KLX-135 upgrade and battery

[[email protected]]

Hey all... I've got a KLX-135 GPS/COM that recently developed an identity
crisis. Apparently there's an internal lithium battery that dies after 3-5 years and
causes it to forget all of its waypoints and internal GPS almanac. Anyone ever
replaced or had one replaced?

Also, I just recently became aware that it's possible to upgrade a KLX-135 to
a KLX-135A. Anyone know what's involved, how much it costs, and whether or not it's
worth it? I'm an avid DIY-er, but I suspect that nobody will sell me the
parts/manuals I'd need to do it.

Thanks,
-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

[[email protected]]

wrote:
> Hey all... I've got a KLX-135 GPS/COM that recently developed an identity
> crisis. Apparently there's an internal lithium battery that dies after 3-5 years and
> causes it to forget all of its waypoints and internal GPS almanac. Anyone ever
> replaced or had one replaced?
>
That's a very common problem. I hate the fact that a panel mounted
radio is automatically life-limited just because of a battery. I don't
know specifics about the KLX-135, but most of the GPSs with dead
lithium batteries I've seen, had to be serviced at the factory. The
battery is usually soldered to the main board and not user removable.

John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)

[George Patterson]

wrote:
>
> The
> battery is usually soldered to the main board and not user removable.

It is if the "user" knows how to use a soldering gun.

George Patterson
Why do men's hearts beat faster, knees get weak, throats become dry,
and they think irrationally when a woman wears leather clothing?
Because she smells like a new truck.

[Henry Q. Bibb]

In article >,
says...
> Hey all... I've got a KLX-135 GPS/COM that recently developed an identity
> crisis. Apparently there's an internal lithium battery that dies after 3-5 years and
> causes it to forget all of its waypoints and internal GPS almanac. Anyone ever
> replaced or had one replaced?
>
> Also, I just recently became aware that it's possible to upgrade a KLX-135 to
> a KLX-135A. Anyone know what's involved, how much it costs, and whether or not it's
> worth it? I'm an avid DIY-er, but I suspect that nobody will sell me the
> parts/manuals I'd need to do it.
>
> Thanks,
> -Cory
>
>
I had the 135->135A upgrade done on my unit a few years ago, at the King
factory. They charged something like $500 for it. You gain the
capability to display some additonal pages of information, but for me,
the real biggie was the display. Apparently, the KLX-135A display is
what King wanted to use in the first place, but it wasn't ready when the
KLX-135 shipped. The new display is much more readable in daylight for
me. They also tweaked the adjustments of the COMM and GPS so it seemed
to work better.

Is it worth it? I thought so. Of course, the whole thing is priced in
those itty-bitty "aviation dollars" that take large piles to add up to
enough money to get anything done.

YMMV,
Henry Bibb

[RST Engineering]

AAARGH. Soldering IRON. Soldering GUNS are used to join drainpipe
together.


Jim


> It is if the "user" knows how to use a soldering gun.

[Don Tuite]

On Fri, 27 May 2005 23:45:22 -0700, "RST Engineering"
> wrote:

>AAARGH. Soldering IRON. Soldering GUNS are used to join drainpipe
>together.

I think of soldering irons as those big things you tin on a block of
sal ammoniac. Now a soldering pencil . . . .

Don

[[email protected]]

Henry Q. Bibb > wrote:
: I had the 135->135A upgrade done on my unit a few years ago, at the King
: factory. They charged something like $500 for it. You gain the
: capability to display some additonal pages of information, but for me,
: the real biggie was the display. Apparently, the KLX-135A display is
: what King wanted to use in the first place, but it wasn't ready when the
: KLX-135 shipped. The new display is much more readable in daylight for
: me. They also tweaked the adjustments of the COMM and GPS so it seemed
: to work better.

: Is it worth it? I thought so. Of course, the whole thing is priced in
: those itty-bitty "aviation dollars" that take large piles to add up to
: enough money to get anything done.

