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| 4.5V Battery Replacement for Early Compact Macs? |
Posted by: 68kPlus on 2022-10-01 22:06:21
(Uploaded to Tinker Different as well)
Hi everyone,
Looking to find a way to replace the expensive, hard to find 4.5v battery for the Macintosh Plus in particular. The closest replacement is the Exell PX21, which costs around $50 AUD here in Australia, and the cheapest is the Unicell A133 4.5V which is $45.
There are some German adapters that are also expensive that convert 3x LR44 to the PX21, but I can't seem to find them cheap.
Any ideas? |
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2022-10-02 02:32:55
I can't remember exactly what I did, but my replacements were several coin cell type cells in a heatshrink tube, before I stopped bothering with batteries at all 🙂. But there is (or at least was, a few years ago) a coin cell which when stacked added up to both the right height and the right voltage.
This isn't particularly helpful, I appreciate, but might be a pointer in the right direction. |
Posted by: MindWalker on 2022-10-02 04:03:00
I know this is not a mechanically good solution (nor does it last as well as the original battery), but I designed and used this 3D-printable in my Mac Plus: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4558846 |
Posted by: 68kPlus on 2022-10-02 18:54:27
Thanks for the help! Just need a 3D printer now... |
Posted by: 68kPlus on 2022-10-02 18:55:21
I can't remember exactly what I did, but my replacements were several coin cell type cells in a heatshrink tube, before I stopped bothering with batteries at all 🙂. But there is (or at least was, a few years ago) a coin cell which when stacked added up to both the right height and the right voltage.
This isn't particularly helpful, I appreciate, but might be a pointer in the right direction. The only reason I want a battery is because the mouse speed is slow each startup, and the date is wrong (2020patch fixes this, but you still need a battery) |
Posted by: Byrd on 2022-10-03 02:00:11
Thanks for the help! Just need a 3D printer now...
I can run some of these off for you mate if you pay shipping - I'm in Melbourne. Looks like a good design, never seen these. |
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2022-10-03 02:02:43
The only reason I want a battery is because the mouse speed is slow each startup, and the date is wrong (2020patch fixes this, but you still need a battery)
Yeah, I'm not saying that everyone else should do what I'm doing, only why my knowledge isn't up to date. |
Posted by: 68kPlus on 2022-10-03 18:25:33
I can run some of these off for you mate if you pay shipping - I'm in Melbourne. Looks like a good design, never seen these. That would be great, only before we can work something out I'll see if I can source some wire and the contact plate stuff.
Thank you! |
Posted by: desertrout on 2022-10-22 08:15:03
I've had long-term success with ER14505 batteries, which are pretty easy to get in my experience |
Posted by: tedward on 2023-09-05 13:08:09
I can't remember exactly what I did, but my replacements were several coin cell type cells in a heatshrink tube, before I stopped bothering with batteries at all 🙂. But there is (or at least was, a few years ago) a coin cell which when stacked added up to both the right height and the right voltage.
This isn't particularly helpful, I appreciate, but might be a pointer in the right direction. I know it's been about a year so, sorry for resurrecting this old thread but I've been recently hunting down this very thing and found the answer.
According to Wikipedia
[523 is most commonly] Used in cameras and Apple Macintosh computers (such as the 128K through 512K and similar). As the IEC name suggests, this is often just 3 LR50 batteries stacked together. So, the three batteries you were thinking of were the LR50 which you can still get on Amazon for about $4 $1 each.
Correction: They're only about $1/cell, not $4. |
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2023-09-05 13:21:12
So, the three batteries you were thinking of were the LR50 which you can still get on Amazon for about $4 each.
Well found! Thankyou for updating the thread. |
Posted by: RedJacketPress on 2023-09-05 18:20:26
I enjoy an elaborate solution as much as the next person — but if you just want to solve the problem, rather than spend time solving the problem, Amazon has ER14505 batteries for around $10-$15 each (as I discovered recently when I wanted one for a 512K Mac). |
Posted by: 3lectr1cPPC on 2023-09-05 18:33:05
They're lithium too! Will last a lot longer before leaking than an Alkaline original would. Specifically, Li-SOCL2, which I believe is the same type that the 1/2AA batteries are. So, still don't trust one to last longer than 15-20 years before they burst. Better than the "could be whenever" attitude that a lot of Alkaline batteries seem to have at least... |
Posted by: s_pupp on 2023-09-05 18:59:05
I’ve been lucky. My first (Energizer) lasted 17 years before it died, and the second (Exell A21PX) lasted ten years before I removed it from my Mac Plus out of concern for the potential for leaking, still working. Neither has leaked. The Exell is still selling on Amazon. |
Posted by: 68kPlus on 2023-09-05 19:05:32
I ended up using a 1.5V AA battery which somehow is still keeping the settings I needed (mouse speed and a few others). Clock has fallen about 2-3 weeks behind though. |
Posted by: MichaelLAX on 2023-10-16 14:23:39
I enjoy an elaborate solution as much as the next person — but if you just want to solve the problem, rather than spend time solving the problem, Amazon has ER14505 batteries for around $10-$15 each (as I discovered recently when I wanted one for a 512K Mac). Aren't these AA sized and we need 1/2-AA sized; or am I confused? |
Posted by: RedJacketPress on 2023-10-16 14:30:25
ER14505 seem just slightly larger than AA, if I recall correctly. They're installed in a port on the Analog Board (accessible through the back of the computer), rather than on the Logic Board. |
Posted by: 68kPlus on 2023-11-04 15:35:16
Update: still holding a charge since October 2022, and the mouse speed and memory cache setting is still holding.
At least it works for my purposes! |
Posted by: ymk on 2023-11-04 15:56:21
It's common for modern Alkalines to explode and leak in short order.
I've stopped putting them in anything I care about. |
Posted by: 3lectr1cPPC on 2023-11-04 15:57:45
Funny enough, the longest "lasting" (not in charge, but in not leaking) Alkalines that I've had over the years have never been from the most known brands. The Duracells and Energizers all blow, but the random "New Leader" battery still remains intact. |
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