I have a confession to make - I have never had to replace a battery in a SLC system before. Somehow, I have managed to avoid this task throughout my years of experience. However, yesterday when the need to replace the battery arose, I discovered that it is located on the card and must be removed in order to change it (which seems somewhat inconvenient). My concern is whether removing the battery in an unpowered state will result in the loss of the program, as I would anticipate. Can anyone confirm if this is the case?
It is possible for the capacitors in devices to lose their strength over time, although they are designed to last long enough for battery replacement. To avoid any issues, it is a good idea to connect and perform an online save before shutting down the device. In case of any malfunctions, there is a reset procedure that involves removing the battery and shorting two points on the board to drain the capacitors and reset the device to its default settings. It is recommended to hold the points shorted for at least 1 to 5 minutes.
To ensure you don't lose your program and data when swapping the battery, you should always assume the capacitor may not hold the charge. Upload a fresh backup before replacing the battery to avoid any potential issues. Even though I once had a unit sit unpowered for a week and retain the program, it's best not to rely on luck. I've personally made it a habit to create a new backup before any battery swaps to prevent any unexpected data loss. Following this practice has helped me avoid any mishaps due to Murphy's Law.
I was optimistic about this and hoping for the best. It doesn't seem like it would be straightforward to achieve, but you never know. Let's test if my aging hands still have the skills to make it happen.
I must confess, I have never had to replace a SLC505 battery before and was surprised to learn that it requires removing the card. I recently requested an I&C tech to do it, but now understand why it hasn't been done yet. Knowing this will be valuable for future reference. It's unfortunate that such a critical task for process equipment cannot be performed without shutdown.
Due to space limitations, the models 5/01 and 5/02 feature the battery located at the front. However, in the 5/03 model and onwards, the presence of two communication ports posed a challenge as it limited the accessibility of the battery space.
Actually, that's a common misconception. When dealing with SLC systems, the program isn't stored in volatile memory so it won't be lost if the SLC is without power. The program is stored in non-volatile memory (EEPROM), so you can change the battery without fear of program loss. It's true that the battery change process could be more user-friendly, but at least you don't need to worry about power-loss affecting program data.
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Answer: The battery in a SLC 5/05 system is located on the card and needs to be removed in order to change it.
Answer: Yes, removing the battery in an unpowered state can result in the loss of the program data in a SLC 5/05 system.
Answer: To replace the battery in a SLC 5/05 system without losing program data, you can use a memory module to backup and restore the program after changing the battery.
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