Battery replacement for Palm T3- is it this easy??

[StephenT3]

A few years back I had a professional replace the battery on my T3 after hearing stories on how complicated it was. You had to totally dismantle the T3, remove the slider mechanism, remove some fragile clips, take the ribbon cable out of the motherboard etc etc...

However, I stumbled across this video on YouTube showing that all you need to do is remove the 4 x side screws, 2 x top ones, split the case in half, top from bottom. Then simply replace battery. Even though I've seen it, I'm still sceptical that's all there is to it! Can it really be that easy?

Video Link Below ****

How to Replace Your Palm Tungsten T3 Battery - YouTube

[raspabalsa]

Plenty of users here have changed the T3's battery (including myself). It's not hard, though you need to know how to disengage the slider's clips. By he way, these clips are metal and not fragile at all, so there is no risk of breaking them. Is the video clear enough about how to do it? However, you do need to disconnect the ribbon cable from the motherboard, else you may twist it too hard and break it. Take a look at this page. There you'll see hi-res pics and a step-by-step to open the T3.

If you have the required tools and feel confident about it, I'd say go ahead and do it.

[StephenT3]

Plenty of users here have changed the T3's battery (including myself). It's not hard, though you need to know how to disengage the slider's clips. By he way, these clips are metal and not fragile at all, so there is no risk of breaking them. Is the video clear enough about how to do it? However, you do need to disconnect the ribbon cable from the motherboard, else you may twist it too hard and break it. Take a look at this page. There you'll see hi-res pics and a step-by-step to open the T3.

If you have the required tools and feel confident about it, I'd say go ahead and do it.

I supplied a link to the video in my first post. The appeal is that it shows you don't need to touch the slider! Would appreciate your comment on it as you've had the experience of doing it...

[raspabalsa]

I haven't seen the video (I'm on a slow connection right now). But you do need to touch the slider. You have to remove it fully to replace the battery, because the battery is inside the lower case, which is the area where the slider is. There are two ways to remove the slider: one is to remove the four screws and split the slider in its two halves, and the other is to remove the slider without splitting it. I prefer the former, because once the slider is split it's easier to disengage the metal clips. I've also removed the slider whole, but it's somewhat harder, as you need to twist the slider from side to side to disengage the clips. Have you checked the instructions on the page I linked to?

[StephenT3]

Yes, the instructions you link to are the ones I'm familiar with, and scare the bejesus out of me! When you get to a faster connection, let me know what you think of the video. It splits the whole case as one single unit, absolutely no need to separate out the slider mechanism, or remove any metal clips. The case just splits in half, like opening a book. That what attracts me so much to it - I know I would be able to do this easily...

[raspabalsa]

I'm downloading the video (been doing so for the past 20 minutes), but if it's as you say, then this is not how it's done. Let's wait until I see the video, but from what you say it's starting to sound like a fake.

[raspabalsa]

I just saw the video... actually, I saw the first minue and half. The instructions are definitely wrong. You can't split the case in halves just by removing the 4 slider screws and the 2 top ones. There are two more screws holding the two case halves together. These are located at the bottom of the case, and you can see where they go clearly in the pics in the page I linked to. Check the third row of pics (the ones that show slider, front half and back half of case). Below the screen bezel you will see the holes for two screws that hold both halves together. It's impossible to split the case without removing these screws, and it's impossible to remove these screws without first removing the slider. Fake video, as I said.

