I have a Sansa Connect as well as a 4GB player. The reason I bought the latter was because, unlike the iPod, the battery is replaceable by the user. Unfortunately that is not the case with the former.
Eventually the battery in the “Connect” will no longer hold a charge. How does one get it replaced? What is the cost? Is it even replaceable?
I’m really disappointed that I can’t replace it myself.
http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2007/05/sandisk-sansa-connect-dissasembly.php
It looks like the battery is replacable (it’s not even that hard to get to) but I have no idea where you’d find a replacement. I haven’t pulled mine apart yet, but it looks a lot like the battery is attached directly to a mounting bracket of some kind, which complicates matters a bit.
Thanks for that info.
I was hoping that a tech person from SanDisk would answer the question, but believe me, you’re info was most enlightening.
It would be shameful if one had to toss the entire device if the battery were not reaplaceable. Talk about eco-unfriendly.
Well, if you’re concerned about the environment (and kudos if you are) you can often dispose of electronics devices separately; many Wal-Marts even have receptacles for used batteries, for instance. I’m pretty sure those can include devices with non-removable batteries.
Fortunately, if it dies within a year of purchase, SanDisk can replace it for you themselves under warranty (just as long as you bought it new.)
So if I am reading your response correctly, the battery is not replaceable and when it no longer holds a charge I will have to dispose the entire unit? Is that correct?
If the battery does not hold a charge within the first year of use, you’ll send me a new unit and won’t replace the battery? Is that also correct?
That’s how I understand the warranty - and I have heard of people getting MP3 players replaced for this in the past. Also, I don’t work for SanDisk, so it wouldn’t be me.
If the warranty’s expired and the battery dies, SanDisk doesn’t have to replace it, and if you can’t find a way to get the battery replaced yourself, well… I don’t really see much other choice, unless you want to build an external battery pack or something (fortunately, the Connect is one of the few SanDisk players that is fully functional while plugged in.)
gaary wrote:
If the battery does not hold a charge within the first year of use, you’ll send me a new unit and won’t replace the battery? Is that also correct?
This forum is used almost entirely by Sansa users, not employees. If you need information from Sandisk, you should call them. 1-866-SANDISK.
This is the biggest rip off. I have purchased 3 different Sansa MP3 players and this will be my last. First of all,They should let customers know the battery isn’t replaceable by the consumer. My battery is less than a year old and needs replacement already. I have to dig up a receipt and then ship the unit to Sansa and pay shipping both ways. Boycott Sansa people and maybe they will stop ripping people off.
If you do send it back, let us know the price. I just googled everything shown on the battery in the anythingbutipod disassembly (part number, “Everest”, “HH”, “3.7V 800 mAh”, and “Sansa Connect battery”), but couldn’t find a replacement battery.
I saw this webstore selling Sandisk compatible replacement batteries. Any idea if anyone of these sandisk compatible batteries “might” fit the Sansa Connect?
Can anybody post the physical dimension of this battery and the profile of the terminals? Maybe we can adapt an existing cellphone or another battery compatible with another Sansa model.
@bugsy_n_blue wrote:
Can anybody post the physical dimension of this battery and the profile of the terminals? Maybe we can adapt an existing cellphone or another battery compatible with another Sansa model.
Oy, doesn’t look good. Like no battery and connector I’ve ever seen. It seems to be one solid unit of circuit board stuffed into the battery proper. I didn’t disassemble more because this is a battery that came out of a working Connect whose right button failed, so I plan to use it in another Connect when its battery fails.
Disassembly entailed removing the two tiny Phillips head screws, then prying the battery off the back–it’s glued on.
First closeup on the white background shows the tissue paper-looking stuff peels back and you see the black electrical tape looking stuff. Next closeup on the white background shows my fingernail holding back the black tape so you can see how the circuit board goes into the white foam stuff (is the white foam the lithium power source?).
Battery attached to back of case.
Top of battery with white paper pulled aside, revealing more of the back tape-like covering.
It’s sorta irrelevant, but you asked for dimensions: 3.5 cm x 5 cm; 1 3/8" x 2" not including the top circuit board part.
Message Edited by jj2me on 06-14-2009 07:11 AM
Thank you for the pictures. A possible substitute that I saw was the battery for a Navigon Pocket Loox N100. This battery has 4 terminals and all we have to do is to solder the terminal to the board via jumper wires. Also another potential Navigon replacement with wires already attached.
I am just not sure of the dimension of this battery, but the Poclet Loox N100 seems to fit your given dimension (without any wire/s attached)
@bugsy_n_blue wrote:
Thank you for the pictures. A possible substitute that I saw was the battery for a Navigon Pocket Loox N100. This battery has 4 terminals and all we have to do is to solder the terminal to the board via jumper wires. Also another potential Navigon replacement with wires already attached.
I am just not sure of the dimension of this battery, but the Poclet Loox N100 seems to fit your given dimension (without any wire/s attached)
Disclaimer: I would prefer a replaceable battery in the Connect, as I don’t like waste.
That being said, you can currently get Sansa Connects off eBay for only about $10 more than the cost of that battery.
@bugsy_n_blue wrote:
Thank you for the pictures. A possible substitute that I saw was the battery for a Navigon Pocket Loox N100. This battery has 4 terminals and all we have to do is to solder the terminal to the board via jumper wires. Also another potential Navigon replacement with wires already attached.
I may have misled by saying the circuit board was stuffed into the foam. That was my first thought, but now I realize that’s based on nothing. The circuit board may cover the whole back of the battery. We won’t know enough until someone disassembles the battery, or at least tries to take off the black tape-like covering off the back (the side with the circuit board). And we know there are always warnings about disassembling a battery.
Even if the circuit board is just stuffed a little into the white foam-looking stuff, a slight poking with a ballpoint pen revealed that its texture is like the toughest type of condensed foam, and the penpoint didn’t dent it. Assuming it’s just stuffed a little bit into the foam, it needs to be in there for structural rigidity and positioning (the contacts have to mate with contacts in the front half of the Connect). Then how could we mount the circuit board in the new Loox battery without partial disassembly of that battery? What if its insides don’t resemble the foam-like substance I see? Alternatively, we could find a less tall battery and physically attach the circuit board to the Connect’s case, above the batttery, for rigidity and positioning.
On the battery site you linked there was a box on the right that said something like “Tell us why you didn’t buy from us” and I said we were looking for a Connect battery, gave the Flickr link, and my e-mail address. I’m not hopeful, but maybe…
Glad we’re doing this investigation into a battery replacement. But it’s not looking good.
I also sent them an email. Hopefully we get a reply soon. I’m still looking for alternatives.
Too bad… no reply. I just noticed something lately. When you simply press the power button, it shows GOING TO SLEEP or something.
Few days later, powering up the unit, notice the battery level to go down further. But if you hold the power button few seconds more, you will notice “SHUTTING DOWN”. Then turn the unit back on few days or weeks later, notice the same level the last time it was powered OFF.
Anybody who has noticed the same?
Yes, “going to sleep” (or is it “goodbye”?) puts the Connect into standby mode, in which it consumes a small amount of power so that it can be immediately ready for use when you press the power button again. “Shutting down” means no power usage, and is definitely the way to go if you don’t expect to charge the battery for a while. Longer startup time, though, as the firmware needs to completely boot.
And after 72 consecutive hours of being in Sleep, it automatically goes into Shutdown.
This I am not sure. I noticed losing battery level after few days of non-use on SLEEP mode.
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