replace failed tablet in maestro

kz1w

My second tablet to fail in a V1 Maestro/6700 Signature.  The battery appears to have blown up, case is distorted, screen shows color blobs.  Always powered.  Boot says hard drive failed and if I get it to boot a screen touch crashes Win8.  So need a new tablet which appears to be Dell Venue 8.  Is it a stock Dell?  Last replacement was $600 from Flex plus shipment both ways.

Pat N6PAT

Looks like you are at least the fourth person to experience this with older screens.

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/spot-screen-maestro

KC2QMA_John

I wonder what the contingency plan is when the Dell tablets are all gone, How will we keep our Maestro’s going?
Is there another drop in replacement?

Steve K9ZW

Either series of touchscreen pads don't like having a lot of fluids poured on them.  We had this when a worker spilled over one in the W9EVT/WI9DX shack.  

We used FRS to replace that tablet as the cost was reasonable and it was best use of our time.  Plus they know what is needed and how to set it all up.

Some community members have replaced the internal battery and screen itself, as they appear to be comfortable with replacing parts of electronics.  

It did NOT sound like they completely replaced the entire Pad nor did it sound like they reloaded the system & programs to new hardware.  

Preventative maintenance might suggest should users consider having the internal battery replaced after a set number of years or hours of usage to avoid more serious damage?

 

kz1w

Probably a good idea to replace the battery every 2 years or put the power supply on an hour/day standby timer so it doesn't overcharge. Mine was on 24x365 and died at 18 months after Flex replaced  ($600!) the V1 battery that wasn't regularly charged.   I tried the battery replacement per the web video and broke the glass screen.  Now I know how to do it .  I bought 2x of the hopefully correct Dells on ebay.  My old battery was totally bloated.

Does anybody know if Flex modified the BIOS or elsewhere?

Pat N6PAT

I should think that an advisory from FRS regarding the continual charging and general care of the battery would be in order

KC2QMA_John

Good luck with that, It seems you cant get a strait answer out of anyone here ?

Mark Erbaugh

One problem with automatically cycling the external power to the Maestro. Every time I restore the external power to mine, it powers on. I’ve been leaving mine connected to its power supply, but I turn the Maestro off. I came home Saturday evening and found the Maestro on. It turns out we had a brief power outage during the day. I guess if you had an automatic charging timer, you would have to live with the Maestro being on all the time. Would that shorten the screen life? It looks like Flex has disabled any automatic power off or screen saver.

Pat N6PAT

I know if I owned one of those older units I wouldn't be putting my face anywhere near it

David Hickman

Sell your existing v1 now and buy a V2?  

Pat N6PAT

You mean dump it on some unsuspecting pigeon?

KC2QMA_John

I have V2.

Steve K9ZW

What fear-mongering rubbish. I know Pat you are prone to hyperbola but claiming screen spotting through a Dell battery swelling from overcharging is personally hazardous truly overstated the issue. That some units when overcharged develop repairable faults is not a personal hazard. Lacking any reports you just made this keep my face away **** up. Pure fantasy. That some percentage of units left on charge for years develop faults doesn’t even establish that all units when overcharged will develop a faults. It increases the likelihood by an unknown percentage alone. There is also no reason to consider an early Maestro unsellable as you alluded above. From your arm chair expert but incomplete logic you have PRESUMED that there is a difference between the Maestro series, where is simply could be the age of the earlier series allowing some units to be left on the charger long enough to develop faults. From here we have no way of knowing if the OEM made alterations to the internal battery’s charger, if they actually change the results if any were made nor if a second series unit left on charge is immune from some percentage of units developing faults. Again you made up conclusions without facts. While time may support some claims, if they are fantasy illogical grasping they will be coincidental rather than predictive. Work from facts and please take care of imagining what you really cannot have knowledge of. 73 Steve K9ZW Blog: http://k9zw.wordpress.com

Pat N6PAT

Are you actually saying that a swollen battery is a safe thing? Malfunctioning batteries can and do explode and/or catch fire - or don't you read the news?  Does the Galaxy Note 7 ring a bell?

KY6LA_Howard

@STEVE Do not feed the TROLL

KY6LA_Howard

Just did a quick search. Lots of Dell Venue 8 still around at dealers and EBay Likely need specific model no and specs.

KC2QMA_John

Nothing like 2 "Elmer's" calling another member a troll or using foul language against him? Good job...NOT!

When you don't like something someone says just don't respond at all. SIMPLE!!!

Steve K9ZW

On the Galaxy 7 -Oat have you been trying to make phone calls on your Maestro? Again you are all wet and doing the community a disservice. @Howard, suggestion on dealing with the chronic **** in a better way? 73 Steve K9ZW

Steve K9ZW

The paradox John is you feel empowered to call LID while violating your own advice. If you truly mean leave false claims lay as they fall by ignoring them, then you need a dose of your own prescription. 73 Steve K9ZW

KY6LA_Howard

Flex needs to moderate Trolls from spreading false information. However they seem to be quite busy so they leave it up to Elmer’s to correct the falsehoods

Pat N6PAT

What does the purpose of the equipment have to do with the safety of a swollen battery? Is a deformed battery in a phone any safer than a deformed battery in a radio?

I forgot, it's a Flex so it is infallible and impervious to any hazard known to science

KC2QMA_John

You guys are so easily TRIGGERED it’s hilarious.

UN-Follow ENABLED.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1RZTVsOcsU

Pat N6PAT

That's funny!

Pat N6PAT

Here's a little article about swollen lithium batteries from Macworld

In the article the Senior Contributor Glenn Fleishman says:

"If you believe the battery in your phone, tablet, or laptop has started to expand, unplug the device immediately if it’s plugged in, and turn it off if at all possible. Don’t charge or use it at all, because lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that are bulging have already bypassed built-in safeguards and are swollen with gases. Continued charging or use could lead to a runaway reaction that results in a fire or an explosion."

The writer is speaking in general terms that may not apply to specific batteries in specific devices. I'm no expert on batteries by any means but to me a swollen battery sounds dangerous. Just my humble opinion. Make up your own mind.

Here's the link for those of you that are interested.

https://www.macworld.com/article/3162109/beware-the-bulgy-battery-lithium-ion-batteries-removed-from...