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First post, by LunarG
Posted on2018-12-30, 13:49
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Most people who own retro motherboards will eventually run into those pesky Dallas RTC modules.
When the internal battery dies, there are basically two ways to fix it.
1. Replace the RTC module
2. Cut it open and add a CR2032 battery
I just wanted to hear people's opinions on this. What do you think is the best solution? Personally, I'm inclined to just replace the whole RTC module. Seems like the most elegant solution to me. But some might consider that to just be a temporary fix, seeing as the new one will eventually die as well.
So, which method do you prefer?
WinXP : PIII 1.4GHz, 512MB RAM, 73GB SCSI HDD, Matrox Parhelia, SB Audigy 2.
Win98se : K6-3+ 500MHz, 256MB RAM, 80GB HDD, Matrox Millennium G400 MAX, Voodoo 2, SW1000XG.
DOS6.22 : Intel DX4, 64MB RAM, 1.6GB HDD, Diamond Stealth64 DRAM, GUS 1MB, SB16.
Reply 1 of 27, by canthearu
Posted on2018-12-30, 13:55
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For now, I'd be tempted to just replace the RTC module, you can still buy them new with fresh batteries from places like rs-online. Maybe save the old ones and have a crack at modifying the depleted ones to use an external battery when the life of the computer isn't relying on not breaking it.
When they stop making them, then is the time to really worry about modding the old ones.
Edit: of course if you need to desolder the original from the motherboard, I'd put in a socket in before pushing in the replacement, as mentioned in the post below
Last edited by canthearu on 2018-12-30, 13:59. Edited 1 time in total.
Reply 2 of 27, by GigAHerZ
Posted on2018-12-30, 13:57
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I've been replacing those modules and with replacement, i have added a socket for it as well in place.
One could dremel and add other battery solution to those modules, but i haven't bothered to do that... yet...
"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!
Reply 3 of 27, by LunarG
Posted on2018-12-30, 15:10
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Yes, if it isn't already socketed, the adding a socket when replacing it would be an obvious choice.
WinXP : PIII 1.4GHz, 512MB RAM, 73GB SCSI HDD, Matrox Parhelia, SB Audigy 2.
Win98se : K6-3+ 500MHz, 256MB RAM, 80GB HDD, Matrox Millennium G400 MAX, Voodoo 2, SW1000XG.
DOS6.22 : Intel DX4, 64MB RAM, 1.6GB HDD, Diamond Stealth64 DRAM, GUS 1MB, SB16.
Reply 4 of 27, by Tiido
Posted on2018-12-30, 15:48
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The modules are very expensive when bought new, it makes no sense for me not to add a battery to one. Cheap stuff on ebay is already past most of their life and will die sooner or later.
T-04YBSC, a new YMF71x based sound card & Official VOGONS thread about it
Newly made 4MB 60ns 30pin SIMMs ~
mida sa loed ? nagunii aru ei saa đ
Reply 5 of 27, by LunarG
Posted on2018-12-30, 16:17
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Tiido wrote:The modules are very expensive when bought new, it makes no sense for me not to add a battery to one. Cheap stuff on ebay is already past most of their life and will die sooner or later.
Are you saying that the cheap ones listed as "New" on eBay are "new old stock" that may have dead batteries on arrival?
No attempt at sarcasm or anything, I genuinely would like to know.
WinXP : PIII 1.4GHz, 512MB RAM, 73GB SCSI HDD, Matrox Parhelia, SB Audigy 2.
Win98se : K6-3+ 500MHz, 256MB RAM, 80GB HDD, Matrox Millennium G400 MAX, Voodoo 2, SW1000XG.
DOS6.22 : Intel DX4, 64MB RAM, 1.6GB HDD, Diamond Stealth64 DRAM, GUS 1MB, SB16.
Reply 6 of 27, by Tiido
Posted on2018-12-30, 16:19
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When you look on the date codes you see they're some late 90s things or maybe early 2000s but usually at least a decade into their life. The ones you can buy from any big electronics distributor are generally only few years old.
T-04YBSC, a new YMF71x based sound card & Official VOGONS thread about it
Newly made 4MB 60ns 30pin SIMMs ~
mida sa loed ? nagunii aru ei saa đ
Reply 7 of 27, by LunarG
Posted on2018-12-30, 16:25
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Tiido wrote:When you look on the date codes you see they're some late 90s things or maybe early 2000s but usually at least a decade into their life. The ones you can buy from any big electronics distributor are generally only few years old.
Right, cheers, good to know. I haven't looked that deeply into it. Only briefly searched to see if they were still for sale. My pentium board uses one, but that still seems to work. I am also considering a 386 board I've seen, and I expect it to have a dead RTC, which is why I am looking into options.
