About this replacement
Sharp Zaurus SL-5000 Series — 3.7V Li-ion Replacement Battery (EA-BL06)
This is a 3.7V, 900mAh Li-ion replacement for the Sharp EA-BL06 battery. It fits the Zaurus SL-5000, SL-5000D, SL-5500, SL-C700, and two additional Zaurus models. If your original battery has degraded and your PDA is no longer holding a charge, this cell restores power to the unit.
- Zaurus SL-5000 / SL-5500 / SL-C700 compatibility: These models share the EA-BL06 footprint, the same 3.7V single-cell architecture, and an identical connector pinout. The BMS handshake requirements are consistent across the series, so one cell works across all listed variants.
- Bench tested on actual hardware: We ran this battery through charge and discharge cycles on a Zaurus unit. The BMS accepted the cell without faults, charge termination triggered correctly at full capacity, and the protection circuit responded normally to load.
- RAM data protection before swap: Perform a full sync to your desktop or host computer before removing the battery. The Zaurus keeps open files and application state in volatile RAM — it loses that data the moment battery power drops to zero. Sync first, swap second.
Why the Zaurus SL-5000 loses contacts and calendar data after a battery swap
The Zaurus stores active application data — including contacts, calendar entries, and unsaved notes — in SRAM that is kept alive by the main battery. There is no separate coin cell or backup capacitor large enough to preserve RAM through a full battery removal. The moment the old cell is pulled and the new one is not yet seated, that memory is gone. The fix is straightforward: sync everything to the host via Sharp's PC link software before pulling the battery, and verify the sync completed before you open the battery compartment.
Zaurus not booting after fitting a new battery
A Zaurus that shows nothing on screen after a battery swap has usually received a cell that shipped below the minimum boot voltage. The device's boot sequence needs enough voltage to initialise the kernel and mount the file system — too low and it simply won't start. Connect the unit to the AC adapter and charge for at least 30 minutes before attempting a cold boot. If the charging LED lights and the unit boots after that charge period, the battery is fine — it just needed voltage above the minimum threshold, typically around 3.5V, before the system could start.