Well...... I finally replaced the internal lithium battery in my MKS‑70 and also in my JX‑10. I bought my MKS‑70 way, way back in 1987 and I've never had to replace the battery...... for 27+ years. I thought I would stay one step ahead of the game and replace the battery now before it leaks and causes any circuit board damage. I was dreading this project because I did not want to open up a can of worms. If you've ever looked inside of an MKS‑70, you'll know what I mean. I decided to install a battery holder at the same time so that future battery replacements will be easier. So...... the next replacement time will be when? The year 2042? I should mention that this is not a project for a novice. If you have little or no experience using a soldering iron, this is a really bad time to start learning. I recommend that you take your synthesizer to a Roland Authorized Service Center.
The battery holder I like to use is a Through‑Hole PCB Mount manufactured by Keystone Electronics (Mouser P/N: 534-1053-BH)
 * * * All of the internal patches and tones will be erased when the old battery is removed! * * * Make sure you wear eye protection, are properly grounded and working on a static‑free workbench or table * * * Please don't ignore the advice of eye protection, grounding and a static‑free area * * * The chances of finding a new circuit board...... slim to none ;^) The procedure is somewhat time consuming because of all the boards and cables inside. You will need to unplug, unscrew, and move a lot of things to gain access to the battery. The replacement took me about 90 minutes from start to finish. I was taking extra time and being extremely careful to avoid any ESD nightmares (Refer to the images below) 1) Unplug the synthesizer! 2) For the MKS‑70 remove the top cover and locate the Assigner Board. It is buried underneath two Module Boards. You will need to unplug cables and move them out of the way. Both Module Boards are on hinges (I preferred to unscrew Module Board #2 and place it aside). For the JX‑10, remove the side panels and locate the Assigner Board 3) Unscrew the Assigner Board from the case and locate the battery 4) Once you locate the battery, you will notice it is soldered onto the circuit board NOTE: DO NOT UNSOLDER THE BATTERY. THERE IS ALWAYS AN EXPLOSION RISK! To remove the battery, use a small pair of sharp wire cutters and carefully cut the battery leads from the circuit board and then discard the battery. 5) After cutting the battery leads off, unsolder the leads left behind on the PCB and remove all excess solder from the holes on the circuit board*. Ensure the holes are large enough for the new leads on the battery holder * Note that if you are using the Through‑Hole PCB Mount Battery Holder (Mouser P/N: 534‑1053‑BH), you will need to ensure that different holes (other than the original ones) are free of excess solder (see example image below). The new battery holder sits slightly off‑center from where the original battery was located. At first glance it looks odd, but don't worry. This new battery position does not interfere with any screws, boards or wires 6) Solder the new battery holder in place. You may need to slightly bend one of the battery holder pins to make it fit. Insert a new CR2450 battery and re‑assemble the boards and synthesizer case 7) When I turned the power on, the display showed a garbled mess of characters. Panic set in! This glitch I encountered was not really a glitch after all. Everything in RAM was erased when I removed the battery. Duh! All I had to do was "COPY CARTRIDGE TO INTERNAL MEMORY" and then everything was back to normal...... whew! NOTE: Be sure to set SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE ON and save it because this setting will change to "OFF" (the factory default) I think it's amazing the old battery lasted for 27+ years without leaking or showing errors on the display panel. Dodged a bullet! MKS‑70 Cover Removal (upside down) 
MKS‑70 Battery Location (right‑side‑up) 
MKS-70 Battery Location 
Detailed Image After Battery Has Been Removed 
JX‑10 Panel Removal (upside down) 
JX‑10 Battery Location (right‑side‑up) 
|
For those of you who have the new Vecoven SuperJX‑flash board installed, the backup battery is still required. Even though the new Vecoven SuperJX‑flash board uses updated EPROM technology to store banks of Patches and Tones, the currently selected flash bank is copied into RAM memory (which still uses the older 1980's technology) and is only written back to the Vecoven SuperJX‑flash board when a different bank is selected
Modifications made to any factory stock equipment will always pose an element of risk. Sometimes mistakes are made which are irreversible. Improper soldering and handling of electricity can cause serious injury and damage the synthesizer. Use caution when handling static sensitive devices and the PCB. Make sure you are properly grounded, working on a static‑free workbench or table and wearing eye protection during any soldering tasks. The author is not responsible for any damage or injury resulting from this DIY info. Use this DIY information at your own risk. And, I can't stress enough, the importance of wearing eye protection while soldering. That stuff flies everywhere sometimes!
All images, text, JavaScript and HTML Code ©1995- by llamamusic.com
The Information On This Page Is Current As Of
Last updated October 31, 2014
1) You may not copy, reproduce, republish, disassemble, decompile, reverse engineer, post, make available to the public, or otherwise use the content of this website (including all software applications, scripts, webpages, design elements, and graphics) for commercial gain in any way
2) By using the llamamusic.com website and its services you agree to be bound by these terms, which shall take effect immediately on your first use of this website. You may not use llamamusic.com services if you do not accept the terms. If you do not agree to be bound by all of the following terms please do not access and use llamamusic.com. llamamusic.com reserves rights to block violators of these terms from using its services or restrict their access in any form at any time
3) You agree that lawful owners of llamamusic.com own all legal right, title, copyrights, design rights, and other intellectual property rights (registered and unregistered) in this website and all content (including all software applications) located on the site
4) llamamusic.com website content and services are provided "AS IS" and on an "AS AVAILABLE" basis. To the extent permitted by law, llamamusic.com excludes all representations and warranties (whether express or implied by law), including the implied warranties of satisfactory quality, fitness for a particular purpose, non‑infringement, compatibility, security, and accuracy. llamamusic.com does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or performance of the website or any of the content and services. While we try to ensure that all functionality provided is correct, no responsibility is accepted by or on behalf of llamamusic.com for any errors or inaccurate content on the website
5) llamamusic.com shall not be liable for any of the following losses or damage (whether such damage or losses were foreseen, foreseeable, known, or otherwise): (a) loss of data; (b) loss of revenue or anticipated profits; (c) loss of business; (d) loss of opportunity; (e) loss of goodwill or injury to reputation; (f) losses suffered by third parties; or (g) any indirect, consequential, special or exemplary damages arising from the use of llamamusic.com and its services regardless of the form of action
6) You agree to use this website only for lawful purposes, and in a way that does not infringe the rights of, restrict or inhibit anyone else’s use of llamamusic.com
7) The information provided by llamamusic.com ("we," "us," or "our") on llamamusic.com (the "Site") is for general informational purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information on the Site. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHALL WE HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE USE OF THE SITE OR RELIANCE ON ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THE SITE. YOUR USE OF THE SITE AND YOUR RELIANCE ON ANY INFORMATION ON THE SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK
EXTERNAL LINKS DISCLAIMER
The Site may contain (or you may be sent through the Site) links to other websites or content belonging to or originating from third parties or links to websites and features in banners or other advertising. Such external links are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness by us. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OFFERED BY THIRD‑PARTY WEBSITES LINKED THROUGH THE SITE OR ANY WEBSITE OR FEATURE LINKED IN ANY BANNER OR OTHER ADVERTISING. WE WILL NOT BE A PARTY TO OR IN ANY WAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING ANY TRANSACTION BETWEEN YOU AND THIRD‑PARTY PROVIDERS OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES
AFFILIATES DISCLAIMER
The Site may contain links to affiliate websites. Our affiliates include the following:
• supersynthprojects.com • vecoven.com • super-jx.com
