Texas Instruments TI-30Xa Battery Replacement

Written By: Chris L
  • Comments: 37
Texas Instruments TI-30Xa Battery Replacement

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

5

Time Required

10 minutes

Introduction

This guide will show, step by step, the battery replacement for the TI-30Xa scientific calculator.

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    • Here's the fully assembled TI-30XA calculator.

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    • Locate the six screws on the back of the calculator.

    • With a Phillips #0 screwdriver, loosen and remove the screws.

    It is a #0 Phillips. I tried a #1 screwdriver and a DeWalt #1 bit. Neither worked.

    Eric Scott Johanson -

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    • Find the two notches at the top of the calculator.

    • Insert a flat-head screwdriver into one of the notches and carefully pry open the top end of the case.

    • Locate where the case is still attached at the sides.

    • Insert the flat-head screwdriver into one side where the gap has widened.

    • Now gently pry apart the sides of the case.

    • Prying only one side will release the other side as well.

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    • Now separate the two panels from one another.

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    • The two LR44 batteries are located at the top.

    • Slide the flat-head screwdriver underneath each battery and they will easily pop out.

    Positive side of both batteries should face 'UP'/away from the circuit board

    Chris Wisdom -

    When will you know tht the battery has to be change on the TI30Xa

    Sergio Polanco -

    when the display gets really dim

    Ed Pereira -

    In Step 3, it might be helpful to explain that there are retainer tabs on either side of the case to focus on the release. Maybe add the red ovals as to their location in the graphic (You can just see it in Step 4.

    Otherwise, great post! Thanks!

    Paul other -

    There is a note printed on the circuit board: “Short the reset pad after replacing batteries”.

    Harvey Riddle -

    For some reason my calculator only shows half the number when I type it. What do I do with that?

    Some person -

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Author

Chris L

Member since: 17/12/14

1546 Reputation

30 comments

Thx a bunch!

Georgia Peach -

Thanks for the guide! :) Worked! (Although they didn't engineer the case to come apart easily...)

Scott Julien -

I'm so glad I looked this up. VERY helpful. A simple Google search indicated that it took a 3 volt, flat 'coin' style battery. These batteries, however - I actually have in my desk at work in a 3 pack. No need to even take a trip to the store now. Oh, BTW - the 3 pack was purchased from Walgreens. They sell them in a 3 pack for around $10.

Dewellah -

Nice post! My batteries just gave up after 15 years. This whole time I tht it was a solor calc, LOL! Thanks for the easy instructions.

lasharlavenue -

I changed the batteries and instructions on circuit board says to "please short the reset pad after changing the batteries ". How do I do that?

Esther Reese -

With the display facing down then you will see that in the center of the circuit board are two small raised posts about half an inch apart - they look like part of the circuit. With the power on touch a screwdriver or nail across both posts at the same time. Without doing this step none of the buttons will do anything after replacing the batteries. The pictures on this page don't look like the insides of my calculator though, and I cannot see these posts here.

burton -

That’s what I want to know too… I have it taken apart, waiting to get batteries, did not know how to “short the reset pad”

Paul Sobel -

I've had two of these calculators for many years. I finally went to replace the batteries and one of them seems to be sealed shut, it can't be opened without destroying the case. The second one opened ok. I was in Walmart and they have these in the school supplies section. A new TI-30Xa was only $9. The display is a bit larger as well. If you can't open it then this is a low cost alternative. BTW, In the one that I changed batteries, it work without any reset. but this may vary.

Whole Witt -

I don’t know what size the Phillips head screw driver is that fits but it’s smaller than a #1. $5 down the drain. Use a sharply pointed pen knife.

peter schuyler -

Burton says:

With the display facing down then you will see that in the center of the circuit board are two small raised posts about half an inch apart - they look like part of the circuit. With the power on touch a screwdriver or nail across both posts at the same time. Without doing this step none of the buttons will do anything after replacing the batteries. The pictures on this page don't look like the insides of my calculator though, and I cannot see these posts here.

