View Single Post
Posts: 1,417 | Thanked: 2,619 times | Joined on Jan 2011 @ Touring
#103
Off Topic(for Maemo) Partly on topic for thread participants.
Just a bit of note for our pebbles which are getting older.
Your battery is probably dying by now, you are likely only getting a day or so out of a charge.
Replacing a battery is actually pretty easy if you are experienced with soldering but you might be worried by the kapton ribbon connecting the battery. This is for the post-Kickstarter Pebble Classics (mine is a MODEL:301BL, Hardware=V3R2) with screws holding on the back not the glue-back watches. Assumes you have been managing your firmwares and apps with an android device running gadgetbridge and you have a good backup of your apks etc.
Watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84MS964scQI
look at this
https://www.digikey.com/en/maker/pro...28347b56bdf654


Pre-Op
1 - clean pebble and power down
2-(optional) remove band
3-remove and safely store screws in a safe container(or you will be sorry)

Surgery and Soldering(risky, read several times and view Youtube videos)
4-*PAUSE!! Read removing back instructions 3x before proceeding
4.5- gently pop back until it is disengaged ONLY, there will be wires to the vibrator you might tear if it is attached to the case-back; the foam tabp holding it to the system board goes soft and separates.
5-insert a plastic pry tool to un-stick the vibrator from the case back
6-set the case back aside in a safe container
7-use a plastic tool to carefully remove the module containing the watch innards(there are Youtube videos for this)
8-unplug data plug ribbon at bottom of watch innards
9-snip battery ribbon
10- the ribbon has + and - markings, photograph or sketch,
11-unsolder and remove remaining ribbon throw out old battery
12-run the power wire under the plastic frame separator(YOU CAN'T REASSEMBLE IF YOU SKIP THIS STEP)
13-solder new battery down(BE SURE POLARITY IS CORRECT!!!)
*the positive or red wire goes to your left hand side near a silver surface mount component the black negative wire is towards your right hand if the battery solder pads are nearest to you.*
14-be sure the rubber LCD(screen) connector is inserted properly into the space in the inner module
15-verify the vibrator is connected to the solder pads and is on it's spot
16-be sure the kapton circuit ribbon that overlaps the edge of the board area all the way to your left hand from the vibrator contacts the gold bluetooth antenna connector spring(if not you will get ghost button movements, I suspect it is a pull down circuit, if you break off the spring trying to flex it some careful solder and flux works, just don't solder over the gold contact on top)
17-snap back down(if you like replace screws now or later)

Post-Op
18-attach charger cable and begin charging pebble(it will show the pebble.com/app thing as it has been factory reset when battery was disconnected(there is no app or pebble.com anymore but you can use rebble.com if you like)
19-use an android device to connect using gadgetbridge if you are a FOSS and privacy person
20-flash the recommended transition and regular firmwares instructions and files here https://github.com/Freeyourgadget/Ga...rmware-updates
21-finish charging, if everything is good including the vibration you can put your screws in now.
22-click on all of your watchfaces and apps in gadgetbridge to be sure they are uploaded with settings updated, some wont come over at first
23-disconnect and shut down Gadgetbridge device
24-connect and use with your N900 as before

I have found that exercising the buttons and a series of gentle smacks of the watch against some soft pine; the side corners, back, and front as required can bring back your pebble from the screen tearing issue. You can go to a watch shop to do a waterproofing test but mine has always sealed properly after snapping on the back.

It is really nice to not see my battery charge drop to 50% after a only few hours.

FINDING A REPLACEMENT BATTERY
My Pebble came with a Fullriver 3.7v 130ma/h 402222 battery which means 4mm thick and a 22x22mm square battery I found a random auction site 402020 3.7v 130ma/h battery and only lost a few mm size, we will see if it lasts as long at the Fullriver battery.
Remember this size number trick and you can keep your bluetooth clips, MP3s, smart watches, and other gadgets with Li-ion cells running for as long as you can find your size.
(edit)
END RESULTS
I wonder if I damaged the wrap around kapton circuit board which has the buttons and charge points attached.
The top left button was firing at random for about three days and then went dead.
The screen tearing is now making the watch unusable.
I should have padded down the battery as it now rattles.
I think I was over aggressive at tightening the bottom screws as I broke the holes on the cover, it is possible the 'gentle' bumping against wood contributed as well, now can't correct the tearing though I repaired the holes on the cover with acetone melted ABS 3d printer filament.
I wonder if I was too hurried as I wanted a full battery life for a several day meeting and did not budget enough time.
I will look for a good compressable pad to push down the ribbon connector, battery, and elastomere 'rubber' screen connection.

Last edited by biketool; 2019-11-10 at 08:53.
 

The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to biketool For This Useful Post: