From 09445eb179f29da0e79b8fbece5aef296b1ddd70 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Eric S. Raymond" Date: Mon, 20 Sep 2004 15:22:16 +0000 Subject: The BU-303 hazard has been fixed. --- www/bu_303b.html | 14 ++++++++------ 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) (limited to 'www/bu_303b.html') 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.

And now ESR tells a hardware-repair war story:

-

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.

+

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.

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.

+subtly derange the unit. At worst, this actually presented an +explosion hazard.

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 -- cgit v1.2.1