NOS batteries for the iBook, any good ?

[Bug-Creator]

I just came across an ebay-auction with 2 factory sealed genuine Apple battery packs for the 12" iBook G4 and I'm wondering wether these will still be any good after sitting in someones closet for the last 9 years.

So do the drain to death over time ?

Can they be "refreshed" into an useable condition ?

 

[Intell]

Lithium batteries do have a shelf life. Those batteries can be dead, have a 75% charge in them, or be unrecoverable. It all depends on the unique properties of that particular battery and how it was stored.

 

[bunnspecial]

Here's an anecdote that's semi-relevant to your question, although the time frames are a bit longer.

I have a c.1995 Compaq Armada laptop that I still use for a very specific piece of software to communicate with a specific piece of hardware(also designed in 1994/1995) that requires an RS-232 port. Due to the nature of the installation, a laptop works best, and the software is also happiest running under Windows 95 or 98.

In any case, this particular beast of a sub-compact laptop actually has the capability of holding three batteries. Several years back-when they were still semi-current-I bought three new Compaq Li-Ion batteries for it. I put two in use immediately, and put the third back.

About a year ago, I tried to carry it around a little while to play some old games, and found that with all three batteries fully charged I was getting less than an hour(about 15-20 minutes per battery). So, I decided to break out the new battery I still had. After 12 years or so of that OEM battery sitting on a shelf, it's completely dead-it won't charge or really do anything.

As I said, that's just an anecdote, but I'd be leary of any older OEM battery.

 

[Altemose]

With so many reliable and affordable 3rd party batteries on the market that were manufactured in the past year or so, it would not make sense to order many year old OEM batteries in my opinion.

 

[weckart]

Another pointless anecdote to add from me. I bought a faulty Powerbook 12" on eBay that also came with a spare sealed Apple battery that had never been used.

The original battery had about an hour's charge left in it but I tried out the sealed battery. It was reported by the system as 0%. After about an hour's charge it had registered rather less than 1% charge, so I assumed it had depleted itself in storage and probably was irrecoverable. I left if for a few hours after which I checked again and it was up to about a few % and seemed to be charging normally. I left it overnight and it finished. It now registers about 5-6 hours on a full charge.

They can seem to die but a bit of patience paid off for me as I was ready to throw it out.

 

[tampasteve]

I have a c.1995 Compaq Armada laptop that I still use for a very specific piece of software to communicate with a specific piece of hardware(also designed in 1994/1995) that requires an RS-232 port. Due to the nature of the installation, a laptop works best, and the software is also happiest running under Windows 95 or 98.

What is this specific piece of hardware? Maybe an old telephone key/PBX? This is an industry I am in and we have some old systems out there that require ancient hardware to talk to....

 

[bunnspecial]

What is this specific piece of hardware? Maybe an old telephone key/PBX? This is an industry I am in and we have some old systems out there that require ancient hardware to talk to....

Nothing quite that fancy-I use it as(one way) of controlling my Lionel train layout

 

[tampasteve]

Nothing quite that fancy-I use it as(one way) of controlling my Lionel train layout

Maybe not as fancy, but definitely more fun!

 

[InuNacho]

With so many reliable and affordable 3rd party batteries on the market that were manufactured in the past year or so, it would not make sense to order many year old OEM batteries in my opinion.

I question whether those 3rd party batteries on ebay would even work. I too have had the "garaged batteries" with poor results, I don't think a Chinese battery will fare any better.

 

[bunnspecial]

I question whether those 3rd party batteries on ebay would even work. I too have had the "garaged batteries" with poor results, I don't think a Chinese battery will fare any better.

I've bought a couple of them.

The one in my TiBook is decent-I can get probably 2 1/2 hours out of it.

I had a little bit of trouble with the one for my iBook G3-the first one I received wouldn't charge. The seller sent me a replacement, and the replacement will go 4+ hours(and that's with WiFi on).

I have one on the way for my 15" DLSD AlBook-I'll be interested to see how it does, but considering that the current battery I'm using in it is good for about 45 minutes, I'm sure it will be an improvement.

 

[Altemose]

I question whether those 3rd party batteries on ebay would even work. I too have had the "garaged batteries" with poor results, I don't think a Chinese battery will fare any better.

I have seen mixed results with them. Some of them are as good if not better than OEM batteries and some are junk that last an hour brand new. That being said, you can usually instantly see the difference amongst those batteries (which are good and which are cheap).