From: Steve Christensen (christensensteve@hotmail.com)

My Meade Stella has broken where the mini connector plugs in to charge it. I was thinking it maybe possible to open the device and hard wire a low voltage directly to the batteries, or even removing the batteries altogether and running it plugged in.

Success, very crude test but it works. Even more solid than the original.

The screws are a T20 and I got a bit today to take Stella apart.

I decided to go ahead and use the Meade charging cable, as it was it works or not.

After removing the four screws I was able to look at the internals. Very easy layout and the battery is even labeled with positive and negative.

I cut the charging cable and looked at it, there are only two wires. Hence positive and negative. I did a thin slice of the outer covering and was able to expose the wires. Again a nice surprise, wires were red and black. Very straightforward, red (positive) and black (negative). Exposing about 3/8” of bare wire, i was able to put the red into a small slot on the positive side of the battery and black side in between a solder tab on the negative side.

Just to test I ran the power cord along the battery and out the bottom where the USB mini charger was originally. Plugged into the wall and was able to turn it on.

Then checked the wireless connection and found it and then secured the back again.

Then took Stella and connected it to the telescope and opened SkySafari.

Tested working and all is well.

See attached pictures.

Again, very basic. But it works and saved me from having to replace it.

I am surprised that no one has had tried this.

Feel free to post on your site and again

Many, many thanks.

Steve Christensen

Although the Meade Stella Wi-Fi Adapter is no longer available, this modification may also apply to the SkyFi III from Simulation Curriculum (no longer available either). See my Stella review for more information about the Stella adapter.

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