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PowerBook G4 A1138 PRAM Battery Issues

MacCubed

MacCubed

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Apr 26, 2014
1,618
494
Florida
So all day I've been getting a list of parts together for the upgrade/repair of my PowerBook G4. I am now looking for the PRAM battery with no success. I was wondering if anyone has one or could find one, they look like this: Sorry for the bad quality, the webcam is really bad
 

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Sadly that's just the board and cable, I really only need the battery part. Thanks though!!
 
it's the one in my a1138.... a rechargable rectangle battery? His listing says titanium but maybe he's a bit confused about the laptop colour. Unless they all came wrapped in shielded foil?? Not sure about the part number.
Not sure i would pay his asking price anyway. More than the computer is worth.
 
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MacCubed said:
Yeah but not the a1138
Click to expand...

You're right, just opened mine and checked. I thought the rectangle silver thing just housed a couple of cells but is something that looks like a mobile phone battery pack. I found a seller in the UK who wrongly listed his as for an A1106 and nabbed it. Sorry but he wouldn't have shipped to the US, anyway. Might be worth checking for other mislistings in the UK. Our sellers don't seem to be too bright.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apple-Pow...up-PRAM-Cmos-Battery-820-1813-A-/181776065624

If you fancy rolling your own, I found the following that might be of interest

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/341

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lithium-Rec...Ah-606168-for-GPS-PSP-MP3-4-MP5-/261472115222

The secret is to determine the right wattage and you should be able to find a third party/generic mobile phone battery that will do the trick.
 
i thought the battery was dead in mine, but it was just well dead. It took almost a week before it was working properly. I just had to make sure the main battery didn't die while i was waiting for the pram battery to charge.
Good luck with yours if you decide to buy.
 
Mnowell69 said:
i thought the battery was dead in mine, but it was just well dead. It took almost a week before it was working properly. I just had to make sure the main battery didn't die while i was waiting for the pram battery to charge.
Good luck with yours if you decide to buy.
Click to expand...
Ok then I guess I will have to buy my other parts before the PRAM will work. My DC-IN Board is dead, and the main battery is at 29% of the original 4400 MAh. Im ordering a new battery, DC-IN board, 128GB mSATA SSD, mSATA SSD IDE Adapter Case, and a 1 GB stick of RAM to get me to 2 GB
 
haha, i bought a dead A1139 last week and am waiting for it to arrive. Probably be doing the same thing as you more or less. My G5 quad should arrive tomorrow, which is supposed to be working. Then i have a MBPRO17 (2011) arriving to replace my 2009 model which is currently up for sale on ebay. Happy days
 
Mnowell69 said:
haha, i bought a dead A1139 last week and am waiting for it to arrive. Probably be doing the same thing as you more or less. My G5 quad should arrive tomorrow, which is supposed to be working. Then i have a MBPRO17 (2011) arriving to replace my 2009 model which is currently up for sale on ebay. Happy days
Click to expand...
Nice I love 2011 MBP's just for the 17" there is a GPU problem with those from 2010 and 2011. If it does go, Apple offers a replacement program
 
MacCubed said:
Nice I love 2011 MBP's just for the 17" there is a GPU problem with those from 2010 and 2011. If it does go, Apple offers a replacement program
Click to expand...

I just bought a mid-2012(HR Matte Screen) primarily because they seem to be immune to the GPU problems of earlier ones-plus I've always loved the HR Matte Screen and that the 2012 models have USB 3.0.

I have a pair of early '08s(pre-Unibody) and baby them in hopes of warding off the known GPU issues with it. I repasted everything, and use very aggressive 3rd party fan controls to keep the GPU temperature down. By the time the GPU hit 60ºC, the fans are already going 6K RPMs.
 
The only reason i made the plunge was thanks to Apples replacement program. I also made sure i could get it fixed here in Italy without any hassle. The powerbooks have been a passion of mine for nearly 5 years now and i can't wait to rip it open and rebuild it. ;)
 
bunnspecial said:
I just bought a mid-2012(HR Matte Screen) primarily because they seem to be immune to the GPU problems of earlier ones-plus I've always loved the HR Matte Screen and that the 2012 models have USB 3.0.

I have a pair of early '08s(pre-Unibody) and baby them in hopes of warding off the known GPU issues with it. I repasted everything, and use very aggressive 3rd party fan controls to keep the GPU temperature down. By the time the GPU hit 60ºC, the fans are already going 6K RPMs.
Click to expand...
For me with the '08s, I would do a Re-Ball on both the GPU and CPU. The only problem with a reball is the cost, specialist equipment is quite expensive, and finding someone to do it is really tough.
 
MacCubed said:
only problem with a reball is the cost, specialist equipment is quite expensive, and finding someone to do it is really tough.
Click to expand...

I looked into this when I was given a dead 2008 MBP and after failing to revivify it with a heat gun found a company that would reball for £45+taxes, which was a lot less than I feared. However, the company literature mentioned that with nVidiagate you were probably only buying a little time.

It also offered reballing with a replacement gpu not prone to failing. I assume the newer nVidia part generated much less heat. That came in at a hefty £195+taxes. You would have to be emotionally attached to fork out that much rather than cut your losses and put the money towards a 2012 model.
 
MacCubed said:
Ok then I guess I will have to buy my other parts before the PRAM will work. My DC-IN Board is dead, and the main battery is at 29% of the original 4400 MAh. Im ordering a new battery, DC-IN board, 128GB mSATA SSD, mSATA SSD IDE Adapter Case, and a 1 GB stick of RAM to get me to 2 GB
Click to expand...

I had the same problem. I found a high res JPEG of the part with the foil off and I was able to read the battery spec. It is 3.7 V 302030. Here's a link to one for sale in Great Britain. Other sites are also selling the same battery without the connector for less.
http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_lp302030-pcm-ld.htm
Hope this helps others with the same issue!
 
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