DIY: HVX200 Battery Compartment Replacement (Don't try this at home?)

K

Kholi

Section Moderator
STATUS: SUCCESS

TIME ELAPSED: 4.5 Hours

DIFFICULTY RATING: 7/10 (without a book to tell you how to deconstruct it!)

Everything is working properly.

Poor, poor HVX. All four battery tabs are gone. After one goes, the rest follow soon after. =( Tragic. And gaffing your battery doesn't look safe on set!
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So, I ordered a my new Battery replacement casing. I'm not under warranty, so I have to do it myself! Is it worth the four-hundred dollar ($400.00) risk? The replacement part was about 110.00 After shipping or just a little more. It's solid and clean!
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This is so scary. A six-thousand dollar ($6,000.00) Machine deconstructed. And RIGHT next to a bottle of water! It wasn't as scary as it looks. All of the parts look just like PC parts, so it was easy to disconnect ribbons for safety measures and reconnect later. Although, I forgot to secure the P2/TAPE switch, so it was stuck in TAPE MODE for a second! Boy, you should've seen the tears welling in mine eyes.
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But, after re-opening the side panel, snapping the lock back down, things were back up and running perfecto! I made sure to test everything that I could think of... these battery tabs are so pretty!
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And so is the HVX when it's turned on after having body parts transplanted.
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Minor Recap: There were SO MANY SCREWS. I think I took out like forty trying to get this thing in. Although, all panels are pretty solid! And so are the ribbons! One thing that scared me was the possibility of snapping a cable but... nope! Everything in this thing is pretty solid. Much better than Cell Phone ribbons. My LCD is in tact, and there are no tears on the ribbons.

I wish I would've had some kinda manual to tell me how to do it, but, no good; I had to go in blind folded.

You'll need a nice small tool for the job. A phillips head that fits the screws perfectly and lets you get a grip on it. My fingers hurt!

All in all, a fun experience and rewarding as well. My Cam works, and my battery tabs are here!
 
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How old is your camera? Didn't Jan say they'd replace them for up to two years old?

I still need to get mine in as it has two broken tabs but it seems that something comes up and I need to shoot something and can't send it in.
 
You're a braver man than me! Were the screws all the same size and held in by loctite?
Didn't Panasonic upgrade the battery holder to include tabs to help hold it in place? I can't tell from your pix.
No more velcro?
 
Good job man, and thanks for the warning. If I had a dollar for every leftover screw I have had over the years I think it would buy me a new HVX.
 
How about a picture of the old vs. new battery compartment so people can see how the design changed.
 
Jan has said that the repairs may be made, but never has Panasonic officially stated this anywhere. Because of this I am forced to believe that repairs are on a case by case basis because there is absolutely no official declaration in writing anywhere.

I've asked for it, but never got a response.
 
Hey guys, sorry about late responses.

How old is your camera? Didn't Jan say they'd replace them for up to two years old?

I still need to get mine in as it has two broken tabs but it seems that something comes up and I need to shoot something and can't send it in.
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I honestly have no idea how old the camera really is. I bought it used, so with no boxes or warranty, etc. That's why I decided to get it done. Get a replacement as soon as you can, those battery tabs are NASTY. The new ones "seem" a lot sturdier, and I think the material's polymer instead of "plastic".

Are you now removing the battery when storing the HVX in a bag/case or are the new tabs so strong that they will not brake????
Is the part made of another polymer (less brittle)? or has the construction been improved?
Click to expand...

I'd like to say "Heck yeah I'm removing the battery!". Reality of it is, leaving it on in the Pelican case is much more convenient. I don't think you should leave the battery on all the time, but eh. The material FEELS a lot more sturdy, but it might just be a mental thing. I know that the part itself was discontinued when I tried to order it, and they replaced it with the newest one. I'm assuming this one is better material.

You're a braver man than me! Were the screws all the same size and held in by loctite?
Didn't Panasonic upgrade the battery holder to include tabs to help hold it in place? I can't tell from your pix.
No more velcro?
Click to expand...

All of the screws were the same size, thank goodness. Nothing loctite, though. They were just torqued in there very well which is why I say to get the exact size Philips head. I had to really wrench a few of them out, and my hands are still a little meh from it all.

The tabs are the same, but I'll go back and look at it to make sure that they're actually newer pieces. No more velcro or paper tape!

Good job man, and thanks for the warning. If I had a dollar for every leftover screw I have had over the years I think it would buy me a new HVX.
Click to expand...

In hindsight, I must've been hopped up on something. When I look at those pictures after sleep, it looks like a nightmare! I wouldn't recommend sane people do it.

How about a picture of the old vs. new battery compartment so people can see how the design changed.
Click to expand...

Hey T, as soon as me girlfriend finishes with the D70 I'll go and grab the old one to take a picture of it. This one does FEEL sturdier, as I mentioned... it could all be in my head.

