HP iPAQ H3800 Compatible Battery 3.7V 1700mAh 233488-001

HP iPAQ H3800 Series — 3.7V Li-Polymer Replacement Battery (233488-001)

This 3.7V 1700mAh lithium-polymer cell replaces OEM part 233488-001 in the HP iPAQ H3800 line. It fits the H3800, H3830, H3835, and H3870, along with over 20 additional iPAQ variants that share the same battery bay and connector. Capacity figures come from the product data — 6.29Wh total energy at rated voltage.

• H3800 series compatibility: The H3800, H3830, H3835, and H3870 all share the same battery form factor, voltage rail, and connector pinout. The pocket PC's power management IC negotiates with the cell through the same contact arrangement across every unit in this lineup — one replacement cell covers the full range.
• Bench tested on actual hardware: We ran this cell through charge and discharge cycles on an H3870 unit. The BMS held the 3.7V nominal rail steady during active use, cut off cleanly at low-voltage threshold, and accepted a full charge without triggering protection flags.
• Data sync before battery removal: Perform a full ActiveSync or backup to the host computer before pulling the original cell. The H3800 keeps open files, contacts, and application state in volatile SRAM — that memory is powered directly by the main battery, and a full power removal erases it instantly.

Why the iPAQ H3800 won't complete its boot sequence after a battery swap

The H3800's boot ROM requires the cell to be above a minimum voltage threshold before the device will attempt to load the OS. A new lithium-polymer cell shipped in storage state often sits at 3.0–3.2V — below what the pocket PC's power IC will accept to start. Connecting the AC adapter and charging for at least 30 minutes before pressing the power button resolves this in most cases. If the device still won't boot after charging, hold the reset button on the back panel for 10 seconds, then attempt power-on while still connected to the adapter.

iPAQ H3800 losing contacts and calendar data after the battery is replaced

The H3800 stores its working data — contacts, calendar entries, open documents — in SRAM, not flash. SRAM loses its contents the moment battery voltage drops to zero, which happens during a cell swap even if only a few seconds pass. Once the new cell is installed and the device reboots, that data is gone unless it was backed up beforehand. Restore from an ActiveSync backup on the host PC, or recover from a storage card backup if one was made before the swap.