Inkplate 6 MCP73831 charger IC destroyed by reversed LiPo connector polarity

TECHNICAL SUPPORT Inkplate
1

Customer:

I was trying to use a LiPo battery on my Inkplate 6 for the first time and the charger IC went up in smoke. It turns out that my battery’s connector was wired the opposite to what the Inkplate was expecting.

I have three questions:

  1. Since there is no wiring standard for these batteries using JST connectors (RC standard v IoT standard), why not add a reverse polarity protection to the board?
  2. What is my best chance of fixing this? I can try and desolder the burnt IC and replace it with a new one, but with only a soldering iron it sounds very tricky.
  3. Is there anything you can do for me?

Originally submitted via email support on 9 October 2021. Migrated to the forum for community visibility.

2

Soldered Support:

Yes, the Li-ion battery is not standardized, that’s why there are marks on the PCB for polarity.

You can replace the MCP73831 IC with hot air, or even with a soldering iron if you are skilled, but you must be careful not to apply too much heat, otherwise you might damage the glued e-paper panel. Another option is to get an external battery charger as a replacement for this one, and hook it up to the board: Soldered: Open-Source Electronics, Boards, Sensors & Modules – Soldered Electronics