TR-590 Tricorder X Help!

[mcb359]

Hi. I've had this Voyager style tricorder for many years now. It wasn't built my me, but it was built for me and I can't remember where the kit came from or who released it. When I got it it did all usual tricorder all singing, all dancing light and sound effects. It has its own battery, changed via a plug. However, it doesn't seem to work anymore. I'm not sure whether it's the tricorder batteries that have died (and I don't really want to open it up if I can avoid it) or if it's the charger at fault. As you can see in the pics, the wall socket lights up (not entirely sure what voltage it should be set to though) which connects to a black box with a red light in it. Before this red light would be lit, but it doesn't now. Could be the box not working or just the light, I don't know. This then goes to the tricorder through the grey wire with an adaptor on the end. Any advise for figuring out what it is that's broken, and possible fixes? If it's the charger any better ones out there? Hopefully someone has one and knows! Thank you

[MEATLOAFr]

best bet is to take the charger cable to radio shack, see if they can do a test to see if it's putting out, if not they should be able to set you up with a replacement

If charger is good, then it's the batteries - if possible, get new ones (and see if you can change the charger port to a different style)

[mcb359]

Thank you! Not sure what the UK equivalent of Radio Shack is, but I'll see if I can pester someone at the local Currys or failing that, mobile phone shop.

[MEATLOAFr]

I hear Maplin or Tandy (literally the UK arm of Radioshack)

[mcb359]

I hear Maplin or Tandy (literally the UK arm of Radioshack)

Great, there's a Maplin near me.


Update: it ain't the charger at fault:

All the lights work when it's plugged in and sat at certain angle. The sound though is very low and garbled and it makes that clicking sound of the flap opening quite often (although that might be the angle it has to be at like in the photo). Doesn't work at all without being plugged in though. So battery and probably speaker...

[Tesral]

The charger jack. If you have to hold it "just so" then the battery is not getting charged when it is not "just so". Jacks are a frequent point of failure.

The open click is likely a wearing switch in the lid. A little too sensitive.

And it could well be the speaker is toast.

[mcb359]

The charger jack. If you have to hold it "just so" then the battery is not getting charged when it is not "just so". Jacks are a frequent point of failure.

The open click is likely a wearing switch in the lid. A little too sensitive.

And it could well be the speaker is toast.

So for now, if I can get it just so with the lid closed it should charge?

[MEATLOAFr]

The charger jack. If you have to hold it "just so" then the battery is not getting charged when it is not "just so". Jacks are a frequent point of failure.

The open click is likely a wearing switch in the lid. A little too sensitive.

And it could well be the speaker is toast.

So for now, if I can get it just so with the lid closed it should charge?

If it holds "just so" and takes a charge (which I doubt will hold it for long) still might be worth changing them if the speaker is bad too, along with the hinge switch

Might be with seeing if you have a friend that could do it all for you if you still don't feel up to it

[Tesral]

So for now, if I can get it just so with the lid closed it should charge?

If the battery is still good yes. The just so part is the issue. At minimum the jack needs replacing.

[mcb359]

Left it plugged in overnight in the just so position as best I could, as you can't tell it's still working with it closed. Come morning, nothing, so it's still not conclusive that the battery doesn't work. Probably end up having it opened up though if only for the speaker so may as well change the battery, cost depending of course. Try get down to Maplins this weekend.