Gamma Scout Geiger Counter Battery Replacement
Introdução
Ir para o passo 1The Gamma Scout geiger counters are one of the most known geiger counters in Europe. These geiger counters are made in Germany. They have a built in long lasting (up to 10 years) lithium battery. Because of the extremely low power consumption of the device (10 microamps), the battery has to be soldered directly onto the PCB. This guide shows you step by step how to replace the internal lithium battery of your Gamma Scout geiger counter (applicable only for the non-rechargeable models).
O que você precisa
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Ferramenta utilizada neste passo:Desoldering Pump$3.99
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Prepare your Gamma Scout geiger counter for the battery replacement.
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If your geiger counter is in a holster, remove the holster from the geiger counter.
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Prepare the necessary tools: a Phillips #1 screwdriver, a thin flathead screwdriver or a plastic spudger, a desoldering pump, a soldering station or a soldering iron, a wire cutter.
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Locate the cover of the USB port on the bottom side of the geiger counter.
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Remove the USB port cover using a thin flathead screwdriver or using a spudger.
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Locate the three screws on the back side of your device.
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Notice that two of your screws are covered by the serial number sticker.
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You either have to partially lift up this sticker to get access to the screws, or you can choose to cut two round holes into the sticker.
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After you have removed all the three screws, the case should easily come apart.
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For this step you will not need any tools, because the front and back parts of the case will get apart easily.
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Notice that the PCB will remain attached to the front side of the case, so it is recommended to lift up the back side of the case while holding the device upside-down.
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To be able to remove the PCB from the case, you will need to disconnect the flat-flex cable that goes to the keys located at the front side of the device.
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For this step you will need a spudger or a pair of nonconducting pliers, to push off or to pull down the connector from the pin header.
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This step requires some force to remove the connector from the pin header, but be careful not to tear apart or rip off the connector from the flat-flex cable.
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If you decide to use a pair of pliers for this step, make sure it is made out of plastic or some other non-conducting material, because it will touch the PCB and it could create a short-circuit.
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After you successfully removed the PCB from the case, the next step is to cut the cable tie that is holding the old lithium battery onto the PCB using a wire cutter.
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Next you will have to remove the lithium battery from the PCB, by cutting its two terminals that are soldered onto the PCB, with a wire cutter.
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As an alternative, you also can directly desolder the lithium battery, without cutting its terminals.
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Now that the battery is removed, you have to desolder the remaining parts of the battery terminals.
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After that, you have to clean the solder joints where the two terminals of the battery were soldered onto.
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For cleaning the solder joints and to remove the remaining solder, you can use a desoldering pump or a solder wick.
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If you have excess flux residue on the PCB, you can clean it with isopropyl alcohol.
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Now that your solder joints are clean, prepare the new battery by bending its terminals into the desired form.
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You can also cut down the excess part of the battery terminals to make the insertion easier, but do not cut them too short.
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After you inserted the battery terminals through the holes of the PCB (observe correct polarity), secure the new battery onto the PCB with a new cable tie.
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Now that your battery is secured onto the PCB with the cable tie, turn the PCB over and start soldering the battery terminals onto the PCB.
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After the solder joints have cooled down, cut down the excess part of the battery terminals with a wire cutter.
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After you successfully finished the soldering part, you can start to reassemble the geiger counter.
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To facilitate the reconnection of the flat-flex cable connector to the pin header of the PCB, you can temporarily remove the front glass protection window of the geiger counter, to be able to maneuver and push the connector onto the pin header.
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After the connector of the flat-flex cable is firmly connected to the pin header, reinsert the front glass protection window and insert the PCB into the case.
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After the PCB is correctly installed into the front part of the case, close the case carefully by placing the back cover onto it.
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Insert the three screws into the holes of the back case and screw them in.
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Because the holes have no metal thread, be careful not to overtighten the screws.
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After you finished the assembly of the case, look for the reset button on the PCB of the geiger counter, located near to the USB port.
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Push the reset button of the geiger counter with your finger or with a plastic spudger to reset your device to the factory defaults (this step is necessary after battery replacement).
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Reinsert the USB port cover into the bottom side of the geiger counter.
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After you set the date and time and configure the datalogging settings, your device is fully functional.
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Check the battery voltage on the screen of your device.
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Because geiger counters are test equipments, after a battery replacement you should check the correct function of the device and you should also check the accuracy of the device with a known test source.
