NeXT Computers

[pentium]

Okay, I don't know of this is already commonly known or something new.
Anyways, my quadra 660AV lost it's pram battery years ago.
Today I was really bored and my eyes caught on my quadra which was sitting on my desk doing nothing.
Using two AA batteries, tin foil, steel wool, copper wire and duct tape I successfully managed to make a crude pram battery that works and preserves the pram when the system is off.
I'll make this offical once I find how long the battery lasts.
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-NeXT 68040 Cube with NS 3.3 and 64Mb ram

[pentium]

NOTE:
Be positive your leads will not come loose.
A quadra 660AV is real annoying to reconfigure when you are using monitor settings stored in pram.
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-NeXT 68040 Cube with NS 3.3 and 64Mb ram

[itomato]

It might be worth the few Dollars, Euro, Bucks, whatever to invest in a LS-14250 3.6v lithium battery..

This battery will also work in a NeXT. There are equivalent part numbers in any battery cross-reference guide.

Might be cheaper than replacing the 660..

Are you running A/UX on it?

[pentium]

nope. no A/UX
I have a tape copy for a IIx or IIfx but I don't have either system and the tape drive is still being fitted for a new roller after the last one turned to sludge,

[applefreak]

[applefreak]

[pentium]

Thanks for the links but I am going way back to 1.1 and I would prefer to get the genuine media and books (I got in big trouble for distributing older copies of IRIX because I thought that they were discontinued and were safe to copy).
As for the quadra...
It's at the bottom of a stack of systems and it's monitor is my camera monitor. When the pram goes, I have to pull a whole bunch of systems to get the cover off and then find an apple monitor so I can reconfigure the video output again.
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-NeXT 68040 Cube with NS 3.3 and 64Mb ram

[pentium]

Many months later and the batteries are still keeping the system alive,
I got a mac II in a few weeks ago with a dead battery (so dead the polarity had reversed) and thus could not turn on. Two short alligator leads and two AA batteries was all that was needed to jumpstart the system.
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-NeXT 68040 Cube with NS 3.3 and 64Mb ram

[da9000]

[pentium]

Photos?
Okay.


^Two AA batteries connected together with duct tape and tinfoil and wires marked for their respective polarity.


^Battery installed in an LC III. Just wrap the both wires coming from your battery around their respective battery terminals on the case. Don't make it loose or shaking the case will cuase a flakey connection.


^ If you are in a rush and a permanant battery is not needed, using two alligator lines and two AA batteries, you can jumpstart those macs who need a battery to just turn on.
_________________

-NeXT 68040 Cube with NS 3.3 and 64Mb ram

[da9000]

Hehehe, cool Although I hate the silver tape. I prefer using masking tape for my jerry-riggin' :)

Maybe use some superglue/epoxy to make it more rigid? :p

[pentium]

Did you just imply you dislike duct tape?
FYI, Duct tape is the second most used staple (redbull being first to aid in those long nights) in the home network world. There is not many computers in my house that don't have duct tape somewhere on them.
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-NeXT 68040 Cube with NS 3.3 and 64Mb ram

[da9000]

Yes, I did!

It's crappy, and here's why:

Even though very strong and with great tensile margins, it's hard to cut without a sharp instrument, and when you're jerry-rigging you most likely don't have one on you! While with masking tape, you just pull on one side and rip it. It usually rips cleanly with a straight-edge, as well. Sure, you can use your teeth, but one day you'll probably have one stuck to the duct tape itself :)

Yet another reason is that as it ages, the adhesive becomes a sticky runny guey substance and it's really hard to get off of things, and worse, once you touch it you become all sticky yourself. Too many cables exhibit this "disease" :)

Some masking tapes have this problem too, but not all.

[Jenne]

[da9000]