Topic: Re-assembling a Rainwise cylindrical Mark III

[DaleReid]

I got an eBay Rainwise mark III, the type that is a cylinder with the solar panel wrapped around it vertically, not the newer style with the box and a pivoting panel that can be adjusted for various latitudes.

It checked out functioning correctly right out of the shipping box, but I noticed that something, namely the battery, was moving when I changed the position of the sensor suite, so I figured no time like the present to open it up, check it over, and maybe secure the moving battery.  The seller had noted that he had changed the humidity/temperature sensor after it stopped working and when he had it off the top of his house he also swapped out the battery.

Well, after getting the panel off and sliding the innards with the board and battery out, I didn't find any damage and cleaned off some spider webs etc and went to re-assemble it.  Holy cow, while in its arrival state the battery would slide up and down an inch or so, now I can't figure out how to GENTLY stuff the whole thing back in the inner sleeve.

The board has to fit along one side, and the battery apparently goes on the component side, just sitting there, but even though I didn't change a thing, there now seems to be no physical way that the whole thing can gently slide back into the container.  I'm sure some gremlin or bad elf has done something to it, but rather than force it and crack the component board, or damage some of the vertical electroytics, I'm at a loss to get this back together and working again.

Has anyone taken some of these types apart to do battery or other maintenance?

If I had purchased a different battery I would suspect that there was a difference in dimensions, but this thing never left my bench in the five minutes I had it apart.  And how it could go from sloppy and sliding to such a tight fit baffles me.

I am pretty sure I have the right orientation and all due to the plug ins and the connectors, etc. but obviously I could be wrong.  I guess I should have taken pictures as I took it apart.

With the long holiday weekend I'm wanting to get some projects done and am looking for any comments on tricks to get back together, etc.  Even if I forced it risking damage, I'm not sure that I can get it all back in again.

Thanks for any comments or snide remarks about 'should have left well enough alone...' which I've already heard a couple times from my wife.

[DaleReid]

BLUSH

Talk about not thinking outside the box.

I re checked my work this morning and wondered if I could gain room by flipping the circuit board OVER with the components facing the wall of the cylinder, and the solder stubs pointing inside, towards where the battery had to be.

Voila, fits, loose, could take a little sponge padding to keep it from rattling around.

Boy, sometimes taking a fresh look a day later helps, as does trying to 'think outside the box' and not assume that the components have to face the interior.

Lesson learned, hopefully in the spirit of the board to spread info (no matter how stupid the initial mistake was) will archive it in the hopes that if by some remote reason another owner gets into the same pickle, how I resolved it will be available for them.

[VaJim]

...I was going to say.....my MKIII battery area has the 'little sponge padding'.  Keeps things tight and secure. 

[DaleReid]

Yeah, this is a used item, and the previous owner decided to swap out the battery when he had it down.

My other Mark IIIs all have a bit of black stuff that is sort of sponge, sort of plastic, that cushions the battery in the box.

I much prefer the box to the cylinder.