How To Replace A Toyota Keyless Car Fob Battery

My car was giving me warnings that the battery was low, luckily it was the Key and not the main Battery, so here is how I replaced it on my Toyota Avensis. I saw a couple of videos that should people dismantling the fob completely which is a really bad thing to do, the more you break it down the bigger the risk of breaking it during breakdown or rebuilding. My view keep it simple as these are incredibly expensive to replace. Malcolm aka fixed1t #fixed1tMONEYSAVINGtips

Your Gadgets And Toys Are Being Destroyed By Their Batteries

Sadly, I've just found that I have badly damaged a Classic High Value Wowwee Robotics RS Media Robot by accidentally leaving a set of Zinc Carbon Acid Batteries in it.

WARNING Battery Corrosion Damage In Robosapien RS Media Robot

After discovering the damage one set of batteries had done, I set about opening every battery powered devices I could find, below is a picture of the large bag of dead and leaking batteries I have put out for recycling.  As you can see some are cheap carbon acid batteries whilst others or apparently Alkaline batteries.

THINK!  When Was The Last Time You Checked The Batteries In Your Gadgets, Toys or Remote Controls.

If its more than a few weeks, you need to check them again.

#fixed1tMONEYSAVINGtips

Cheap ZINC Carbon Batteries inherently leaky

Cheap Zinc Carbon Battery Leakage

Leakage is the main issue. The zinc case corrodes as part of normal operation, and if it corrodes through in one spot, corrosive leakage occurs. This is a good reason not to use these batteries in high value electronic goods.

Remove batteries if they will not be used for a fair length of time. Running them 100% flat increases the chance of leakage.

Metal damaged by corrosion, such as battery contacts, can be scraped to remove most of the corrosion. This usualy makes the appliance work again, but corroded circuit board tracks are usually corroded completely through by leakage, killing the appliance. Repair of corroded circuit board requires scraping, washing and soldering wires on to replace the lost tracks.

Zinc carbon batteries frequently have a clear plastic film wrap applied to help contain some leaks, don't remove it.

If a lumpy surface is seen under the plastic film, the zinc case has almost corroded through and is about to leak, and the battery should be disposed of.

One way to avoid damage from leakage and thus enable use of low cost batteries is to use an external battery holder, plugging it into the appliance. This works well enough with 9v types, which use a snap on genderless connector.

WARNING Battery Corrosion Damage In Robosapien RS Media Robot

Battery Corrosion Damage In Robosapien RS Media Robot

fixed1t Money Saving Household Tips

WARNING

When did you last check the batteries inside your kids toys or your own toys and gadgets? Or consider, the damage that the cheap batteries you bought, could make to very expensive toys or devices

DON'T DO WHAT I'VE JUST DONE by leaving cheap eBay seller batteries in a valuable item

#fixed1tMONEYSAVINGtips

Why AA Rechargeable Batteries Don't Work In Some Devices - Part 3

This video is about Why AA Rechargeable Batteries Don't Work In Some Devices - Part 3

In this video I insert a pair of MAPLINS rechargeable batteries into an Apple Mouse to see if they are capable of powering the Apple Mouse.

In Part 4 I will test another pair of rechargeable batteries in the Apple Mouse, to test my theory that:  "the size of the battery and the tips dictates whether the rechargeable AA batteries will work as a substitute as an alkaline substitute"  #fixed1tRESEARCH #fixed1tMONEYSAVINGtips

Why AA Rechargeable Batteries Don't Work In Some Devices - Part 2

This video is about Why AA Rechargeable Batteries Don't Work In Some Devices - Part 2

In this video measure a number of Alkaline and Rechargeable Batteries to gain a detailed understanding of their size and shape, I then test the largest in an Apple Mouse to act as control.

In Part 3 I will test a number of the different sizes in the Apple Mouse, to test my theory.  #fixed1tRESEARCH #fixed1tMONEYSAVINGtips

1.2V Rechargeable Batteries Vs 1.5V Alkaline Batteries Which Is Best?

This question has arisen from comments to my recent video below on Why AA Rechargeable Batteries Don't Work In Some Devices:

Sadly its a common misconception, except in those circuits that have been deliberately devised to take advantage of the extra .3 volt. In reality the 1.5V battery doesn't stay 1.5V for very long as it drains the voltage goes down rapidly as does its current. It will reach 1.2 V pretty quick.  

The Rechargeable Batteries on the other hand retain their 1.2 volts under load and will do so until all the current has gone in which case the voltage dives down.  In fact I found a great chart:

In an excellent article by a fellow Radio Amateur Roy Lewallen. the link is at the end of this blog article.

The only time the lack of voltage has a real effect is where the speed of a devices is linked to the voltage in a cheap design, without constant current circuitry in place, and thats usually linked to a specific manufacturers devices. But the Alkaline Battery manufactures are more than happy for you to by their use once batteries, again and again...

But you don't have to believe me read this great article, it describes things better than I can here. I will increase your worldly 'geek' knowledge and save you money down the line.

Please share this Blog entry with your friends and relatives so they too can make the right decision.

“1.5 Volt” vs. “1.2 Volt” Batteries by Roy Lewallen

#fixed1tMONEYSAVINGtips

Why AA Rechargeable Batteries Don't Work In Some Devices - Part 1

In this video series I investigate why some AA Rechargeable Batteries Don't Work In many Devices and Toys.  In this Part 1 video I look at the physical aspects of the batteries and how they make affect performance. In part two I will look more closely at the battery items. #fixed1tMONEYSAVINGtips