If you still want to try opening your T3, let us know, some support may assuage your fear

EDIT: Just saw the rest of the video. They don't show how the ribbon cable is disconnected, and make it look as if simply lifting the case half will disconnect it. Doing this will probably strain the cable too much, and having it reconnect by itself once you re-assemble will be a very dicey prospect. Plus, the two slider halves are also held together by a metal-plastic hook at the bottom, near the connector, and this also has to be disengaged. Finally, they just lift the old battery front the front case half, when the battery is actually glued to the back half! These guys have no idea what they're doing. Nice soundtrack to the video, though

[StephenT3]

I appreciate that the original battery is glued in, so it's obviously a replacement. I emailed the folk that made the video, posing to them your concerns that there were far more complex steps needed to open the T3 - this was their response:

""Our video contains all the steps needed for the T3 in which we replaced the battery. If you are not comfortable doing it yourself, we offer a replacement service – see the link. Cost includes the replacement battery.

http://www.newpower99.com/Battery_Replacement_Service_for_Tungsten_T3_p/palm%20tungsten%20t3%20pbr.htm""

On watching again, actually numerous times on full screen with lots of pausing etc (!), it does look to my inexperienced eyes as if it would work. The ribbon cable, from what I understand from another YouTube video is attached the the front of the T3, where the motherboard is located, surely not the back of the case?

Obviously, I respect that you've done it, I haven't. But it does seem that if I was Palm, and designing a T3, this is how I would design a battery change - to be fairly straightforward. Even for warranty work, and future service, to have to totally dismantle the whole slider mechanism etc. just seems like a bad design?

[raspabalsa]

I appreciate that the original battery is glued in, so it's obviously a replacement. I emailed the folk that made the video, posing to them your concerns that there were far more complex steps needed to open the T3 - this was their response:

""Our video contains all the steps needed for the T3 in which we replaced the battery. If you are not comfortable doing it yourself, we offer a replacement service – see the link. Cost includes the replacement battery.

Well, obviously they would say that. If they ever acknowledge their mistakes, I guess they'll just quietly upload a new video. But I doubt they'll even do that much.

On watching again, actually numerous times on full screen with lots of pausing etc (!), it does look to my inexperienced eyes as if it would work. The ribbon cable, from what I understand from another YouTube video is attached the the front of the T3, where the motherboard is located, surely not the back of the case?

The ribbon cable is attached to the outside of the back half of the case. This is not the half that holds the mainboard. The ribbon cable connector is on the back of the mainboard, thus the hole for the cable to get in must also be on the back. Also, to disconnect the cable you have to apply a noticeable amount of force, and pulling upwards is not enough - you have to slightly twist the cable's plug in a see-saw motion to pry it loose from the connector. It will not simply pop up by lifting the back case half. And it will probably not be reconnected once you re-assemble as shown in the video, because the connector is not level with the case back surface, and the plug is obviously designed to be below this level (else it would scrape the slider as it moved). You have to press down on the plug for it to fully engage the mainboard connector.

Obviously, I respect that you've done it, I haven't. But it does seem that if I was Palm, and designing a T3, this is how I would design a battery change - to be fairly straightforward. Even for warranty work, and future service, to have to totally dismantle the whole slider mechanism etc. just seems like a bad design?

But the point is, Palm did not design the battery change as shown in that fake video. It's not bad design. Palm's designers made sure that the slider-less case would have structural integrity by itself, thus they added the two bottom screws (which the video magically ommits). Once you remove the slider the case is still fully held by its 4 screws and plastic hooks. Once they set this requirement, it became necessary to remove the slider if the case is to be opened. What's more (and I forgot to mention this above) the two bottom screws are screwed into a thin metal plate that helps clamping the case halves. This piece has to be removed and reinstalled too, and this is nowhere to be seen on the video.

I hate to repeat myself, but those instructions are plain wrong and incomplete. Their statement does not change that fact. There are plenty of threads in this forum and several websites that list the proper methods to open the T3. This is the first time I've seen such an useless set of instructions as shown in that video. There are other youtube videos with the proper instructions, such as this one.

[StephenT3]

Thank you for your immense patience in indulging my query. I guess I just really want it to be as easy as their video shows! The 'proper' way just looks so involved, and I know my skill level (low) will probably damage my T3.

My battery currently lasts around an hour, I'm going to wait till it gets down to 30 minutes before trying open heart surgery on it!!