Aladin Air Z Nitrox Battery change
- Thread starter h90
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jezza
New
I changed the battery last year, it can be done and i made a manual in english so if any one wants it email me and ill send it,
gizfodder@hotmail.com
gizfodder@hotmail.com
Well, after quite a few months, I finally found the time to spend putting my Air-X back together again. Here is what I can advise.....DON'T. If you have any other option, like a trade-in/upgrade to a new computer, TAKE IT! This was SO HARD it's not funny, and I fix laptops for a living. I thought this would be OK. :depressed:
Firstly, use 24 hour set epoxy. I used 5 min set and it started to go off before I could get it all back together, TWICE! In the end I sat the glue on an Ice Brick to keep it cold and stop it from going off so fast. So use 24 set epoxy and try and use it when it's just starting to go a bit thick. You don't want it really runny.
Coat all surafaces where the glue is to join with a thin film of glue. (This makes it easier and should provide a better seal when putting it back together.) Then slightly overfill the groove in the battery cover with a big bead of glue. Place the battery cover half way into the housing, and keep filling the join with glue as you go, all the way around, turning constantly to avoid drips. Then when nearly all done, turn the unit so that the battery cover is DOWN as you don't want excess glue pouring into the computer. You could try and use tape to hold the glue in place and stop it runing out. This is the argument for 5 min set,...it doesn't have time to drip/run out after your have assembled it. Tighten the battery cover screws, and I even put a clamp on it as well to hold it in place.
When the glue has reached "green" or is spongy like jelly, trim the excess and drips off. Leave the unit to cure properly BEFORE filling with oil. (Ask me how I found out this!!??
)
Turn the unit with the oil fill hole to the highest point. Using a syringe full of clean silicon oil, fill the computer slowly. (You did clean out and drill the glue out of the oil fill hole inside the computer, didn't you??) As you fill the unit with oil, it will turn on and think it is diving, because you are pushing the oil in and creating pressure. Stop every little while and let the air out. If you push too hard, you will break the new seal from too much internal pressure and you'll have to start re-glueing the cover all over again!!
Press on the screen softly and slowly to expel air, and fill the opening with oil as you release, it will suck it in. Try and sit the computer on it's side with the oil fill hole up for at least a day, as small bubles inside the unit will rise up. When all full and no bubbles (...not like when the factory does it and leaves a big bubble in it!) Screw the oil fill hole screw in.
At this point my computer decided it was stuck in 0.7m of depth. I know from a previous time that if you leave the computer on like this it will eventually reset itself and turn off. I also think the "wake-up" / "Err" reset procedure might fix this too.
I also put more glue around the front join adjacent to the screen as it looked weak and this is where it leaked when I was filling it with oil. I'm hoping that external pressure on an oil filled computer will be a lot less stressfull on the join than internal positive hydraulic pressure from me being too forceful with the oil syringe.
Pictures of the finished unit to come. I was not in a mood to take photos of my failures trying to put it back together!! :depressed:
Firstly, use 24 hour set epoxy. I used 5 min set and it started to go off before I could get it all back together, TWICE! In the end I sat the glue on an Ice Brick to keep it cold and stop it from going off so fast. So use 24 set epoxy and try and use it when it's just starting to go a bit thick. You don't want it really runny.
Coat all surafaces where the glue is to join with a thin film of glue. (This makes it easier and should provide a better seal when putting it back together.) Then slightly overfill the groove in the battery cover with a big bead of glue. Place the battery cover half way into the housing, and keep filling the join with glue as you go, all the way around, turning constantly to avoid drips. Then when nearly all done, turn the unit so that the battery cover is DOWN as you don't want excess glue pouring into the computer. You could try and use tape to hold the glue in place and stop it runing out. This is the argument for 5 min set,...it doesn't have time to drip/run out after your have assembled it. Tighten the battery cover screws, and I even put a clamp on it as well to hold it in place.
When the glue has reached "green" or is spongy like jelly, trim the excess and drips off. Leave the unit to cure properly BEFORE filling with oil. (Ask me how I found out this!!??
)Turn the unit with the oil fill hole to the highest point. Using a syringe full of clean silicon oil, fill the computer slowly. (You did clean out and drill the glue out of the oil fill hole inside the computer, didn't you??
) As you fill the unit with oil, it will turn on and think it is diving, because you are pushing the oil in and creating pressure. Stop every little while and let the air out. If you push too hard, you will break the new seal from too much internal pressure and you'll have to start re-glueing the cover all over again!! Press on the screen softly and slowly to expel air, and fill the opening with oil as you release, it will suck it in. Try and sit the computer on it's side with the oil fill hole up for at least a day, as small bubles inside the unit will rise up. When all full and no bubbles (...not like when the factory does it and leaves a big bubble in it!) Screw the oil fill hole screw in.
At this point my computer decided it was stuck in 0.7m of depth. I know from a previous time that if you leave the computer on like this it will eventually reset itself and turn off. I also think the "wake-up" / "Err" reset procedure might fix this too.
I also put more glue around the front join adjacent to the screen as it looked weak and this is where it leaked when I was filling it with oil. I'm hoping that external pressure on an oil filled computer will be a lot less stressfull on the join than internal positive hydraulic pressure from me being too forceful with the oil syringe.
Pictures of the finished unit to come. I was not in a mood to take photos of my failures trying to put it back together!! :depressed:
What that program does is actually give you NEW UNITS exchanged for your old ones. THEY DO NOT CHANGE THE BATTERIES ANYMORE. And the latest that I've heard is that they will no longer do exchange, but "upgrade" you for a SPECIAL DEAL, of....wait for it....AUD$800.00!!!!
The "Free for Life" battery program DOES NOT apply to Air-X or Air-Z computers, only the newer models.:depressed:
In some places there is also an "Administration" charge of up to $130.00 for "freight" etc, to cover the "Free" battery replacement.
It's a complete rort. :shocked2:
I'll never buy another dive computer where the battery cannot be changed by the user.
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