Answer question
BRC100 RTC chip obsolescence
Hi,
Just wondering what other Symphony Harmony users with BRC100 controllers are doing or have done regarding the obsolescence of the Dallas/Maxim DS1286 real time clock (RTC) chips. The manufacture of the DS1286 RTC chips appears to have stopped around 2006 and the embedded lithium coin cell has a shelf life of around 10 years, putting the RTCs firmly past their "best before date".
Personal observation indicates that apart from starting at a time of 00:00:00 on 1/1/84 as opposed to the stored RTC time on the 1/1/84, there is no difference in controller operation. There does not appear to be an indication that the RTC battery has failed, so discovery of a failed battery is purely accidental. There are stocks available from component suppliers but the date codes are often no better than those already installed in the controllers and always more than 10 years old.
Feedback or comments welcome.
Regards,
Alan
Just wondering what other Symphony Harmony users with BRC100 controllers are doing or have done regarding the obsolescence of the Dallas/Maxim DS1286 real time clock (RTC) chips. The manufacture of the DS1286 RTC chips appears to have stopped around 2006 and the embedded lithium coin cell has a shelf life of around 10 years, putting the RTCs firmly past their "best before date".
Personal observation indicates that apart from starting at a time of 00:00:00 on 1/1/84 as opposed to the stored RTC time on the 1/1/84, there is no difference in controller operation. There does not appear to be an indication that the RTC battery has failed, so discovery of a failed battery is purely accidental. There are stocks available from component suppliers but the date codes are often no better than those already installed in the controllers and always more than 10 years old.
Feedback or comments welcome.
Regards,
Alan
