Hello,
No formal training, but do like to repair devices at home (and keep vintage electronics and computers going).
Yet another alkaline battery has leaked prodigiously into a device (after only a few months). A wall-mounted thermostat.
Is the sort of clip pictured, which contacts an AA battery negative terminal at one end, and seemed to just clamp onto a conductive trace at the edge of PCB at the other, an easy-to-find standard form (for replacement) or a custom piece?
It is quite corroded and even peeling, and suspect replacing the clip would be better than devising a work-around.
Visually searching through product photos on supplier websites (like Digi— and Mous-- here in the US) has not been effective.
Thanks for any comment.
I’d assume that since it’s from a thermostat, it’s likely a custom made part - most of the common traditional thermostat companies like have been around for a while tend to mostly reuse their existing custom designs instead of using standardised components
Since it’s peeling this could be difficult to salvage too… usually I use foil to solve connection issues caused by corrosion, or have a poke around on Ebay for a secondhand one if it’s really bad
You could also consider re-shaping a (conductive) paperclip to contact the aa battery in a similar way.
I’ve had middling-to-good results making battery contacts out of springy bronze metal stock. It solders well, it’s easy to shape, and if you get the right kind of metal it retains its springiness well. (510 or 544 alloy, maybe? It’s been a while.)