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--- fuss:hardware [2020/11/21 13:07] – [Inventing a Backlit Desk Vice] office
+++ fuss:hardware [2021/10/17 22:56] – [USB Pinout] office
@@ Line 300: / Line 300: @@
 The design is rather simple and consists of an LCD strip and a step-up converter from $5V$ to $12V$ in order to allow the light to be powered via an USB connector. The design can be improved, perhaps by adding an UV light instead of the LCD strip in order to be able to see damages to the board due to capacitor leaks.
+====== Repairing a Broken PCI Bracket ======
+Using some magic putty and a Dremel, a broken PCI bracket can be repaired and seems to hold up to the torque exerted by the screw holding the PCI card in place.
+{{fuss:fuss_hardware_repairing_pci_bracket_inner_view.png?512}}
+The trick is to combine the two substances found in the magic putty and then wait for approximately 12 hours for the curing.
+{{fuss:fuss_hardware_repairing_pci_bracket_side_view.png?512}}
+After the putty has cured, a Dremel can be used to saw off the excess material and drill a hole for the screw to hold the PCI card in place.
+====== USB Pinout ======
+{{fuss:fuss_hardware_usb_pinout.png}}
+====== Jump Start Dead Batteries =======
+After storing devices with a battery inside for a longer while, due due to passive and residual current flowing through the circuits, batteries tend to be drained completely to the point that even battery chargers will not be able to recharge the battery. For instance, the popular IMAX multi-battery charger and its clones, when connected to the terminals of the battery will report that the connection is broken and will refuse to charge the battery at all, the error message displayed being "Connection break...".
+Furthermore, commercial hardware, as a combination between regulatory (and safety) standards, low power requirements and cheap electronics often bundle a built-in charger that simply is not powerful enough to charge the battery up to its fullest - this is particularly damaging to batteries without memory retention such as LiIon or LiPo where the battery is best maintained charged. The result is that batteries are left in a weak state all the time, most of the time being undercharged and being constantly discharged even passively by residual standby current.
+Assuming that one has access to a battery charger such as the IMAX, a voltage generator and a battery that will not charge, a technique to get the battery jump-started is to apply the battery's nominal voltage using the voltage generator to its terminals for just a few seconds. For instance, for a completely depleted LiPo battery (one good example, the Sony SP73), rated at $1A$ and $4.7V$, apply a current of $4.7V$ to the positive and negative terminals for a few seconds. If an amperemeter is connected in series, one should observe that the battery will start drawing a lot of current from the voltage generator for the duration that the charge is applied to the terminals (for Sony SP73, about $2A$ was observed) such that one must ensure that the application of the charge is short.
+Hopefully, the effect will be that the battery will be charged just enough for the battery charger to pick up the battery voltage and accept to charge the battery.
+This was carried out on a Sony SP73 LiIon battery powering a Sony MX2 that was completely drained to the point that the IMAX charger reported "Connection break..." and refused to charge the battery. However, the same technique should apply perfectly to other battery types as well. Just make sure to wear protection glasses. :)