battery replacement on VAX 4000-300

[M J Dowden]

The batteries on my VAX 4000-300 have gone dead and won't hold a
charge. I understand that the unit takes 3 AAA NiCad's, but I have no
idea where they are or how to install them. Is there any
documentation on the web?

Best regards,
M J Dowden

[Dave McGuire]

Post by M J Dowden
The batteries on my VAX 4000-300 have gone dead and won't hold a
charge. I understand that the unit takes 3 AAA NiCad's, but I have no
idea where they are or how to install them. Is there any documentation
on the web?

They are in the bulkhead/connector panel that covers the processor
board.

-Dave

--
Dave McGuire "I've grown hair again, just
St. Petersburg, FL for the occasion." -Doc Shipley

[M J Dowden]

They are in the bulkhead/connector panel that covers the processor board.

I thank you kindly. Are they ordinary NiCad batteries or are they
taped together like cordless phone batteries? I was hoping to have
the parts on hand before starting the job. Is there a bracket or are
they hardwired and soldered to the board.

Thanks again,
M J Dowden

[Dave McGuire]

Post by M J Dowden

They are in the bulkhead/connector panel that covers the processor board.

I thank you kindly. Are they ordinary NiCad batteries or are they
taped together like cordless phone batteries? I was hoping to have the
parts on hand before starting the job. Is there a bracket or are they
hardwired and soldered to the board.

Hmm, my memory is getting fuzzy...I think they're wrapped together
and snapped into a plastic bracket but I'm not 100% sure about that.

-Dave

--
Dave McGuire "I've grown hair again, just
St. Petersburg, FL for the occasion." -Doc Shipley

[Thomas Dzubin]

Post by Dave McGuire

Post by M J Dowden

They are in the bulkhead/connector panel that covers the processor board.

I thank you kindly. Are they ordinary NiCad batteries or are they
taped together like cordless phone batteries? I was hoping to have the

Hmm, my memory is getting fuzzy...I think they're wrapped together
and snapped into a plastic bracket but I'm not 100% sure about that.

Geesh, DEC sure didn't want people mucking around here.
I've removed my KA bulkhead panel (that has the console port & Ethernet
connectors)...then there's four more screws to unscrew, THEN there's
the white plastic covering (mine has a "S1 Baud" table printed on it)
that is *GLUED* to the circuit board, THEN there's two more screws
holding the circuit board to the frame at the AUI connector...yuck.
Anyhow, on mine I can see three batteries with "Panasonic rechargable"
on them...they look like "AAA" size and pretty generic. There's no
plastic bracket and the batteries are held on the circuit board with
velcro(tm) and you can very slightly BEND the circuit board up just
enough to remove them. It ain't easy, but it can be done.


Thomas Dzubin
Saskatoon, Vancouver, or Calgary CANADA

[Thomas Dzubin]

Post by Thomas Dzubin
connectors)...then there's four more screws to unscrew, THEN there's
the white plastic covering (mine has a "S1 Baud" table printed on it)
that is *GLUED* to the circuit board, THEN there's two more screws
holding the circuit board to the frame at the AUI connector...yuck.
Anyhow, on mine I can see three batteries with "Panasonic rechargable"

<snip>
Awww crap sorry I was describing the 4000-200 (KA660) ...I gotta
read subject lines better...

OK, so I went downstairs again and took off the bulkhead (five-wide)
from my 4000-300 (KA670)...
This looks a bit easier to replace... Same type of batteries: Panasonic
"AAA" size three cells enclosed in a stretch-plastic protector
mine say: "PANASONIC NRAAA 12-19245-01 I/A44J" if that helps at all

Hmmm...doesn't look like these are velco-ed to the bulkhead, but glued!
...might take a bit of knife-work to remove.

Thomas Dzubin
Saskatoon, Vancouver, or Calgary CANADA

[Thomas Dzubin]

Post by Thomas Dzubin
This looks a bit easier to replace... Same type of batteries: Panasonic
"AAA" size three cells enclosed in a stretch-plastic protector
mine say: "PANASONIC NRAAA 12-19245-01 I/A44J" if that helps at all

Yeah, I just tried a couple (non-VAX) 3.6V NiCad battery packs I had
lying around and they all seem to work OK, so probably any 3.6 volt
cell phone battery should work...they should probably be NiCad though
and not NiMH since I think they have different charging requirements.

Thomas Dzubin

[Ben]

Guys/gals,

I need my garage back in order to rebuild a VW engine, so I am going
to get rid of what remainds of my VAX collection.

I have:
1. One VAX 4000-300. KA670-A, 64MB memory, two RF31, RF35 and TF85 in
the chassis. EZ0A ethernet. All DSSI terminators are there. There is
also an external box with at least one hard disk, terminator and cable
to the main chassis. There is also a CXY08-M and CXA16-M cards.
Finally, there's a log book that indicates when the system was
originally put in service (1992!).

2. One VAX 4000-400. KA675-A, 64MB memory, one RF35, TF85, and 6xM3135
+ M3156 cards(?). Also all DSSI terminators are present.

3. One power cable with the notch.

4. One serial terminal cable that will allow you to use a PC as a
terminal.

5. One Emulex UC07 SCSI card. I got this from Keyways (still have
receipt) but have never used it. It comes with a photocopied manual.

6. Various CPU boards, cables (including a serial cable that with the
actual offset plastic tongue), front panels etc etc.

Both VAXen work. I powered them up this morning. And they successfully
completed the power on self test. Cosmetics is very good. Nothing
broken, as far as I can tell.

I am in San Jose, California. You can either come and pick them up
(preferred) or I can arrange shipping either via Mail Boxes Etc or
Craters&Freighters.

I must have paid something like $2000 for all these things in
2000-2001 (the Emulex was $412) including shipping. I am asking $500
for everything.

Let me know if you need photos.

Thanks.

Ben

[Carl Lowenstein]

Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2003 05:06:20 -0500
Subject: Re: battery replacement on VAX 4000-300

Post by M J Dowden

Post by Dave McGuire
They are in the bulkhead/connector panel that covers the processor
board.

I thank you kindly. Are they ordinary NiCad batteries or are they
taped together like cordless phone batteries? I was hoping to have the
parts on hand before starting the job. Is there a bracket or are they
hardwired and soldered to the board.

Hmm, my memory is getting fuzzy...I think they're wrapped together
and snapped into a plastic bracket but I'm not 100% sure about that.

If this is the same as the NiCad battery pack in the MicroVax II,
there is a cordless phone battery pack that is an exact replacement.
Including the connector on the end of the wire. That's my fuzzy memory.

carl