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Is this one-piece battery-to-PCB "clip" standard (for easy replacement) or a custom piece? +PCB pad ? (discuss.tchncs.de)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hello,

No formal training, but do like to repair devices at home (and keep vintage electronics and computers going).

Yet another alkaline battery has leaked prodigiously into a device (after only a few months). A wall-mounted thermostat.

Is the sort of clip pictured, which contacts an AA battery negative terminal at one end, and seemed to just clamp onto a conductive trace at the edge of PCB at the other, an easy-to-find standard form (for replacement) or a custom piece?

It is quite corroded and even peeling, and suspect replacing the clip would be better than devising a work-around.

Visually searching through product photos on supplier websites (like Digi--- and Mous-- here in the US) has not been effective.

Thanks for any comment.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'd assume that since it's from a thermostat, it's likely a custom made part - most of the common traditional thermostat companies like have been around for a while tend to mostly reuse their existing custom designs instead of using standardised components

Since it's peeling this could be difficult to salvage too... usually I use foil to solve connection issues caused by corrosion, or have a poke around on Ebay for a secondhand one if it's really bad

You could also consider re-shaping a (conductive) paperclip to contact the aa battery in a similar way.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

I've had middling-to-good results making battery contacts out of springy bronze metal stock. It solders well, it's easy to shape, and if you get the right kind of metal it retains its springiness well. (510 or 544 alloy, maybe? It's been a while.)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Acid etch, followed by electrolytic copper plate, followed by nickel plate.
Sorry, can't help with sourcing a replacement.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Thanks so much for the comments.

After viewing in-stock battery clips, did get the impression it was custom.

Interesting suggestions re: part from a broken one, foil /paperclip, and shape-your-own (not set up to re-plate).

Since it's summer here, do have a while to explore options before the next heating season.

PS For future reference, does this sort of exposed PCB trace (pad?) used for electrical connection take solder well?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

PS For future reference, does this sort of exposed PCB trace (pad?) used for electrical connection take solder well?

I can't tell if you have gold plate or just raw copper (probably gold. But in either case, yes, it is solderable. You can think a little bit about how they manufacture the boards. First the print on the green solder resist, then they dunk it into an electroplating bath for a gold finish, or a dunk it in solder for HASL. It would be a lot of trouble to go through (=$$$) to individually mask off that part of the board for some special process.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

It doesn't seem horribly corroded. I would just sand it down to bare metal and just use it like that.

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