Replacement Batteries for PowerBook/iBook/MacBook/MBP

[AphoticD]

Post your experiences with replacing your portable Mac's battery.

(Given that most MacBooks/MBPs which housed user serviceable batteries are now in the obsolete category, I've listed my experiences with them here too.)

Be wary of cheap batteries.

My experience with the cheap eBay batteries so far;

• PB 15" 1.5Ghz battery replacement - after 4 months, the reported charge capacity has dropped below ~3000mAh (started at ~4000mAh and I think the seller listed it as something like 6000mAh). It lasts about an hour now.

• MacBook Unibody '08 - bought a cheap knock-off battery as a standby for my aging $99 Newertech replacement battery. The Newertech is about 3 years old and the knock off is 6 months old. They both hold around the same charge capacity now (about 4000mAh. -both started at > 5000mAh).

• MacBook White Unibody '09 - installed the knock-off battery at the same time as buying the replacement for the '08 Macbook. After 6 months, the battery was reporting a rating of around 3000mAh, but only holding a charge of about 30 minutes. Without my wife realizing there was a problem, the battery swelled horribly and pushed the trackpad up and out of the housing. She said "I thought there was something wrong with it..". Luckily the trackpad didn't crack and I was able to bend the inner aluminum parts back into shape. I removed the battery and dismantled it to see how just how crappy the build quality was - externally it looked the part, but inside it was the cheapest of cheap parts. I put the original battery back in (400+ cycles, 2900mAh) and the Macbook gets around 1.5 hours usage.

After witnessing the swollen battery, I've been cautious and have been storing my Macbook '08 with the Newertech battery installed, keeping the knock-off battery out of the Mac and just installing it to use (deplete, then recharge) as a backup. The PB15" battery isn't swollen (yet), but seeing that it only holds about an hour's charge after only 4 months has made me think twice about buying the cheap(er) option again.

I got lucky with my PB12" and PB17", which both scored N.O.S, sealed, Apple branded batteries for very cheap last year (around $10 for the 12" and $50 for the 17"). These both provide more than 3 hours of charge for actual usage (sometimes 4hrs in the 12").

I paid through the nose for a replacement N.O.S Apple service battery for my Pismo ($99 + shipping from USA). But I feel it's a worthy investment and it provides about 4 hours of use in Tiger. Even more in OS9 (5hrs+). If I had cash to spare, I'd get a 2nd one and run it with a dual-battery setup.

Post your insights and experience!

-AphoticD

 

[AL1630]

Given that original Apple batteries are expensive and can be pretty hard to come by, are there any good 3rd party options?

 

[AphoticD]

Given that original Apple batteries are expensive and can be pretty hard to come by, are there any good 3rd party options?

Newertech NuPower used to be the go-to, but they appear to have dropped their PowerPC line of batteries.

I've seen a brand on eBay called ICEPOWER out of Italy. They are asking top dollar for their batteries, so I can only imagine they must be better than the cheap and nasty batteries. Has anyone had experience with them?

 

[Dronecatcher]

The only replacement battery I've bought in recent years was for my 17" DLSD. It was a Chinese, aftermarket "high capacity" 5600mAh that initially lasted around 5 hours - within a month it was down to 2.5 hours...

 

[DouglasCarroll]

The only replacement battery I've bought in recent years was for my 17" DLSD. It was a Chinese, aftermarket "high capacity" 5600mAh that initially lasted around 5 hours - within a month it was down to 2.5 hours...

I ALWAYS purchase brand new laptop batteries when I pick up a used laptop. Thankfully I bought a brand new NewerTech battery a couple of years ago when I got my used 17” 1.6ghz DLSD Powerbook G4 and also a new pram battery, both from OWC. I noticed that these powerbook batteries are no longer available and mine is awesome with low usage still. I just figure in the cost of a new NewerTech battery with a used laptop purchase. So far no issues with my Powerbook G4, White Intel Ibook, MacBook pro, and Aluminum ibook and all have NewerTech batteries in them. I did buy a super cheap ebay chinese junk battery just to test the white Ibook and make sure its issue was battery related, then I went ahead and bought a good quality NewerTech one and recycled the junk battery...I dont need to burn my house down from some cheap lithium crap battery starting on fire.

 

[AphoticD]

I’ve kept all of my depleted batteries. My next move will be to invest in quality 18650 cells (LG HG2 3000mAh) and then attempt to rebuild the depleted units.

From what I have seen, the following portable Macs that I own can use these cells:

Clamshell iBook
PB G3 Pismo
PB G4 Titanium
PB G4 12” Al
PB G4 15” Al

I haven’t opened the 17” battery housing yet, so I’m not sure if it uses the same cells. The MacBooks I have use flat cell packs, so I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Does anyone know what kind of cells are in the first gen Macbook’s battery?
[doublepost=1517099246][/doublepost]

I ALWAYS purchase brand new laptop batteries when I pick up a used laptop.

I often use this as a good reasoning tool. Every time I see a PowerPC laptop that I want to buy I remind myself; Ok, you’ll want to buy a replacement battery, max out the RAM, install an Airport Card (possibly), replace the HDD with an mSATA SSD and an IDE adapter... that plus strip it down, clean out all the previous owner’s dust, grime, hair and crumbs, repaste the CPU, replace the heat pads (and possibly fans). By that stage I get put off about the new purchase and just appreciate the multitude of Macs I already have.

It is enjoyable of course, but collecting (saving) these old Macs is a real time and money sink.

It’s a tough discernment of practicality!

 

[bobesch]

[doublepost=1517099246][/doublepost]

I often use this as a good reasoning tool. Every time I see a PowerPC laptop that I want to buy I remind myself; Ok, you’ll want to buy a replacement battery, max out the RAM, install an Airport Card (possibly), replace the HDD with an mSATA SSD and an IDE adapter... that plus strip it down, clean out all the previous owner’s dust, grime, hair and crumbs, repaste the CPU, replace the heat pads (and possibly fans). By that stage I get put off about the new purchase and just appreciate the multitude of Macs I already have.

It is enjoyable of course, but collecting (saving) these old Macs is a real time and money sink.

It’s a tough discernment of practicality!

Man, many thanks for that inspiration - I think your 'reasoning tool' will save me next time, when another temptation appears on the horizon!

 

[AL1630]

I often use this as a good reasoning tool. Every time I see a PowerPC laptop that I want to buy I remind myself; Ok, you’ll want to buy a replacement battery, max out the RAM, install an Airport Card (possibly), replace the HDD with an mSATA SSD and an IDE adapter... that plus strip it down, clean out all the previous owner’s dust, grime, hair and crumbs, repaste the CPU, replace the heat pads (and possibly fans). By that stage I get put off about the new purchase and just appreciate the multitude of Macs I already have.

It is enjoyable of course, but collecting (saving) these old Macs is a real time and money sink.

It’s a tough discernment of practicality!

I do something similar! I keep a wantlist of Macs I really want to have or play with, and I make sure to keep it trimmed down. Whenever something not on the list pops up, I just force myself not to look at it for a couple weeks, by which time I'll have convinced myself I don't need it and should just tune up the ones I have. I'll only make an exception if it's an amazing deal or too much of a curiosity to pass up (like my eMate). This has saved me a lot of money and space .

 

[dbdjre0143]

I had an unpleasant experience with a used OEM 17" Powerbook G4 battery recently which was well-documented in
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-charged-battery.2087654/page-2#post-25752422

For my new DD I got to replace that laptop, a 15" DLSD G4, I bought a cheap ($16!) new battery on Amazon which has given me excellent results so far. CoconutBattery reported 4112 mAh (93% of the nominal 4400 mAh) when I got it about a month ago, and still reports that now. It will last me about 1.5 hours with heavy usage (pegging the CPU most of the time and screen brightness cranked up) and I've had it on for over 3 hours with higher degrees of use.

Based on the horror stories in this thread though, I'll definitely be keeping a close eye on it for any swelling.

 

[Dronecatcher]

My next move will be to invest in quality 18650 cells (LG HG2 3000mAh) and then attempt to rebuild the depleted units.

