PC88mx and the dreaded battery replacement

[joelfriedman]

Hi,

After moving this past summer I finally setup my ANCIENT used PC88mx only to see the "battery low" message. Many of you know what it's like to replace the fricken battery (no, I don't need directions, only sympathy). I did it just last year and was surprised to see the message as the keyboard was shut down in May and has been sitting unused and unplugged in the corner of my studio since June.

So, the question is: what actually happens if the battery dies? I'm using it ONLY as a dumb MIDI controller. I have no interest in presets, edits, or other functions, not even the internal sounds (the keyboard was twice repaired for faulty wiring that doest allow for stereo monitoring/play). If it's plugged in can I still use it play whatever sounds are triggered in either DP or Sibelius? Will it input with a drained or dead battery? I never thought of this, but figured it was worth an ask.

If I have to perform surgery I will, but it is a major PITA to take it apart and replace the battery. Anyone have any idea if I can avoid doing that but still use it?

Thanks!

Joel

[HCMarkus]

Anyone have any idea if I can avoid doing that but still use it?

Thanks!

Joel

No first-hand experience with that keyboard here but, based on older Kurzweill stuff, I suspect it will simply default to factory ROM settings if the battery is completely dead and the keyboard will still work fine.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Hey Joel,

I went thru this a few months ago and regretted it. The PC88 is old and the components are getting fragile, not to mention the action.

AFAIK, a dead battery will just stop remembering your presets. Factory sets will remain as they are in ROM. I don't think I've ever seen a CR2032 leak, but "long term, place, and dead" are not exactly good house keeping. I've lost a few costly devices that way.

The nightmare for me was that after replacing the battery (something I've done successfully before) the keyboard stopped working. I had crimped a ribbon cable or something,. In any event, I opened up and reset the cable and all but the top 2 octaves worked. Opened it again (you'll not get much sympathy from me) and all but high C was working. Then it started working and had low velocity. Last time I tried it, it seemed to be OK but the overall volume was a bit lower than usual on the instrument overall and the velocity seem diminished (harder). IOW, what we have on our hands is a dying shark.

I have it for studio uses a controller mostly. I also have a PC2 as my road board. I don't use either for sounds in recordings. That'ssoooo 1980's. Ha ha ha.

So my recommendation (IOW, what I would do) is leave it alone. If it fails big time you'll have to open it anyway. If it doesn't, you won't be risking breaking the instrument for a relatively unnecessary procedure. That applies to most elective surgeries, IMO.