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19Comentários do guia
I blew the tube while replacing the cell and the mica window shattered, it was a mild touch, nothing significant, like a thin paper balloon bursting.
Any idea, where i may buy and new tube? The marking on the tube is LND712.
https://www.lndinc.com/products/geiger-m...
Depending on the country you live in, you may also find LND712 geiger tubes from local sellers on Ebay.
Thanks a lot! Worked as described! Ready again for nuclear war :-(
I’m glad it was useful for you!
Kedves Béla, nagyon jó guide. Viszont nem bízom magamban. Nem tudná megcsinálni nekem (nyilván nem jótékonysági keretek között)? :-)
Hello! Elemcserét csinál a gyártó is németországban postai beküldéssel (jelenleg 40 € + áfa + postadíj: https://www.gamma-scout.com/en/repair_in...), de természetesen én is birnák segiteni.
Hello! The manufacturer from Germany also offers a mail-in battery replacement service (at this moment for 40 € + VAT + shipping cost: https://www.gamma-scout.com/en/repair_in...).
Very detailed and accurate guide, it worked exactly as described. Thank you!
I’m glad it was useful for you!
Ohne Reset bleibt das Display aus. Bei älteren Modellen fehlt die Reset-Taste. Stattdessen kann man durch Kurzschliessen der beiden Lötpunkte RST + DVSS einen Reset durchführen.
(Habe ein Foto gemacht und Punkte markiert; weiß aber nicht, wie ich das Foto hier anhänge).
Danke für die Information über die Zurücksetzung bei älteren Modellen! Diese Information könnte für viele nützlich sein.
Thank you for the information about how to reset the older models without a reset button. So after the battery replacement when there is nothing shown on the display, you have to short circuit the RST + DVSS solder points to do a reset.
Wenn Sie wollen, können Sie mir das Foto per Email zuschicken und ich werde das dann in den Guide einfügen. belasajgo (at) gmail . com - ohne Leerstellen. Aber bitte auch das Originalfoto ohne Markierungen zuschicken, weil die Markierungen aus den obigen Bildern auf der ifixit-Plattform dazugefügt werden, also auch die Markierungen in Ihrem Foto müssten auf der Plattform gemacht werden und nicht vorher.
Ein Benutzer hat mich kontaktiert weil sein Gamma Scout eine ältere Version mit DB9 ist und nicht nur die Reset-Taste fehlt, sondern auch die Aufschrift mit RST und DVSS. Wie kann man bei dieser Version einen Reset durchführen? Zwei Testpads/Lötpunkte gibt es trotzdem in der Nähe wo normalerweise bei der neueren DB9 Version RST und DVSS waren, aber ich bin mir nicht sicher ob diese die selbe Funktion haben, die Bilder mit der Platine waren nicht klar genug um die Leiterbahnen zu verfolgen. Vielleicht eine Idee dazu?
My version of the gamma scout has a DB9 connector and no reset switch is visible. It appears to be a much earlier design with soldered-in circuit components added. Perhaps there is a way to do the reset via the DB9 or pads on the board. Any suggestions?
Another user wrote before a comment about not having a reset button on older versions and that after the battery replacement the display stays off. He also wrote that after the battery replacement when there is nothing shown on the display, you have to short circuit the RST + DVSS solder points on the board to do a reset.
Thanks a lot for this turorial! It worked out :), however step 6 turned out to be tricky ... the force needed to loosen the connection has to be very strong in regard to the sensitivity of the components. Likewise I could only fullfill step 11 half way without damaging teh cable or other components. Is there any additional hack (I did not have a specific tool).
I'm happy that the tutorial was helpful for you. I know that the connector of the flat-flex cable fits very tight onto the pin header and is not easy to put back, I had the same problem. Maybe the pin header was soldered onto the board after it was inserted into the flat-flex connector, in the manufacturing process. Who knows.
Hi Ulli601, may I have your email so I can send you a picture of the circuit of my old Gamma-Scout, because I am not able to reset it. I would like that you specify which are the solder points to short for the reset. That's because in my circuit the RST + DVSS solder points are not clearly written.
Thanks in advance for your collaboration. Giovanni
is ther a way of upgrading the darn thing to be rechargeble?
Just by replacing the battery with a rechargeable one would not be enough. A charging circuit for the battery would have to be added. But since a new normal lithium battery lasts at least 7-8 years in normal use of the device, I would not find the conversion worth it. Except, if you plan to use the geiger counter constantly for measurements above 10 µSv/h.
