So last week i stumbled upon this DCC170 complete in box at a thrift store.
Even including a tape and a 1997 receipt from the Philips “personeelswinkel” in Doetinchem.
Once i was home took the battery out and tried powering it up with the AC adapter, power up seemed fine did even hear the motor but to be suspected the belt has gone.
So after ordering a new belt i decided it was time to look into replacing the original battery.
After gutting it i found that a 18650 Lithium-Ion battery cell would fit almost perfect, this got me thinking in about a way to get a 18650 to work in a original battery case. This would have the effect of greatly improving the battery life.
Look like we have gone for the same idea of basically make a USB Power bank fit inside the case. Does it also charge over micro usb?
I was trying to think of a way to make the original AC adapter also make charge the batterypack when inside the player, but havent come that far yet…
Both of them charge via micro usb outside the player.
For the dcc130 and Panasonic portables you can even switch the 18650 battery as it is spring loaded. This design solves the problem that a lot of external chargers of the first generation portables are lost or broken.
They are already available for patrons of the dccmuseum.
I really hope someone did not try and demagnetize the head before you.
Have you tried and go into service mode and see what the tracks are telling you?
Have you double checked the flat cables from the head to the read-write board. Sometimes the cable is not completely inside the connector after replacing the belt.
So i took the PCB’s back out of the machine again and when i did i accidentally broke and dropped ic Q119. Taking a closer look it seemed that the solder joints where bad before i nudged the small IC off…
This IC is responsible for converting 3.2v into 3v for the read/write head. It would explain why i didnt get any signal!
Since the old IC had vanished on the floor and i could only find this RN5RG30A IC in china i temporarily bypassed it sending the 3.2v to the head instead of the 3v. And there was music!
Congratulations. Personally, I would not look for the same part, but try to fit in an appropriate current linear regulator with an internal power transistor to protect the head as good as possible. Parts from China are often refurbished with a fake new print and can fail again or are entirely something else. Or ask @drdcc for a chip from a donor, he may have one.
The read/write amplifier controls the sense current going through the head. so a easier available 3v regulator will do the trick as well and cut out the separate power transistor as long as i can vind a replacement ic that can supply the current.
These look very nice. I thought about a 18650 case for the DCC 170 too, came up with a different approach: leaving the 18650 exposed. The 3d printed part + electronics will then stay in the device. If a battery is empty, you can take it out, put a new one in and recharge the empty battery in a generic usb 18650 charger.