I dont see any raised posts to short out on my circuit board, where are they? My circuit board says to do that yet doesnt show you which posts to short out. My batteries are replaced but as you say, the buttons are now doing nothing.

lasharlavenue -

On my circuit board I have a circular pad that looks like the PCB side of a membrane keypad labeled “reset”. I reset mine by bridging the contacts of this with the screwdriver. I did have the two raised contacts (smd jumpers, by the look of them) but wasn’t able to easily short them because they were buried in red epoxy.

Elizabeth Greene -

I successfully replaced this in my calculator today. Thanks iFixit!

Notes:

The A-76 batteries interchange to a 357 watch batteries.

The new version of the calculator is $9 in the School Supply section at Wal-Mart. I didn’t realize it was so cheap, and paid almost this much for the two batteries. oops.

Elizabeth Greene -

I truly appreciate your help with letting me know what battery the calculator uses along with the very simple a precise instructions. Life is so much more rewarding with someone like you who is happy to help your fellow person!

Traci Perronne 04.21.2018

Traci Perronne -

I bought 15 LR44 for my cat’s Laser light. Then I wondered what battery my calculator uses. I’ve been wanting to change the batteries for a while now. So, I started wondering if the calculator would use these batteries too. How awesome that the batteries I purchased online from Walmart for $5.86 are the exact battery I need!

Traci Perronne -

Interesting but I can buy a new calculator for $8.

mikecurnutt -

Where’s the fun in that? :-)

dbreiden -

Also you are not contributing to landfill. When you fix stuff, you gain knowledge.

Ganesh Agrawal -

Why not just buy a brand new TI-30Xa for the cost of its two batteries!

George Obregon -

Very well done!

Unfortunately my calculator doesn’t work after the battery replacement. Something else is a problem.

Thank you for posting these great instructions, though.

Kris Falkowski -

I fought through a couple of problems and had success.  After replacing the batteries, my two post were located at the bottom of the board.  One post even has a + sign.   I touched a screw driver against both posts at the same time.  I then pressed the ON / C button and the screen was very faint and then went blank.  So I waited a minute and tried these two steps again.  The screen gradually returned to the normal display brightness.  I guess the unit must use some of the battery juice to get back up and running.  It did not happen immediately.  With some patience to allow the calculator to “power back up”, it will then operate like it use to.  Technology has leaped forward since this calculator was produced.  And thank God for giving humans the ability to move forward and improve.

Paul -

“Please short the reset pad” in my calculator too. Without it, my calculator just showed ‘error’. I found that shorting the little capacitor soldered to the board with a screwdriver worked perfect!

greg watchmaker -

Thanks for the refresher…yeah, after 10 years (?) my batteries went south… which is actually pretty good, considering all the times I left it on…because I thought it was solar powered….ha…

Brian Curtis -

My circuit board [with a date code of 0144 (44th week of 2001)] was different from that shown in the photo for step 5. There was nothing printed about doing a reset after replacing the batteries, and there were no visible SMD capacitors. As soon as I put the batteries in, it began working again. Although A76 [alkaline] batteries are specified, the 357 [silver oxide] series can also be used, which is what I had on hand.

Allen Moore -

Great thanks!

GREG -

Worked like a charm. Thanks

Nathan Condrey -

Thank you very much for the guide. Worked very well.

Nimetullah Üner -

Thank you for the guide. Worked very well.

Nimetullah Üner -

Good guide - thanks. In my case the TI-30Xa calculator would not turn off, the original batteries were bulging and only at 1.3V. New batteries made the display a lot clearer, but would still not turn off till I shorted out the "reset" connections. Now my calculator works fine - thanks

Peter Higgins -

Well, now the display shows “0” but it will not turn off. This calculator has betrayed me and will now go into the garbage can, never to return.

wmshea -

Oh, never mind. The reset worked. And I have enough of those batteries to last my great grandchildren into the next century.

wmshea -