Re: IIGS battery ---- will IBM Pee Cee battery suffice?

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

stephen e buggie writes ...
> 
> I just scrapped two IBM junked "386" computers to get power supply, RAM,
> etc.
> 
> Each one has a lithium battery soldered to the motherboard.  Will this be
> compatible with IIGS if the voltage is merely 3.0 volts DC rather than 3.6
> volts DC?
>

     You might as well try using the 3.0V batteries. Supposedly, the
BatRAM will remember stuff down to around 2.5V.

     3.0V leaves less 'elbo room' for possible variations from chip to
chip; but, with Lithium, you will not have to worry about slow degrading
of output voltage. Lithium batteries deliver the rated voltage with very
little drop over nearly the entire life of the battery (and, then, they
pretty much crater).

     There should be no worry about over-charging because, according to
the GS schematic, the BatRAM battery is not fed any charging current
when the GS is ON.

     About you only real concern will be the mechanics of connecting a
PC battery-- that and a question about how much life is left. One test
is to use a digital voltmeter to check each battery and pick the one
which shows a higher voltage. (Unless one of the cells is close to the
end of its useful life, the difference should be fairly small.) 


Rubywand