We're all trying to replace the batteries in old Amiga hardware because they tend to leak sooner or later.
The PowerMacs are also more than 10 years old, is there still some time until the batteries must be replaced?
My PowerMac G4 (PCI) is almost 20 years old.
Probably I should have a look if it is still OK?


Manfred

I'm surprised the have lasted that long. You know when then are dead when your Date/Time no longer are correct when you turn on the machine. I do not know if they will leak or not from age though. So it may not be a bad idea to replace.

From memory the battery is a 1/2 AA 3V. Looks like a AA but half the length. They cost under $10 a battery but you can get the a bit cheaper in quantity. Last batch I bought was a few years ago. I think I bought 6 to replace all the dead batteries on the Macs I was selling. In quantity I paid around $4.00 each for them at the time.

They don't leak.

You won't loose time as long as charged main battery is installed.

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Intertesting.
Is it because Apple used good batteries or is it just a new generation that just doesn't leak anymore?

Mine ran out of juice some years ago. I removed them. Problem solved. :D

Rebuild a laptop battery pack : The 8-Bit Guy

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Instead of creating a new thread about Powerbook batteries, I decided to just piggy-back onto this thread, because of the above post about rebuilding the laptop battery.

I've just spent the last hour or so searching for a replacement battery for my 17" G4 Powerbook, with no success. All I could find was batteries for the 15" models, or batteries for the 17" Intel powered MacBook Pro. I did replace the battery for my A1139 17" G4 Powerbook (last model produced) 1.67GHz G4 with 128mb Radeon 9700 graphics card, but to my dismay, after not using it for over a year, I then found that the replacement battery had leaked and swelled up almost to the point that I could not remove it, and it was bulging the top part of the keyboard. I was afraid that it had permanently damaged my 17" G4 Powerbook, but after finally removing the battery and disposing of it, I think that my Powerbook might be okay. Unfortunately, I don't think I saved the original Powerbook battery to open it up and rebuild it with new cells, so I'm asking for your help in finding a replacement battery for my model. I'll continue searching, but if any of you knows where to find a replacement, I'd appreciate a link.

Edit: I know that the original purpose of this thread was for the internal battery, not the main laptop battery. I just read on Wikipedia that the first generation of the Intel powered Macbook used the same aluminum chassis from the G4 Powerbook, so I'm wondering if the battery for the Macbook will work in the G4 Powerbook? Has anyone tried this?

[ Edited by amigadave 28.09.2021 - 11:57 ]

Well, I'm not a generally patient person when it comes to things like this, so I went ahead and ordered a battery listed for the first generation 17" Intel MacBook. I decided to give it a shot, since it was only $60 with shipping and taxes. The model number is MA458*/A, or at least that is the compatible model number that the battery company is using. I'm not sure where it is being shipped from, either a warehouse in Calif., or it may have to come from China, so it may take a few days, or a month or more. I'll let you know if it fits into my G4 Powerbook.

I too would be interested to know the result of a MacBook battery possibly fitting/powering a 17" PowerBook, as sourcing a good, or new , as a 17" PowerBook battery is becoming really hard to find, let alone buy.

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Isn't the 17 inch PowerBook PRAM battery made of 2 CGL2430 cells sitting on the "USB board"? You could get the batteries alone and find someone to spot weld them together in place of your dead ones.

@ koszer - I think it's the main 17" PowerBook external battery that's being referred to by amigadave, and that's what my comments relate to as well, though I appreciate this thread initially started on that internal battery issue.

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Oh, that one. Then I guess he should get his original battery to a professional who will swap the cells and reset the cycle count as there are practicaly no replacement batteries for 17" PowerBooks out there.

Also, if you type "661-2948 battery" in Google you will get some hits that could be worth trying perhaps. But I guess the shops will list them as either "out of stock/coming soon" or priced like 200 USD.

[ Edited by koszer 29.09.2021 - 08:35 ]

Do you know of anyone who can reset the cycle count for the PCBs in these main powerbook batteries to start the cycle as though from new, or do you know how to reset it in a DIY sense, as that would be very handy to know?

If someone can do just that, then it probably is just a short circuit trick of some kind to fool the circuitry that it is starting counting the cycles from new I suppose.

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I know a guy in Poland that did a full rebuild of that battery (cells+reset). You need to reset a chip using a dedicated programmer (and luckily it's not password protected like in most new batteries, so no additional cost on buying a proper software license for that).

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What did he charge for that service of one battery, and would he make it cheaper to do 2 or 3 of them, or more - any contact infor for him?

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As far as I remember it was about 45-50 EUR for a battery. I'll ask him for a permission and send you his e-mail address if you wish.

@ koszer - OK, I replied to your PM before I saw here that you'd already asked him, and he gave you his cost/estimate.

I still need to know more about the make of batteries he uses, as I believe only trusted brands of batteries such as Sony are reliable/last well, and hold the charge they say they do - which I can of course now ask him, but I'm waiting for your reply on a few queries in my reply PM to you (koszer).

As the cheaper Chinese brands don't seem to be worth buying as they fail to soon, and don't hold the charge required long enough - you get what you pay for of course, but I don't want to waste my cash or pay too much for the service - I just want a replacement that does what it should and lasts as long as the Apple originals - if that's possible.

Yes, I was referring to the main PowerBook battery, not the PRAM battery that this thread was originally about. The reason I can't rebuild my original battery is because I replaced it a few years ago, and the replacement battery is the one that blew up like a balloon and almost destroyed my PowerBook. That battery enclosure can't be reused again, or repaired.

I know the guy is not using cheap Chinese parts, as they're not reliable enough. He said he's only using Japanese cells. I didn't crack open the battery pack to see if that's true though. :)

DiscreetFX could say something about quality of this work, as he happens to own a PowerBook with battery regenerated this way.

@amigadave:

I believe the MacBook battery won't physically fit into a PowerBook (don't know the exact size, but the locking clamps look clearly different to me).

I also believe that it's the cells that swell inside a battery pack. If you could get rid of the broken cells maybe it would be possible to revive that battery? Do you have a photo of the damage?

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No, I don't have any photo's of the damaged battery, and I'm currently away from home for another week. I have the PowerBook with me, but without the battery, and I think I have already disposed of the damaged battery. I'm hoping that I can find my original Apple battery in one of my packed up computer gear boxes.

The wiki for MacBooks says that the first generation Intel powered Apple laptops used the same chassis and battery as the last generation G4 PowerBooks, so I'm hoping that it will fit. It's probably a long shot, but I thought it was worth a chance and if it does not work, I'm only out $60 in the attempt.

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I am afraid the wiki is horribly wrong. They look similar though...

Here's the photo. To the left - two shots of a PowerBook G4 17 inch (A1139) battery. To the right - two shots of MacBook Pro 17 inch (A1151) battery. They're clearly different.

This might be an alternative - does anyone consider it possible to open the MacBook battery case and swap over the power cells, connector and circuit board, and fit them into the same position inside the PowerBook battery case so they'll work then?

As the connector looks the same, and even if it requires a little soldering to be able to move the power connector to the correct position this might be a whole lot simpler than some other options?