Time to replace motherboard batteries

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Time to replace motherboard batteries	by Bill Degnan - 11/28/2008 13:55
click image for larger version Post from vintage-computer.com/ "...Anyone have experience cleaning up battery leakage, or should I just trash any system with battery problems? I dread the task of opening everything up that could have leaked, but I guess I have to do this asap. I have put aside a lot of 85-95 computers when I get them, they're not really in my area of interest, but at the same time I want to preserve them. I have 15 or so 386-486 systems, probably have 20+ bare motherboards from the e386-486 era, Amiga stuff, etc. All of this I have more or less ignored as "not vintage" - Maybe this is a mistake - whatever you call computers built before the WWW age and after 1985. Would a basic solution (vs. acidic) and a needle pick do the trick? I have seen some threads on the subject in the board and I will do some more research. 50 years from now working 386 machines are going to be harder to find than 8088's should all of the MB batteries leak. In addition to a battery problem that no one want to "touch", people don't consider 386-486+ systems vintage so they have gone unattended. If you're like me, I'll accept a lot of computers from a donor, but they insist I take "everything" and that's how I have accumulated these newer systems. Anyone here specialize in the 386-486 as a collector here? I use a Compaq Deskpro 386s with 5 1/4" and 3.5 drives as my bridge system for copying disks and files. The Deskpro has a detached battery. Despite their external appearance, the 1985-95 era machines require the most attention, at least of what I have. For purists here I will call them "GUI-era vintage" so as not to confuse them with traditional vintage computers. Whatever you call them they need to be preserved NOW. .." Reply
Baking Soda and water for battery damage	by Bill Degnan - 11/29/2008 22:41
The replies I received from my post in general pointed to baking soda and water as the cleaning agent. A wire brush to remove the battery acid. In general once the computer has been cleaned of the leak, it should work or at least be repairable. See vintage-computer.com/vcforum for more. Reply