HP-41CV without serial number!

[Nelson M. Sicuro (Brazil)]

I acquired a non-working HP-41CV last month for parts to fix my other 41CV (leaked display).
The most interesting thing is that it hasn't the serial number engraved on the back! The reserved space is there, untouched, clean and... blank!
It appears to be older than mine (2214B03932, Brazil) and is made in USA. Is fullnut and the CPU board has a different layout and the front lower plate where is printed the name the letters are printed in bright reflective golden ink. The brazilian one is printed on a more "brownish" ink and not reflective.

This calc was toasted! I had to replace the CPU and display boards with my old 41CV. The display chips has the epoxy melted! What can cause this? Wrong batteries? (those of 12V x 4?)

Any information will be welcome.

Nelson

[Raymond Del Tondo]

Hi,

I can't say anything about the electrical problems of your calc, but about the nonexistent serial number.

Those 'virginal' cases were used for replacement units by HP,
and could be ordered from HP by companies which made custom accessories.

For example, I once worked for a company in Germany where HP-41 cardreader housings w/o serial numbers were used as containers for RAMBoxes (Guess the name;-)

Raymond

BTW: I also have a new and empty HP-41 housing w/o serial number

[Nelson M. Sicuro (Brazil)]

Thanks for the help!

Best regards

Nelson

[David Smith]

It is most likely a service replacement unit. These were supposed to have the old serial number hand engraved in them, but many times the service tech got lazy...