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author | Eric S. Raymond <esr@thyrsus.com> | 2004-09-20 15:22:16 +0000 |
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committer | Eric S. Raymond <esr@thyrsus.com> | 2004-09-20 15:22:16 +0000 |
commit | 09445eb179f29da0e79b8fbece5aef296b1ddd70 (patch) | |
tree | a153a2a9f8079dd0b51a668dc0f620d42b6e4638 | |
parent | 4a5dfc10ffc254013dbdd5d59ecbc8d062914d30 (diff) | |
download | gpsd-09445eb179f29da0e79b8fbece5aef296b1ddd70.tar.gz |
The BU-303 hazard has been fixed.
-rw-r--r-- | www/bu_303b.html | 14 |
1 files changed, 8 insertions, 6 deletions
diff --git a/www/bu_303b.html b/www/bu_303b.html index bff28d15..fdd6babd 100644 --- a/www/bu_303b.html +++ b/www/bu_303b.html @@ -258,19 +258,21 @@ Acceleration 4 G, max. <p>And now ESR tells a hardware-repair war story:</p> -<p>The BU-303 has a design flaw. It has an internal SuperCap, -probably used to drive static RAM holding fix information when the -unit is unplugged or powered down. The only thing holding the battery -om the PCB is the solder on its leads.</p> +<p>Older versions of the BU-303 (before mid-September 2004) had a +design flaw. The device has an internal SuperCap, probably used to +drive static RAM holding fix information when the unit is unplugged or +powered down. The only thing holding the battery on the PCB was the +solder on its leads.</p> <p>Mechanical vibration and shock (from events like allowing the GPS -to fall on the floor) can stress and eventually break the solder bond. +to fall on the floor) could stress and eventually break the solder bond. If you start hearing a rattling noise from inside the BU-303 case, this has probably happened. The least-bad effect this can have is that the unit will start taking longer to acquire a first fix, because every time you plug it in will effectively be a cold start. If the loose SuperCap's contacts land in the right places, they can destroy or -subtly derange the unit.</p> +subtly derange the unit. At worst, this actually presented an +explosion hazard.</p> <p>After the battery has been loose for a while, the USB transciever in the device may go catatonic. You will know this has happened if |