tubasco
Well-Known Member
I just noticed a difference between this circuit board and my 8 1/2 month old one!It's been four weeks since I got my Ti, here's a comparison of the inside battery contact:
Brand New:
After Four Weeks:
Sorry for the differences in lighting. I couldn't get them to match no matter how hard I tried.
Notice how the grid pattern is pretty much unchanged, despite the gold-colored finish wearing off in the center.
Also, I didn't notice when I first got it but there is a big silver gouge at the edge of the gold ring in the 8 o'clock position.
In the pictured (new) one there are two places that the battery contact connects to the board. Let's call it 1:00 and 2:00, and there is a circuit between them...and ample space on either side of them (the plain black area) which I assume is a small buffer area of insulation to help prevent short circuiting?
On my older one those two places that connect to the battery contact are DIRECTLY next to each other, and are both very close to that solder point, without ample space around them. I can see how it might be advantageous to separate those points.
And my plating is significantly worn as well. Could it be that there is ONLY plating on the circuit board as the primary battery contact? And when the plating is worn there is no contact left to transfer power? Plating-only seems like a bad idea with the way the temp dial works. But I don't know electronics.
I know one thing: I am NEVER adjusting the temp dial with the battery installed on my replacement.