Unbricking Z5500, Battery Discharge & Service Menu

[Xaser]

Hi!
 Please excuse the long messague but hope that it could helps other people...

I'm really happy by now, because I could unbrick my Z5500 after some long digging on the forums and reading mixed symptoms on diferent models of Z's

I had a very messy case, because I brick my Z5500 after test a self-made battery pack of 4 AA NiMH batteries that in the first try I connected inverted to my Z5500, and then it works fine after I check it and correct (only maintin the wrong connection
for few seconds that takes to me to recheck all...) and after that I forgot my Z by 2 days on my cars with the  battery almost at minimun...so when I Triying to charge again it didnt wake up, and with the previous facts I started to conclude that my Z was lost...so like I believ that I didnt had nothig to loose....

So, the only good signal that I got was that after some reset and hard reset, was that I got the yellow led on like if my Z could be charging but it didnt... so I check the forums and read the mixed info and after check the good info at http://www.tekprosystems.com/zaurus/internals.htm I conclude that is not a hardware fault...(by the way Im not afraid to use soldering iron on small devices...Im electrical engineer and lost the fear long long time ago when I started to made Ram upgrades on my Amiga 1000 and doing lots of them for earn some money, by piggybacking and soldering ram chips over the chip soldered on the main board...  )

So I point to the info of
http://www.zaurususergroup.com/modules.php...Service%20Menus

http://www.zaurususergroup.com/modules.php...%20not%20charge

but it HAVE some diferences to make it on a Z5500 specialty...
1) Follow all the recharging battery instructions on that pages. They are clear and Good.
2)The service menu on a Z5500  (and apparently also on a Z5000, but I didnt have one...)
i reached by this:
2a)remove battery on Z5500 and charging it externally.
2b)without battery push reset button for 20 seconds...
2c)put battery on place BUT DONT PUT THE BATTERY COVER AND DONT FLIP THE Battery switch lever
(maintain it at replace battery position) and connect the zaurus charger properly
2d)PUSH at the same time the keys D and P on keyboard and reset pushbutton inside battery bay.
2e)aftera second or two... tadaaa...appears the service menu and in the option 3 of the screen 1
you could move between option with cursor key on slide keyboard and select option with OK key, for
cancel and option or exit, use the DEL key(without use SHIFT key, only push that key...)
2f)Follow carefully the info on the page for battery CX00 for resetting the volatge level.
2g)Exit the service menu by simple push again the reset button.
2h)wait 30 seconds and then restart your Z5500 (and may be Z5000).

and some other info that at least I conclude of this:

1) Use of a battery pack that is selfmade but very well checked polarity of the connector and by use of 4 AA batteries NIMH dont damage your Z5500 and even the Zcould resist a short
time (few seconds...)  of inverse voltage batteries pack, but this is a suppose that you could take if you have troubles and it is made for few seconds.

2)You WILL HAVE A VERY HIGH CHANCE of fry your Z5500 if you connect it while you start your car because the diferent car adapter have diferent quality protecting overvoltage circuitry for diferent brand of adapters/cell adpater modified/other brands computers adapters/cheap adapters, so AVOID start your car whit you Z connected...

Im sure by now that all the bricked Zs by dischargin and may be some of the brickeds by flashig are because that bug.

I decided to made this post because the usefull info is really mixed on the forums and didnt found one post that puts the things really clear for my Z5500, so part on my revival was by guessing following the info for the other models but without knowing If  I could made the things worst.

Anyway please excuse this post if it botther,but I wrote it with the hope that may be it help somebody else...

Have a nice day!  

Xaser

[ran]

so AVOID start your car whit you Z connected...

Turning off the car could be a problem,  too:  inductive loads (like motors,  relays,  and alternators) can generate big spikes as they shut down.

Rado Shack sells a gadget for about $20 that's a 12V equivalent to the surge suppressor power strips that we all use for PCs and other expensive home electronics.  It provides 3 outlets,  which is nice if you want to,  e.g.,  run your Z and GPS while charging your cellphone.

I can't say that it's actually saved anything from frying in the year or so I've been using it,  but I worry less,  and it's not much more expensive than an unprotected 3-outlet Y-adapter.

Ran

[Xaser]

Hi Ran!

I agree with you...  additional  peaks could be from diferent  ignition systems on cars, and when them start to fail...  for now I believe that the only way that  could be used to start a car with expensive devices gadgets connected is by testing the adaptor voltage output before use it with gadgets duringa a starting, with a good multimeter (in fact in some cases may be more usefull a GOOD analog multimeter, because cheap digital meters are sometimes so cheap that simply dont detect or show well transitory voltages, but with the movement of a needle in a good analog somebody could chheck well if the adapter blocks well the trasitory peaks...
 
Best Regards!  

[ran]

but with the movement of a needle in a good analog somebody could chheck well if the adapter blocks well the trasitory peaks...

Not really:  the spikes can be too short for the analog meter to detect them,  while still packing enough energy to cause damage.  A good analog meter is certainly better than a digital one for this purpose,  but you really need an oscilloscope to do a satisfactory test.

Ran

[Xaser]

yep.... I tottally agree.... nothing better to see spikes that an oscilloscope...   hum, but  they could may not commonly available and not so easy to set for the common user...  
by the way, the analog meter could be easy to be available in most of places...  anyway... more than do test I still choose to plug my devices (cell too) only when a acr is started, and unplug devices before turn it off...  is not a big effort and for sure could be a simple way to avoid fry the valuable toys....  

However, for the register, I really agree with ran... If somebody needs to use an electronic device atached semipermanent way to a car, must be check the power source of the device with an oscillo if the adapter device is not clearly guarantee to use in that way.

C U L8ter and best regards to all!