Hello. I am hoping to find out about a device. I recently purchased an Apple II. It had some device plugged into the game port on the motherboard. I am assuming it is some sort of clock device. It says:
"GLANMIRE ELECTRONICS LTD 1982" and "MICRO WATCH".
It is about 2 inches by 2 inches. It has a Berec Memtec battery, 3.6v 100mAh
Any ideas on what it is? The battery leaked and ruined it, plus one of the pins rotted off and broke inside the 16-pin socket. :-(
Thank you.
A little Googling found this.
THANK YOU very much. It looks like it was a pretty cool device. I hate that the battery leaked and damaged it.
It might be salvageable. But probably doesn't have much support, e.g. a ProDOS driver.
There are plenty of other clock options for your machine if you want one.
Can you post a photo?
Applied Engineering's TIMEMASTER II H.O. - real-time date & time card.
I'll try to get some pics up in the next couple of days. I am just investigating what I have. I think it is an Apple II, not a Plus. I have never had a real II, so I just want to slowly over time check it out before firing it up. I have the other II models, just never got lucky enough to find a II for cheap.
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It may be possible to clean that up and save it. It should be possible to re-create it with a new PCB and parts, especially if the NEC chip on there can be identified. Most of the other parts look like they can be identified. I bet the NEC part is a common clock chip though, so probably not too hard to figure it out.
Cute little board. It's so simple, you may be able to just jumper any traces that are bad.
Did the battery leak make it to the motherboard?
I will have to check it more thoroughly, but so far, I just know one of the pins broke off in the 16-pin socket.
I purchased a few dozen of these "Micro Watches" in the mid 1990s. I looked up the NEC chip (D1990, IIRC) and reverse-engineered the interface. I then wrote a DOS and a ProDOS driver for them and some setting and demo software for them and sold them for $15 (IIRC), including a 6" adapter cable to allow them to be plugged into a //e (since the //e moved the game port socket too close to the case to allow the clock to be plugged in directly).
I'd be glad to supply my software if you're still interested, or even a new clock board if needed (maybe $10?). The battery is readily available and easy to replace, but from your pictures I see that yours has suffered a major leak (not a problem if dealt with promptly, but yours looks like it was leaking for years!).
Let me know if you're interested...
-michael (michaeljmahon.com and mjmahon@aol.com)
In response to the photo in post #8:
I've rescued Hewlett Packard Calculators which were in worse shape (looked like a salt mine).
Do not try mechanical cleaning. Here is what I would do: toss the whole thing into white vinegar (the cheapest stuff they sell at Walmart by the gallon, "Great Value" brand, 5% acidity). Watch the bubbles. When bubbling stops, flush fluid down the toilet (DO NOT USE TO MAKE SALAD !), and repeat with fresh vinegar until no more bubbles develop. Then rinse it with tap water, and put it in distilled water for a few hours, change distilled water maybe 2 times. After drying, assess the damage and desolder the defective components (in this case, the DIL-16 adapter is certainly done for). Note that the solder may be corroded and then it does not like to melt smoothly. Avoid mechanical force. This is why I try to avoid use of a brush (even the softest old toothbrush can damage things, such as lifting off color rings from resistors). But sometimes, some gentle scrubbing with such a toothbrush may be needed to remove encrustations / corrosion not removed by the bath. The risk of further damage can't be avoided in this case. Beep all PCB traces for conductivity. Also, components may have been damaged internally by the battery "acid" (actually, it's not an acid, but alkaline) and those need replacement.
If it's worth trying to salvage this throughly corroded specimen is up to you. Use the above procedure and methods at your own risk only. I shall not be liable for any incidental or consequential damages arising from using these procedures and methods.
- Uncle Bernie
One add on to what UncleBernie said, it's possible the battery leak may have destroyed the bond between the pads and the board. Currently the solder and part are holding the pads in place, but when solder flows you could find the pad comes away with the tip. Three are tricks to work around but if that happens would need pad repair work too.
It's also possible the electrolyte wicked up under the soldermask and possibly erroded traces. The new board may be in your future if you want to get this working (sounds like fun).
In post #14, 'Jeff D' wrote:
" it's possible the battery leak may have destroyed the bond between the pads and the board "
" The new board may be in your future if you want to get this working (sounds like fun). "
Uncle Bernie comments:
True that. I saw that in several hopeless cases. Yet another reason why to avoid mechanical forces as far as possible. Sometimes the traces and through holes ain't not copper anymore, but some copper salt.
Still, if every step of the process is documented by good photos, it can yield a circuit diagram, a PCB layout with component placement, and everything else needed to make a replacement from scratch.
I mean, whole rare Ferraris have been skilfully reconstructed around the original vehicle ID plate with the type# and serial# which was salvaged from a burned out wreck. So why not do the same thing with old computers ... it's just a matter of determination, skills, time and money.
- Uncle Bernie
If the need is there, copper pads and plated-thru-holes can be replaced (with cut copper foils, and eyelets).
Starting by identifying the battery type: this is a multiple-cell battery with a 3.6V nominal voltage, which implies it contains three 1.2V NiCd cells; the electrolyte in NiCd is potassium hydroxide, a strong base. The reaction products when it attacks copper are either copper oxide or copper carbonate.
The suggestion to use dilute acetic acid is good; there are other organic acids that could also be used. Ultrasonic cleaning can be used (carefully) to remove the crystalline deposits. But restoration to working condition will almost certainly require components to be desoldered and replaced, and making thermal contact to corroded solder is very difficult, requiring special fluxes and sometimes other techniques.