How to remove battery cover in Plantronics headset

[Jennifer Murphy]

I have an old Plantronics CS70 NC wireless headset. The battery is
dying. When I checked the owners manual, I was shocked (Shocked, I say)
to discover that the headset has to be mailed back to Plantronics to
have the battery replaced.

An Internet search turned up several companies that sell replacement
batteries, biut none of them have instructions. The problem is that I
cannot figure out how to open the battery cover. It has a little
Phillips screw, which I removed, but that doesn't seem to hold the cover
on.

There is another round "cap" that appears to require a special tool.
I've uploaded several photos:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zs29tax9cflnu42/64Yz3HrNJL

I called Plantronics. The tech told me that that unit is no longer
supported and I need to upgrade to the newer model. I told him that the
device works fine. It's just that the battery is dying. He was not
sympathetic. I asked him if he could suggest a way that I could remove
that cap. He first said that he is not allowed to give out that
information and then that he does not have that information.

One website said that the battery is soldered in place.

This is the last Plantronics product I will ever buy.

I tried grabbing the little edges with needlenose pliers and tweezers.
No joy.

It looks like it is threaded. I'm wondering whether I could epoxy the
head of a Phillips screw to the cap and use that to unscrew it.

Any better ideas?

I don't care too much if I damage it. It's almost useless as it is and
Plantronics will not repair it.

[Bob F]

I did find this:
"Actually, several vendors sell replacement batteries for the CS70 models. It
does require unsoldering the two battery wires and resoldering the new battery
back, but it is very easy, or you can have an electronics repair shop do it for
you. The battery is accessed by removing a small screw in the bottom of the
headset next to the charging contacts and pulling the silver plastic case away
from the black frame.

Posted on November 10, 2011 at 9:05 am"

[Retired]

Yikes.......

This from user manual at
http://www.plantronics.com/us/media/media-resources/literature/user_guides/cs70_ug_en.pdf?WT.dl=20


"BATTERY REPLACEMENT

The custom battery supplied should last 2� 3 years. When talk time
decreases significantly, you should replace the battery. Call
Plantronics at (800) 544-4660 ext.5538 for information on sending back
to factory to install new battery"


Also same info here
http://www.headsetsdirect.com/blog/replacement-battery-for-the-plantronics-cs70-and-cs70n-wireless-headsets

However Staples claims to carry a battery for CS70 ?????
http://www.staples.com/Lenmar-Replacement-Battery-for-Plantronics-CS70-CS70N-Cordless-Phone-CBZ301PC/product_924266

as does Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Battery-PLANTRONICS-66278-01-CS70N/dp/B003LTRLPY

This outfit claims that for $59 they will do the replacement for you
http://www.metrolinedirect.com/plantronics-cs70n-replacement-battery.html

Good Luck !!

[Fred McKenzie]

In article <gclua91lqupk6kq1h...@4ax.com>,

Jennifer Murphy <JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote:

> An Internet search turned up several companies that sell replacement
> batteries, biut none of them have instructions. The problem is that I
> cannot figure out how to open the battery cover. It has a little
> Phillips screw, which I removed, but that doesn't seem to hold the cover
> on.
>
> There is another round "cap" that appears to require a special tool.

Jennifer-

I suspect the headset is considered a replacement part for the system.
It appears to be an expensive system, and probably worth replacing the
headset rather than throwing it away.

My guess is that you are trying to remove the wrong "cover". There is a
replacement battery for a Plantronics CS70 at Amazon. The photo shows a
flat battery, which might not fit through the round area you are trying
to open. You might contact Amazon or Bedford Power, their supplier, to
see if instructions are included.

I would look for a way to remove a side panel of the battery compartment
rather than the end. It might be as simple as sliding a fingernail
along the edge of a plastic panel. The screw you removed may or may not
be involved.

I visited a Plantronics factory many years ago, and was impressed with
their operation. Whatever they lack in customer relations, they make up
for in the quality of their products. I doubt a chinese knock-off would
last as long or work as well.

Fred

[Bob F]

You could try talking to some of the places that sell the batteries.
http://www.batterybob.com/product.asp?intProdID=124354

[Jennifer Murphy]

Well, I'll be damned. You're right. The silver case comes right off. I
just wasn't pulling hard enough.

The battery is indeed soldered in and the connections are pretty small
and close together. I think my soldering iron might be too large.

I uploaded a couplew of photos of the connectors:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zs29tax9cflnu42/64Yz3HrNJL

I'll figure something out. Thanks for the help. :-)

[Jennifer Murphy]

I tried East Coast Photo. They were no help at all. I'll give Battery
Bob a try.