Soon enough this will be the only way forward - I'm sure with suitable modification, it'll be possible to make use of flat form batteries this way and enjoy the benefits of contemporary battery technology?

 

[AphoticD]

Soon enough this will be the only way forward - I'm sure with suitable modification, it'll be possible to make use of flat form batteries this way and enjoy the benefits of contemporary battery technology?

I don’t know enough about battery tech, but do hope you’re on the right track with this. I wonder why we haven’t seen anyone doing it?

In theory, you’d just need to match the voltage and amperage to get a valid power source. Maybe there’s something complicated on the charging method that requires newer hardware? Batteries surely aren’t that technical, right?

 

[Dronecatcher]

I wonder why we haven’t seen anyone doing it?

Well, even if we're stuck with using the cell types you cited, that tech is improving all the time, so battery life will go up.

As to why it's not already a thing..maybe not enough demand from the right demographic yet?

Look at the Amiga for example, left to die for years and now enjoying a renaissance with startups providing FPGA accelerators, extended memory, sound cards, SSD etc...hell, they've even got Dropbox covered!

Maybe the Apple portable's time is yet to come but i'd love to see custom made replacement battery "blanks" (3D printed?) that can accomodate modern flat packs, so when the battery goes, you just have to buy another flat pack not the housing.

 

[RedKite]

I’ve used some cheap 3rd party battery for my iBook for years and it’s been fine. It’s the luck of the draw though. Some are fine some are not. I remember when PowerBooks were catching fire with official batteries!!!

 

[Dronecatcher]

I remember when PowerBooks were catching fire with official batteries!!!

And exploding if I remember correctly...

PS Your signature could do with some equally venal quotes from Clinton and Obama to add balance...

 

[RedKite]

And exploding if I remember correctly...

PS Your signature could do with some equally venal quotes from Clinton and Obama to add balance...

None are quite as shocking as the current American presidents. The first two are just for kicks but non-racists don’t have to say they’re not racist. Have you heard the latest? He calls himself a feminist as well as support men’s rights however why would a feminist defund Planned Parenthood. Makes no sense!

 

[AphoticD]

Well, even if we're stuck with using the cell types you cited, that tech is improving all the time, so battery life will go up.

As to why it's not already a thing..maybe not enough demand from the right demographic yet?

Look at the Amiga for example, left to die for years and now enjoying a renaissance with startups providing FPGA accelerators, extended memory, sound cards, SDD etc...hell, they've even got Dropbox covered!

Maybe the Apple portable's time is yet to come but i'd love to see custom made replacement battery "blanks" (3D printed?) that can accomodate modern flat packs, so when the battery goes, you just have to but another flat pack not the housing.

Good idea. Even something like the existing housings, but where it could accommodate user supplied 18650 cells to load in manually without the need for soldering skills. There are many flashlights which use these cells like regular batteries.

I imagine the reason why this doesn’t exist is due to the dangers of inserting the cells wrong way. Lithium ion doesn’t like it. Apparently they will get hot, vent out and explode within a few minutes.

 

[skinniezinho]

And exploding if I remember correctly...

PS Your signature could do with some equally venal quotes from Clinton and Obama to add balance...

Maybe you are refering to this batteries.
About batteries for iBooks, Powerbook and Older Macbooks.
I have ordered a battery from Aliexpress for my Powerbook G4 12', seller LMDTK MINGXUAN Store. It still didn't arrive, but the feedbacks I've read for the macbook batteries from them are ok. People with macbook batteries even show screenshots saying it is made by SMP (which is the same as the original).
I don't know if this SMP thing can be faked or not...Given the price (less than 18eur shipped) I had to try it.
A friend of mine bought one for his Macbook 2010 from user smart_digital2008 from ebay.com and it said SMP. Unfortunatelly I don't know more feedback.
If this battery I ordered doesn't hold, I will rebuild one of my original batteries, but first I have to search more about those 18650 cells. This thread also has some valuable information.
I guess mah is not the only important specification but also cycle life and discharge rate (which I have to understand how it relates in a laptop).
I guess we have to remember that powerbook/ibook batteries are not rocket science, so we just have to find appropriate cells. About the LG H2, or any cell with higher capacity, will the chip in the battery recognize it and have good readings?
This article is also very good to read, specialy for macbook owners.
More on the 18650 cells:
http://blog.evandmore.com/lets-talk-about-the-panasonic-ncr18650b/
http://budgetlightforum.com/forum/batteries/rechargeable
https://batterybro.com/blogs/18650-...sonic-a-panasonic-b-sanyo-and-ultrafire-cells
https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/battery-101-40-000-cycles-with-panasonic-18650-cells.61227/ - Guess this also proves the need of a thresholding software for our powerpc laptops

