Aladin pro battery question

[keyshunter]

My old Beuchat Aladin Pro was purchased in 1989, and is on its 4th battery. I have always changed the battery myself. I bought the battery kit (about $30), which included a new cap and o-ring, and the change was pretty straight forward. Since I have gotten at least 400 dives on a battery, it has seen some use, and although for the past 7 or 8 years it has been a loaner and backup to my backup computer, it has never missed a beat. But, $85 for a battery change on a computer that is probably not worth that much sounds insane.

 

[ardaataoglu]

I also have one of these lovely UWATEC ALADIN PRO 1996 computers. OK I understand the battery is to be replaced by SCUBAPRO FRANCE. But I cannot find their contacts since their website is in French and there is no email address I can reach them. Can anyone help?

 

[drbill]

The older Aladdin Pro model, which I also have, is not covered by lifetime replacement. I was fortunate in that my LDS only charged me $70 for the factory replacement. However in the future I will look only at computers that have user replaceable batteries. FYI, mine went out with the indicator reading 39% after 5+ years of use.

 

[Johnw...ski]

Don't waste your money at the local dive shop.
Radio Shack sells a replacement battery.
Solder it in yourself.
Don't forget to clean and lube the o-ring on the cap.

Good luck,

John

 

[barchana]

anyone have any instruction on how to open the computer. there are no screws or notches so, where to begin?

 

[Debay777]

I just bought this old beat up beuchat off of ebay. The price was good and the seller had perfect feedback records. The unit had a dead battery which I replaced on my own. Its pretty straight forward and if you having soldering knowlege at all you can do it in minutes. Maybe. I took mine to a dock and lowered the unit to the bottom. it was in about 6-7 feet of water. It activated, and went to the dive screen. i left it there for approx 5 minutes and pulled it up. there was no max depth recorded. When it finaly stopped beeping at me and dried off, it did not record a dive. I reopened the case latter and discovered that I had made a simple mistake. I had soldered the positive end facing out. But then I noticed that I had soldered the red end to the positive post and the blue to the negative. Would the battery being in "backwards" effect the unit even if it was hooked up correctly? And just to be sure, does the EUropean or eastern world refer to red as positive like we do in the us?

 

[barchana]

Yes, Red for positive is universal (it is the measuring system you got all wrong ).
I have an Aladin pro, and I think that it will not record a dive if you do not go any deeper the 6-7 feet, it will treat it as if you are swimming. try suspending it deeper.
Could you tell me what is the right way to open the computer so I will not do any damage opening it ?

 

[Luc Dupas]

I have an Aladin pro made in 03/95 and it has the battery soldered in it.
1. is there any reason i shouldnt replace this myself ?
The dive shop is asking $85 bucks. Seems very high for a damn battery, what do you think ?

If this indeed is the "old" model of the Aladin Pro, i.c. the one with only 3 metal touch contacts in the front instead of 4, it is very easy to replace the battery yourself... if you don't have two left hands of course.
Since open the battery compartment at the side of the computer (use a small coin to open the lid), take out the battery and unsolder the red and black wire from the battery solder lips, take the battery to the nearby electronics parts shop and get a new battery of exactly the same type and with solder lips, solder the wires to the new battery and put the battery back in its compartment, clean the O-ring of the lid and put the O-ring, and the lid, back in place. That's it... I've done this already twice with the old Aladin Pro of my son, it's a piece of cake and a new battery for this Aladin only costs about 10EUR (or approx. USD10).

 

[barchana]

What about the newer (but still old) Aladin pro - with the 4 contacts at the front (one up three down). there is no obvious place where you can open it.

 

[multistrada]

Sir,
As described in my first entry the replacement isn't that hard. If you've had any training in soldering it's easy. If you don't have any friends with mil-spec experience that you can bribe (a beer usually works). Use a good electronics work solder (something used on PC boards, not that used to sweat the pipes when you install a water heater), prep the battery terminals by hitting them with scotchbrite and then smear them with a little flux. Use a hot iron and as soon as the solder/wire/terminal interface shows that shiney/melted surface remove the iron and let it cool. You don't want to transfer any more heat than is needed to preclude damage to the battery.
I've done this twice and the computer (over twenty years old)works great.
Good Luck
multistrada