adhesive, then pull the entire piece off from the inside.

Pluspiece.jpg

VI. Using a flat metal file or sand paper (a nail file works also), work on a flat table and grind down the back side that touches the plus pad's circuit board. You don't have to file much, and it may be better to do this in small increments to avoid overfiling. Because I had the problem of the down button being continually pressed, I only needed to file the end that is positioned downward, but you may need to file more.

Note: In some cases, it's enough to completely remove all traces of the double-sided tape that attaches the plus-pad bezel (ethyl alcohol softens the adhesive quite well) and simply reassemble with the bezel loose, or attached with a few tiny dots of glue. This worked extremely well for one gigabeat f40 with a 1200mAh cameron-sino battery bearing all original heatshrink and stickers.

VII. Reassemble. If you find the player won't go on, one of the buttons might be pressed by the case, the connector might not be seated properly, or the switch on the bottom may be in the off position. If it is the case pressing a button, file some more and try again until it feels right.

Note for Gigabeat S users: Unfortunately battery CS-IPOD4HL 1200mAh won't fit a Gigabeat S, currently cameron sino produces an 1000mAh model that will fit Gigabeat S

r8 - 02 Apr 2021 - 20:46:06 - UnknownUser

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