WinXP : PIII 1.4GHz, 512MB RAM, 73GB SCSI HDD, Matrox Parhelia, SB Audigy 2.
Win98se : K6-3+ 500MHz, 256MB RAM, 80GB HDD, Matrox Millennium G400 MAX, Voodoo 2, SW1000XG.
DOS6.22 : Intel DX4, 64MB RAM, 1.6GB HDD, Diamond Stealth64 DRAM, GUS 1MB, SB16.
Reply 8 of 27, by canthearu
Posted on2018-12-30, 16:29
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$20 AU from rs-online delivered isn't really that expensive, compared to price of the boards and processors that you are using them on.
A brand new one will probably last another 10-20 years.
I wouldn't buy one off ebay, simply because they are probably scavenged off old boards and you have no way of knowing how much charge is left in the battery.
Reply 9 of 27, by Mister Xiado
Posted on2018-12-30, 17:03
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Reply 10 of 27, by root42
Posted on2018-12-30, 17:25
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Reply 11 of 27, by TheMobRules
Posted on2018-12-30, 17:41
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root42 wrote:Couldnât the Dallas be replaced by some custom circuitry? Did anyone ever reverse engineer them? I mean itâs âonlyâ an RTC. How hard can it be.
DS12887 drop-in replacement
Reply 12 of 27, by wiretap
Posted on2018-12-30, 20:09
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Easiest/cheapest option for me was just to desolder the old one and add a DIP socket (got like 20 of them for $5 on ebay), then install a replacement Dallas chip. ($7) Plus, once you have a DIP socket installed, you could add a custom daughter board on to easily hack something together with a custom battery if needed.
Pro tip, you can get brand new manufactured DS12887A's off of Digikey for $10 if you don't like the Chinese ebay option..
Reply 13 of 27, by LunarG
Posted on2018-12-30, 22:09
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Anyone know if the DS12887 is compatible with DS1287?
WinXP : PIII 1.4GHz, 512MB RAM, 73GB SCSI HDD, Matrox Parhelia, SB Audigy 2.
Win98se : K6-3+ 500MHz, 256MB RAM, 80GB HDD, Matrox Millennium G400 MAX, Voodoo 2, SW1000XG.
DOS6.22 : Intel DX4, 64MB RAM, 1.6GB HDD, Diamond Stealth64 DRAM, GUS 1MB, SB16.
Reply 14 of 27, by Baoran
Posted on2018-12-30, 23:00
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LunarG wrote:Anyone know if the DS12887 is compatible with DS1287?
It is compatible.
Reply 15 of 27, by chinny22
Posted on2018-12-31, 10:00
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Not looking forward to it but when my 1 and only dallas chip fails I'm doing the CR2032 hack.
With my soldering skills (or lack of) seems like the safer option and permanently solves the problem.
Reply 16 of 27, by LunarG
Posted on2018-12-31, 11:41
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chinny22 wrote:Not looking forward to it but when my 1 and only dallas chip fails I'm doing the CR2032 hack.
With my soldering skills (or lack of) seems like the safer option and permanently solves the problem.
Yes, soldering skills can be an issue. I have a 486 board that needs a new keyboard controller. I have the controller, but I need to get a better soldering iron (a soldering station actually) before I dare tackle that.
Last soldering job I did was to change the volum pot in my Akai drum machine, but I somehow think that's less fragile than a motherboard đ
WinXP : PIII 1.4GHz, 512MB RAM, 73GB SCSI HDD, Matrox Parhelia, SB Audigy 2.
Win98se : K6-3+ 500MHz, 256MB RAM, 80GB HDD, Matrox Millennium G400 MAX, Voodoo 2, SW1000XG.
DOS6.22 : Intel DX4, 64MB RAM, 1.6GB HDD, Diamond Stealth64 DRAM, GUS 1MB, SB16.
Reply 17 of 27, by Briggz
Posted on2019-01-01, 22:39
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I know replacing the RTC with new replacement would look neat and tidy but in my opinion its going to go flat again in the future and that means busting out the soldering iron and replacing it again.
I did the cut and grind on my board which wasn't too hard, I don't have a dremel but I did find a small cheap grinding attachment from the hardware store that goes in any cordless drill. It was a slow process but it did the job, I was able to pull the original battery out then solder a new battery holder in place.
It worked out especially handy one time when my computer wouldn't boot/post just blank screen, in a last ditch effort to get it working again I pulled the battery out to reset the bios then put it back in and voila! the computer worked again.
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Reply 18 of 27, by root42
Posted on2019-01-01, 23:08
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Reply 19 of 27, by Deksor
Posted on2019-01-01, 23:28
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I'd take a board with Dallas RTC anyday over a motherboard using a Ni-CD battery to power the RTC circuit !
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