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Help! MZ-RH1 battery removal...

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MichaelBeardy

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Hi,

I'm hoping someone here can help me - I can't get the battery out of either of my new-ish MZ-RH1's. I open the door and the battery springs forward a millimetre or two and then stops. I've tried pulling it out with sticky tape, but it won't move any further. It's not like it's wedged - I've had that happen with NiMH gumstick batteries which have swollen in the past. This is more like a hard, mechanical stop - as if there's some additional catch holding it in that I need to release.

Am I missing something here? Do I need to do something more than just open the battery door to get the battery out? I've had a look in the manual and I can't see anything (unless I've missed it).

Please, if you've got an RH1 can you have a look and see how the battery comes out?

Thanks!

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No, you're not missing anything - once you've opened the cover the battery should just slide out.

Did you buy the RH1s from a dealer? If so, and assuming they still have the original batteries in them, I'd take them back and ask them to sort it out. Otherwise it may be a case of using brute force. I've just taken the back off an old RH1, as I thought it might get you access the battery compartment, but unfortunately it doesn't.

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Gently grab it with a pair of tweezers or small needle nose pliers and pull it out.

Are the batteries in these units aftermarket replacements? I have a few of those and mine do not fit exactly right, they are a bit large for the space.

When I suggest "gently" I mean do not crush the battery and do so at your own risk!

I would not suggest prying them out either, no sense putting any undue force on the unit itself ...

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I got a hold of a used RH1 that had a similar problem.

After dragging the battery out (kicking and screaming) with some tweezers, I found that there was a bit of plastic lodged in the battery compartment that i had to take the unit apart somewhat in order to get out.

You wouldn't think two newish units would have the exact same problem, but you never know.

I'm not recommending what I did (I took a bit of a gamble that things would work out), just hoping to be helpful :yes:

Be gentle!

Gotta agree with Hungerdunger - if from a dealer, have them sort it out.

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Thanks for the replies.

Both units are pretty new, bought new online from (2 different) legit Sony dealers, and the batteries are the original, Sony ones that came in the box with the recorder. It does seem like this may be a fairly common issue, and if I send the units back to the dealers, who's to say that a replacement will be any better? I have a feeling I might get a better result by sending back to Sony UK for repair under guarantee - it probably won't be the first time they've had to correct this issue.

It would be interesting to see just how widespread this issue seems to be though, since both Azureal and slugbahr have encountered it. I wonder just how many MZ-RH1 owners on this forum have also had this same issue with theirs?

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I'd be inclined to loosen (temporarily) the screw on the corner beneath where the battery comes out. As you're under warranty you lose nothing, I don't think they're going to void the warranty on that basis as those bottom screws usually become loose on a new unit (from my experience and those of others).

I had an issue when I first tried to disassemble mine (i mean take it apart, not replace the battery) - there was a silly piece of black plastic from what I call the "siding" of the unit, that is very flimsy, is not needed, and had broken off. Eventually after panicking that I had bust it (it definitely broke as a result of my efforts), I simply put everything back without it. I'm thinking THIS is the piece that might be stuck someplace.

HTH

Stephen

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Thanks for the replies.

I managed to sort it - the cause was very simple, as was the solution. I'll post it up here in case anyone else finds it useful.

You know the blue, self-adhesive "wrapper" that Sony puts on the battery? Well, the edge of where it wraps around the side of the battery was catching on a sharp edge of a plastic moulding near the front on the inside of the battery compartment. Using the tip of a very small watchmakers scredriver, I was able to gently push the battery towards the rear of the machine (not back into the battery housing) to disengage the wrapper from this plastic edge, and then the battery slid out like a charm. I rubbed down the wrapper with a fingernail to make it stick well to the battery, and I used a very fine tipped scalpel to shave away the sharp edge on the inside of the battery compartment (it's right at the entrance of the compartment, on the "front of the machine" side of the battery slot - hard to describe but easy to see when the battery is out). I only had to shave away a TINY amount of plastic - no need to go over the top. And now my batteries slide in and out like a charm!

Sorted. B)

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