SWMBO's got a 9" Nexus tablet that doesn't like working if the battery's showing less than 50%, so I presume I've got to replace it.
I've seen some videos and it doesn't look like too arduous task.
Any advice welcome, particularly where to source a decent replacement battery, there seems to be loads on line with widely varying prices.
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I just had a quick look at these. Not a lot cheaper sourcing directly from China (e.g. AliExpress), but with a considerable delay in delivery, so I guess eBay would be your best bet. But make sure it is shipping from the UK. Lots look like they are (e.g. the item location says UK or they come up if you filter on UK only) but actually come from China. Sometimes you can tell because they quote long delivery, or in others the sellers address is lower down in the ad.
Anyway, I've changed phone and iPod batteries about ten or twelve times and always only bought cheap ones, and not yet had a problem. I've checked that the same battery is being sold by others if it isn't OEM. Some stated larger capacity than the original but I didn't really bother testing, but they definitely weren't any worse.
The YouTubes sometimes make the job look easier than it is. It's usually a fiddly job, and I've often nearly fallen at the first hurdle of opening the case, and invariably ended up scratching the case a bit trying to prise it open. Some of the batteries come with the plastic tools which work but not really until you have the case at least partly apart. I also bought some specialist double sided tape in case it was required to put it back together (which it has been once or twice - although desirable rather than essential).
Having said that, it is so much cheaper to d-i-y that I'd do it again and would not hesitate to recommend that you try.
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>> I've often nearly fallen at the first hurdle of opening the case, and invariably ended up scratching the case a bit trying to prise it open
Buy and sharpen one of those little pallet knives intended for clay modelling. A guitar plectrum is also a very useful substitute. It does need to be plastic.
You will probably end up with a bunch of little screws, sometimes they are different sizes. Best to pay attention.
The plastic clips holding cables often have a stronger grip then you would expect. Don't pull them apart by pulling the cables.
Tweezers may be useful, as may one of those magnifying glass stand things (depending on your eyesight).
I've not done a Nexus, but I've done various others. Just slow and steady with no prize for speed will get you through.
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For case opening with minimum damage, you need a thin but wide tool called a spudger, Ifixit make the best, and here is the best case opening tool in the business.
www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/iOpener/IF145-198?o=8
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 14 Apr 19 at 16:15
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There was a boy at my school called Spudger McDonald, no one seemed to know why he was called that, his real name was Gregor.
I suppose it's always going to be a mystery now.
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I have all those tools. The edges simply didn't seem to be up to levering the case apart. Happy to be proved wrong. I felt in the videos they had probably previously opened the cases. Maybe each case has a specific point it should be opened at,
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>> I have all those tools. The edges simply didn't seem to be up to levering
>> the case apart. Happy to be proved wrong. I felt in the videos they had
>> probably previously opened the cases. Maybe each case has a specific point it should be
>> opened at,
You "spring" the cases a tad, with a twist or a bend, and then use the spudger with that tension in the case
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 14 Apr 19 at 17:56
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New battery turned up this week and I round to doing it this afternoon. I couldn't get the metal clip back over the connector, so just added a bit of packing so the back holds it down. It's currently charging and the battery level indicator's rising. It worked straight away with the new battery showing around 25% charge, which it never did with the old battery.
It would seem the old lithium polymer battery was unable to deliver something whenever it fell below around 50% charge.
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Nexus tablet battery replacement - smokie
