Date   : Wed, 17 Jan 2007 20:31:06 +0000 (GMT)
From   : info@... (Sprow)
Subject: Batteries in a Master

In article <45AE820A.1040302@...>,
   Kris Adcock <beeb@...> wrote:
> I always thought that you needed three AA batteries inside a Master, but 
>   I've just opened one up and there is only space for (at most) two.
>
> Up until now, all the Masters I have opened have had their battery packs 
>   hidden under the keyboard, or between motherboard and PSU. But this 
> one is wired so that the batteries go in the plastic next to the 
> cartridge slots. There's room for two batteries, but the terminals are 
> arranged so that the batteries would be in parallel (so the voltage 
> would still be 1.5v).

Quickly dump the Master into a bucket of water, it sounds like you've
uncovered one of the lithium cell packs (3V, hence parallel is sensible)
which had a comedy tendancy to burn your school down.

Make one out of AA's:
 http://www.sprow.co.uk/bbc/howto.htm#m128battery

Sprow.