Vanaheim Technologies Ltd -- Custom Component Manufacturing - CNC Machining - Custom Fabrication - Yacht & Boat Repairs

Vanaheim Technologies Ltd

P.O. Box 202 155
Southgate Centre		phone - 021 507 857
Takanini 2246		email - gerrit@vanaheim.co.nz
Auckland

Home

CNC Machining

Custom Components

Carbon Fibre Spar Repairs

Finn Mast Rebuild Project

Fixing A Broken Finn Mast

Replace Micro-Compass Battery

Terms Of Trade -- Warranty

Finn Shop

Finn Sailing News


Replace TackTick Micro Compass Battery

Have long been a user of the TackTick micro compass, some 8 years in fact. However the compass had been playing up by not holding a charge long enough for even a days sailing after being on charge for 7 days.

So a quick query to the TackTick service department on how to "fix" the compass came back this curt reply.

"With a unit this old there are very few service options that are cost effective. This unit is now 8 years old. If you return the unit to Tacktick it may be possible to get it replaced with a new unit for £200 which is much less than any repair would cost. "

£200 pounds is roughly $400 Kiwi and with the MicroCompass retailing between $600 and $900 Kiwi it was not a bad deal that TackTick offered.

However judging by numerous forums on the TackTick compass we found a general disatisfaction with the lifespan of the battery plus the fact that only a straight out replacement of the compass as the only option was enough to persuade me to take the compass apart and have a go at a fix.

Taking it apart was actually quite easy. Insert toothpicks or something similar into the six clips around the outer housing and gently slip off the housing. Repeat with the inner housing.

The compass inner workings exposed. Remove the silica gel packet. Take a note of the battery polarity and what goes where.

Important Update -- With special thanks and hat tip to Jarmo Tiilikka from Finland here is what to do if you are going to replace the battery yourself (unlike me who had it done professionally).

-- Before battery removal, remove jumper (under display, next to battery) to switch power OFF.
-- After battery replacement, install jumper to switch ON power and reassemble the compass.

There might be CAL on your left display and compass degrees on right display. It’s means that you need to calibrate your buttons.

Buttons calibration:
1. Turn OFF your Micro compass (cover solar cell and hold MODE until compass turns off).
2. Turn ON your Micro compass. Display show bAt – 200 (could also be 180).
3. When you see bAt – 200, press and hold MODE and SET until you have 013 – 16P on display.
4. Press quickly (but not hold) MODE and SET until you have tst – A1
5. When you see tst –A1, Press and hold MODE and SET until you have tst – P on your displays
6. Turn off your Micro Compass

If the final display was tst - F then repeat the procedure (You might need to do this calibration several times).

If the unit fails repeatedly then there is a hardware fault inside the unit.

With the battery removed the great hunt for a replacement battery was on. Battery required is ML2430 a 3 Volt rechargable type. http://www.batterystore.com/Sanyo/ML2430TT2.htm

This proved difficult as silicone-lithium types are very common (used CMOS batteries in laptop computers) but the required magnesium-lithium was proving much more difficult.

Many emails, phone calls and shop visits later it would appear a suitable battery could be found in Japan.

With a suprising eureka moment I started calling electronic repair companies and had the good fortune to be directed to Progressive Technologies Ltd .

Yes they could source the correct battery, Yes they would check the compass functionality by auditing the charging system, software and mode functions. They corrected an intermittent mode function error, installed the new battery and reassembled the compass.

All for the princely sum of two hours labour plus a $20 battery (less then $200 kiwi - way less then £100) Brilliant work done by good people.

So the compass is fully functioning and good for another 8 years, by which time I will be 67, on the pension and driving the rescue boat.

So while I will have voided the TackTick warranty, it actually does not matter, the compass was dead anyway.

TackTick should make it easier to replace a simple $20 battery in their compasses. My wrist watch gets a regular battery upgrade without needing a full replacement watch on every occasion. It would not be too hard for Tacktick to provide a waterproof battery compartment not just in the micro-compass but in all their equipment.

For TackTick to say that a battery change is not cost effective is pure bollixs.

Web Site -- Copyrighted To Vanaheim Technologies Ltd @ 2010

Web Designer -- Gerrit Bearda gerrit@vanaheim.co.nz