Jan has said that the repairs may be made, but never has Panasonic officially stated this anywhere. Because of this I am forced to believe that repairs are on a case by case basis because there is absolutely no official declaration in writing anywhere.

I've asked for it, but never got a response.
Click to expand...

And there's no telling how long it'll take. I just had to do it asap, because I was tired of people looking at my camera funny with the tape down the side.

The parts were backordered, it took a week n'a half for them to arrive at the place, and two days to arrive at my apartment from the date Pana charged my card.
 
Kholi,

We also replace the back panel since that is the second modified part from Panasonic. It has additional tabs to support the battery so that the tabs don't break again.

Just thought that you would like to know. I'm sure that you would like to open it back up again to get the back panel replaced! :)

Good job Kholi!

Andrew Hoffman
Senior Operations Manager
Specialized Communications Corp.
20940 Twin Springs Dr.
Smithsburg, MD 21783-1510 USA
800-359-1858
301-790-0103
Fax: 301-790-0173
andrewh@spec-comm.com
www.spec-comm.com

Please visit our new online store at ( http://www.spec-comm.com/store ). New products being added daily!
 
David S. said:
Jan has said that the repairs may be made, but never has Panasonic officially stated this anywhere. Because of this I am forced to believe that repairs are on a case by case basis because there is absolutely no official declaration in writing anywhere.

I've asked for it, but never got a response.
Click to expand...

We have been replacing the back panel and battery case for our customers in the second year and the parts have been getting covered under warranty but not labor. We charge $85 per hour.

Andrew Hoffman
Senior Operations Manager
Specialized Communications Corp.
20940 Twin Springs Dr.
Smithsburg, MD 21783-1510 USA
800-359-1858
301-790-0103
Fax: 301-790-0173
andrewh@spec-comm.com
www.spec-comm.com

Please visit our new online store at ( http://www.spec-comm.com/store ). New products being added daily!
 
Thanks for the info, Andrew! Next time I break the battery tabs (Sure it'll happen again, lol) I'll send it your way.

I can't see the additional tabs, though. It seems like Pana might've gotten back in the older one? Can you show me a picture of the new tabs by chance?
 
Wow yeah, that's not the one I have. Strangely enough, they said that one was discontinued and sent me a different one. So I guess I didn't luck out with the cooler battery compartment. =(

Oh well, just have to be a bit more careful.
 
Spec-Comm said:
We have been replacing the back panel and battery case for our customers in the second year and the parts have been getting covered under warranty but not labor. We charge $85 per hour.
Click to expand...

Doesn't that run about four hours for the repair, plus shipping/insurance?
 
David S. said:
Doesn't that run about four hours for the repair, plus shipping/insurance?
Click to expand...

Yes. Three to Four hours. In that time, we will change out the Back Panel, the Battery Compartment and perform a full detail and check for firmware updates.

Andrew Hoffman
Senior Operations Manager
Specialized Communications Corp.
20940 Twin Springs Dr.
Smithsburg, MD 21783-1510 USA
800-359-1858
301-790-0103
Fax: 301-790-0173
andrewh@spec-comm.com
www.spec-comm.com

Please visit our new online store at ( http://www.spec-comm.com/store ). New products being added daily!
 
Kholi said:
Wow yeah, that's not the one I have. Strangely enough, they said that one was discontinued and sent me a different one. So I guess I didn't luck out with the cooler battery compartment. =(

Oh well, just have to be a bit more careful.
Click to expand...

What part number did they send you?

Andrew
 
Wow, for that plus the cost of shipping as well as a shipping container I'm better of just buying a roll of gafers tape and put the money towards something else, like a Cartoni Focus head.
 
n8ture said:
Wow, for that plus the cost of shipping as well as a shipping container I'm better of just buying a roll of gafers tape and put the money towards something else, like a Cartoni Focus head.
Click to expand...

More reason as to why I simply did it myself. It's a little risky, nerve wrecking... but eh.

Andrew, I got part number VYK1Y38 and it was 95.80 shipped.
 
Ok, VYK1Y38 is the newest version of that part so you got the right one. We sell them for $79.35 plus whatever shipping is.

VYK1Y37 is the part number for the new Back Panel. It is $76.22 plus shipping.

Another thing to keep in mind when performing your own repairs is voiding the warranty. If your tabs break in the first year, Panasonic will cover the parts and labor. If the camera is in it's second year, both of these parts get covered by Panasonic but not labor. Just something to keep in mind.

It looks you're well skilled Kholi. Good job!. :) Nice pics too.

Best regards,

Andrew Hoffman
Senior Operations Manager
Specialized Communications Corp.
20940 Twin Springs Dr.
Smithsburg, MD 21783-1510 USA
800-359-1858
301-790-0103
Fax: 301-790-0173
andrewh@spec-comm.com
www.spec-comm.com

Please visit our new online store at ( http://www.spec-comm.com/store ). New products being added daily!
 
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