Liquivision X1 Battery ID from dead X1
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@Reehan
Glad to hear you got it done ! My X1 is still limping along..., when not diving I keep an eye on the charge, and charge it every 4-6 weeks. Since you used epoxy, I take maybe you won't be able to re-do this again ?...
...one comment for a previous post above about gel and pressure... the potting material (gel, hot-clue, etc) does not need to "withstand" pressure per se, all it needs to do it to keep water from contacting the electronics, and from any air to be trapped within the device. As such, something that will not crack, and that will coat the device electronics well without trapped air bubbles is all that is needed. I suppose one could even use the same stuff that is used in arts and crafts, if one is not worried about being able to replace the battery again in the future.... this is probably why Liquivision used a gel, as they did advertise early on that the battery was replaceable...
like these LOL -- Scorpion Paperweights
Glad to hear you got it done ! My X1 is still limping along..., when not diving I keep an eye on the charge, and charge it every 4-6 weeks. Since you used epoxy, I take maybe you won't be able to re-do this again ?...
...one comment for a previous post above about gel and pressure... the potting material (gel, hot-clue, etc) does not need to "withstand" pressure per se, all it needs to do it to keep water from contacting the electronics, and from any air to be trapped within the device. As such, something that will not crack, and that will coat the device electronics well without trapped air bubbles is all that is needed. I suppose one could even use the same stuff that is used in arts and crafts, if one is not worried about being able to replace the battery again in the future.... this is probably why Liquivision used a gel, as they did advertise early on that the battery was replaceable...
like these LOL -- Scorpion Paperweights
Reehan
Registered
I came across a lengthy post on the "North West Dive Club" forum dating back to oct 27, 2008 with the topic "Liquivision X1 Battery Question..." in which "Sounder" (Doug?), who stated that he was the Liquivision markening manager states the following:
(quote) The X1 technical dive computer is constructed of an aluminum casing with the internal components completely potted in a semi-rigid epoxy. This means there are no o-rings in the unit to fail - there is no air space to flood or compress... it'd be like trying to flood a rock. It's a solid mass (unquote)
Hence my choice to use the Araldite epoxy
Apart from that, if it lasts me another 10 years I don't think I will bother to replace the battery again
(quote) The X1 technical dive computer is constructed of an aluminum casing with the internal components completely potted in a semi-rigid epoxy. This means there are no o-rings in the unit to fail - there is no air space to flood or compress... it'd be like trying to flood a rock. It's a solid mass (unquote)
Hence my choice to use the Araldite epoxy
Apart from that, if it lasts me another 10 years I don't think I will bother to replace the battery again
Sounder was a Liquivision rep for like a month and moved back to Arizona probably a decade ago. As far as I know he hasn't been diving since then. Crazy how the internet lives forever! I'm glad you were able to refurbish your unit hope the screen lasts for youI came across a lengthy post on the "North West Dive Club" forum dating back to oct 27, 2008 with the topic "Liquivision X1 Battery Question..." in which "Sounder" (Doug?), who stated that he was the Liquivision markening manager states the following:
(quote) The X1 technical dive computer is constructed of an aluminum casing with the internal components completely potted in a semi-rigid epoxy. This means there are no o-rings in the unit to fail - there is no air space to flood or compress... it'd be like trying to flood a rock. It's a solid mass (unquote)
Hence my choice to use the Araldite epoxy
Apart from that, if it lasts me another 10 years I don't think I will bother to replace the battery again
Reehan
Registered
No, it was an interesting challenge to get my X1 back working again but I am not making it a living
Not only that, as I am in Oman (next to Dubai!) the shipping cost will already cost quite a bit.
It is not difficult to do as shown in the photo's, don't rush it and you can do it yourself.
Good luck
...for what its worth... found my notes from my looking into the potting compound (see below). When I purchased my X1, the small holes next to the strap cut-out had what seemed like a silicon gel (early X1's did not have these holes). Then it was still soft, and looked just like the transparent silicon you can buy at HomeDepot. I even took a tooth-pick and scraped a tiny dollop of it, from one of the holes and it sure felt like a silicon gel. I've opened my X! recently, and the stuff has hardened and is no longer soft.
I had been looking into "SilGel 612", a product made in the UK
WACKER Silicone Encapsulants and Potting Compounds (scroll down to SilGel 612), and sent them a message inquiring, but never got a reply.
In reality, I think that as long as the re-potting does not trap any air bubbles that could be compressed by the pressure at depth, or provide a conduit for water to ingress the potting (like a poor contact between the new and the old potting), anything could work (...?)
My X1 still limping along with plenty of battery charge to last me for a dive and likely two, though I have not done long multi-hour dives in a long while.
...and found the battery here... scroll down to "GBP883048"
www.gbp-battery.com
there is a slightly bigger one at 1400 mAhr -- GBP853250
I had been looking into "SilGel 612", a product made in the UK
WACKER Silicone Encapsulants and Potting Compounds (scroll down to SilGel 612), and sent them a message inquiring, but never got a reply.
In reality, I think that as long as the re-potting does not trap any air bubbles that could be compressed by the pressure at depth, or provide a conduit for water to ingress the potting (like a poor contact between the new and the old potting), anything could work (...?)
My X1 still limping along with plenty of battery charge to last me for a dive and likely two, though I have not done long multi-hour dives in a long while.
...and found the battery here... scroll down to "GBP883048"
Medium Size - GBP Battery
Applications Cellular Phone; PDA; Walkman; Mining Camp; Game Player; Multimedia Player; Digital Camera; Digital Camcorder; Wirelss Keyboard, etc; Medium Size Series List Model Number Nominal Capacity Nominal Voltage External Dimensions (mm) Weight Typical (mAh) Min imum...
www.gbp-battery.com
there is a slightly bigger one at 1400 mAhr -- GBP853250
Reehan
Registered
So far I have taken my X1on various dives, but not yet deeper than 40m (I haven't had an opportunity to do so) and it still works fine.
I have probably one of the earlier X1's so no holes, but when I took the battery out, the potting was very solid. Therefor I had no hesitation to use something that would also be solid once hardened out.
Before I did the potting, I put the 2 tubes with epoxy and hardener in a glass with boiling water to heat up in order to reduce the viscosity to improve filling up every little hole and unevenness. This may have helped as well to reduce the chance of trapped bubbles.
I looked into a higher capacity battery but the ones I found were all a bit thicker than the original. As it is a very tight fit and I wanted to be sure that the battery was fully encapsulated with the epoxy, I used exactly the same type battery.
I have probably one of the earlier X1's so no holes, but when I took the battery out, the potting was very solid. Therefor I had no hesitation to use something that would also be solid once hardened out.
Before I did the potting, I put the 2 tubes with epoxy and hardener in a glass with boiling water to heat up in order to reduce the viscosity to improve filling up every little hole and unevenness. This may have helped as well to reduce the chance of trapped bubbles.
I looked into a higher capacity battery but the ones I found were all a bit thicker than the original. As it is a very tight fit and I wanted to be sure that the battery was fully encapsulated with the epoxy, I used exactly the same type battery.
Hey @Reehan -- sounds like you did a very nice and through job on yours, and awesome it is working for you ! If and when I have to do the same to mine, hope I can get same results as you. Being landlocked presently I have not dived this year yet, but hope to change that later this summer. cheers !
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