[Jennifer Murphy]

>The custom battery supplied should last 2� 3 years. When talk time

>decreases significantly, you should replace the battery. Call
>Plantronics at (800) 544-4660 ext.5538 for information on sending back
>to factory to install new battery"
>
>
>Also same info here
>http://www.headsetsdirect.com/blog/replacement-battery-for-the-plantronics-cs70-and-cs70n-wireless-headsets
>
>However Staples claims to carry a battery for CS70 ?????
>http://www.staples.com/Lenmar-Replacement-Battery-for-Plantronics-CS70-CS70N-Cordless-Phone-CBZ301PC/product_924266
>
>as does Amazon
>http://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Battery-PLANTRONICS-66278-01-CS70N/dp/B003LTRLPY
>
>This outfit claims that for $59 they will do the replacement for you
>http://www.metrolinedirect.com/plantronics-cs70n-replacement-battery.html

Yep, I found many of those same places, plus several more. The prices
vary wildly. The Amazon option from Bedford Power at $7.21 + $3.99 S&H
is haldf the price of the next lower one. It's on order.

[Jennifer Murphy]

On Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:54:04 -0500, Fred McKenzie <fm...@aol.com> wrote:

>In article <gclua91lqupk6kq1h...@4ax.com>,
> Jennifer Murphy <JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote:
>
>> An Internet search turned up several companies that sell replacement
>> batteries, biut none of them have instructions. The problem is that I
>> cannot figure out how to open the battery cover. It has a little
>> Phillips screw, which I removed, but that doesn't seem to hold the cover
>> on.
>>
>> There is another round "cap" that appears to require a special tool.
>
>Jennifer-
>
>I suspect the headset is considered a replacement part for the system.
>It appears to be an expensive system, and probably worth replacing the
>headset rather than throwing it away.
>
>My guess is that you are trying to remove the wrong "cover". There is a
>replacement battery for a Plantronics CS70 at Amazon. The photo shows a
>flat battery, which might not fit through the round area you are trying
>to open. You might contact Amazon or Bedford Power, their supplier, to
>see if instructions are included.
>
>I would look for a way to remove a side panel of the battery compartment
>rather than the end. It might be as simple as sliding a fingernail
>along the edge of a plastic panel. The screw you removed may or may not
>be involved.

Right you are. The silver cover slides off if you pull in the right
direction after removing the screw.

>I visited a Plantronics factory many years ago, and was impressed with
>their operation. Whatever they lack in customer relations, they make up
>for in the quality of their products. I doubt a chinese knock-off would
>last as long or work as well.

If I ever replace the whole unit, I will definitely be looking for
something with replaceable batteries. Soldering the batteries is
ridiculous.

[Nate Nagel]

Good luck, it's a disposable society. Even cell phones are going toward
non replaceable batteries which I totally disagree with, but I doubt the
average consumer will notice. The expected lifespan of the product is
likely shorter than that of the batteries.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

[The Daring Dufas]

Look to see if you if there is a Batteries Plus store near you, a repair
tech there may be able to replace the battery for you. I've
installed new batteries for my roommate in dead equipment that had
dead rechargeable batteries. He picked up the batteries at a Batteries
Plus store. ^_^

http://www.batteriesplus.com/

TDD

[Bob F]

Anyone with a soldering iron suitable for electronics should be able to do it
easily. even a larger iron might do it if carefully used. Good luck.

[Bob F]

Nate Nagel wrote:
>> If I ever replace the whole unit, I will definitely be looking for
>> something with replaceable batteries. Soldering the batteries is
>> ridiculous.
>>
>
> Good luck, it's a disposable society. Even cell phones are going
> toward non replaceable batteries which I totally disagree with, but I
> doubt the average consumer will notice. The expected lifespan of the
> product is likely shorter than that of the batteries.
>

"Non-replaceable" is in the eye of the beholder. It rarely means anything to me,
other that a bit of an obstacle.

[micky]

On Mon, 16 Dec 2013 20:17:38 -0800, "Bob F" <bobn...@gmail.com>
wrote:

I found in the trash a tire pump with a cigarette lighter plug marked
"no user-serviceable parts inside". Drilled out the rivet, replaced
the fuse, with the same size fuse, and it's worked fine for years.

[Nate Nagel]

Good point, *but* I'm just saying that if Jennifer is looking to find
small consumer electronics like that where the batteries are supposed to
be user replaceable using only a fingernail and/or jeweler's screwdriver
(and I agree with her that that is what I *want*) she's going to be very
disappointed.

[The Daring Dufas]

I repair stuff that people toss in the trash all the time. Most of the
computer equipment around here is dumpster rescue. LCD monitors,
wireless N routers, laser and inkjet printers, keyboards, mice and
speakers. I'm using a Dell Precision 390 workstation that was a rescue.
I fix chargers, cordless tools and appliances all the time. I just
repaired a 2&1/2 foot tall Sunbeam electric radiant heater that a dog
peed in. ^_^

TDD

[TomR]

Instead of unsoldering the existing soldered connections, maybe you could
cut the existing battery wires off near the existing battery. Then, install
the new battery by connecting the wires from the new battery to the
remaining wires that are still soldered to the device. Twist the wire
connections together and either tape them or, if you want, solder them.
Good luck.

