Posts: 10,409
Threads: 1,069
Joined: May 2025
In December 05 I bought a Newer Tech battery for my TiBook (from OWC). It has a one-year warranty.
At some point during the year, last summer I think, I started seeing a battery icon with an 'X' in the menu bar. Taking the battery out and reseating it seemed to solve that problem.
Now I see the 'X' again. The battery is dead (unplug the TiBook, and it shuts down). Reseating the battery gets me the charge icon, with '0%'. It stays at 0% for a while, then reverts to X.
Either the battery is kaput, or there's something wrong with the 'Book. How do I tell, short of buying another battery?
This one, with the 'extra 34%' capacity, wasn't cheap, either. :X
BTW, I don't use the computer off power very often, though once in a while I'll unplug just to exercise the battery.
/Mr Lynn
Posts: 21,859
Threads: 1,734
Joined: May 2025
Reputation:
0
Have you let it sit with the battery dead before?
Posts: 11,009
Threads: 124
Joined: May 2025
Reputation:
0
I have had many similar battery problems for the last 12 years. Generally I've had at least one other battery to confirm that my Powerbook and it's charger are working perfectly and it's just the stupid battery's fault. All of my chargers and Powerbooks still work- it's just the batteries (and their replacements and *their* replacements) which go dead.
And yes, they should last more than a year. I have one PB3400 battery which is 4 years old and is still chugging with 1.5 hours per charge.
Posts: 527
Threads: 8
Joined: Aug 2017
Reputation:
0
Yes, but unfortunately this does happen. Some batteries last a little longer than others but a year seems to be about right. BTW, I've not noticed any special advantage to the batteries with extra capacity. They die as quickly as the others and I didn't notice longer battery life, either.
Posts: 7,421
Threads: 914
Joined: Apr 2008
Reputation:
0
I have the same thing on my iBook the xed out battery.I unload the battery and it charges for 15 minutes. The experts at the Apple Store help desk tell me it is a power manager problem. Unfortunately on the iBook the PM is attached to the to the motherboard and would be $300 or more to fix. So now I have an iBook desktop because that is probably just less than the value and with no battery power the value would really be hurt. Plugged in it still works fine.
Posts: 2,406
Threads: 329
Joined: Mar 2009
Reputation:
0
No!
They usually only last about 2-4 hours.
Posts: 10,409
Threads: 1,069
Joined: May 2025
[quote M A V I C]Have you let it sit with the battery dead before?
I may have let it run down once or twice in the past. As far as I know that's not a problem.
BTW, I tried resetting the Power Manager. It didn't help. Didn't do anything that I can tell, not even change the date.
/Mr Lynn
Posts: 7,421
Threads: 914
Joined: Apr 2008
Reputation:
0
The xed battery thing on my iBook means no batteries available. Resetting the power manager has not worked for me either. I need to replace the thing. I know how I screwed up mine. I was using the reset button, the paper clip thingie. This was before I found out about " forcequit program". Until I found the Dealmac bunch I did not know anybody with expertise in Mac's.
Don't batteries wear down over time not all of a sudden?
Posts: 10,409
Threads: 1,069
Joined: May 2025
The previous (original) battery lasted at least three years (forget when I bought it).
Seems to me this one should have lasted a little longer than 13 months. . .
Never have touched the PMU.
/Mr Lynn
