Fred - I'm responding to you here because AOL has blocked me from emailing anyone -- they seem to think I'm sending spam -- It's a lonnng story, (see http://members.cox.net/2dellis/sylvia/index.html ).
I responded to one of your posts and emails:
<< I'm certain the original battery has met its life expectancy since it is the original. The second battery, although I didn't use it much, was allowed to sit for quite awhile without a charge, inside the laptop. I probably didn't take very good care of it and it died on me. I'm certain I will have to replace it. >>
Dick- Did you use the PowerBook with its original battery a lot? If so, I can accept that it may be worn out. However, I can't accept that the unused second battery is also worn out. It doesn't work that way. Two years is just not that long.
The beauty of Lithium compared to NiCd and NiMH, is that it doesn't self-discharge (much). It doesn't hurt it to sit for long periods not being used or without topping-off the charge. Unless it is defective in manufacture, your second battery is most likely still almost as good as new.
One way to prove it is to find someone with a similar model PB to compare with. Another way would be to purchase a third new battery. If your problem happens to be the power monitor board, you could then end up with three useable batteries after the repair! (As I recall, my power monitor repair was comparable to the cost of the new battery.)
Another consideration related to the age of the PB, is that money spent repairing or purchasing batteries, might be better spent purchasing a newer model. In my case, I just got tired of carrying the old, heavy PB G3, and got a new, light 12 Inch iBook. I'm keeping the PB G3 around because it has the PCMCIA slots and serial port that the iBook doesn't have. Fred
Hey Fred, Yep - now you've hit the REAL nerve! A 'new' PB!! Something lighter and 'up-to-date'! All the software in the Wallstreet is mid-90's (and earlier) which sometimes leaves me dangling, and I've been too cheap to upgrade. tsk! Since I use my Macs mostly for writing, I haven't been too worried about upgrades, but now that I'm getting into digital photography and getting more and more interested in storing music ... welll ... uhhh, maybe it's time. The HD on the Wallstreet could fill quickly with photos and slow it down even more (etc etc).
I have a friend who also has a Wallstreet and we have exchanged batteries. The waters are muddled because we can't tell whose PB is ok and whose is working! (ha, that's being a bit sarcastic... but barely true). We both decided our batteries were displaying death throes, but now that you have added the element of the Power Monitor Board -- looks like we'll take them both in and have 'em checked. (BTW - my friend just purchased a NEW TITANIUM PB!! traitor!!) so - I'm looking around to scrape up some $$$$$ for either repairs or...a newbie.
thanks Fred! Dick
Dick's home page: http://members.cox.net/2dellis
On Sun, 16 May 2004 16:06:09 -0700, Dick E. wrote:
The beauty of Lithium compared to NiCd and NiMH, is that it doesn't self-discharge (much). It doesn't hurt it to sit for long periods not being used or without topping-off the charge. Unless it is defective in manufacture, your second battery is most likely still almost as good as new.
On the other hand is the permanent capacitance loss of about 20 % each year, regardless of usage.
Cooler storage temperatures may reduce this degradation. However, replacement batteries should always be fresh from the manufacturer. Otherwise you may get old crap from the shop.
Which third party battery builders print a manufacturing date on there devices?
Regards Martin