Decent Espresso

Battery-free Android Tablet Modification



About 30% of our Decent Espresso customers have had their batteries die.

We have replaced their tablet for free.  Or, customers can choose to modify their tablet to be battery-free, if they know how to solder, and we send them this kit.

As to the now-dead tablet: we've been offering a USD$50 gift certificate to our website, to those who post us their dead tablet.

We then recondition those dead tablet with our own battery-free kit, and then sell it back again (at a discounted price). Or, we offer the battery-free tablet as a free replacement to anyone under warranty with a tablet problem, who prefers that.

About 30% of the machines we've sold have had their tablets replaced for free by us.

About 6 months ago, we were able to permanently solve this problem by:

  • getting new (custom made) Android tablets that have 'smart charging' built into their firmware, in the same way that iPads and Samsungs Tablets do it.
  • releasing a new de1app with 'smart charging' built in, that prevents this problem on all tablets, even older ones

    • We knew that tablets would like be the first thing to fail on the Decent, which is why we did not physically integrate them. The MTBF for iPads, for instance, is 3 years, with 5 years being the maximum reasonable expectation.

    And so, as we have now learned, having a battery-powered device plugged in all the time, can shorten its lifespan, unless 'smart charging' is implemented.

    Note we do let people extend their warranties indefinitely https://decentespresso.com/warranty in which case we'd keep replacing any tablet, for free, that failed for a customer.

    -john

    AI Summary

    The video discusses how to replace an Android tablet's battery with a direct power supply, particularly for devices that remain plugged in and experience battery swelling. The key points are:

  • Battery Swelling Issue: Android devices without Smart Charging degrade faster, causing battery swelling due to heat and chemical degradation in the electrolyte.
  • Smart Charging: Some devices like Samsung mitigate this by adjusting voltage to prevent overheating, but many Android devices lack this feature.
  • Fixing the Issue: The process involves removing the battery and replacing it with a small circuit board that simulates a battery. This board uses capacitors to provide power and discharges when needed, maintaining the tablet's functionality.
  • Procedure:
    • 1. Open the tablet and remove the battery.
    2. Install a capacitor-based circuit board that holds charge and mimics a battery.
    3. Solder the board to the 5V power supply from the tablet's USB port.
    4. Reassemble and connect to USB power.
  • DIY Kit: A free kit is available for Decent Espresso customers, containing tools and a circuit board to help with the modification.

    • #sustainability #reuse #tablets #documentation #howto #DIY #repair



  • German: Modifikation eines Android-Tablets zur Nutzung ohne Akku
  • Spanish: Modificación de tabletas Android para su uso sin batería
  • French: Modification de tablettes Android pour une utilisation sans batterie

    john created 2025/01/01, mirjam updated 2026/02/06