Also there is brand (chinese) named littokala which I've been reading feedback, they even have their own cells and the price is nice and can be found at gearbest.
Hope to help and hope to learn more about this also.

 

[skinniezinho]

My battery from aliexpress arrived.
Coconut battery reports about 4200mah. I didn't benchmark it but at least 2:30 it will hold.
The fit is not perfect, but at least it won't heat like my old original batteries.
In the future I will rebuild them.

 

[AphoticD]

After months of deliberation, I finally put money down on 8x (genuine) LG HG2 3000mAh cells at AU$6.75 each (shipped interstate). The Blueberry iBook will be my first patient (victim?) for my first battery rebuild... With any luck, I'll have a portable clamshell

 

[skinniezinho]

After months of deliberation, I finally put money down on 8x (genuine) LG HG2 3000mAh cells at AU$6.75 each (shipped interstate). The Blueberry iBook will be my first patient (victim?) for my first battery rebuild... With any luck, I'll have a portable clamshell

Kinda overkill no?
Let us know how it goes. In the longterm I also plan to rebuild my original batteries.

 

[AphoticD]

Kinda overkill no?
Let us know how it goes. In the longterm I also plan to rebuild my original batteries.

We'll soon find out. The cells alone worked out to be about half the price of buying in the Italian based "ICEPOWER" branded clamshell battery on ebay, and slightly cheaper than a nasty HK special (inc shipping to AU).

I have no guarantee that it will work though. I figured even if I fail at rebuilding the clamshell battery, then I can use the new cells to attempt the repack of my failing TiBook battery next.

If it does work, then I have a series of dead batteries for my machines, which I intend to rebuild over time; Pismo (dual-battery config), TiBook, PB12", 15" and possibly even the PB17". This type of cell appears to be standard for most of the PowerPC portables (inc white iBook G3 and G4s).

 

[ziggy29]

I'd think there's at least a niche market for old batteries rebuilt competently. It won't make anyone rich, but they can keep some old laptops unplugged. I just picked up a sweet new DLSD the other day (and loving it) but the battery it came with only has about 30% left -- I can get maybe 45 minutes out of it (265 cycles). I've seen options for 12" and 15" Al PowerBooks, even some for Pismos, but pretty much nothing for the 17" 'Books.

Speaking of the 17" PBs.... has anyone ever tried a "Bavvo" battery? I've never heard of them before. I'm guessing it's probably junk, but it's the only thing I see out there for those models ($35 on Amazon):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078PH27R8/

 

[philgxxd]

Isn't the battery of the 17" MBP until 2008 of the same design as the 17" DSDL PowerBook ?
Can someone confirm ? I'm just wondering.

 

[amagichnich]

This is for the battery of my iBook 12". Bought in october, dies in april. Rest in pieces, little piece of sh***
It has a nice to look at curved surface... maybe the next big thing in tech? Curved batteries?
<Sarcasm off>
subtel is the brand - keep your fingers away. 31 load cycles. dead.

RoHS is another brand i can't recommend. I have one in the PB and after 64 load cycles it has only 58% capacity left after one year of usage.

And then there is the 14" iBook with it's original Apple battery: 99 load cycles, 65% capacity , 2 hours battery life (Spotify, Word and T4F with 2 - 10 tabs open)

 

[weckart]

I don’t think RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) is a brand.