I have sorta looked into that of late since I was googling for the battery. I
didn't know that it was an option. Looks like that is a factory-only modification. I
called a local shop that told me that it is now $621.55 from the factory to turn it
into a KLX-135A. I'm still debating as to whether or not it's worth it. We only paid
$1200 for it to begin with 3 years ago. I'm not a real big believer in the moving map
(especially one that's as tiny as that screen). I downloaded the user manual and it
still looks like they don't have the most useful combination of information in NAV
mode. One that shows:
Bearing,
Ground Track,
Speed,
CDI,
and maybe ETA.

I find myself always having to flip between the page with the CDI and speed,
and the one with the Actual Ground Track. The KLX-135A still doesn't look like it
will do that (except to show track as a tiny iconic picture).

In addition to the upgrade, the avionics shop said that the battery change
would be $45 and about 1.5 hours to do. Basically, $45 + $125 or so. Fortunately for
me, shortly after hearing about the labor involved, my unit happened to fall apart by
persons unknown. It further was revealed that the battery is marked as a TL-5135 and
looks exactly like: http://tinyurl.com/b8esr

The same unknown person left a note saying a new one will be ordered,
resoldered, and the unit assembled at no labor cost to me. Imagine my surprise, but
I'm not complaining!

-Cory

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

[RST Engineering]

It always amazes me how easily these things fall apart when handled by
person or persons unknown. They can even make engines fall apart on
occasion.

{;-)



Jim


Fortunately for
> me, shortly after hearing about the labor involved, my unit happened to
> fall apart by
> persons unknown. It further was revealed that the battery is marked as a
> TL-5135 and
> looks exactly like: http://tinyurl.com/b8esr
>
> The same unknown person left a note saying a new one will be ordered,
> resoldered, and the unit assembled at no labor cost to me. Imagine my
> surprise, but
> I'm not complaining!

>

[Chuck]

On Fri, 27 May 2005 12:17:52 +0000 (UTC),
wrote:

> Hey all... I've got a KLX-135 GPS/COM that recently developed an identity
>crisis. Apparently there's an internal lithium battery that dies after 3-5 years and
>causes it to forget all of its waypoints and internal GPS almanac. Anyone ever
>replaced or had one replaced?
>
> Also, I just recently became aware that it's possible to upgrade a KLX-135 to
>a KLX-135A. Anyone know what's involved, how much it costs, and whether or not it's
>worth it? I'm an avid DIY-er, but I suspect that nobody will sell me the
>parts/manuals I'd need to do it.
>
>Thanks,
>-Cory


Our local CAP squadron has a 172P upgraded to a 180 horse. It has the
whole suite of avionics - pretty much everything you can get. The GPS
is a King 89 or 90, I don't remember which. The internal battery went
down in it and the only thing we could do was send it back to King for
a replacement.

We tried and tried to find the battery aftermarket, but it appears to
be VERY proprietary. Everyone we contacted claimed they didn't have
it. Of course, it could be they just wouldn't sell it to anyone but a
"authorized repair station" - but that's what we ran into.

In the end, we shipped the unit back to King who charged us over $500
JUST to replace a battery. Talk about a SCAM!!!


Chuck

[B. Jensen]

Cory,

5 years ago I had a KLX-135 in my Christen Eagle with the same problem.
I sent the unit to Bendix in Kansas City, and they put in a new battery
and upgraded it to a KLX-135A. I don't remember the cost, but I think
it was around $1200. I did not like the price, but the unit worked very
well after the upgrade and the moving map was very nice!

BJ

wrote:

> Hey all... I've got a KLX-135 GPS/COM that recently developed an identity
>crisis. Apparently there's an internal lithium battery that dies after 3-5 years and
>causes it to forget all of its waypoints and internal GPS almanac. Anyone ever
>replaced or had one replaced?
>
> Also, I just recently became aware that it's possible to upgrade a KLX-135 to
>a KLX-135A. Anyone know what's involved, how much it costs, and whether or not it's
>worth it? I'm an avid DIY-er, but I suspect that nobody will sell me the
>parts/manuals I'd need to do it.
>
>Thanks,
>-Cory
>
>
>