iBook Battery Problems - It worked but now it doesn't

[LimeiBook86]

I have been searching for a long time to get an iBook battery for my Key Lime iBook (FireWire, DVD, Special Edition) I finaly found one for $119 and I bought it. When I got it, it charged upto 100%, recently I have noticed that it won't charge back up! It stayed at 67% now it's drained down to 42%! I need help, my other batteries seem to charge (the amber light on the power adapter lights up) but with this battery it just drains and the power adapte rlight stays green. I called Apple and they siad it was teh battery, I think they are right. It worked but now it doesn't... Should I let it drain completly? or shoudl I stop messing around and return it?

Here is where I got it from: http://www.supermediastore.com/apcomnotbatf2.html

 

[King Cobra]

You're not going to like how Mac X 10.2.4 is f***ing with your battery communications.

MacOSXhints
The Apple.com discussions...

 

[LimeiBook86]

arg...

I asked Apple about other people having problems and they said no. So I don't know what to do. Should I return the battery? It worked with 10.2.4 but now it won't charge... What shoudl I do. I was aware of the battery problem, I just wanted to see if Apple had anything to say.

 

[King Cobra]

If you have AppleCare, Apple should be able to give you a replacement battery (as well as make other necessary adjustments for free, that's what it's for). Drop by your nearest Apple Store location, or have it shipped off to Apple...Mr. System 7.1.

 

[LimeiBook86]

Well the battery is a 3rd party battery, my warenty is long since expired. So either I return the battery and get a new one that will hopefully work. Or I wait for Apple to fix the Mac OS X 10.2.4 battery problem. I am trying to confirm if it is the battery or the software... If I install OS 9 and the battery charges that meens that the problem is OS X. Now I have to install 9 which is a pian in the.....aarrrgggg... Well at least I don't have to deal with Windows, I'll take System 7.1 anytime over windows...no wait, Mac OS System 7.6.1, that way I can surf the web via DHCP,

 

[Eniregnat]

I have a revB iTang- just a model below yours.
I have 3 batteries and rotate between them.
The computer gets a lot of use.
If your running OS 9 (and 9 seems to work the best on the old iBooks) and it charges well, then it is the battery.

Good battery hygiene is to run nearly to discharge and then recharge. I have more than one battery, and so I have 2 that I do this with and 1 that I charge and discharge as needed.

I still get decent battery life, my primary battery gets 2.5 to 3 hours and the others get 3-4. Despite the "no memory" claim, I have found that the above technique seems to prolong the life of the battery.

OS X may have a battery glitch. I am still not convinced as not all owners report the same problem.

VST once offered an after market battery with quick charger/conditioner for 125 $US.. Apple still offers batteries. In any case, don't buy a used battery.
A new battery should give you a functional 5 hour life span, if your using Word, max power saving, and playing a CD. Early on I managed to eek out as much as 9 hours on a battery, by dimming the back light, running the screen in b/w, not using the CD, manualy and automaticly spinning the HD down, and by having the screen turn off after 2 min. of no human interaction and turning off VM..

Don't froget to downlowd the Sleep patch from Apple. I can't remember if the early revC iBooks had the sleep problem or not.

 

[mrjamin]

if you're running 9, i can suggest battery amnesia which completely drains your battery - it's freeware (can't remember the url, i can send you the file if you want). Be warned - u might have to run software restore afterwards

I used it and it extended my batter life loads - i just run it once a month or so