Some scumbag Sold me on Olympus LS 12 that was highly corroded from a battery leak.

[James9000]

hi, excuse the over the top headline. I bought it on eBay, it does work but I'm having trouble dismantling it for cleaning, does anyone know of a schematic to show how to take this digital recorder apart. Many thanks

 

[GearShift]

Have you tried asking Olympus? I'd also Complain to the seller and eBay. You might get some of your money back.

 

[Chili]

If you're in the US, call Olympus at 800-662-6372. They might be able to help.

But yeah, I would complain to the seller and eBay.

 

[mjbphotos]

Yeah, just use ebay to return it and get your money back.

 

[arcaxis]

Yup, return it if you can, but if beyond the time you can, how much can you get to removing the Phillips screws on the back? Couple Allen screws on the front, do they loosen anything up?

 

[ecc83]

If all else fails. Brush the offending parts with a solution of bicarbonate of soda then wash well with de-ionized water. Allow to dry in a warm place for a couple of days then spray with WD40.

I lived and worked through the era of lead cased cells and they would leak and corrode TEN SECONDS after their charge had gone!

Dave.

 

[arcaxis]

If all else fails. Brush the offending parts with a solution of bicarbonate of soda then wash well with de-ionized water. Allow to dry in a warm place for a couple of days then spray with WD40.

I lived and worked through the era of lead cased cells and they would leak and corrode TEN SECONDS after their charge had gone!

Dave.

Leakage from 'alkaline' cells is a bit different and the use of either vinegar or lemon juice will neutralize the crud. Yes, bicarbonate of soda is what to use on an 'acid' based lead battery.
How to Clean Battery Corrosion - Quick Tip - Bob Vila
How to clean a battery compartment containing corroded alkaline batteries..

Dry brush the corrosion to get rid of as much loose stuff that is in the battery compartment and maybe use a vacuum cleaner to pull loose bits out of crevices rather using compressed air which may push it further into the electronics of the device. A metal pick or similar might be needed to scrape off chunks that are adhered to some of the metal parts. Try not to get the vinegar or lemon juice onto any parts not affected by the corrosion. Dobbing it on with a Q-Tip may work. It will take some time for the acid of the vinegar to react with the alkaline corrosion. A Q-Tip wetted with plain water to remove as much vinegar afterwards and dry in a warm place as Dave suggested.
Depending on how it looks after dry brushing what you can out of the device, sometimes it's just better to stop there rather than risk getting any liquids into the electronics.

I had to do this recently with a battery holder, which fortunately I could totally remove from the electronics of the device and was able to immerse the whole thing in a cup of vinegar and give it a water rinse afterwards. Didn't look pretty, but the corrosion was gone.

 

[ecc83]

I stand corrected Mark. Maybe thinking of bees?

Dave.