Customer:
I bought a third-party battery that looked like it had similar specifications to the Soldered battery. When I plugged it into the Inkplate 10, the board started smoking. Is there a safe way to install the battery?
Originally submitted via the contact form on soldered.com on 11 December 2021. Migrated to the forum for community visibility.
Soldered Support:
The battery you bought has different polarity than the Soldered battery and the JST connector on Inkplate 10. Connecting the battery with the wrong polarity likely damaged the charger on Inkplate 10. Before using another battery, check the voltage on the JST battery connector on Inkplate 10 with a voltmeter to ensure it’s correct.
Customer:
I didn’t know the connectors would be different. The board won’t power on via USB anymore. Is it likely I’ve damaged it? What can I do to fix it?
Soldered Support:
Send a picture with the IC that was damaged marked. Also, make sure you pressed the power switch when you plugged the USB in to turn Inkplate 10 on.
If you have a multimeter, connect Inkplate 10 to USB and measure the voltage on the VIN and 3V3 pins. If the voltage is not present, your Inkplate 10 is damaged. If any parts get hot when powered, they have been damaged and can only be replaced. Wrong polarity on the battery typically damages the battery charger and/or voltage regulator. After you send the measuring data and pictures with marked ICs, we can determine what needs to be replaced.