[Jennifer Murphy]

Hmmm... Interesting idea. The wires are tiny and the space is very
cramped. I don't think any kind of screw connectors would fit in there
and ewven take might be too bulky. Plus I'm not sure taping tiny wires
in a tiny space would be easier than soldering. It's been a long time
since I soldered anything, but I think that's the way to go.

But thanks for the creative idea.

[Jennifer Murphy]

On Tue, 17 Dec 2013 08:08:38 -0500, Nate Nagel <njn...@roosters.net>
wrote:

But then I am disappointed by a lot of things that aren't the way they
*should* be (IMHO). ;-) I still grumble some.

[N8N]

I didn't say I didn't grumble, whine, and complain about it, just that it was the way it was.

I do go out of my way to find good quality long lasting products whenever I can, but in some cases I've found that it's simply not possible or prohibitively expensive. Some days I think I'm curmudgeonly beyond my years :/

[Jennifer Murphy]

On Wed, 18 Dec 2013 06:18:53 -0800 (PST), N8N <njn...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>I didn't say I didn't grumble, whine, and complain about it, just that it was the way it was.
>
>I do go out of my way to find good quality long lasting products whenever I can, but in some cases I've found that it's simply not possible or prohibitively expensive. Some days I think I'm curmudgeonly beyond my years :/

Good curmudgeons (not the posers) are worth their weight in gold.

[Irreverent Maximus]

Until you feed them a couple of sandwiches, a beer and a bag of chips.

[Jennifer Murphy]

I got out my old soldering iron. I haven't used it for at least 20
years, probably longer. It isn't as large as I thought it was.

I was able to unsolder the old battery without any problems, but I'm
having trouble soldering the new one in place. The wires are very thin,
which means that they bend easily. I'm having trouble keeping them in
place long enough for me to melt the solder and have it harden. I need a
third hand.

I think I'll go buy a little bench grippers with alligator clips and a
magnifying glass. If I can secure the headset, I might be able to
complete the solder.

But, before I do that, I want to try another option. I noticed that
there are actually little holes in the circuit board where the wires
could go, but they are clogged with solder. The old battery was just
soldered on top. So I guess I also need a solder sucker, unless there is
something around the house that I can use to suck the molten solder out
of those holes. If I can open them up. I can insert the wires and bend
them over on the other side. That would make the soldering job easier
and probably a better connection, as well.

Can anyone suggest a way I can suck up that solder without buying a
solder sucker that I'll never use again? Of course, they are only about
$5.

[The Daring Dufas]

You can simply melt the solder and blow it out of the hole like you were
blowing out a candle only use more force. You can get an old towel and
use it to prop up the gadget you're working on, hold the wire lead
in one hand the soldering iron in the other then if you have solder on a
spool, have a piece unrolled a bit so it sticks out from the spool then
you can tin the stripped end of the battery lead wire with solder by
touching it and the solder to the iron at the same time. You don't need
more than a tiny amount of solder to tin the short stripped end of the
wire lead. If you have solder in a plastic tube, pull out a few inches
of solder then hold the opposite end of the tube in your teeth like you
would the plastic cap of a ball point pen. Proceed with tinning the
stripped ends of the battery leads. The solder in the stranded wire
makes it stiff enough to hold together so it can be stuck through the
previously cleared hole in the circuit board then bent over enough to
stay in place or with your gadget propped up by folds in the old towel,
melt a bit of solder on the tip of the iron then holding the wire lead
with the fingers of one hand, push the tinned end of the correct
polarity battery battery lead through the hole in the circuit board then
touch the tip of the iron with tiny blob of melted solder to the tinned
lead and printed circuit board where it sticks through at the same time
and the solder will flow off the tip of the iron to to make the
connection. Don't hold the iron on the circuit board for than a second
or you may burn it. Hold the wire steady in place for a few seconds
after melting the solder and the connection will cool enough for you to
let go. I do this kind of stuff without thinking because I've done it
for so many years and even I can screw up so be safe, don't lose focus
and concentrate on what you're doing or you could damage something. I'm
sure there must be a YouTube video on soldering
wires to a circuit board but if you have any questions, don't fail to
ask. ^_^

P.S. I know you can handle it. ^_^

TDD

[N8N]

solder wick is another option, probably will cost at least $5 as well. available at radio shack, so you don't need to mail order. Somewhere around here I do have a solder sucker that works well, if I come across it in the next few days I'll post the brand.

