Anyone Change their ICON Battery?

[Griffo]

One of my ICON's takes FOREVER to charge. Like 24 hours to hit 99%. So I'm thinking of replacing the battery.

Has anyone done this yet? I can't seem to find any kits for sale on the interwebs. I'm assuming there's at least one if not more seals to replace, so don't want to pull it apart, destroy the seal, and then find out it's some weird battery only available from Mares for half the price of a new computer.

If changing the batter doesn't fix it, I think i'm going to take them down the shooting range and use them as target practice

 

[Pumuckel57]

Hi OzGriffo

it is a standard li-Ion rechargable battery. Type is 18650-22 with 2100 mAh. You can also use the 2600 or 2800 mAh types, but they must are protected types with wires, so you can solder the plug from old battery to the new one.
Seal ist just one ring in the screwed cap. You won't destroy it, it is very strong. But you should clean it and use a little bit silicone grease.
But better way is to ask your reseller to replace the battery.

Uli

 

[Griffo]

Ah thanks. 18650's are easy to source.

Cheers

 

[Zak OHara]

Hi Oz,
Ok. first your computer shouldn't take 24hrs to recharge. I hope you are exaggerating some. If it is taking an unusual amount of time to charge, then I would suggest you take it to a Mares authorized retailer for their review. If it is less than 2 years old, and was purchased through an authorized Mares dealer, the warranty will cover the computer regardless of what is needed.

Pumuckel is correct the battery is fairly standard and inexpensive. The seal is just the one oring, however the batteries are soldered to the wiring inside the housing. Again not so complicated but perhaps more complicated than your average DYI job. The other thing is our policy states the battery replacement for the Icon HD should be replaced by an authorized distributor or service center. So you will void the warranty if you replace yourself. When we replace a battery in any computer it is run through a dry chamber and series of tests to assure waterproof integrity and functionality.

I hope this helps, and you don't end up at the shooting range.

best regards,

Zak

 

[Pumuckel57]

Hi Zak,

the cell in IconHD is a 2100mAh cell. Today there are some manufacturers (e.g. Panasonic) selling up to 3100 mAh cells. Because the battery drain isn't solved yet, it would offer 50% more dives. So not 4 - 6 dives can be made but 6 - 8. Maybe you can give a hint to the MARES developers to use the "better" cells to increase the usage time of the comp.

Uli

 

[wavemaker]

Zak:

I have an icon HD that I purchased in April 2010. It was working fine, then it sat on the shelf for about 8 months. Now it will not charge at all. (I also have a second Icon HD with the air integration. It works fine.) I've called at least 7 different authorized retailers in S. Florida, they all say that they cannot change the battery. What is the best way to contact Mares directly and arrange for this repair?

Thanks

 

[Pumuckel57]

Hi wavemaker,
if you are out of warranty and really none of the dealers (I wonder why, because it's easy) want's to exchange the cell you can also make it.
But first remove the battery from IconHD and try to load it with an external Li-Ion loader. May be it will be reactivated.
If not not and you are a little bit familiar with soldering you can easily connect a wired 18650 cell to the plug of the old damaged cell.
See the post before to get more information.


Uli

 

[Zak OHara]

Zak:

I have an icon HD that I purchased in April 2010. It was working fine, then it sat on the shelf for about 8 months. Now it will not charge at all. (I also have a second Icon HD with the air integration. It works fine.) I've called at least 7 different authorized retailers in S. Florida, they all say that they cannot change the battery. What is the best way to contact Mares directly and arrange for this repair?

Thanks

Hi,
Authorized repairs should go directly through the authorized retailer. I am sure 1 of the 7 you spoke with would be happy to send it back to our service department for the battery replacement.

Another poster suggested changing the batteries yourself. While I agree with him, it is not a complicated process. The batter door is a simple Oring closure, and the batteries are attached by a harness internally. If you are handy, and have a spanner wrench, and long skinny pliers (ie needle nose)(batteries need to be twisted and then removed, and are extremely careful with the battery door, it's not that complicated. The process most DIY'ers will not be able to perform, is a dry test in a pressure chamber. This is critical in proofing the computer against any potential leaks. We have it sit under pressure for approximately 24 hrs.

Having said that, see my disclosure below. The downside is not all people are as careful as they should be, and perhaps are not as handy as they think. Mares cannot be responsible for any missteps by the end user. It unfortunately happens too often.

NOTE: All warranty will be void should the end user attempt to replace battery on their own.

I hope this helps,

 

[ghostrunner007]

How come on the mares web page it states that the battery on the mares icon is user replaceable if changing it yourself voids the warranty ?

 

[Pumuckel57]

You can change battery, but if you handle faulty, regress will be rejected. But I guess all manufacturers will handle such cases of warranty in the same way. So if you replace the battery in e.g. an Atomic computer (battery compartment is locked with a bayonett ring) and sealing isn't inserted properly and computer takes water, you will not get replacement. Almost often these companies recommend to ask a reseller to change battery.