If this is going to be a one time job and you'll never solder again, you could use scraps of stranded wire instead of solder wick if you have any around. Won't work as nicely but if you are only doing two wires, saves you a trip to store and a few bucks.

[Robert Green]

"Jennifer Murphy" <JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote in message

<stuff snipped>

> Can anyone suggest a way I can suck up that solder without buying a
> solder sucker that I'll never use again? Of course, they are only about
> $5.

Strip some solid copper wire slightly smaller than the hole, place it
against the closed up hole, heat it until the solder melts and slide the
wire back and forth through the hole. If it's as small as you say, the
solder will adhere to the wire and will leave it open enough to insert the
battery wires.

I would caution you to use an alligator clip on the battery wire between the
battery and the end of the lead to draw off some of the soldering iron's
heat. You need to keep the battery from getting too hot because it can
easily explode. DAMHIKT!

--
Bobby G.

[Jennifer Murphy]

On Mon, 23 Dec 2013 03:21:13 -0800 (PST), N8N <njn...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>solder wick is another option, probably will cost at least $5 as well. available at radio shack, so you don't need to mail order. Somewhere around here I do have a solder sucker that works well, if I come across it in the next few days I'll post the brand.

Yes, I saw some of those online as well.

>If this is going to be a one time job and you'll never solder again, you could use scraps of stranded wire instead of solder wick if you have any around. Won't work as nicely but if you are only doing two wires, saves you a trip to store and a few bucks.

Aha. Good idea. The molten solder will wick up into the strands, right?
I think I have some around here somewhere. I'll give that a try. Thanks.

[k...@attt.bizz]

On Mon, 23 Dec 2013 03:21:13 -0800 (PST), N8N <njn...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>solder wick is another option, probably will cost at least $5 as well. available at radio shack, so you don't need to mail order. Somewhere around here I do have a solder sucker that works well, if I come across it in the next few days I'll post the brand.

If she can find a small piece of coax, the braid shield will also make
pretty decent solder wick. A bit of flux, and good to go.

>If this is going to be a one time job and you'll never solder again, you could use scraps of stranded wire instead of solder wick if you have any around. Won't work as nicely but if you are only doing two wires, saves you a trip to store and a few bucks.

A solid wire poked through the hole after the pad has been heated,
works too. Keeping the wire cold (heat the pad, not the wire)
prevents the wire from being soldered to the via.

[Jennifer Murphy]

On Mon, 23 Dec 2013 09:50:02 -0500, "Robert Green"
<robert_g...@yah00.com> wrote:

>"Jennifer Murphy" <JenM...@jm.invalid> wrote in message
>
><stuff snipped>
>
>> Can anyone suggest a way I can suck up that solder without buying a
>> solder sucker that I'll never use again? Of course, they are only about
>> $5.
>
>Strip some solid copper wire slightly smaller than the hole, place it
>against the closed up hole, heat it until the solder melts and slide the
>wire back and forth through the hole. If it's as small as you say, the
>solder will adhere to the wire and will leave it open enough to insert the
>battery wires.

The hole is tiny. There are two other connectors of similar size that
are unused. I was not able to get the top of a standard push pin through
it. Even one of my larger needles is too thick.

>I would caution you to use an alligator clip on the battery wire between the
>battery and the end of the lead to draw off some of the soldering iron's
>heat. You need to keep the battery from getting too hot because it can
>easily explode. DAMHIKT!

I don't think that is a problem. When I was trying to solder it
yesterday, I was holding the battery and the lead wires in my hand. I
didn't feel any heat at all on the leads.

[Jennifer Murphy]

I want to thank everyone for their help and suggestions.

I ended up buying this replacement battery:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003LTRLPY/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I couldn't manage the headset, the battery, the soldering iron, and the
solder with just two hands, so I ordered this "third hand" gizmo:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RB38X8/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's not the easiest thing to use, it has no case, and in order to put
it back in the box it came in, I have to take it apart again. But for
$7.35, it's a good deal.

Once I got it set up, the job was done in about 10 minutes. I didn't
even need any additional solder. I was able to melt the little drop that
was already there and attach the new wires. I then reassembled the
headset and charged it up. As far as I can tell, it's working.

Thanks for the help.

[TomR]

Thanks for the follow-up, and the photos of the battery and the hobby
holding device -- I had never seen one of those.

Glad it all worked out.

[Drew Merritt]

replying to Jennifer Murphy , Drew Merritt wrote:

Visit our video on how to replace your CS70n battery we carry these
batteries in stock as well and offer a repair service to have it done. A
lot of knock off batteries will work the same as a dying battery, so be
careful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6FFBFmpqq0
http://merrittcomm.com/headset/headset-accessories/battery/merritt-replacement-battery-for-plantronics-cs70n-cs70/



--